Preseason Preview: Patch 11.23 Damage Item Changes

Patch Overview 11.23 - Damage Item Changes

Preseason not only introduced a slew of new items, but it also updated some pre-existing damage items so let’s break down the biggest changes.

Everfrost and Archangel’s Staff/Seraph’s Embrace

Over the past season, Mages haven’t benefited from their Mythics as much as other classes due to expensive build costs and awkward itemisation.

Consequently, Everfrost’s cost has been reduced:

• Total cost - 2800 gold (down from 3200)
• Build path - Kindlegem + Lost Chapter + Amplifying Tome + 265 gold
• Ability Power - 70 (down from 80)
• Mythic Passive - Grants all other Legendary items 10 Ability Power (down from 15)

Though this has come at the cost of some AP, this should make Everfrost much easier to build and places the focus on Everfrost’s utility rather than its damage. Archangel’s Staff/Seraph’s Embrace has been updated:

Archangel’s Staff

• Build path - Tear of the Goddess + Kindlegem + Blasting Wand + 950 gold
• Ability Power - 60 (down from 65)
• Health - 200 (new)
• Awe (Passive) - instead of granting Ability Power, gain Ability Haste equal to 0.5% bonus mana

Seraph’s Embrace

• Ability Power - 80 (up from 65)
• Health - 250 (new)
• Awe (Passive) - instead of granting Ability Power, gain Ability Haste equal to 1.3% bonus mana
• Empyrean (Passive) - instead of increasing your maximum mana, restore health equal to 40% of mana spent, up to 25-50 +10% ability power per cast. Toggles can restore the same amount per 1 second

The value of Ability Haste rather than Ability Power will depend on each champion and how much they benefit from each stat, but this shift may increase the prevalence of Sorcerer’s Boots as Mages may not have to build Ioanian Builds of Lucidity for the Ability Haste. While the new passive granting health will be very helpful in skirmishes and team fights to help with your sustainability, the removal of bonus mana does directly nerf Ryze and his unique mana scaling.

Cosmic Drive and Horizon Focus

Cosmic Drive’s stats have been adjusted, while its passive effect has been buffed:

• Build path - Fiendish Codex + Aether Wisp + Ruby Crystal + 850 gold
• Ability Power - 75 (down from 80)
• Health - 250 (up from 200)
• Ability Haste - 30 (up from 20)
• Movement speed - 5% (new)
• Spelldance (Passive) - Damaging a champion with 3 separate attacks or spells grants 20% movement speed (decaying to 10%) and 40 ability power during combat

This new passive will synergise extremely well with Phase Rush and Electrocute, as both are procced by landing 3 separate abilities. If used alongside Phase Rush, the bonus movement speed will make you extremely quick and help you dance your way through skirmishes and team fights. The fact these buffs last until you leave combat is very potent, and will give you an edge during extended fights. Horizon Focus has been also been changed:

• Build path - Hextech Alternator + Fiendish Codex - 1050 gold
• Ability Power - 85 (down from 115)
• Health - 150 (new)
• Ability Haste - 15 (new)
• Hypershot (Passive) - now applies to slowed enemies

Although the stark reduction in AP may not be worth the extra Health and Ability Haste, the updated passive opens up more opportunities to proc this powerful damage increase with spells like Syndra’s W and Vel’Koz’s Q. Additionally, it now synergises extremely well with items that slow enemies, such as Everfrost and Rylai’s Crystal Scepter.

Lethality Items

The final set of notable changes come to Lethality Items, as many have seen buffs.

Duskblade of Draktharr

• Total cost - 3100 gold (down from 3200)
• Build path - Serrated Dirk + Caulfield’s Warhammer + 900 gold
• Nightstalker (Active) - Bonus AD on next basic attack against an enemy champion deals 75 (+30% bonus AD) for melee (up from 65 (+25% bonus AD))

Eclipse

• Total cost - 3100 gold (down from 3200)
• Build path - Serrated Dirk + Long Sword + Vampiric Scepter + 750 gold
• Ever Moon Rising (Passive) - Cooldown for melee champions reduced to 6 seconds

Prowler’s Claw

• Total cost - 3100 gold (down from 3200)
• Build path - Serrated Dirk + Caulfield’s Warhammer + 900 gold
• Sandswipe (Active) - The dash deals 75 (+30% bonus AD) physical damage, up from 65 (+25% bonus AD)

As these changes are all targeted toward melee lethality users, these will be welcome buffs for melee assassins such as Talon, Nocturne and Zed. However, the cost of Youmuu’s Ghostblade has been increased by 100 gold given how many melee and ranged carries have been rushing it as a first item.