League of Legends to introduce support champion changes in patch 13.3, Radiant Virtue changes, and more

Riot Phreak, the former shoutcaster and current game designer on League of Legends, announced on January 29, 2023, a string of support champion changes, along with updates to Radiant Virtue for the upcoming Patch 13.3.

Ever since the start of season 13, the focus of Riot Games developers has mostly been centered around AD Carries adjustments, fighter item changes, etc. So far, the support champions haven't received any form of love in the current League of Legends season, with champions like Yuumi receiving nerfs back in patch 13.1.

These are certainly quality-of-life changes for these League of Legends engage/mele support champions, considering that the current meta has mainly been dominated by range/enchanter supports.

Riot Phreak explained the reason behind these changes to engage/mele champions, primarily being the state of support picks in professional League of Legends play.

The League of Legends professional play meta has been considerably stagnant as the support champions picked in major leagues such as LCK, LCS, LEC, and LPL have heavily featured picks such as Ashe, Nami, Lux, Heimerdinger, etc.

One of the major reasons why enchanters are so prevalent is due to the current League of Legends meta and the enchanter champions having the ability to buff the team carries.

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Support champions and Radiant Virtue changes in League of Legends season 13

Alistar

• Passive self-heal: 23-142 >>> 5% max health (about a 40% buff)
• Passive ally heal: 46-284 >>> 6% of Alistar's max health (about a 15% nerf)
• Q - Pulverize mana cost: 55-75 >>> 50-70
• Q - Pulverize AP ratio: .5 >>> .7
• W - Headbutt mana cost: 65-85 >>> 50-70
• W - Headbutt AP ratio: .7 >>> .9
• E - Trample mana cost: 50-90 >>> 50-70
• E - Trample AP ratio: .4 >>> .7

Braum

• Base health regen: 8.5 >>> 10
• Base health: 610 >>> 640
• Passive - Concussive Blows target immunity: 8 / 6 / 4 seconds at level 1 / 7 / 13 >>> level 1 / 6 / 11
• Q - Winter's Bite cooldown: 10-6 >>> 8-6

Nautilus

• Passive - Staggering Blow bonus damage: 8-110 >>> 14-116
• W - Titan's Wrath mana cost: 80 >>> 60
• W - Titan's Wrath shield: 40-80 + 8-12% max hp >>> 50-90 + 8-12% max hp
• E - Riptide damage: 55-175 + .3 >>> 55-195 + .5

Pantheon

• Base attack speed and level-1 attack speed: .644 >>> .658
• Q - Comet Spear mana cost: 30 >>> 25
• Q - Comet Spear cooldown: 13-8 >>> 11-7

Pyke

• Q - Bone Skewer damage: 100-300 + .6 >>> 100-300 + 1.0
• E - Phantom Undertow damage: 105-225 + 1.0 >>> 105-265 + 1.0

Rakan

• Q - Gleaming Quill damage: 70-250 + .7 >>> 70-290 + .9
• Q - Gleaming Quill heal: 30-115 >>> 40-210
• W - Battle Dance AP ratio: .7 >>> .8

Thresh

• P - Damnation AP and armor per stack: 1.0 >>> 1.25
• Q - Death Sentence damage: 100-260 >>> 100-280
• Q - Death Sentence AP ratio: .5 >>> .75
• W - Dark Passage cooldown: 22-16 >>> 21-17
• E - Flay cooldown: 13-10 >>> 12-10
• E - Flay AP ratio: .4 >>> .6

Radiant Virtue

• Cooldown: 60 seconds >>> 90 seconds
• Maximum health: 10% >>> 15%
• Total healing: 8% max health over nine seconds >>> 15% max health over eight seconds
• Ability haste aura and healing amplification have been removed

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These changes can be considered healthy as these champions have been underperforming compared to the dominant League of Legends enchanter picks like Lux, Nami, etc.

Whilst the ADC and their massive item changes in the previous patch were debatable, Riot Phreak has been spot-on regarding the changes for these mele-engage champions in patch 13.3.

These changes don't look to entirely shift the support meta as they are somewhat of a small buff for these mele-engage picks.

On top of that, this gives more options to professional players as mele-engage champions can finally enter the current League of Legends professional play meta.

Hopefully, League of Legends professional players pick up on some of these champions to make competitive play more fun to watch.