Red Post Collection: Mid-Patch LoL and TFT Updates, MSI in Iceland, & More

Table of Contents

Quick Gameplay Thoughts: March 5

"We wanted to make a correction to our item choice deep dive in last week’s post. The 11.3 data we had been using was an unfiltered view including ARAM and URF modes. Posts like these are made separately from the teams doing the work, and with fairly short turnaround times. In this case, the default data view included the wrong modes and we simply didn’t check it thoroughly enough to verify. Although we also want item diversity in alternate modes, we’re evaluating the success of the system on competitive Summoner’s Rift modes: Ranked Solo Queue, Ranked Flex, and Clash. 

This mistake had no impact on balance decisions, whether over the past few months or for future planning, because the Summoner's Rift Team doesn't use the unfiltered view. The only impact was to the graphs for last week's post and our explanation of them in the text. 

Previously we said that 88% of champions were hitting our Mythic choice goal in 11.3 but the correct number for standard Summoner's Rift queues is 72% (74% if you include normals). This is a meaningful difference, and we don’t want to misrepresent the current state of item choice—hence this followup. 

These are the champs who were hardbound in 11.3, with new additions highlighted in bold:

Marksmen 

21 hits, 3 misses

• Jhin (90.2% Galeforce)
• Samira (94.0% Immortal Shieldbow)
• Vayne (82.2% Kraken Slayer)

AD Assassin 

10 hits, 0 miss 

• *Kha'Zix dropped below hardbinding thresholds at 73.8% Duskblade of Draktharr pickrate

AP Assassin and Fighter 

10 hits, 8 misses

• Ekko (87.1% Hextech Rocketbelt)
• Elise (88.6% Night Harvester)
• Evelynn (78.7% Night Harvester)
• Kennen (81.4% Hextech Rocketbelt)
• LeBlanc (85.9% Luden's Tempest)
• Lillia (86.8% Liandry's Anguish)
• Mordekaiser (85.6% Riftmaker)
• Nidalee (86.6% Night Harvester)

Mage 

23 hits, 10 misses

• Brand (82.8% Liandry's Anguish)
• Cassiopeia (88.8% Liandry's Anguish)
• Karthus (85.9% Liandry's Anguish)
• Malzahar (87.3% Liandry's Anguish)
• Syndra (81.0% Luden's Tempest)
• Taliyah (75.7% Luden's Tempest)
• Twisted Fate (75.1% Hextech Rocketbelt)
• Veigar (75.2% Luden's Tempest)
• Zoe (86.8% Luden's Tempest)
• Zyra (75.2% Liandry's Angush)

Fighter 

24 hits, 12 misses

• Aatrox (86.1% Goredrinker)
• Darius (86.8% Strikebreaker)
• Garen (83.1% Stridebreaker)
• Jayce (91.9% Eclipse)
• Kayn [Red] (87.9% Goredrinker)
• Nasus (81.9% Divine Sunderer)
• Olaf (93.0% Goredrinker)
• Pantheon (76.8% Eclipse)
• Rek'Sai (84.7% Prowler's Claw)
• Renekton (76.5% Goredrinker)
• Riven (76.3% Goredrinker)
• Udyr (83.7% Turbo Chemtank)

Tank 

18 hits, 6 misses

• Amumu (79.2% Sunfire Aegis)
• Braum (79.6% Locket of the Iron Solari)
• Leona (77.4% Locket of the Iron Solari)
• Rammus (77.3% Turbo Chemtank)
• Skarner (84.9% Turbo Chemtank)
• Thresh (80.2% Locket of the Iron Solari)

Enchanter 

7 hits, 4 misses

• Ivern (84.0% Moonstone Renewer)
• Lulu (77.0% Moonstone Renewer)
• Soraka (75.1% Moonstone Renewer)
• Yuumi (81.6% Moonstone Renewer)

Still an improvement from season 10, but not quite as strong as the numbers we presented last week. 

Something else we do look at is high MMR choice variety. This is helpful as an indicator of future trends, or sometimes just reflects the different way the game is played at high vs low MMR. Overall there is a moderate increase in item diversity across the board, though there are some cases of less diversity, like Sona who builds Moonstone more. 

Our overall goals and future plans are unchanged. We want to have maximum strategic choice for the item system without compromising other important parts of League’s gameplay. We will continue to make changes that broaden hard bound items, buff unviable ones, and nerf dominant choices. 

Thanks again for playing with us."

