League of Legends Patch 12.22 Highlights

League of Legends Patch 12.22 is now live. This is the first major preseason patch moving forward. As such, it’s much more game changing than the previous patches. Only four champions have received changes. However, there are a slew of item and game mechanic changes that will start to warp League going into season 13. Here are all of the biggest changes of League of Legends Patch 12.22. For the full patch notes, click here.

Champion Buffs

Lillia

Base Stats

• Attacks: Ranged ⇒ Melee
• Base Health: 625 ⇒ 605
• Health Growth: 104 ⇒ 105

Passive – Dream-Laden Bough

• Healing vs Champions: 10.5-124.5 (based on level)(+18% AP) (Note: linear scaling) ⇒ 6-120 (based on level)(+18% AP) (Note: now uses stat growth multiplier)

Lillia is now a melee champion. This is a straight buff, despite what Riot says, due to the new synergy with Demonic Embrace and Conqueror. The fact that they buffed her passive as well will likely shoot Lillia into the spotlight in jungle and top lane.

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Item Adjustments and Reworks

Iceborn Gauntlet

• Gold Cost: 2800 ⇒ 3000
• Health: 450 ⇒ 400
• Armor: 25 ⇒ 50
• Magic Resist: 25 ⇒ 0
• Ability Haste: 20 (unchanged)
• Build Path: Bami’s Cinder + Null-Magic Mantle + Cloth Armor ⇒ Sheen + Kindlegem + Chain Vest
• Passive – Spellblade: After using an ability, your next attack is enhanced with an additional 100% base AD physical damage and creates a frost field for 2.5 seconds. Enemies that move across the field are slowed by 15% +.004% bonus health (halved for ranged users). Your primary target is crippled, applying a 100% stronger slow on them and reducing their damage by 10% against you for 2.5 seconds. 1.5 second cooldown.
• Mythic Passive: Grants all other Legendary items 50 health, 5% Tenacity, and 5% slow resist

The old Iceborn Gauntlet is back with a Sheen. Ability spamming tank champions can make good use of this item. The MR is gone however, so it’s not a one-size-fits-all tank item. In games where you want to stack armor and deal some extra damage, this is the Mythic for you.

Abyssal Mask

• Gold Cost: 2700 ⇒ 3000
• Health: 450 ⇒ 500
• Mana: 0 ⇒ 300
• Magic Resist: 35 ⇒ 40
• Ability Haste: 10 (unchanged)
• Build Path: Kindlegem + Spectre’s Cowl ⇒ Catalyst of Aeons + Spectre’s Cowl
• New Passive – Eternity: Restore mana equal to 8% of premitigation damage taken from champions, and health equal to 20% of mana spent, up to 15 health per cast. Toggled abilities can only heal for up to 15 per second.
• Passive – Unmake: Curse nearby enemy champions, reducing their magic resist by 5 + 1.2% bonus health (max 25). For each Cursed enemy, gain 9 magic resist.

Season 12 left this item for dead. It just wasn’t good enough of a Magic Resist item to compete with Force of Nature and Spirit Visage. This new change brings back Catalyst of Aeons in the build path. This means that Abyssal Mask now provides mana and sustain for tanks. For champs that don’t heal a ton like Ornn, Abyssal Mask will be one of the premiere anti-AP options.

Randuin’s Omen

• Gold Cost: 2700 ⇒ 3000
• Health: 250 ⇒ 400
• Armor: 90 ⇒ 60
• Ability Haste: 10 ⇒ 0
• Build Path: Warden’s Mail + Cloth Armor + Ruby Crystal ⇒ Warden’s Mail + Giant’s Belt
• New Active – Humility: Briefly slow nearby enemies by 55% for 2 seconds (60 second cooldown)
• New Passive – Critical Resistance: Critical strikes deal 20% less damage to you
• Passive – Rock Solid: Reduce incoming damage from attacks by up to 5 +0.35%, capped at 40% of attack’s damage

Power shift in Randuin’s Omen from the Armor and Active to the HP and Passive. This should result in the item being better for anti-marksman scenarios.

