The most recent update to Wild Rift corrected many of the dominating picks. It also provided some strength to the champions lacking priority in the current meta, pushing them ever so slightly forward. To help players understand the thorough impact of Wild Rift Patch 2.6a, here is an analysis of the gameplay changes. And also make sure to check back in for an updated tier list alongside other content to help understand the evolving meta!
[Related: Wild Rift Urf Tier List]
Keep in mind, this article will discuss the update only in regards to elements that directly impact the gameplay. Skins and other new content is available on the official Wild Rift 2.6a patch notes.
AKSHAN
BASE STATS
Base attack: 58 → 52
AVENGERANG
Base damage: 5/35/65/95 → 5/30/55/80
ANALYSIS
The grappling marksmen has been in a fantastic state for far too long. Riot overtuned his kit immensely, turning him from previously weak form into a completely broken one. In Wild Rift patch 2.6a, Akshan’s reign is coming to an end.
By deceasing his base attack, his lane priority alongside early game domination should drop significantly. This pattern of nerf directly impacts his viability in the meta, since the early game is so significant for Wild Rift. The Avengerang nerf definitely is well deserved. As a long ranged, hard to dodge skill shot, Avengerang dealt way too much damage.
With less tools in his kit to dominate the laning phase, Akshan has been bumped down a peg. But these nerfs aren’t too harsh. Therefore, for Akshan mains out there, don’t cry. The champion is still very much viable, just not nearly as broken as he once was.
AMUMU
BASE STATS
Base health: 570 → 650
Base armor: 30 → 35
BADAGE TOSS
Recharge Time: 17/16/15/14s → 14/13.5/13/12.5s
Base Damage: 60/95/130/165 → 70/105/140/175
ANALYSIS
The sad mummy hasn’t been relevant in the meta for a loooong time. With a weak early game, easily couterable jungle pathing, and sub-par gank potential, Amumu has been in some dire need of some help.
Riot buffed his base health and armor stats a significant amount. As a tank champion, this definitely helps him perform his main objectives. In addition, his Bandage Toss cooldown was reduced and his base damage for the ability increased.
These changes as a whole decrease his risks by increasing his key stats. But with the current state of the meta, definitely don’t expect Amumu to suddenly become super overpowered from these updates. The champion as a whole doesn’t fit well into the climate of 2.6’s gameplay. Regardless, these changes should at least help Amumu be less trash.
CAMILLE
BASE STATS
Health per level: 105 → 115
ADAPTIVE DEFENSES
Cooldown: 10s → 18/16/14/12s at levels 1/5/9/13
ANALYSIS
The 3d gear utilizing titan slayer Levi, sorry, Camille, has been an overbearing champoin to play against for quite some time. Players that know her ins and outs absolutely abuse her kit. With insane mobility, great sustain, decent crowd control, and high damage, Camille stands as a top tier pick. And patch 2.6a doesn’t change that.
Riot nerfed Camille’s base health per level, alongside the frequency of her passive: Adaptive Defenses. According to their reasoning, they’re “cutting down on the frequency of her passive, so she has to be more precise and decisive with her trading in lane.” Yeah, that’s true, but these changes aren’t necessarily why she is strong. Especially when considering the amount of damage and sustain that’s been practically untouched, expect Camille to remain strong. This is more of a placebo nerf than anything.
FIORA
RIPOSTE
Cooldown: 13/12/11/10s → 18/16/14/12s
ANALYSIS
This champion isn’t nearly as strong as she once was during her peak. But regardless, Fiora creates some pretty unfair circumstances for her enemies once she acquires a hefty lead. A longer cooldown on Riposte decreases Fiora’s safety, and to be honest, this nerf was very much needed. The five section cooldown increase at level 1 is pretty substantial, but definitely nothing game breaking.
Expect the champion to remain just about as strong as she was before. Especially since her biggest strength, the late game, the cooldown is only a 2 second difference from before, which isn’t much. This balance is much appreciated, while also evidently carefully tuned.
FIZZ
CHUM THE WATERS
Cooldown: 80/65/50s → 90/75/60s
ANALYSIS
Ever since the fish got gutted, Fizz hasn’t been all that powerful. Of course, his ultimate has still been super annoying to deal with. Getting hit by the long ranged fish practically guaranteed death the victim. So a longer cooldown nerf is definitely well warranted and appreciated.
JARVAN IV
BASE STATS
Base AD: 64 → 58
DRAGON STRIKE
Base damage: 90/150/210/270 → 80/140/200/260
ANALYSIS
Now this nerf is very interesting. Jarvan IV is actually much stronger as a Baron laner than a jungler. When played jungle, his all in engage mentality leaves him pretty vulernable to counterplay, especially if he misses his signature combo. Clearly, Riot noticed his strengths in the Baron lane and are fine tuning his kit to adjust.
