League of Legends Patch 14.16 Preview: Sylas buffs, Corki nerfs, and more!

The stage looks set for League of Legends' upcoming patch (patch 14.16). With buffs appearing imminent for several mages, only time will tell if ADCs are set to disappear from the mid lane, or if they will persevere once more.

Join us as we take a closer look at which champions are getting buffs as well as some of the incoming item changes!

This information about patch 14.16 came from an X (Twitter) post made by David "Phreak" Turley, a game designer at Riot Games.

"This patch is simultaneously solo queue and pro play focused: Lots of changes to make solo queue fairer with things like top laners getting penalized for solo killing, overall ADC power level with more item nerfs, and buffs to champs who can use the love.

For AP junglers, we'd still rather address the champions themselves."

Will Azir assert his dominance in pro play again? (Credit: Riot Games)

Champion Buffs (Patch 14.16)

"Many of the buffs (Azir, Orianna, Syndra, Sylas, Vi, Skarner, Wukong) are strictly weak for solo queue. If they show up in pro and create diversity, then that's great. But not trying to buff things that aren't actually weak after accounting for champion mastery."

Azir

• Base HP regeneration increased 3.5 >>> 5
• Base Armor increased 22 >>> 25

Orianna

• [Q] Command: Attack AP ratio increased 50% >>> 55%

Syndra

• [R] Unleashed Power base damage per [Q] Dark Sphere increased 90/130/170 >>> 100/140/180

Sylas

• Base HP increased 575 >>> 600
• [P-Unshackled] Petricite Burst - Unshackled primary target damage AP ratio increased 25% >>> 30%
• [W] Kingslayer base damage increased 65/100/135/170/205 >>> 75/110/145/180/215

Katarina

• [Q] Bouncing Blade damage increased 80/110/140/170/200 (+35% AP) >>> 80/120/160/200/240 (+45% AP)
• [E] Shunpo base damage reduced 20/35/50/65/80 >>> 20/30/40/50/60
• [R] Death Lotus on-hit effectiveness reduced 30/35/40% >>> 25/30/35%

Vi

• [Q] Vault Breaker minimum base damage increased 45/70/95/120/145 >>> 50/75/100/125/150 (90/140/190/240/290 >>> 100/150/200/250/300 maximum)

Skarner

"Skarner changes are to introduce juggernaut builds for players who want them and shore up his early game now that Q3 is much weaker."

• Base HP increased 610 >>> 630
• Base AD increased 60 >>> 63
• [Q] Shattered Earth bAD ratio increased 60% >>> 80%

Wukong

• [P] Stone Skin armor per stack of Strength of Stone increased 5 >>> 6
• [E] Nimbus Strike bonus Attack Speed increased 35/40/45/50/55% >>> 40/45/50/55/60%

Champion Nerfs (Patch 14.16)

Corki

"Lucian and Corki changes are specifically for Pro and Elite-level solo queue where they're dominating pick rates. Making targeted adjustments that we believe are mid-skewed."

• [Q] Phosphorus Bomb nerfs:
  • Cooldown increased 8/7.5/7/6.5/6 >>> 9/8.5/8/7.5/7 seconds
  • Mana cost increased 60/65/70/75/80 >>> 80 flat

Corki's days in the mid lane may finally be over. (Credit: Riot Games)

Champion Adjustments (Patch 14.16)

Lucian

• [P-Vigilance] Lightslinger - Vigilance AD ratio increased 15% >>> 20%
• [Q] Piercing Light base damage reduced 95/125/155/185/215 >>> 85/115/145/175/205

Qiyana

• Base Armor increased 28 >>> 31
• [Q] Edge of Ixtal damage increased 50/85/120/155/190 (+75% bAD) >>> 60/90/120/150/180 (+90% bAD)
• [W-P] Terrashape base bonus magic damage on-hit reduced 8/22/36/50/64 >>> 8/16/24/32/40
• [R] Supreme Display of Talent bAD ratio reduced 175% >>> 125%

Senna

"Senna adjustments are to make it harder to be the "primary carry" unless you get ADC levels of gold income. As a support, she should be more supportive, meaning she'll be stronger alongside ADCs in lane and a bit weaker alongside tanks. Solo queue vs. pro power, essentially."

• Attack Speed per level reduced 4% >>> 2%
• [P-Mist] Absolution - Mist Critical Strike Chance per 20 Mist stacks reduced 10% >>> 8%
• [Q] Piercing Darkness adjustments:
  • Heal adjusted 40/50/60/70/80 (+30% bAD) (+40% AP) (+160% Lethality) >>> 40/60/80/100/120 (+40% bAD) (+80% AP) (+0% Lethality)
  • Slow increased 15% (+10% per 100 bAD) (+6% per 100 AP) >>> 15% (+15% per 100 bAD) (+10% per 100 AP)
• [W] Last Embrace root duration increased 1/1.25/1.5/1.75/2 >>> 1.25/1.5/1.75/2/2.25 seconds
• [R] Dawning Shadow shield increased 100/150/200 (+40% AP) (+150% [P] Absolution - Mist stacks) >>> 120/160/200 (+70% AP) (+150% [P] Absolution - Mist stacks)

System Buffs

Black Cleaver

• Carve no longer has a 0.01 second cooldown between stacks

System Nerfs

Doran's Blade

• HP reduced 100 >>> 80
• Life Steal reduced 3.5% >>> 3%

Blade of the Ruined King

• AD reduced 55 >>> 50
• Attack Speed reduced 30% >>> 25%
• Mist's Edge target's current health damage increased 9%/6% >>> 10%/6% (melee/ranged)

System Adjustments

Death Timers

• Death timers levels 1-9 increased 6/6/8/8/10/12/16/21/26 >>> 10/10/12/12/14/16/20/25/28 seconds

Death Homeguards

• Duration increased 5 seconds, starts instantly >>> 8 seconds, starts when leaving fountain

Ultimately, this is shaping up to be one of the smallest patches in recent months for League of Legends. And yet, much anticipation has built up on the return of mages to the mid lane following the game's latest patch, which carried a number of ADC nerfs.

With patch 14.16's buffs to several fan-favorite mages, we might just see old playstyles and picks return to the fold as we bid goodbye to the ADCs' reign of terror in the mid lane.

It's Senna's turn for a role shift. (Credit: Riot Games)

Image source: Riot Games

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