Sunfire Aegis

• Item Tier: Mythic ⇒ Legendary
• Gold Cost: 3200 ⇒ 2800
• Health: 450 ⇒ 400
• Armor: 35 ⇒ 50
• Magic Resistance: 35 ⇒ 0
• Ability Haste: 20 ⇒ 0
• Build Path: Bami’s Cinder + Aegis of the Legion ⇒ Bami’s Cinder + Chain Vest
• Passive – Flametouch: Removed Flametouch
• Passive – Immolate: Immolate damage is no longer increased by 150% against monsters

Sunfire is now back to being a Legendary item. It’s now an armor only tank item that specializes in wave clear. Since League is much different now than seasons ago, split pushing tanks aren’t really that popular. As such, players will likely throw Sunfire to the wayside this season.

Turbo Chemtank

• Item Tier: Mythic ⇒ Legendary
• Gold Cost: 3200 ⇒ 2800
• Health: 450 ⇒ 500
• Magic Resist: 25 ⇒ 50
• Armor: 25 ⇒ 0
• Ability Haste: 20 ⇒ 10
• Build Path: Bami’s Cinder + Cloth Armor + Null Magic Mantle ⇒ Kindlegem + Negatron Cloak + Ruby Crystal
• Passive – Refuel: Removed Refuel

Chemtank is also changing to a Legendary item as the Magic Resist foil to Sunfire. The item still has the active that allows frontliners to run down carries. It can be useful in niche situations, but building the item requires heavy magic damage on the enemy team, which means it’s not great against strong ADCs.

Ravenous Hydra

• Attack Damage: 70 ⇒ 65
• Unique Passive – Cleave: 60-12% total AD (based on distance) ⇒ 60% of total AD for melee champions and 30% of total AD for ranged champions to all enemies around them
• New Unique Passive – Carnivorous: Gain 0.6 AD and 0.1% Omnivamp on minion kills, increased to twice that amount for champions, large/epic monsters, and siege minions. Stacks up to 24 AD and 4% Omnivamp. Lose half of these stacks on death.

The first stack-based AD item since Sword of the Occult. This could actually be a pretty decent option for split pushing duelists like Fiora or Camille because of the snowball potential.

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New Items

Spear of Shojin

• Gold Cost: 3400
• Attack Damage: 65
• Health: 300
• Ability Haste: 20
• Unique Passive – Dragonforce: Non-ultimate spells gain an extra [8 (+8% base AD) Ability Haste for melee champions | 6 (+6% base AD) Ability Haste for ranged champions], reduced to [4 (+4% base AD) Ability Haste for melee champions | 3 (+3% base AD) Ability Haste for ranged] for spells with immobilizing effects
• Unique Passive – Exigency: Gain up to [15% melee | 10% ranged] move speed, based on your % missing health (maxed out while below 33% health)
• Build Path: B.F. Sword + Kindlegem + Caulfield’s Warhammer

Those that remember Spear of Shojin still have nightmares of Lucian and Jax face rolling all over their keyboards and the enemy teams. With the item back (and with the same stats and effects), expect to see spell-heavy AD champions picking this up as core.

Rod of Ages

• Gold Cost: 3200
• Ability Power: 60
• Health: 300
• Mana: 400
• Build Path: Catalyst of Aeons + Blasting Wand + Amplifying Tome
• Passive: This item gains 20 health, 20 mana, and 4 ability power every minute, up to 10 times, for a maximum of 200 health, 200 mana, and 40 ability power. Upon reaching max stacks, gain a level and all effects of Eternity are increased by 50%. (Note: this will not increase the level cap of 18)
• Unique Passive – Eternity: Restore mana equal to 8% of premitigation damage taken from champions, and health equal to 20% of mana spent, up to 15 health per cast. Toggled abilities can only heal for up to 15 per second. For every 250 health or mana restored this way, gain 25% decaying move speed for 2 seconds.
• Mythic Passive: Grants all other Legendary items 5 Ability Haste

A fan favorite item returns to the Rift. AP battle mages will definitely be testing this one out in their new builds. AP, HP, Mana, and sustain are all fantastic stats for these champions (Singed, Ryze, etc.). On top of that, the new free level upon completion will be a very nice boon for these scaling picks.

Jak’Sho, The Protean

• Gold Cost: 3000
• Health: 400
• Armor: 30
• Magic Resist: 30
• Ability Haste: 20
• Build Path: Aegis of the Legion + Kindlegem + Ruby Crystal
• Passive – Voidborn Resilience: For each second in champion combat, gain a stack granting 2 armor and MR, up to 8 max. At max stacks become empowered, instantly draining enemies around you for 3% of your max health (reduced to 30% against minions and monsters) and increasing your resists by 10% until end of combat.
• Mythic Passive: Grants all other Legendary items 5 armor and 5 magic resistance

This new item, which takes the prize for weirdest item name in the game, is one of three new vanguard Mythic items. Jak’Sho is all about consistent tanking in a fight. You’ll need to be in combat for four seconds before the powerful passive actives.