The base stat decrease on AD hurts his laning power. In addition, the damage of Dragon Strike dealing 10 less damage seems miniscule, but players need to consider that his overall AD was decreased as well. Therefore, Jarvan’s trade potential was gutted quite a bit in this patch.
These nerfs are clearly targeting Baron lane J4, but also hurts jungle Jarvan as a side effect. Quite unfortunate but understandable.
KAI’SA
ICATHIAN RAIN
Bonus AD ratio: 35% → 40%
SUPERCHARGE
Bonus attack speed: 45/50/55/60% → 45/55/65/75%
ANALYSIS
A lot of players believe Kai’Sa to be weak after all the balancing targeted towards her. Yeah, she doesn’t make use of a lot of the newer itemizations, but the champion is by no means weak.
These buffs definitely help the pick quite a lot, especially in the late game. Quite possibly, these might push the daughter of the Void over the edge once again. Expect some hyper carry Kai’Sas taking over games real soon.
KAYLE
BASE STATS
Base attack: 58 → 52
Attack speed per level: 270 → 220
Armor per level: 3.9 → 3.5
DIVINE JUDGMENT
Base damage: 200/350/500 → 150/275/400
ANALYSIS
Riot’s statement of “she’s also been scaling slightly too well” is the understatement of the century. The champion was, without a doubt, broken. Therefore, very much warranting these changes.
Decrease in base attack alongside attack speed growth decrease her hyper carry potential. The armor scaling reduction also makes her more vulernable, increasing Kayle’s weaknesses for players to exploit. Divine Judgement nerf is substantial. The damage on the ability was nutty, but with a total of 100 damage trimmed off the max level upgrade, Kayle’s hyper carry potenital drops significantly.
As a whole, good changes for a more even playing field.
LEE SIN
BASE STATS
Base health regeneration: 9 per 5s → 10.5 per 5s
DRAGON’S RAGE
- Base damage: 150/375/600 → 175/400/625
ANALYSIS
In Riot’s words, “We’re cautiously giving him some slight buffs that should help him in lower level games, but shouldn’t impact him in higher level play.” Baloney. It’s not a big buff, but increased damage on Dragon’s Rage impacts the high elo.
The champion is already highly contested in Korean solo queue, standing as one of the greatest junglers in the game. Increasing his base health regeneration allows Lee Sin to counter jungle and make more early level plays. More damage on his ultimate increases his burst potential.
Riot is targeting the lower elo with this nerf, which it definitely will impact. But expect the higher elo to feel the wrath of Lee Sin in Wild Rift Patch 2.6a.
OLAF
BASE STATS
AD per level: 3.6 → 4.55
UNDERTOW
Slow ratio: 20/25/30/35% → 25/30/35/40%
ANALYSIS
Olaf hasn’t been necessarily weak. But he also hasn’t been necessarily that strong. These buffs also won’t make him OP. Expect Olaf to deal more damage, and hinder the enemy more often. Moving on.
RENEKTON
BASE STATS
Attack damage growth: 5.5 → 4.55
RUTHLESS PREDATOR
Cooldown: 12/11/10/9 → 13/12/11/10
ANALYSIS
Ask any high elo player, and they’ll all agree that Renekton is OP. This nerf is definitely well deserved, since the gator could burst down practically anyone and survive every situation with ease. The base attack growth decrease is nice, and the cooldown increase on Ruthless Predator is needed as well. But with only a second reduced on Ruthless Predator, will this be enough to stop Renekton from continuing to reign terror on Wild Rift? Probably not.
SENNA
ABSOLUTION
Additional attack range per 20 soul: 25 → 15
DAWNING SHADOW
Shield Amount: 3 shield health per soul → 4 shield health per soul
ANALYSIS
To begin, Senna has been overpowered in the weirdest ways for quite some time now. She stands as a niche pick, since a lot of players don’t really understand how to play with her. The damage she provides from a far distance during team fights is kind of absurd, so the nerf to her scaling attack range makes a lot of sense.
But Riot did a weird thing where they also increased the shield amount of her ultimate, scaling more with each soul. Senna’s attack range is naturally pretty high anyway, alongside the scaling attack range always seemed a bit superflous anyhow. In essence, Senna can do practically anything she wants to do from a closer range as long as the enemy isn’t just straight up in her face. Therefore, more than anything, this seems like a Senna buff overall.
TWISTED FATE
BASE STATS
Health per level: 105 → 115
PICK A CARD
Cooldown: 8/7.5/7/6.5s → 7/6.5/6/5.5s
ANALYSIS
First of all, increasing Twisted Fate’s base health doesn’t really impact him at all. Seeing as how TF isn’t weak at the moment, Riot is definitely carefully tuning the card master’s kit. As a whole, it’s pretty safe to just ignore this particular change. Likely, Riot is using this as sample to test some of their techniques in order to analyze their data pool.
In Conclusion
Overall, this patch analysis helped provide some manner of information regarding the gameplay aspects of Wild Rift. The article was written by a grandmaster ranked player in South Korea with experience communicating with professional teams.
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