LoL Patch 13.16 Preview: All Balance Changes & Upcoming Skins

The next League of Legends update is just around the corner. We're going to be moving on from the Tournament of Souls and Soul Fighter and into a brand-new chapter of the League of Legends calendar. With most League of Legends professional leagues coming to a close we're inching ever closer to Worlds 2023.

This is going to be a patch that will decide the balance for the biggest esports event of the year, so we expect more and more pro-skewed changes.

• New LoL Skins: All League of Legends Skins Released in 2023

LoL Patch 13.16: All Buffs & Nerfs

There are multiple champion buffs in this League of Legends patch, with some champions like Sylas, Lulu and Wukong receiving some love from Riot this time around. Of course, there are also key champion nerfs to picks like Naafiri and Shyvana as well.

• Personalize your keyboard with these unique keycaps!

One of the biggest balance changes this patch though has got to be in the systems, with multiple assassin items getting slight updates, with Duskblade finally receiving a major nerf, since the item has become quite popular on bruiser champions as well.

Champion Buffs

Milio is going to be getting some buffs in the upcoming League of Legends patch. Riot is going to look into his Q, which means he's going to be dealing a bit more damage, but these buffs won't be doing too much to shift him out of his already good state into another tier.

Milio

• Q - Ultra Mega Fire Kick
  • Damage: 90 - 270 >>> 90 - 320
  • AP Ratio: 90% >>> 120%

• E - Warm Hugs
  • AP Ratio: 25% >>> 30%

Caitlyn

• Headshot
  • Number of headshot stacks: 6 >>> 5
  • Crit ratio formula rewritten to be less cringe (damage is unchanged)

Lucian

• Vigilance Flat Physical Damage: 10 >>> 15

Lulu

• Base Stats
  • Health per Level: 88 >>> 92
• Q - Glitterlance
  • Damage: 70/105/140/175/210 (+40% AP) >>> 70/105/140/175/210 (+50% AP)
• E - Help, Pix!
  • Damage: 80/120/160/200/240 (+40% AP) >>> 80/120/160/200/240 (+50% AP)

Karma

• Q - Inner Flame
  • Base Damage: 70/120/170/220/270 (+40%AP) >>> 70/120/170/220/270 (+50% AP)
  • Mantra Detonation Damage: 35/140/245/350 (+60% AP) >>> 35/140/245/350 (+70% AP)

• R - Mantra
  • Cooldown 40/38/36/34 >>> 40/37/34/31

Wukong (Top Lane)

• Base Stats
  • Mana Regen Growth: 0.65 >>> 0.8
• Q - Crushing Blow
  • Mana Cost: 40 >>> 20
• W - Warrior Trickster
  • Mana Cost 80-40 >>> 60-40

Akali

• Q - Five Point Strike
  • Energy Cost: 130/115/100/85/70 >>> 110/100/90/80/70
  • Damage: 40/65/115/140 (+65% AD)(+60% AP) >>> 45/70/95/120/145 (+65% AD)(60% AP)

Brand

• Passive - Blaze
  • Mana Restore: 20-40 >>> 30-50
• Q - Sear
  • AP Ratio: 55% >>> 65%
• E - Conflagration
  • AP Ratio: 45% >>> 50%

Ekko

• Q - Timewinder
  • Outgoing Damage: 60/75/90/105/120 (+30% AP) >>> 70/85/100/115/130 (+30% AP)
  • Slow: 32/39/46/53/60% >>> 40/45/50/55/60%
• W - Parallel Convergence
  • Shield Increased: 70-150 >>> 100-180

Sylas

• Base Stats
  • Base Mana 310 >>> 400

Champion Nerfs

There are much fewer nerfs this patch than there are buffs so it seems like Riot is sort of happy with the current state of the League of Legends meta. These are all the champions getting nerfed in LoL Patch 13.16:

Naafiri

• Base Stats
  • Base Armor: 32 >>> 30
  • Base AD: 57 >>> 55
  • Base Attack Speed: 0.688 >>> 0.663

Rek'Sai

• Q - Queen's Wrath/Prey Seeker
  • Unburrowed base damage removed
  • Unburrowed AD ratio: 50% bonus AD >>> 34% - 50% total AD

