It's been two weeks since the big balance patch, so it's time to take a look at how the affected champions are faring and if the buffs were as effective as intended.
Azir - Now Counts Landmarks Towards Level Up
Well I guess we all know whether this produced results or not. The opinions of if Mono-Shurima is overpowered or just overrated differ, but the deck has been absolutely everywhere nonetheless. I'm gonna commit a crime here and share a list: you know a deck is good when it starts to tech towards the mirror match with Soothsayer and Desert Naturalist.
Another quite popular archetype has been the good old Azirelia, but I'll save you from that trauma and instead offer a spicier alternative in Azir/Hecarim.
Viktor - Hex Core Upgrade Costs 0
Another undeniably successful change. Viktor is now well and truly in the meta, and the variety of decks running him seems endless. The most successful combination so far has been with Riven, although another Noxian token generator (Draven) has also seen his fair share of winning.
As mentioned, there are plenty of viable-looking pairings for Viktor out there, united by their shared love towards generated cheap spells. I was only going to add three other decks here, but I just have to let you know that Viktor/Udyr is also a thing.
Aphelios - Moon Weapons Cost 2
The third big buff of the patch. While the moonboy hasn't yet gotten as strong of a foothold in the meta as the aforementioned, he's still very much playable now. You may have been wondering why one of the more popular Viktor pairings wasn't mentioned above but it's because I saved it here - Aphelios/Viktor.
Other options I wanted to share are Fizz/Aphelios (which is just Papercraft Fizz in disguise), the role-player's choice Diana/Aphelios and the quirkier alternative Aphelios/Lux.
Other Champions With Changes
We've now gone through the biggest winners, but what about the nerfed Champions and some who got indirect buffs? I'm glad you asked!
- You can still jam Gnar in a variety of decks without significantly weakening them, so I'm not giving you any more ideas on that front.
- Pantheon is still unhealthily attached to his cat and that other Targonian guy, so I'll instead give a spicier list with a Champion who likes being buffed as well.
- Pyke is and always will be a one-deck wonder.
- Rumble still works with Draven a lot, but I'll give you a list that tries to use Mecha-Yordles more, at least on paper.
- Caitlyn has also kept working with the usual suspects, nothing spicy there.
- I'm gonna make a teeny-tiny stretch here and claim that Jarvan IV got buffed due to the +2 Attack given to his father. In reality I just wanted to share a deck with a Champion that never gets played. For DEMACIA!
What have you been playing post-patch? Share your most successful or meme-tastic creations in the comments below!
Comments
No love for Taliyah/Ziggs? It's one of the best performing decks after the patch and very fun to play :
If your into more meme stuff then you have She who Ramps the deck is very good into Mono Shurima but struggles a lot with more aggressive decks and any deck with landmark removal is just going to make hate your life.: