LoL patch 10.2 nerfs Aphelios and Qiyana, changes Rift Herald

William Davis Published 22/01/2020

League of Legends Patch 10.2 has arrived, and it brings some necessary nerfs to Aphelios and Nautilus.

The second update of season ten is not large, but it targets some key champions that have been too powerful for too long.

Nerfed champions in Patch 10.2

Aphelios, Nautilus, and Qiyana got nerfed on Patch 10.2.

Like almost every other champion in League of Legends history, Aphelios was overpowered on release. Aphelios could dominate the lane and become unstoppable as he transitioned into the late game. That situation made Aphelios the most banned champion in Korean solo queue, where it broke the record with a 223% ban rate.

Patch 10.2 addresses some of the most powerful guns on Aphelios’ arsenal. These changes target the scaling and reduce the base damage of three weapons.

Aphelios

• Calibrum, The Sniper Rifle, Basic Attack Mark Damage 15 (+0.2 Bonus Attack Damage). Q Cooldown 10/9.5/9/8.5/8 Seconds (Levels 1-9).
• Crescendum, The Chakram, Basic Attack Damage 130-223% Total Attack Damage (Mirror Chakrams 1-10).
• Severum, The Scythe Pistol, Q Damage 10/15/20/25/30 (+0.3 Bonus Attack Damage) Per Hit (Levels 1-9).

Qiyana is one of the favorite flex picks for professional players, it can go to the mid lane or be a reliable jungler. In the right hands, Qiyana is the type of champion that can take over a game. Patch 10.2 targets one of the skills that make her a strong jungler in hopes of keeping her in the mid lane.

Qiyana

• W – Terrashape, Passive Attack Speed 5/10/15/20/25%

The scaling attack speed will make her less reliable in the early game as a jungler and force her to be played as a regular laner. The passive on her W still grants bonus range, bonus magic damage, and out of combat movement speed.

Last but not least on the list of nerfed champions is Nautilus. The Titan of the Depths has been the go-to pick for supports for a long time. It provides the engaging tools and tankiness that every composition needs. Some brave mid laners have even picked Nautilus when they want to play for the team.

The nerfs on Patch 10.2 target the damage on the early game.

Nautilus

• Q – Dredge Line, Base Damage 70/115/160/205/250

This change is not big enough to knock Nautilus out of the meta, it just makes him weaker in the early game.

Buffed champions in Patch 10.2

Karma, Trundle, and Ziggs stood out in Patch 10.2 as the champions with the most significant buffs.

Karma can be flexed between three roles and have a significant impact wherever she goes. Because her numbers were not that reliable, pro players stopped playing Karma and went back to assassins or found other alternative picks.

Patch 10.2 gives Karma some significant early game power.

Karma

• Q – Inner Flame, Base Damage 90/135/180/225/270
• W – Focused Resolve, Base Damage 40/65/90/115/140

Trundle is receiving some deserved buffs with Patch 10.2, as the jungler has fallen out of the meta. This buff could make for a comeback. To make patch 10.2 even better for Trundle, the champion is getting a new Dragonslayer skin.

After the buff, Trundle will move faster and his ganks will be more reliable.

Trundle

• W – Frozen Domain, Movement Speed 30/35/40/45/50%. E – Pillar Of Ice, Slow 20/30/40/50/60%.

Ziggs is the champion that sometimes shows off in pro play but is a constant in solo queue. Patch 10.2 is giving Ziggs the tools to stand his ground against some of the most popular mid lane champions. 

The buffs put Ziggs in a comfortable enough position to be a good late game carry.

Ziggs

• Q – Bouncing Bomb, 85/130/175/220/265. W – Satchel Charge, Enemy Knockback Distance 500. E – Hexplosive Minefield, Slow 30/35/40/45/50%.

Rift Herald changes and new skins in Patch 10.2

The League of Legends pre-season introduced some key changes on the map, one of them was the second spawn of the Rift Herald. While valuable, the Rift Herald sometimes is too big of a task for teams that cannot invest the required time to take it. Patch 10.2 reduces the health of the Rift Herald so that it is easier to kill.

Rift Herald

• Base Stats, Health 4750 (7125-14250 [Level 6-12]).

Patch 10.2 also introduces a new series of skins. Rengar, Ryze, and Janna are getting Guardians of the Sand skins. Trundle, Diana, and Olaf join the Dragonslayer line. All of these skins are available in the store.

For the full patch notes go to Riot Games’ official website.

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