Shyvana

• W - Burnout
  • Base damage per tick: 10 - 35 >>> 10 to 30
  • Bonus AD ratio per tick: 15% >>> 10%
  • On-hit damage: 50% of DoT damage >>> 5 - 13 + 5% bonus AD

Tristana

• Base Stats
  • Health: 670 >>> 640
  • Armor: 26 >>> 30
  • Armor Growth: 4.2 >>> 4.5
  • MR: 30 >>> 28

Shaco (Support)

• Base Stats
  • Mana Regen: 7.15 >>> 6
• W - Jack In The Box
  • Mana Cost: 50-70 >>> 70 flat

System Updates in LoL Patch 13.16

We are also going to have some key system changes this League of Legends patch. Finally, Riot is going to nerf Duskblade, while also buffing Prolwer's Claw, but what other systems are being targeted?

Duskblade of Draktharr

• Cooldown: 10 seconds to 30
• Maximum damage: 20% to 18%

Prowler's Claw

• Cooldown: 10 seconds >>> 5
• Bonus AD Ratio: 45%/30% >>> 55%/35%

Umbral Glaive

• Lethality: 10 >>> 13

Serpent's Fang

• Lethality: 12 >>> 15

Axiom Arc

• Base ult cooldown: 5% >>> 10%

New Surrender System in Patch 13.16

One of the oldest features in League of Legends will also be changed in the upcoming Patch 13.16 – the Surrender System. According to Chris "RiotAuberaun" Roberts, some surrender updates are "hitting PBE". The intention is to, "make surrendering more of a team action rather than 1 person spamming FF every 3 minutes".

• LoL Prestige Skins: Everything You Need to Know

He also announced that Riot is planning on doing more of these type of system works in the near future.

• The name of the player that started a surrender vote is no longer revealed.
• After starting a surrender vote, the player that started the surrender mode will not be able to begin another vote for 6 minutes. Note, the team cooldown on calling for a surrender vote remains unchanged at 3 minutes and takes priority over individual cooldowns.
• The surrender vote will automatically resolve when a vote can no longer pass and will no longer remain open waiting for players to vote.
• The surrender box text has been updated to reflect the type of surrender vote being called: Surrender, AFK Surrender, or Remake.
  

It will be interesting to see, how these changes might impact the behavior of a certain type of players in League of Legends. But it might be a nice update, since spamming surrender votes can be demoralizing for everybody else in the team. But at the moment we're not sure, why Riot wants to hide the name of the surrender calling player.

Arena Balance Changes In LoL Patch 13.16

Arena is going to stick around until the end of the month, which means we're going to have some more major balance changes for multiple LoL Arena champions as well this time around. There are a few picks that are just way too weak and this patch Riot chose to buff a lot of champions.

LoL Arena Champion Buffs

The buff list for arena is huge. The Arena balance team have taken matters into their own hands and decided to buff 18 champions in this League of Legends patch. Arena has been a huge success thus far, so maintenance is a key part of the game mode to have it come back sooner rather than later.

Xerath

• Q - Arcaneopulse
  • Base Damage: 70/110/150/190/230 >>>100/140/180/220/260
• Rite of the Arcane
  • Base Damage: 180/230/280 >>> 250/300/350

Sion

• Q - Decimating Smash
  • Min Base Damage: 40/60/80/100/120 >>> 65/85/105/125/145
  • Max Base Damage: 90/155/220/285/350 >>> 130/195/260/325/390
• W - Soul Furnace
  • Stacks for champion kills: 15 >>> 45
• E - Roar of the Slayer
  • Armor Reduction: 20% >>> 40%
  • SLow: 40/45/50/55/60% >>> 55/60/65/70/75%
• R - Unstoppable Onslaught
  • Min Damage: 150/300/450 >>> 200/235/500
    
  • Max Damage: 400/800/1200 >>> 600/1000/1400

Lee Sin

• Q - Sonic Wave/Resonating Strike
  • +30 Abilty Haste
• W - Safeguard/Iron Will
  • Lifesteal and Spell Vamp: 5-27% >>> 15-35%
  • Shield Value: 50-250 >>> 60-300
• E - Tempest/Cripple
  • Base Damage: 35-155 >>> 55-195
  • Slow: 20-80% >>> 40-80%

