August 29, 2024

League of Legends Patch 14.17: Matchmaking Boost, Nerfs, and More

League of Legends just rolled out Patch 14.17, and it’s shaking things up in a big way. This patch brings some much-needed updates, especially to the matchmaking system, while also delivering nerfs to those pesky ADCs that have been sneaking into solo lanes and tanky supports that just won’t go down.

Matchmaking Gets a Boost in League of Legends

Let’s dive into the biggest highlight of this patch—matchmaking. The LoL community has been pretty vocal about the matchmaking issues, and it looks like Riot finally listened. Patch 14.17 includes several tweaks aimed at making your matches feel a lot more balanced and enjoyable. For those of us going into the Duo Queue with a pro-player teammate, this is great news!

First up, Riot’s working on making sure that when you don’t get your first-choice role, it’s not such a bummer. They’re improving the distribution of players who didn’t get their main role, so you’re less likely to find yourself in a game where you’re forced to jungle against a main who’s ready to outplay you at every turn. Your secondary role will now be considered an “off-role,” which should help boost your chances of fitting in on the team and reduce those frustrating mismatches.

Another cool change is the reduction in the LP gap between players in a match. What this means is that you’re more likely to be matched with players closer to your skill level.

LoL Quickplay

This could lead to tighter, more competitive games—though we all know there’s still that one teammate who might make you question this decision!

Stepping Up the Penalties

Riot’s also cracking down on players who mess up the matchmaking experience for everyone else. One of the biggest changes could lead to around 200,000 more penalties per week. That’s because they’ve finally fixed a flaw where players leaving games early weren’t getting the penalties they deserved. Now, they’ll face the consequences.

If you’re the type who likes to dodge queue or decline multiple ready checks in a row, you might want to rethink that. Riot’s introducing new penalties aimed at curbing this behavior, which should make it harder for stream snipers to ruin the fun for everyone else. Plus, if you’ve been ranked restricted, you’ll now need to win three games in Quickplay, Draft Pick, or Blind Pick before diving back into ranked.

ADCs and Tanky Supports Get Nerfed

LoL Aurora

Now, onto the champion changes. ADCs who have been making a splash in solo lanes are getting hit with some nerfs to push them back where they belong—the bot lane. So if you’ve been relying on them to carry your mid or top lane, you might need to rethink your strategy. Tanky supports are also taking a hit, making them a bit easier to deal with, which should be a relief for anyone tired of facing an indestructible front line.

On a side note, Aurora is also getting tweaked to fit her role as a mid-laner a lot better. Hopefully, players should be able to enjoy the ice-mage’s kit a lot more without becoming unbearable to play against.

Quality of Life Improvements

One of the best quality-of-life updates in this patch is the change to charged abilities. Now, you can hold down the key for spells like Briar’s E while crowd-controlled, and the spell will automatically cast once you’re free. It’s one of those changes that makes you wonder why it wasn’t always like this, but hey, at least it’s here now!

Patch 14.17 is all about making League of Legends more balanced and fun, whether it’s through boosting matchmaking, increasing penalties for bad behavior, or adjusting champions to keep the meta in check. With these changes, Riot is clearly aiming to enhance the overall gameplay experience. So, dive in and see how these updates might just make your next game a bit more enjoyable.

 

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