LoL patch 10.6 nerfs Aphelios and Senna again, ranked is improved

Patch 10.6 has arrived with changes in the ranked system, the jungle champion pool, the anticipated Wukong rework and so much more.

Patch 10.6 is adding new skins to the store. The fantasy RPG-themed skins Talon Blackwood, Taric Luminshield, and Twitch Shadowfoot are going live on March 19. The Dark Star skin line is adding Dark Star Malphite, Dark Star Mordekaiser, Dark Star Xerath, Dark Star Malphite Prestige Edition, Dark Cosmic Lux, and Cosmic Lux. This group of skins will be available on March 26.

The new and improved Wukong is out now. According to the patch notes, Wukong can be played in top, jungle, and mid. The new kit makes Wukong a trickster that can fool the opponents.

Champions nerfed on patch 10.6

Senna and Aphelios are getting more nerfs in patch 10.6. These two champions have some of the highest pick rates in pro play, and while Riot Games hit them in previous updates, it wasn’t enough.

The nerfs are hitting Aphelios’ healing, wave clear, and basic attack empowered damage. These changes are targeting the three skills that make Aphelios so powerful in pro play. Having less healing and wave clear is particularly inconvenient for Aphelios.  

Aphelios

• Severum, The Scythe Pistol: Innate – Resurgent Heal 3-20% (Levels 1-18) Of Damage Dealt
• Infernum, The Flamethrower: Innate – Incendiary Aoe Damage To Minions 30% (Level 9) Of The Aoe Damage
• Crescendum, The Chakram: Chakram Basic Attack Empowered Damage 24-164% Total Attack Damage

Senna was intended to be played as a support, but she proved too good an AD carry option. Riot nerfed it and players invented the “fasting Senna” strategy. Essentially, Senna gives all the farm to her support while she completes the quest from a support item. Riot is hoping to put an end to that strategy by targeting Senna’s passive, the source of her evil.

Senna

• Passive – Absolution: Attack Damage Per Soul 0.75. Innate – Weakened Soul Cooldown 6/5/4 (Levels 1/6/11) Seconds

Darius and Garen are also getting small nerfs in patch 10.6. The damage on Darius’ W was reduced and the mana cost of the E increased significantly.

Darius

• W – Crippling Strike: Bonus Physical Damage 40/45/50/55/60% Total Attack Damage. Cost 40 Mana
• E – Apprehend: Cost 70/60/50/40/30 Mana

Garen is at a strong point right now because his base stats make him tanky enough to be front liner, so players tend to go for high damage builds. The nerfs target that problem and look to force Garen into a more defensive build.

Garen

• Magic Resist Growth: 0.75
• E – Judgment: Crit Strike Ratio 33%

Ryze, Soraka, Morgana buffed in patch 10.6

Only a handful of champions are getting buffed in patch 10.6. Kindred, Ryze, Morgana, and Soraka are the highlights of the update.

Ryze is one of the favorite champions in pro play because he has one of the best scaling in the game. Patch 10.6 is giving Ryze extra power in the later levels, making it one of the best late-game champions in the game.

Ryze

• Base Stats: Mana Regen Growth 1
• W – Rune Prison: Damage 80/110/140/170/200

Kindred is not the easiest champion to pull off in the jungle. Players must be aware at all times of its marks and plan their pathing accordingly. Patch 10.6 improves Kindred’s health so she can survive in the jungle.

Kindred

• Base Stats: Attack Damage Growth 2.5. Mana Regen 7
• W – Wolf’s Frenzy: Health Restore 49-100 (Levels 1-18) Based On Her Missing Health
• R – Lamb’s Respite: Heal 250/325/400

Morgana is a popular champion in solo queue, and she makes the occasional appearance on the professional stage. The changes in patch 10.6 increase Morgana’s shield strength.

Morgana

• Base Stats: Movement Speed 330 335
• E – Black Shield: Shield 80/135/190/245/300

It feels like Soraka has been present in every single patch update in Season 10. Soraka terrorized the top lane for a couple of patches and is now back in the bottom lane as a support. Soraka is getting back the healing that was taken from her before while she was being pushed out of top.

Soraka

• Q – Starcall: Total Rejuvenation 50/60/70/80/90 (+0.3 Ability Power). Movement Speed Bonus 15-25%

More new champions added to the jungle pool

On patch 10.5, Riot introduced a new jungle champion pool. It consists in champions that are played in other roles and are now viable as jungles. Riot introduced it as a way to make the jungle role more accessible for players that main another role, so they can keep playing those champions whenever it’s their time to jungle.

Patch 10.6 adds new champions to the jungle pool:

Brand

• Passive – Blaze Monster Damage Ablaze now deals 120% damage to monsters

Morgana

• W – Tormented Shadow Monster Damage now does 150% damage to monsters

Shen

• Q – Twilight Assault Maximum Monster Damage 120/140/160/180/200

Teemo

• Q – Blinding Dart Blind Duration Now lasts 100% longer vs. monsters
• E – Toxic Shot Poison Damage Now does 150% damage to monsters

Yorick

• Passive – Shepherd Of Souls Final Service Yorick now raises graves on large monster deaths and Mist Walkers take 50% reduced damage from monsters

Zyra

• Plants Damage to Monsters Zyra’s plants now deal 150% damage to monsters

Additional changes in patch 10.6

Earlier this year, Riot revealed that it was working on improving the ranked experience. After patch 10.6, teams on the Summoner’s Rift are more likely to have the same number of autofill players in both teams, and when possible none at all. The queue times are likely to go up, but it won’t be a drastic change.

The final update in the patch hits the top lane, more specifically the teleport spell. In patch 10.6 its cooldown is increasing and it grants additional movement speed when the players casts it.

Teleport

• Cooldown: 3420-240 (levels 1-18) seconds
• New, Can’t Catch Me: Grants 3 seconds of 30-50% movement speed upon teleport completion based on character level (increased by 10% at levels 6 and 11)

The full patch notes are available on Riot Games’ website.