Nunu & Willump

• Q - Consume
  • Ability Haste: 30 (12/11/10/9/8 >>> 9.23/8.46/7.69/6.92/6.15)
  • Base Damage: 100/160/220/280/340 (+65% AP)(+5% bonus health) >>> 120/180/240/300/360 (+70% AP)(7% bonus health)
• W - Biggest Snowball Ever!
  • Base Damage: 180.225.270.315.360 (+150% AP) >>> 215/260/305/350/395 (+150% AP)
• R - Ansolute Zero
  • Base Damage: 625/950/1275 (+300% AP) >>> 655/980/1305
  • Shield: 65/75/85 (+150% AP)(+30/40/50% bonus health) >>> 85/95/105 (+40/50/60% bonus health)

Ezreal

• Q - Mystic Shot
  • Damage: 20/45/70/95/120(+130% AD)+15% AP) >>> 30/60/90/110/135 (+135% AD)(+17% AP)
• E - Essence Flux
  • Ability Haste: 15 (21.6/19.17/16.67/14.17/11.67 >>> 19.2/17/14.8/12.6/10)
  • Damage: 80/130/180/230/280 (+50% bonus AD) (+75% AP) >>> 90/140/190/240/290 (+50% bonus AD) (+80% AP)
• R - Trueshot Barrage
  • Damage: 350/500/650 (+100% bonus AD)(90% AP) >>> 390/540/690 )+95% AP)

Akali

• Passive - Assassin's Mark
  • Base AD Ratio: 60% >>> 70%
  • AP Ratio: 55% >>> 65%
• W - Twilight Shroud
  • Energy Restore: 100 >>> 150
  • Bugfix: Now properly gets the +100 max energy from the global arena buff

Evelynn

• Q - Heat Spike
  • Base Damage: 25/30/35/40/45 (+30% AP) (In total 45/75/105/135/165 (+75% AP)) >>> 35/40/45/50/55 (+30% AP) (In total: 105/120/135/150/165 (+90% AP))
  • Bonus Magic Damage: 15/25/35/45/55 (+25% AP) (in total: 45/75/105/135/165 (+75% AP)) >>> /2535/45/55/65 (+30% AP) (In total: 75/105/135/165/195 (90% AP))
• W - Allure
  • Abiltiy Haste: 20 (15/14/13/12/11 >>> 12.5/11.6/10.8/10/9.1)
• E - Whiplash
  • Base Damage: 55/70/85/100/115 (+3%(1.5% per 100 AP) of target's Max Health) >>> 5% of max health
  • Empowered Magic Damage: 75/100/125/150/175 (4%(2.5% per 100 AP) of target's max health) >>> 7% of max health

Hecarim

• Q - Rampage
  • Base Damage: 60/85/110/135/160 (+90% bonus AD) >>> 80/65/80/95/110 (+60% bonus AD)
• W - Spirit of Dread
  • Healing 25% (+2% of 100 bonus AD) of the damage dealt to enemies >>> 35% (3% of 100 bonus AD) of the damage dealt to enemies
• E - Devastating Charge
  • Minimum Base Damage: 30/45/60/75/90 (+50% bonus AD) >>> 50/65/80/95/110 (+60% bonus AD)
  • Maximum Damage: 60/90/120/150/180 (+100% bonus AD) >>> (100/130/160/190/220) (+120% bonus AD)

Sejuani

• Passive - Fury of the North
  • Stun Hit Damage: 10% max Health >>> 12% max Health
• Q - Arctic Assault
  • Ability Haste
• E - Permafrost
  • Per champion Cooldown: 8 >>> 5

Cho'Gath

• Q - Rupture
  • +25 Ability Haste
  • Damage: 80/140/200/260/320 >>> 100/160/220/280/340
  • Slow: 60% >>> 70%
• E - Vorpal Spikes
  • Damage: 22/34/46/58/70 >>> 32/44/56/68/80
  • Slow: 60/35/40/45/50 >>> 40/45/50/55/60
• R - Feast
  • +30 Ability Haste
  • Damage: 300/475/650 >>> 400/575/750
  • HP per stack: 80.120.1606 >>> 100/150/200