Radiant Virtue

• Gold Cost: 3000
• Health: 400
• Armor: 30
• Magic Resist: 30
• Ability Haste: 20
• Build Path: Aegis of the Legion + Kindlegem + Ruby Crystal
• Passive – Guiding Light: Upon casting your ultimate you Transcend, increasing your max health by 10% for 9 seconds. While Transcended, you and allies within 1200 range of you gain 15 non-ultimate ability haste and heal for 1% of your max health every 3 seconds, increased by up to 100% based on that champion’s missing health. 60 second cooldown.
• Mythic Passive: Grants all other Legendary items 100 health

Radiant Virtue is the true vanguard champion’s fantasy. Popping your ultimate now empowers both you and your teammates, and with some very useful stats to boot. Engage focused champions like Rell finally have a real Mythic option.

Heartsteel

• Gold Cost: 3200
• Health: 800
• Health Regen: 200%
• Ability Haste: 20
• Build Path: Kindlegem + Crystalline Bracer + Giant’s Belt
• Passive – Colossal Consumption: Charge up a powerful attack against a champion over 3 seconds while within 700 range of them. The charged attack deals 125 +6% of your max health as bonus physical damage, and grants you 10% of that amount as permanent max health. 30 second cooldown per target.
• Mythic Passive: Grants all other Legendary items 1% bonus health and 6% champion size

Heartsteel is the most unique vanguard Mythic addition. It has similar stats to Chains of Anathema with a huge HP pool and no resistances. Heartsteel costs a lot more and, in exchange, gives a pseudo-Dead Man’s Plate proc. This powerful auto will only be available if you stick to the champion, so picks like Hecarim might be great with it.

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Chemtech Drake

• Chemtech Drake: When the Chemtech Drake is below half health it gains 33% damage resistance and deals 50% more damage. This drake will deal 100% total AD + 4% of its target’s health as physical damage with each attack.
• Chemtech Buff: When your team kills a Chemtech Drake they will gain a stacking buff that grants 5% Tenacity and 5% Healing and Shielding power
• Chemtech Soul: Upon receiving the Chemtech Soul, players will receive a buff that gives them 10% damage resistance and 10% more damage while below 50% health

The infamous Chemtech Drake is back for season 13. The zombie-soul and invisibility Rift were so unabalancable that it had to be removed. This time, the Drake buff provides tenacity and healing & shielding power, while the Soul grants damage resistance and bonus damage when below half HP. This Dragon heavily incentivizes skirmishing and it’ll be reasonably powerful for a majority of team archetypes.

Chemtech Rift

• Stim Fruits: Honeyfruits will upgrade into Stim Fruits and provide the usual heal plus a bonus shield in addition to no longer slowing champions that consume it
• Blast Cones: Blast Cones will now blast units within their range twice as far when they explode
• Firelight Bloom: Scryer’s Bloom will upgrade into Firelight’s Bloom which will reveal a small area around the plant when broken in addition to the usual cone in the opposite direction it was broken from. Allies tagged will also gain movement speed towards that direction for a short duration, and enemy wards revealed will be taken to 1 health.

The Chemtech Rift now enhances all plants that spawn naturally on the map.

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Jungle Changes

• New – Marked for Death: When a large monster dies, all small monsters in their camp will be marked for death. After 10 consecutive seconds of not being in combat with a champion, monsters that have been marked for death will die.
• New – Own-Side Clearing Strength: Junglers now deal 20% more damage from non-true damage sources to monsters on their own side of the jungle. This increased damage will not apply when invading and dealing damage to the enemy’s camps.
• New – Parting Gifts: All large monsters will now heal [27+3/level (increased by up to 2.25x based on missing health) health and restore 15+2/level (increased by up to 2.25x based on missing mana) mana upon takedown if you have a jungle companion. This heal/mana restoration will take the form of a projectile that will be fired towards the champion that last-hit the monster after a 0.3 second delay.
• Lane Minion Experience: Junglers will only gain 75% experience from lane minions before their first pet evolution unless the jungler is behind the average game level
• Monster Gold: All large monster gold given to non-junglers has been reduced by 15 gold
• Large Monster Experience for Non-Junglers: All large monster experience given to non-junglers has been reduced by 15 experience except for the Ancient Krug which has been reduced by 12 experience

This is a long list of changes to jungle mechanics. Firstly, Riot increased the HP of every jungle camp. As compensation, junglers will deal more damage to camps on their side and gain health and mana from killing large monsters. All of these changes make it more difficult to get value out of invading and counter-jungling. They also make it less lucrative for laners to take jungle camps, leaving more resources optimally given to junglers.

