Patch 13.16 Overview - Summary of Changes and Player Reactions

Hello, everyone. This time, I’ll provide a detailed explanation of the changes in the latest patch 13.16 for LoL and the reactions of the players. Let’s check what has changed in this update and how players feel about it.

Changes in Patch 13.16

Changes to Champions

ID	TYPE	SUMMARY
Akali#Akali	buff	Q energy cost reduced, base damage increased.
Brand#Brand	buff	Mana recovery of inherent skill increased. Q's magic power reflection rate increased. E's magic power reflection rate increased.
Caitlyn#Caitlyn	buff	Number of normal attacks needed for the 'Headshot' inherent skill reduced.
Ekko#Ekko	buff	Q's outward base damage increased, slow effect increased at lower skill levels. W's base shield durability increased.
Karma#Karma	buff	Q's magic power reflection rate increased. Ultimate Q's magic power reflection rate increased. R's cooldown reduced.
Lucian#Lucian	buff	Damage increased during normal attacks with inherent skill.
Lulu#Lulu	buff	Health increased with level up. Q's magic power reflection rate increased. E's magic power reflection rate increased.
Malzahar#Malzahar	buff	E's damage occurrence interval shortened, minion last-hit health threshold reduced.
Milio#Milio	buff	Q's damage increased. E's base shield durability increased.
Naafiri#Naafiri	nerf	Base physical defense, attack power, attack speed decreased.
Nidalee#Nidalee	buff	Added attack power reflection rate to E.
Rek'Sai#RekSai	nerf	Q's damage adjusted.
Shaco#Shaco	nerf	Base mana auto-recovery decreased. W's mana cost increased.
Shyvana#Shyvana	nerf	W's area damage and normal attack damage decreased.
Sylas#Sylas	buff	Base mana increased.
Tristana#Tristana	nerf	Base physical defense and physical defense per level increased. Base health and base magical defense decreased.
Wukong#MonkeyKing	buff	Mana auto-recovery increased per level. Q's mana cost reduced. W's mana cost reduced.

Changes to Items

ID	TYPE	SUMMARY
Axiom Arc#226696	buff	Ultimate Skill cooldown reduction: 5% (Threat +40%) ⇒ 10% (Threat +40%)
Duskblade of Draktharr#6691	nerf	Cooldown: 10 seconds ⇒ 30 seconds, Decreased health damage: 20% ⇒ 18%
Prowler's Claw#226693	buff	Cooldown: 10 seconds ⇒ 5 seconds, Damage: 85 (melee) / 65 (ranged) (+ increased attack power 45 (melee) / 30 (ranged)%) ⇒ 85 (melee) / 65 (ranged) (+ increased attack power 55 (melee) / 35 (ranged)%)
Serpent's Fang#6695	buff	Threat: 12 ⇒ 15
Umbral Glaive#3179	buff	Threat: 10 ⇒ 13

Player Reactions

Regarding Caitlyn’s Buff

Number of normal attacks required for “Headshot”: 7 ⇒ 6

Damn, isn’t this quite a big buff?

The theoretical 17% ~ increase in headshot uptime during a match is significant.

Headshots work on towers, making it easier to chip away, and chances to headshot enemies in the lane also increase.

I laughed that Cait was buffed in the last patch, but her win rate dropped.

How did she, who was the leading ADC in 2022 Worlds, become such a pitiful existence?

The second half of 2022 was all about the lane. The current meta is about scaling. Cait can’t deliver big AOE damage or big damage to tanks. She struggles to melt the frontline compared to Aphelios, Jinx, Kai’sa. She also probably got a base AD nerf, which is a desperate nerf for a lane-carry ADC like her.

I want to argue it’s not the scaling itself but the item spikes. Her mid-game is awful, and her catch-up late game surely doesn’t exist in pro games anymore. Games rarely last more than 30 minutes.

Her first item spike is different from before. When IE rush was standard, she had stronger spikes than other critical ADCs. Caitlyn relies on AD and critical for headshots, and her current first item doesn’t provide the stats she wants in exchange for AS, so she’s weaker.

Regarding Duskblade of Draktharr’s Nerf

I think the Duskblade matchup will be much easier. But I don’t think it should be invincible… is that too much to ask?

Honestly, I preferred the invisibility. It allows for plays like Shaco and Pyke.

I don’t like invisibility, but it’s clearer and more enjoyable for both allies and opponents than invincibility.

Regarding Brand’s Buff

Incredibly disappointed. When Brand got mana return added to his passive, he already received a massive mana buff. It just allows for more casts of his W, which completely destroys bad players and is dodged by good ones. The game is further polarized without any real adjustments.

Impact on Matchups

In this patch, many champions and several items have been buffed and nerfed.

In particular, the reduction in the number of normal attacks needed for Caitlyn’s “Headshot” will likely enhance her presence in the lane.

Impact on Strategy

The increase in Axiom Arc’s cooldown reduction will likely become a purchasing option for champions with strategically significant ultimate skills.

Also, the nerf to Duskblade of Draktharr may affect the strategies of some assassin champions, demanding a review of champion selection and playstyle.

Summary

LoL’s latest patch 13.16 has had a significant impact on the game’s balance. While many champions have been strengthened, adjustments to some key items are expected to affect overall strategy.

Players will need to adapt to the new patch and find optimal champion selection and item builds. It will be very interesting to see how these changes affect the pro scene and general players.