Tryndamere

• Passive - Battle Fury
  • Gains 50% more Fury
• Q - Bloodlust
  • Base Heal: 30-70 (+30% AP) >>> 60-140 (50% AP)
  • Heal Per Fury: .5-2.3(1.2% AP) >>> 1-4(2% AP)
• W - Mocking Shout
  • Slow: 30-60% >>> 50-80%
  • AD Reduction: 20-80 >>> 30-120

Nidalee

• Passive - Prowl
  • Movement Speed Doubled
• Q - Javelin Toss/Takedown
  • Ranged Minimum AP Ratio: 50% >>> 80%
  • Melee AD Ratio: .75 tAD >>> 1.2 tAD
• W - Bushwhack/Pounce
  • Maximum Traps: 40-10 >>> 100
• E - Primal Surge/Swipe
  • Ranged Base Heal: 35-95 >>> 60-180
  • Ranged bonus Attack Speed: 20-60% >>> 40-80%
  • [NEW] Melee New AD Ratio: 0% >>> 80% bAD

Quinn

• Passive - Harrier
  • Damage Bonus: 10-95 (based on level) (+16%-50% (based on level) AD) >>> 11.5-109.25 (based on level) (+18.4%-57.5% (based on level) AD)
• Q - Blinding Assault
  • Damage Ratio: (+80/90/100/110/120% AD)(+50% AP) >>> (+90/100/110/120/130% AD) (+75% AP)
• W - Heightened Senses
• R - Behind Enemy Lines

LeBlanc

• Q - Sigil of Malice
  • Base damage: 65/90/115/140/164 (+40% AP) >>> 75/100/125/150/175 (+40% AP)
• W - Distortion
  • +15 Abiltiy Haste
• R - Mimic
  • +15 Ability Haste
  • RQ1 Base Damage: 70/140/210 (+40% AP) >>> 60/160/230 (+50% AP)
  • RE1 Base Damage: 70/140/210 (+40% AP) >>> 60/160/230 (+50% AP)

Ekko

• Passive - Z-Drive Resonance
  • Damage: 30-140 (based on level) +90%AP >>> 33-154 (based on level) +90% AP
• Q - Timewinder
  • 1st Hit Damage: 60/75/90/105/120 >>> 70/85/100/115/130
  • 2nd Hit Damage: 40/65/90/115/140 >>> 50/75/100/125/150
• W - Parallel Convergence
  • Base Bonus Magic Damage: 3% >>> 4% of target's missing health when they are bewlo 30%

Gragas

• Passive - Happy Hour
  • Cooldown: 12s >>> 4s
• W - Drunken Rage
  • Targets Max HO Damage: 7% >>> 12%

Diana

• Passive - Moonsilver Blade
  • AP Ratio: 50% >>> 75%
• W - Pale Cascade
  • Base Shield: 45-105 >>> 60-160
• R - Moonfall
  • Damage: 200-400 >>> 300-600

Galio

• Q - Winds of War
  • Base Damage: 70-120 >>> 100-280
• W - Shield of Durand
  • +30 Ability Haste
  • Passive Shield HP Ratio: 6% >>> 10%
  • Passive Shield OUt of Combat Timer: 12s >>> 5s
• R - Heroes Entrance
  • Stun Duration: .75s >>> 1.5s

LoL Arena Augment Buffs

Of course there are some augments in the League of Legends Arena mode which could also need some love from Riot. There are a lot of different augments in the game, but some just aren't cutting it, which is why Riot has decided to buff some of them in this League of Legends patch.

Phenomenal Evil

• Cooldown: 0.75 global >>> 0.75 per spell slot (P/Q/W/E/R)

Circle of Death

• Damage Conversion: 40% >>> 50%

Combo Master

• Phase Rush Movespedd: 15%-40% >>> 20-60%
• Electrocute Damage: 30-180(+40% bonus AD)(+25% AP) >>> 50-250(45% bonus AD)(30% AP)

From Beginning to End

• First Strike Damage Amp: 11% >>> 15%
• Dark Harvest Base Damage: 25-75 (+30% Bonus AD)(820% AP)(+6 per Stack) >>> 50-100 (+35 Bonus AD)(+25% AP)(+10 per stack)

Banner of Command

• Stats increased by 15% >>> 20%

Blunt Force

• Percent AD: 10% >>> 15%

Tormentor

• Total Burn % Max HP Damage: 4% >>> 5%

First Aid Kit

• Heal and Shield Power: 20% >>> 35%

Eureka

• AP to Haste Conversion: 20% >>> 25%

LoL Arena Item Buffs

There are quite a few items that need some help as well in the game mode, which is why we've got a pretty long list of item buffs as well in LoL Patch 13.16. It was noted that while Edge of Night is a good iteam in the Arena game mode, the item was added due to assassin's being generally weak in this game mode, hence why the buffs.

