Why has Nocturne dropped out of solo lanes in LoL patch 11.14?
Patch 11.14 has rolled out in League of Legends and brought some big power shifts, particularly to Nocturne.
After dominating the solo queue ladder during patch 11.13, Nocturne has now taken a big hit after recent changes to his passive and the Stridebreaker item. These changes were made by Riot to get Nocturne out of the solo lanes and back into the jungle. So far, this has been a success as Nocturne is currently performing best in the jungle while his win rate in the top lane has plummeted.
One of the ways for Riot to get Nocturne out of the solo lanes was by targeting his Umbra Blades passive. So far, Nocturne has been great in lane because he could shove out waves with his AOE damage. A lot of that AOE damage came from his passive, which has gotten a 50% decrease in damage and healing towards minions. This was the first change that forced Nocturne players to look towards the jungle again.
Stridebreaker nerf in patch 11.14 has affected Nocturne
Another big reason for Nocturne’s power shift is the big changes that Riot released for the Stridebreaker item. Together with many other top laners, Nocturne has been a frequent user of Stridebreaker because of its solid stats and AOE active.
Riot has nerfed this item several times, including a big one in patch 11.13 where the Stridebreaker dash was removed completely. While this affected a lot of bruisers, it wasn’t enough to scare away Nocturne completely. In patch 11.14, Riot returned with more changes by adjusting the stats of the item. The biggest change was to the Halting Slash slow, which now slows for 40% flat. Beforehand, this slow was much stronger right off the bat which was great for a champion like Nocturne.
With his passive and Stridebreaker nerfed over the past few patches, it looks like Riot has finally found a way to force Nocturne back into the jungle. As of right now, Nocturne is performing well in the jungle with a 51.33% win rate and is clearly still a solid champion. For the solo lanes, Nocturne is no longer tracked as a mid laner in Platinum ranks and higher and has dropped to a horrible 47.78% win rate in the top lane.
For now, it looks like Riot has succeeded in its mission to balance out Nocturne. If more changes are coming to Nocturne, it’s likely targeted towards the jungle.
Read Also
Esports Betting
Bet Tips and Predictions For Team Vitality vs MKOI LEC Summer Playoffs
Ben Boland
The LEC playoffs are well underway, and we have Team Vitality taking on MKOI in a do-or-die series. Lose here, and your chances of qualifying for Worlds 2026 go up in smoke. With Vitality getting dismantled by G2 Esports in their opening series, it begs the question whether it was just the G2 playoffs magic, or Vitality are not the team we thought they were. Let’s take a look at ...
Esports Betting
LCS Playoffs Round 1 Best Bets: Will C9 Falter?
Ben Boland
The LCS Summer regular season has finally come to a close and six teams will now do battle over the next few weeks with the hope of representing their region at the 2026 League of Legends World Championship. The first round of playoffs is expected to set the tone for what is to be an exciting conclusion to the return of the LCS. Cloud9 and Shopify do battle once again, ...
Esports Betting
The Best LCS Summer Split Week 7 Odds: Upsets On The Horizon?
Ben Boland
The LoL betting world is in for a treat this weekend as the LCS Summer Split regular season enters its final week. Everything is to play for, from the battle for first place to who starts life in the upper bracket. Esports betting sites are unsurprisingly covering the games extensively, and here my tips to bet on for each LCS match this weekend. This is a series that could go ...
League of Legends
LEC Playoffs Round 1 Betting Tips: G2 vs Vitality & Karmine Corp vs GIANTX
Ben Boland
The 2026 LEC Summer Playoffs are finally here in the world of LoL betting. After weeks of regular-season action, the battle to get to Worlds 2026 is heating up. Team Vitality, G2 Esports, GiantX, and Karmine Corp start their playoff run in the upper bracket. Both sets of matches have a lot of betting potential, with some decent value to be found. Here are some of the best bets to ...
League of Legends
Caps Hall of Legends skins prices and dates revealed
Hannan Mundia
Caps is the latest League of Legends player to be inducted into the Hall of Legends, and the LEC player’s dedicated skins have been revealed, including their prices and release dates. The Hall of Legends is Riot Games’ way to honor a handful of the most well-known and celebrated professional players associated with LoL. The first inductee was naturally Faker, while the second was Uzi. The third player is Caps, ...
League of Legends
Five Support Champions To Pick Up in LoL Patch 26.17
Ben Boland
The support meta in League of Legends is one of the most highly discussed roles in the game right now. With Riot doubling down on the roaming support playstyle, we will likely see more champions added to the pool around the time of Worlds 2026, which begins on 15 October. At the time of writing this article, the current patch, 26.17, is being tested on the PBE, with the launch ...
League of Legends
These Are Five Top Lane Champions To Pick Up in League of Legends Patch 26.17
Ben Boland
League of Legends patch 26.17 is just around the corner, and with that patch comes more changes to the role. The days of ADCs in the lane are starting to be a thing of the past, with more bruisers hitting the gym before the launch of 26.17. Many top laners are receiving buffs on the new patch, while powerhouses such as Nasus and Vayne are on the chopping block, making ...