Riot Games have released a small update for League of Legends Teamfight Tactics addressing some of the main balance issues currently affecting the game.
While Teamfight Tactics is due for major updates as part of the main League of Legends patches, the new game has also been seeing smaller patches to keep things balanced and working since its launch on June 25.
The latest update isn’t particularly extensive, but it does address one of the biggest points of imbalance that players have recently identified.
Pyke has been highlighted by many players as one of the most powerful champions in the game right now, especially when given the Spear of Shojin – which grants the wielder 15% mana per attack after casting an ability – or even better, two of them.
That strategy should take a significant hit after the latest update however, because it seems there was a bug that meant Spear of Shojin was actually still giving 20% mana per attack sometimes, the item’s original state before a nerf on June 25.
Meanwhile, Pyke himself is also getting hit with a nerf, with the stun duration of his Phantom Undertow – the ability that makes Pyke so dangerous when he can use it very frequently thanks to the Spear of Shojin – being reduced at all levels.
The change could also mean something of a hit for Assassin compositions more generally, which many have pointed to as being among the more powerful options recently.
The patch also brings with it a buff for Yordles to make compositions that lean on those champions more enticing. The increased dodge chance that Yordles get when there are three or six of them on the board has been buffed in both instances.
Full July 3 patch notes:
Champions
Pyke
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Stun duration: 2.5/3/3.5 -> 2/2.5/3
Traits
Yordle
Dodge Chance: 20/50% -> 25/60%
Items
Spear of Shojin
We’re fixing a bug that was causing Spear to still grant 20% mana on-hit
Mana on-hit: 20% -> 15%
Teamfight Tactics is due some much more extensive changes with the next big League of Legends update, Patch 9.14, which is expected to go live around July 17. The patch will introduce a ranked mode and a new champion, Twisted Fate, as well as much-request changes to item RNG and the game’s UI.
Following Patch 9.14, Teamfight Tactics is also expected to move to a slightly more consistent patch schedule, rather than the sporadic updates that have been used to make quick adjustments where necessary in the immediate aftermath of the game’s launch.