Edge of Night

• HP: 325 >>> 400

Imperial Mandate

• Initial Proc Damage: 50-90 >>> 70-130
• Ally Proc Damage: 100-160 >>> 120-200

Night Harvester

• Cooldown: 30s >>> 15s

Everfrost

• Root/Slow Duration: 1s >>> 1.5s

Ardent Censer

• Attack Speed granted: 30% >>> 40%
• On-Hit Damage: 20 >>> 25

Goredrinker

• HP: 200 >>> 300
• AD: 0-50 >>> 55

Locket of the Iron Solari

• Shield Amount: 400-1000 >>> 600-1200

Galeforce

• Cooldown: 45s >>> 30s
• Attack Speed: 15% >>> 25%

Kraken Slayver

• 35 AD >>> 40 AD

Ionian Boofs of Lucidity

• Movement Speed: 30 >>> 45

LoL Arena Champion Nerfs

Of course, there are not just Buffs hitting the LoL Arena mode, but a couple of champions are also seeing some nerfs from the side of Riot. So let's go over the few champion nerfs we've got.

Fiora

• Passive - Duelists' Dance
  • True Damage: 3%+(4% per 100 bAD) >>> 2%+(3% per 100 bAD)
• W - Riposte
  • -20 Ability Haste

Warwick

• Q -Jaws of the Beast
  • %HP Damage: 6-10% >>> 5-9%
  • AD Ratio: 1.2% >> 1%
• E - Primal Howl
  • -20 Ability Haste
• R - Infinite Duress
  • Base Damage: 175+525 >>> 100-300

Cassiopeia

• Passive - Serpentine Grace
  • Bonus Movement Speed Reduced by 30%
• W - Miasma
  • -30 Ability Haste

LoL Arena Augment Nerfs

There are also a lot fewer augment nerfs than there are buffs in this League of Legends patch.

With Haste

• 2x Haste as Movespeed >>> 1.5x

Restless Restoration

• Base Heal per 1000 UNits Traveled: 50-150 >>> 30-150

Tank it or Leave it

• Critical Defend Damage Reduction: 40% >>> 30%

Ok Boomerang

• Damage: 55-275 (+30%Bonus AD)(+20% AP) >>> 45-225 (25% Bonus AD)(+17% AP)

Spirit Link

• Damage Redirected: 30% >>> 20% (Note: live tootlip says 40% but it's bugged)
• Healing Copied: 40% >>> 45%

LoL Arena Item Nerfs

Finally, we get to the last nerfs of LoL Patch 13.16. There have been quite a few changes to Arena this time around, so thankfully Riot is only adding two item nerfs for Arena.

Radiant Virtue

• Periodic Heal: 6% Max HP >>> 4% Max HP

Eclipse

• Proc % Max HP Damage: 8% >>> 7%

Skins In LoL Patch 13.16: Immortal Journey

We are going to be getting some new Immortal Journey skins this League of Legends patch. Six champions and seven skins will be released in this League of Legends update. Soraka will have her third legendary skin, Sona will receive a new prestige skin and Shyvana will finally get a new skin as well! Everything is coming together, eh?

• Immortal Journey Soraka
• Immortal Journey Zed
• Immortal Journey Zeri
• Immortal Journey Kayle
• Immortal Journey Shyana
• Immortal Journey Sona
  • Immortal Journey Sona Prestige Edition

We won't have an event for these skins either, instead Riot will be holding a skin showcase for this round of skins. The Sona skin is also going to be available for purchase in the Mythic Shop, instead of getting it with event tokens.

• LoL: Fans Annoyed About LEC Schedule

This is going to be a pretty fun patch, and players can get more and more excited for the upcoming League of Legends World Championship, with some major champion adjustments on the horizon for some.