Mordekaiser rework, Ryze and Sylas get big nerfs in new LoL update

Steven Rondina Published 14/06/2019

The latest League of Legends update brings some sizable changes to the game.

Patch 9.12 has arrived brings a number of small changes to 10 different heroes alongside some visual and audio overhauls as well as general bug fixes. More importantly, four heroes were given some hefty changes that could shake up the meta at all levels of play.

The centerpiece to patch 9.12 is the complete rework of Mordekaiser. The Iron Revenant has a new set of abilities that reimagines him as an aggressive brawler should give him some new life after years of relative obsolescence.

Mordekaiser’s Darkness Rise passive grants bonus movement speed and an AOE damage aura after landing three consecutive hits on an enemy champion. That instantly rewards smashmouth play with him which is made sustainable with his W, Indestructible. Indestructible charges up a shield based on both damage dealt and damage received, which can be also consumed for health.

Obliterate is his Q spell which sees him slam down his mace and deal AOE damage. This damage is boosted further if he hits just one enemy with the spell. This synergizes with his E, Death’s Grasp, which allows him to reach out and drag enemies towards him.

Finally, his Realm of Death ultimate allows him to isolate an enemy and force them into a one-on-one situation for seven seconds. Mordekaiser gains bonus stats based on the target, and if he manages to kill the enemy during that time, he keeps those bonus stats until they respawn.

Who else changed in latest LoL update?

Though Mordekaiser’s rework was the biggest change, other heroes got some major changes as well.

Buffs delivered to Yuumi in recent LoL updates have been dialed back, making her less elusive. Offsetting this a bit are some quality of life improvements.

Sylas continues to be a high-maintenance endeavor for the League of Legends team. After getting slapped with nerfs in the 9.7 LoL update, he was hit again in 9.12 with numerous reductions to his ability to clean up minions with his passive’s effectiveness being reduced and Chain Lash’s range and damage both getting dropped a bit.

Finally, Ryze was given focused nerfs designed to diminish his effectiveness in professional play alongside some buffs to make him a more viable option for casual play. Overload no longer grants a shield and Rune Prison’s debuff has been converted from a root to a slow. On the flipside, Spell Flux is now guaranteed to bounce and can be used to convert Rune Prison’s slow back into a root which retains some of his ability to manufacture pickoffs.

There is plenty more to look at with this patch, so make sure to check out the full patch notes on the official League of Legends website.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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