Mid-Patch Updates

"3/3/2021 Serpent's Fang Bugfix, Qiyana Balance Change, Muramana Clarification 

Muramana

• SHOCK CLARIFICATION Basic attacks deal 1.5% max mana as bonus damage against champions. Melee abilities deal 3.5% max mana as bonus damage and ranged abilities deal 2.7% max mana as bonus damage against champions; all abilities also deal +6% total AD as bonus damage against champions (on-hit attacks that trigger spell effects count as abilities for this purpose)

Pyke

• PASSIVE - GIFT OF THE DROWNED ONES BUGFIX Fixed a bug where Untargetable enemies would not count towards the additional health regen Pyke receives when he's near two or more enemies

Qiyana

• W - ELEMENTAL WRATH BONUS MOVE SPEED 5/6.25/7.5/8.75/10% ⇒ 5/7/9/11/13%

Serpent's Fang

• SHIELD REAVER BUGFIX Fixed a bug where Serpent's Fang's Shield Reaver passive would not be applied by ability damage"

TFT also saw a small bugfix that went out today:

"Chosen Roll Odds Bugfix March 4th 

• Fixed a bug where 1 cost Chosens would rarely appear in level 7 shops."

MSI 2021 is Heading to Reykjavik, Iceland 

"MSI is back! Read below for a preview of the venue, competition format changes, and an introduction to our newest global partner - Verizon. 

LOCATION AND VENUE DETAILS 

Location: Reykjavík, Iceland 

Venue: Laugardalshöll 

Dates: May 6-23 

We are headed to Reykjavík - the capital of Iceland - for the 2021 Mid-Season Invitational. After last year’s cancellation, we’re excited to reintroduce this major international competition and bring together the top teams from every region. The games will be played at the Laugardalshöll indoor sporting arena, where the historic “Match of the Century” 1972 World Chess Championship was held. 

Teams will quarantine upon arrival in Iceland. For the health and safety of our players, staff, and local residents, the event will not be able to accommodate a live audience. 

MSI FORMAT CHANGES 

Introducing: No more Play-Ins! All teams from all regions will now start off in the same stage of MSI. There will be three stages total. 

Stage 1: Groups - All 12 teams start here and they will split into three groups of four teams. Each of these groups will play a best-of-one, double round robin. The top two teams per group will advance to the next stage. 

Stage 2: Rumble - The six remaining teams will play another best-of-one, double round robin. The top four teams will advance to a playoff bracket. 

Stage 3: Knockout - The top four teams will advance to a single elimination, best-of-five playoff bracket, consisting of the Semifinals followed by the Finals. 

PARTNER ANNOUNCEMENT 

We are excited to announce that Verizon will be joining LoL Esports and VALORANT global events as the official 5G wireless network provider. 

This partnership serves as the latest iteration of Verizon’s consistent support of Riot’s esports. Starting with the League Championship Series (LCS) in 2020, Verizon has provided support for LCS through original video content and in-broadcast sponsored segments. Their support extended to VALORANT First Strike: North America, the first official tournament for Riot's premier tactical shooter, as well as The Wild Rift Invitational - the world’s first Wild Rift esports event of the game featuring LCS players and celebrities. 

HOW TO WATCH 

More info including the qualified teams and broadcast schedule will be revealed at a later date! 

Follow us @lolesports and keep an eye on lolesports.com for more details to come!"

Miscellaneous

• Riot Scruffy tweeted a tentative changelist for Xin Zhao:

Xin Zhao has been struggling a bit both from a power and satisfaction standpoint. 

One of our SR designers, @TheTruexy, has been working on a nice little upgrade for him. Best part is the new W->E combo (in bold).

No release date yet, still looking for feedback.

• He also provided a changelist for healing reduction items in 11.6:

"Testing round 2 of systemic healing reduction for 11.6

In some cases this will be nerfs but in others it will be shifting stats keeping power neutral

Hopefully this is the last set of these and we can be in a good state where healing is a notable choice and not a baseline"

• He also provided some follow-up to a recent Gameplay Thoughts post on items:

[1] Data correction on our 11.3 Item choice blog last week: 

We accidentally included ARAM/URF so the results were skewed slightly more diverse across the board. 

We said 88% of champs hit our mythic goal -> the corrected number would be 74%. 

More detailed blog coming next week. 

[2] Overall it doesn't change our goal or plans, we'll continue to try and buff/broaden underused options and reduce the power of dominant choices.

[3] More on the Item choice correction: 

We have a dev blog with all of this coming friday, but I wanted to share early so we can have the correct info out there faster. 

This was a really unfortunate error that misrepresented the numbers, and I'm sorry for that.

[4] We intend to be as transparent and open with you about our successes, failures, and future plans. Showing wrong data certainly doesn't help our case.

In the end we (like you all) are looking to find the best ways we can improve the future of this game we love.

• Your Shop is back up in the client through March 29th!

"This month on Riot Report, meet the new VALORANT agent, Astra. 

Host Riv will walk you through the patch notes and esports news of each of the Riot Games. Mel Li, Game Designer and Former LoR Narrative Lead, joins us live to answer your questions about Empires of the Ascended. As always, Riot Swimbananas will join at the end of the show to give the community some time in the spotlight in Summoners’ Showcase."

Other Games

"It’s finally time to awaken your empire. The Empires of the Ascended expansion introduces a new region — Shurima — as well as 110 collectible cards across all regions including Shurima, 9 champions, and new keywords and mechanics that can completely alter your destiny! 

Empires of the Ascended arrives in patch 2.3.0, which will be playable at approximately 11AM PT, March 3."