League of Legends update 9.17 early patch notes – Kayle and Aurelion Sol overhauls, more

The next League of Legends update, Patch 9.17, is due to make some significant changes to several champions.

Patch 9.17 is due to arrive on August 28, and to give you an early look at what to expect we’ve put together a list of everything we know about the update so far.

Until the patch actually goes live, all potential updates are subject to either being adjusted or dropped completely. The changes detailed here also aren’t an exhaustive list of everything that could be included in the patch.

Elderwood and Infernal skins

Currently available on the Public Beta Environment (PBE) are two new groups of skins – three “Elderwood” skins for Ahri, Nocturne, and Veigar, and three “Infernal” skins for Galio, Shen, and Varus.  The skins will cost 1350 RP each.

Elderwood Ahri

Elderwood Nocturne

Elderwood Veigar

Infernal Galio, Shen, and Varus

Kayle and Aurelion Sol overhauls

One of the major changes expected to be arriving in the next patch is a substantial set of changes for Kayle. While it may not be as significant as the VGU that both she and Morgana received earlier in the year, the patch is set to make changes across the board to her abilities.

Likewise, Aurelion Sol is also on the list for some significant updates, with changes to all of his abilities except for his ultimate.

• Read more: Jensen explains why beating Cloud9 silenced the haters after LCS Summer finals

According to August ‘Riot August’ Browning on August 7, the Kayle changes have been “trending positively” and were aimed for release with Patch 9.17. There has been less word on the Aurelion Sol changes, so it’s possible that these could be pushed back to a later patch or simply not make it through testing.

The following changes are currently in testing on the PBE, as tracked by Surrender@20.

Kayle

• Divine Ascent (Passive)
  • Innate (Level 1)
    • Movement speed changed from [15% towards champions] to [8% in all directions]
    • Can now stack vs. towers
    • Moved ranged form to rank 1 evolve
    • Moved AoE attacks to rank 2 evolve
  • Ranged form (level 6)
    • Range lowered from 550 to 525
    • Attack speed per stack while ranged lowered from 10% to 6%
  • Transcended form (level 16)
    • Removed true damage
    • Now adds +50 Range (575 total)

• Radiant Blast (Q)
  • [New] Now refunds 50% mana cost if it hit a champion
  • Cast delay lowered from 0.5 to 0.25
  • Cast time changed from [AA timer] to 0.25
  • Missile speed lowered from 2000 to 1600
  • Range lowered from 950 to 900
  • Shred lowered from 20% to 15%
  • Shred duration increased from 3 to 4
  • “Fixed a bug where Q wouldn’t pierce as far if hit at point blank range”

• Starfire Spellblade (E) 
  • Execute damage changed from [8-16% (+1% per 100 AP)] to [8/9/10/11/12% (+2% per 100 AP)]
  • Passive damage AP ratio increased from 20% to 25%
  • Passive damage AD ratio increased from 10% tAD to 10% bAD 

• Divine Judgement (R)
  • Mana cost lowered from 100 to 100/50/0
  • AoE radius increased from 475 to 500

Aurelion Sol

• Center of the Universe (Passive)
  • Damage changed from [20-130] to [16/18/20/22/24/27/30/35/40/45/50/60/70/80/90/100/110/120]
  • AP ratio changed from [18-35% (based on level)] to 25%

• Starsurge (Q)
  • Cooldown changed from 10 to 11/10/9/8/7
  • movement speed increased from 10% to 20%
  • If Aurelion Sol is faster than his Q, the missile will speed up to keep up.

• Celestial Expansion (W)
  • [New] Now causes Aurelion Sol’s stars to expand, gaining increased damage and rotating at high, but decaying, speed. Upon reactivating or after 3 seconds, the stars retract, granting 40% movement speed, decaying over 1.5s.
  • Cooldown:  8/6.5/5/3.5/2
  • Mana Cost changed from [40+22/24/26/28/30 per second] to [70/80/90/100/110]

• Comet of Legend (E)
  • [Removed] Passive movement speed
  • Range increased from 3000/4000/5000/6000/7000 to 5500/6000/6500/7000/7500
  • Cooldown changed from 60/55/50/45/40 to 80/70/60/50/40
  • Speed changed from 600 to 600/650/700/750/800

Aurelion Sol and Kayle are due some significant changes.

More balance changes

The following changes were revealed more recently by Lead gameplay Designer Mark Yetter, and so are more likely to be included in their current form in the upcoming patch. Yetter also includes Kayle and Aurelion Sol changes, although whether these are the full adjustments listed above or smaller provisional updates remains to be seen.

Champion Nerfs

Aatrox

• Base HP 580 -> 520

Akali

• Q AP ratio 0.6 -> 0.4

Qiyana

• E damage 70-210 -> 50-190
• R cooldown 120-80 -> 120

Champion Buffs

Galio

• Winds of War (Q) cooldown lowered from 14/13/12/11/10 to 12/11.5/11/10.5/10
• Shield of Durand (W) 
  • Minimum damage increased from 10/20/30/40/50 to 20/35/50/65/80
  • Maximum damage increased from 30/60/90/120/150 to 60/105/150/195/240

Ryze

• Base MR 30 -> 34
• E damage 60-140 -> 70-150

Kalista

• Base AD 67 -> 69
• Base Mana 231.8 -> 250
• Mana per level 35 -> 45

Lucian

• Base AD 61 -> 64

Zyra

• R damage 180-350 -> 180-380
• R mana cost 100-140 -> 100
• R cooldown 130-110 -> 120-110

Leona

• Q cooldown 6 -> 5

Pantheon

• Tap Q crits targets below 25%
• E monster damage reduction removed

Champion Changes

• Kayle
• Aurelion Sol
• Neeko
  • Inherent Glamour (P) now able to cancel disguise