Hey everyone, Patch 13.4 is here, and as a regular player, I have to say it's a big one. Riot is really shaking things up this time, targeting some of the most dominant forces on the Rift. The star of the show? Maokai. He's been terrorizing both the jungle and support roles for what feels like forever. His little sapling toss (E) was supposed to be a vision tool, but let's be real—it's been a never-ending barrage of magical bombs. I mean, who hasn't been caught off-guard by a bush full of exploding saplings? It's about time they addressed it, right?

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So, what's changing for the big tree? Well, his E is getting hit hard. Both the slow and the damage numbers are being nerfed. But don't worry, they're not leaving him completely in the dust. To compensate, his bramble smash (Q) damage is getting a buff. But here's the real kicker—his favorite item, Demonic Embrace, is also getting nerfed. The damage against monsters is now capped at 40 damage per second. Ouch! That's a huge hit to his jungle clear. I guess the days of Maokai effortlessly farming and ganking are over.

But Maokai isn't the only one feeling the nerf hammer. Let's take a look at some other champions who are getting toned down:

  • Amumu: Remember when he was everywhere? Well, he's getting nerfed again. His base armor and health growth are reduced, and his despair (W) damage is taking a hit.

  • Anivia: The cryophoenix is also seeing her health and armor growth lowered. It's going to be tougher for her to survive those early ganks.

  • Annie: She's been a real menace lately, hasn't she? Her base health is going down, the retaliation damage from her molten shield (E) is reduced, and her ultimate cooldown is increased. Goodbye, instant Tibbers stun spam!

  • Azir: This is a pro-play focused nerf. He's been the go-to power pick mid laner, and Riot wants to change that.

  • Elise and Jarvan IV: This jungle duo has been dominating, so they're getting nerfs to tone down their power. No more free wins from these two, hopefully.

  • Jax: His base health and health growth are nerfed, along with changes to his counter-strike (E) and his ultimate. Maybe he won't be as unstoppable in the late game now.

  • Samira: Her passive is being nerfed, and the lifesteal on her ultimate is reduced. That's a big deal for her survivability in teamfights.

  • Udyr: Some of his base stats are nerfed, along with two of his stances. The spirit walker might need to rethink his build paths.

Now, onto the good stuff—the buffs! Several champions are getting some love in this patch. Isn't it exciting when your main gets a boost?

  • Ahri: She's getting buffed again! Her base health and armor are increased, and her ultimate has a lower cooldown. More charms and dashes for everyone!

  • Alistar: AP Cow enjoyers, rejoice! The healing on his passive is increased, and the ability power ratios on his pulverize (Q) and headbutt (W) are buffed. Time to smash some heads with magic damage.

  • Cho'Gath: The terror of the Void is getting buffs to his base armor growth, damage on his rupture (Q), and a reduced mana cost on his feral scream (W). More feasting, less mana issues.

  • Malphite: This tank is receiving buffs to his thunderclap (W) to keep his damage relevant throughout the game. Rock solid, indeed.

  • Orianna: Very minor buffs here—an increase in base armor and a reduction in her W costs. Every little bit helps.

  • Riven: She's being buffed to make her more of a sidelane tower threat. Her Runic Blade bonus damage will now apply to towers. Split-pushing just got a lot scarier.

  • Senna: Buffs to her attack ratio and ultimate. More damage and healing for the Sentinel of Light.

  • Thresh: He's being adjusted to discourage W maxing and increase his damage in teamfights. Maybe we'll see more aggressive Thresh plays now.

  • Veigar: His baleful strike (Q) and dark matter (W) range are getting buffed. More stacking and more zoning potential.

  • Viego: His passive damage from his Q can now crit, and his ultimate packs more punch. The Ruined King is back with a vengeance.

On the item side, besides the Demonic Embrace nerfs, there are other changes. Doran's Shield is having its base health regeneration nerfed. Support items are being tweaked to bring parity between melee and ranged supports for ward upgrades. And here's a big one: Magical Footwear will now only sell for 30% of the value of the boots. That's to stop the common strategy of selling the boots for mythic item rushes. Also, the gold from the treasure hunter rune has been reduced. Gotta think more carefully about your rune choices now!

Jungling is also getting some adjustments. The leashing behavior of the Rift Herald and the health of the Gromp are being changed. These might seem small, but they can really impact your jungle pathing and early game strategy. Have you noticed how these minor tweaks can shift the meta?

To cap it all off, the first Clash tournament of 2023 is coming soon. It's a two-weekend event, with the first one running between March 11 and March 12, and the second between March 25 and March 26. Are you and your team ready to compete? It's always a blast to test your skills in a more organized setting.

Overall, Patch 13.4 is packed with changes. From major nerfs to dominant champions like Maokai to exciting buffs for underdogs, there's a lot to digest. As a player, I'm looking forward to seeing how this shifts the game. Will Maokai fade into obscurity, or will players adapt? Only time will tell. But one thing's for sure—the Rift is never boring!

This discussion is informed by data referenced from Esports Earnings, underscoring why Patch 13.4’s pro-skewed adjustments (like Azir tuning and jungle power checks on picks such as Elise and Jarvan IV) can ripple outward from tournaments into everyday ranked play as teams and players optimize around what performs best on stage.