Jungle Companions

• Companions will deal 20(+4% base HP)(+15% AP)(+10% AD) and will attack at a rate of 1 attack per second. After their owner has stopped attacking, they will attack two more times and then stop.
• Companions will heal their owner for 70% of the above number every time they attack
• Damaging a camp from a distance will cause companions to leap attack toward the camp, dealing the same amount of damage
• Companions will provide their owners with an increase to mana regeneration equal to [(8*percent missing mana) + (8*percent missing mana)*(level/1.3)*0.1] while in the jungle (including your jungle, the enemy jungle, and the river)
• All large monsters now give an additional 15 experience if you have a jungle companion

Companion Progression

Jungle companions will evolve twice throughout the game by acquiring treats via the following methods:

• 1 treat per large monster/champion takedown
• A bonus treat is stored every 60 seconds before reaching the companion’s final evolution form
• A bonus treat is stored every 90 seconds after reaching the companion’s final evolution form
• When a large monster is killed with bonus treats available, players will receive 2 treats and 50 bonus gold. 1 bonus treat stack will also be removed.

As jungle companions evolve, they will receive the following bonuses at each evolution:

First Evolution

• Smite damage will be increased to 900 true damage against monsters
• Smite is now castable on enemy champions, dealing 80-160 (based on level) true damage and slowing the target by 20% for 2 seconds
• The jungle item will remain in your inventory
• Companion will visually evolve
• Smite’s icon will upgrade

Final Evolution

• Smite damage will be increased to 1200 against monsters and will do 50% of its damage as AoE damage against nearby monsters
• Players will become empowered and receive buffs depending on their chosen companion
• The jungle item will be removed from your inventory
• Companion will visually evolve
• Smite’s icon will upgrade

Mosstomper

• Mosstomper’s Courage: Gain a 75-330 (based on level) health shield after killing a monster camp or after 10 seconds out of combat. This shield will remain indefinitely. Players will gain 20% Tenacity and slow resist while the shield is present and for 3 seconds after it has been broken.
• Protection Buff: Take 30% reduced damage from monsters while at least 2 allies are within 1300 units

Scorchclaw

• Scorchclaw’s Slash: Scorchclaw will accumulate Ember stacks at a rate of 3 stacks per 0.5 seconds or 100 stacks upon killing a large monster. At 100 Ember stacks, your next instance of damage against an enemy champion will slow all enemies in a 250 unit radius by 30% (decaying over 2 seconds) and deal burn damage equal to 5% of the target’s maximum health in true damage over 4 seconds to the primary target.
• Protection Buff: Take 30% reduced damage from monsters while at least 2 allies are within 1300 units

Gustwalker

• Gustwalker’s Gait: Gain 45% bonus move speed when entering a brush that decays over 2 seconds after leaving the brush. After killing a large monster, this is increased to 60% for 2 seconds.
• Protection Buff: Take 30% reduced damage from monsters while at least 2 allies are within 1300 units

The main gimmick of preseason 13 is jungle companions. Junglers can now choose between one of three pets that will follow them throughout the game. By upgrading these companions, junglers will gain access to special effects. It seems that these companions are tailor-made for tanks, fighters, and assassin junglers respectively.

Smite

• Smite Damage: 450 (Base)/900 (Challenging/Chilling Smite) ⇒ 600/900/1200 (0/20/40 companion stacks)
• New Names: Smite/Challenging Smite/Chilling Smite ⇒ Smite/Unleashed Smite/Primal Smite

With jungle camp HP going up, so is Smite’s damage value. Not much to note here, except that champions like Cho’Gath and Nunu have had their monster consuming abilities raised to match.

And those are the biggest changes of League of Legends Patch 12.22! This first preseason patch was absolutely massive and will have huge repercussions on the game moving forward. Jungle is going to play very differently from before, since farming camps off respawn to stack your companion is being rewarded. Stay tuned for all the latest developments moving towards Season 13.