1/25 PBE Update: Vel'Koz VFX Update & More Tentative Balance Changes

The PBE has been updated! As we continue the 12.3 PBE cycle, today's patch includes a look at a Vel'Koz VFX update, as well as more tentative balance changes!
Continue reading for more information!

(Warning: PBE Content is tentative and subject to change - what you see below may not reflect what eventually gets pushed to live servers at the end of the cycle! Manage your expectations accordingly.)

Table of Contents


Vel'Koz VFX Update

Here's Riot Sirhaian with details on a Vel'Koz VFX update that is now testing on the PBE!
Hello everyone! 
Similar to the previous VFX updates we’ve made in the past (Syndra, Zilean, Malzahar, etc), we're working on updates to the Visual Effects (VFX) of champions whose spell effects are in need of some love. Our aim is to get their VFXs to current League standards and improve gameplay clarity. This time, it's Vel'Koz's turn, for 12.3's PBE Patch! 
This VFX Update was mainly focused on making Vel'Koz a bit more in-line with the rest of the Void champions VFX-wise, and (especially) adjust some of his less accurate hitbox indicators. 
Just like all the previous ones, and since these are smaller updates geared toward sprucing up some of the oldest members of the roster, they aren't in the same prioritization conversation as to how we decide who gets a VGU (where we take model, gameplay, and thematic into account too!): they do not affect any other timeline, and are simply dev passion projects. 
Here's a video preview of the changes for his new VFXs. Infernal and Blackfrost only received minor tweaks since they are more modern. 
All affected skins:
Thumbnail for those interested:
We're looking for feedback on his changes, which should be up on the PBE now. Please try him out there —especially if you're a main— and leave us your feedback!"


Balance Changes

NOTE*: The PBE is a testing grounds for new, tentative, & potentially experimental changes. Be aware that what you see below may be relative to other changes from earlier this cycle! These are not official notes and may be incomplete.

Champions

Akshan
[Changelist]
  • Dirty Fighting (Passive) 
    • single shot movespeed lowered from 35-75 to 20-75
    • 3 stack damage lowered from 20-175 to 10-165

Amumu
  • Armor per level lowered from 3.5 to 3
  • Tantrum (E)
    • Max damage reduction is now 50% of damage instance

Caitlyn
  • AD growth lowered from 3.8 to 3.4
  • Piltover Peacemaker (Q) 
    • secondary damage lowered from 60% to 50%

LeBlanc 
  • Distortion (W)
    • Damage lowered from 75/115/155/195/235 to 75/110/145/180/215

Lillia
  • Lilting Lullaby (R) 
    • sleep duration increased from 1.5/2/2.5s to 2/2.25/2.5s

Nami
  • Surging Tides (Passive) 
    • Bonus movement speed toward allies increased from 45 to 90 decaying
  • Tidecaller's Blessing (E)
    • Bonus magic damage per hit lowered from 25/40/55/70/85 to 20/35/50/65/80

Quinn
  • Heightened Senses (W)
    • Attack speed increased from 20/30/40/50/60% to 28/36/44/52/60%
  • Behind Enemy Lines (R)
    • Damage increased from 40% tAD to 70% tAD

Senna
  • Absolution (Passive)
    • Minion soul droprate lowered from 10% to 2.7777%
  • Piercing Darkness (Q)
    • Slow reverted from 10% to 20%
    • Slow AP reverted from 0.08% to 0.06%
    • Slow AD reverted from 0.12% to 0.1% 

Twisted Fate
  • Wind Cards (Q) 
    • Damage lowered from [60/105/150/195/240 (+65% AP)] to [60/100/140/180/220 (+75% AP)]
  • Stacked Deck (E)
    • Attack speed lowered from 20/25/30/35/40%o 10/17.5/25/32.5/40%

Items

Hearthbound Axe
[Changelist]
  • Total cost lowered from 1100 to 1000
    • Combine cost lowered from 450 to 350

Trinity Force
  • Combine cost increased from 733 to 833
    • [Due to price change of Hearthbound Axe]

Wit's End 
  • Total cost increased from 675 to 775
    • [Due to price change of Hearthbound Axe]

Blade of the Ruined King
  • Mist's Edge passive damage increased from [10% melee / 6% Ranged] to [12% Melee / 8% Ranged]

Maw of Malmortius
[Changelist]
  • Passive effect added: "When Lifeline triggers, gain 12% Omnivamp until the end of combat."

Goredrinker 
  • Recipe changed: [Ironspike Whip + Caufield's Warhammer + Kindlegem + 200g]

Stridebreaker
  • Combine cost increased from 300 to 400
    • [Due to price change of Hearthbound Axe]

Divine Sunderer
  • Recipe changed: [Caulfield's Warhammer + Sheen + Kindlegem + 700g]

Context & Notes

1) Riot Phlox provided a 12.3 balance preview:
"12.3 with content! -Pyke +Akshan +Brand

There'll be a QGT on this later in the week, but the short of the fighter changes is that we're aiming to shift light fighters toward lower-durability itemization. We'll be watching the fallout closely, it's 100% a disruptive change. 

When a light fighter can act as a pseudo-frontliner AND kill you they can be kinda messed up. They're low-risk high-reward, able to kill you without risking death themselves. On the flip side, Juggernauts should feel like tanky, slow meatballs of death.

These different kinds of fighters should feel pretty different to face, and shouldn't share all of their items else they start to homogenize together to the benefit of neither class. 

Again, we'll be watching closely and almost surely following up over the next few patches.

Squad5 added:
"Some context for the Nami adjustment - tried out some medium scope changes to see if I could get some good feeling changes to her passive. 
Eotd she didn't have enough power budget for the changes (she's already strong). But we liked it enough to do a small change to the passive. 
Tl;dr is Nami passive now applies a decaying haste to allies (starting at 90 instead of 45 and decaying to 0 over the duration). We think this is power up so pairing it with a small damage nerf to E's bonus on hit damage. 
To clarify by haste I mean Movement Speed buff - she doesn't grant the CDR stat Haste. 
Words are hard..."

Check out [THIS PAGEfor a comprehensive list of the new content & changes currently on the PBE as a part of this cycle or catch up with the individual update links below !

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