League fans fear Worlds 2023 meta as Statikk Shiv dominates despite 6 separate nerfs

Statikk Shiv has had a meteoric impact on the League of Legends meta. Once players figured out why the item was strong and how to use it, the meta began to shape itself around the item. And, despite 6 different nerfs being applied to the item over the course of multiple patches, it’s still dominating.

When Statikk Shiv was first re-introduced to League of Legends in patch 13.10, it wasn’t a breakout hit of an item. In fact, it even got buffed in 13.11 as Riot tried to get more players to use it.

However, as more and more players got acquainted with the item, it became increasingly clear just how strong it was. Mid laners were building it, ADCs were building it, top laners were building it, even champions who don’t traditionally build AD items like LeBlanc were using it.

Even with the item’s AP scaling nerfed, even with its minion damage being nerfed multiple times, the item still dominates, now paired with Hullbreaker. League players are scared that the item and champions that take advantage of it will define Worlds 2023.

Statikk Shiv defines League meta going into Worlds 2023

Initially, Statikk Shiv was an exciting addition to League of Legends. Champions who were off meta picks previously were thrust into the limelight with their ability to abuse the item’s strong waveclear.

LeBlanc was arguably the biggest winner as Statikk Shiv LeBlanc dominated the mid lane for a while, to the point where the champion had to be target nerfed on top of the existing Statikk Shiv nerfs.

However, players adapted and began playing LeBlanc top, forcing her to get quickly nerfed by the balance team. And, even with all that effort, an AD Ahri top build has come in to take its place. And an AD Twisted Fate build. And the item is still built on ADCs.

Not to mention AD LeBlanc top may be a viable choice even after the nerfs.

To provide a bit more context to the scope of just how many times Statikk Shiv has been nerfed, here’s the full history:

Patch 13.13 (June 28, 2023)

• AP ratio reduced to 30% AP from 50% AP.
• Damage against minions no longer scales with 125% AP.

Patch 13.14 (July 19, 2023)

• (Buff) Attack speed increased to 30% from 25%.
• Minion damage reduced to 250 − 350 (based on level) from 250 − 450 (based on level).

Patch 13.17 (August 30, 2023)

• AP ratio reduced to 15% AP from 30% AP.

Patch 13.18 (September 13, 2023)

• (Buff) Attack damage increased to 50 from 45.
• Minion damage reduced to 200 at all levels from 250 − 350 (based on level).

Patch 13.19 (September 27, 2023)

• Minion damage reduced to 150 from 200.

And, even after months worth of nerfs, players have persevered and found ways to take advantage of the item’s strong waveclear and flexible build path. Statikk Shiv is everywhere and there’s no sign of that trend stopping ahead of Worlds 2023.

Bobqin has been one of the key figures tracking Statikk Shiv’s monolithic, all-consuming impact on League of Legends and posted a screenshot from one of the Pathfinders pro matches that shows Shiv being built on four separate champions.

All of that said, it’s hard to say what the Worlds 2023 meta will hold. For instance, Heimerdinger/Ashe wasn’t a first pick/first ban worthy option in draft at the start of Worlds 2022, but it certainly was by the end with how heavily World Champion support player Cho ‘BeryL’ Geon-hee prioritized it.

Additionally, the prevailing Statikk Shiv builds are abusing Hullbreaker and Trinity Force as well. It’s part of the problem when it comes to a few degenerate picks rather than the whole issue.

It isn’t like Statikk Shiv is going to herald the next Ardent Censer-like meta that’s characterized as, in many ways, ruining Worlds 2017. Things aren’t that bad.

However, there’s a good chance that Statikk Shiv has a massive meta presence come Worlds 2023, and it’s hard to be excited about it considering how long Shiv has been a meta menace.