Gwen is the type of champion that will dominate the pro scene but won't be able to make a dent in solo queue. So, Riot is going to make some changes to her kit, so everyone can enjoy the AP top laner.
Gwen is one of the worst top laners in the current meta. She's got an abysmal win rate of 46%, and it isn't the first patch she's been lagging behind on this level. Oh no, this is a constant for Gwen in solo queue and yet, we see her getting picked over and over again in pro play.
Gwen, similar to Ryze, is the type of champion who is great in higher elos and in pro-play, but in solo queue, she just doesn't seem to cut it... get it... cut it... because she has scissors. Okay, bad puns aside, Riot is sick and tired of her being awful, so they decided to make some changes to her, giving her whole kit an overhaul ahead of LoL Patch 12.13.
Gwen Changes on PBE 12.13
Riot has implemented some changes onto the PBE server for Gwen which are set to go live on July 13, 2022 with Patch 12.13. These changes have nerfed her innate healing, as well as her ultimate, but buffed her Q. Let's check out the exact details to her ability changes.
| Ability | Changes |
| Base Stats |
|
Q - Snip Snip! |
|
| W - Hallowed Mist |
|
| E - Skin'n Slash |
|
| R - Needlework |
|
What Do These Changes Mean for Gwen?
The biggest change has got to be the recast timer on her ultimate. Beforehand, if Gwen could auto another champion, she would quickly be able to shred anyone in her way, while gaining back a lot of missing health, basically going from 0-100 health in the blink of an eye while her enemy was left with a gray screen.
This was one of the changes Riot really wanted to implement to keep her from going out of control. This change might be a bit much though, and adding a timer like for Camille's Q where it gets stronger the longer you wait to recast could have been a smarter option than the 1s cooldown between casts.
Also, elongating the cooldown on her E, while giving it much more range also seems a bit odd. Maybe giving the E a higher mana cost could have made more sense as well, since Gwen does rarely run out of mana. The E and Q combo is going to hit a lot harder, so we do not predict this to be the final change for Gwen. Riot will likely have to adjust some things in LoL Patch 12.14.
Do These Changes Make Gwen Worse?
Gwen is going to heal a lot less, which means she won't be able to go all-in to fights and will have to be more careful before engaging in fights. She is also going to shred the backline less, but she was designed to be a skirmisher and the whole point is to be on the frontline and fight the enemy frontline, so the carries can get access to the backline.
Her Q is stronger than before, and the added range on her E is also going to have a huge impact. Yes, the cooldown is longer, but it won't really matter for Gwen in the long run. Her ultimate is going to suffer though due to these changes, which will make her teamfighting ability weaker than before.
When Will the Gwen Changes Go Live?
As already mentioned, the Gwen changes will be hitting live servers in League of Legends Patch 12.13 on July 13, 2022. Whether you enjoy the new Gwen or not, she will have less skill expression with these changes. If you don't like her, just test out Nilah in the top lane. That could be a new and unexpected meta, eh?