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League of Legends patch 12.9 notes: Olaf & Taliyah reworks, Pyke nerfs, more

Comprehensive guide to League of Legends patch 12.9 with champion reworks, balance changes, and strategic insights

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Comprehensive guide to League of Legends patch 12.9 with champion reworks, balance changes, and strategic insights

Major Champion Updates and Reworks

League of Legends patch 12.9 delivers substantial gameplay transformations with two comprehensive mid-scope updates that significantly alter champion identities and playstyles. These changes arrive after the MSI competitive period, allowing Riot Games to implement substantial meta shifts without disrupting professional play.

The latest League update introduces revolutionary changes to Olaf and Taliyah, alongside controversial Pyke adjustments that reshape champion roles and strategic approaches.

Following a period of conservative balancing, patch 12.9 marks Riot’s return to impactful game modifications that will redefine champion viability across multiple roles.

Players can anticipate major shifts in champion performance, particularly for Olaf and Taliyah mains who will need to adapt to completely reworked kits. Support players should note significant Pyke adjustments aimed at curbing his mid-lane dominance while enhancing his bot-lane presence.

These modifications represent just the beginning of Riot’s aggressive balancing approach, with the upcoming durability update in patch 12.10 promising even more substantial gameplay evolution in the coming weeks.

Additionally, players can look forward to extensive cosmetic updates featuring the popular High Noon theme and commemorative Edward Gaming championship skins.

This comprehensive guide breaks down all critical changes and provides strategic insights for adapting to the new meta landscape.

Olaf Mid-Scope Update

Riot strategically delayed Olaf’s comprehensive rework until after MSI to maintain competitive stability, but the changes now implemented fundamentally transform his jungle effectiveness and teamfight presence.

Olaf’s modifications enhance his juggernaut fantasy while introducing mechanical complexity that rewards skilled execution. His jungle clearing efficiency experiences slight reduction due to Q and W adjustments, but this is compensated by dramatically improved survivability and sustained damage output.

  • Read More: What we know about League’s Pride of Nazumah

    • Strategic Insight: The most groundbreaking change allows Olaf to maintain Ragnarok indefinitely by landing basic attacks or Reckless Swing on champions. This creates unprecedented teamfight durability for players who can maintain aggression, fundamentally altering how opponents must approach engagements with the berserker.

    Taliyah Mid-Scope Update

    Taliyah undergoes a strategic repositioning back to her mid-lane origins with comprehensive ability adjustments that prioritize sustained damage over burst potential. The Stoneweaver receives substantial quality-of-life improvements to her Worked Ground mechanic while regaining area-of-effect capabilities on her Q after nearly four years.

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    Advanced Tip: The new Worked Ground interaction that fires a single high-damage boulder with slowing effects creates strategic decision-making opportunities. Players must choose between sustained damage from multiple projectiles or burst damage with crowd control, adding depth to her gameplay pattern.

    Pyke Support Rebalancing

    Despite community feedback, Riot proceeds with significant Pyke adjustments designed to curtail his mid-lane dominance while strengthening his support capabilities. The developers have scaled back experimental changes that provided infinite execute threshold stacking but maintain core modifications to his gold generation mechanics.

    Pyke loses additional gold generation from his ultimate when securing kills personally, but receives compensatory buffs focused on enhancing his support utility and lane presence. These changes aim to redirect his power budget toward traditional support functions rather than solo lane carry potential.

  • Read More: Riot eyeing big Rell changes in League of Legends

    • Common Mistake to Avoid: Many players will continue building Pyke for maximum damage output, but the changes reward utility and survivability. Focusing on ability haste and defensive items will yield better results in the updated meta.

    Support Meta Shifts and Champion Adjustments

    Additional nerfs target recently updated champions Rengar and Ahri, while the controversial ‘inting Sion’ strategy receives direct countermeasures. Swain avoids further modifications following his mid-patch hotfix adjustments.

    The combination of Pyke mid-lane adjustments and Renata Glasc nerfs in patch 12.9 creates substantial support meta evolution. While these changes individually may not revolutionize the role, meaningful buffs to Braum and Thresh initiate significant power shifts as the durability update approaches.

    Braum and Thresh Buffs

    Braum receives crucial late-game enhancements with reduced cooldown on his passive at higher levels, dramatically improving his teamfight crowd control potential. His E ability now provides substantially increased damage mitigation, making him more effective at protecting carries during critical engagements.

    Thresh gains meaningful statistical improvements with restored flat resistances per soul collected and enhanced shielding based on soul count. These changes address previous nerfs that reduced his scaling potential and reinforce his identity as a scaling support champion.

    Practical Tip: Thresh players should prioritize soul collection more aggressively in the early game, as each soul now provides significantly more combat stats. The enhanced scaling makes him increasingly threatening in extended matches.

    Additional Champion Adjustments

    Players seeking alternative AD carry options will appreciate buffs to on-hit Varus builds, which receive attention after Lethality variations dominated the burst damage meta. This change gains additional significance with the approaching durability update, which will naturally benefit sustained damage dealers over burst-oriented champions.

    Sion undergoes targeted adjustments that specifically address the ‘inting Sion’ strategy by reducing his structure damage during passive form. Combined with base stat reductions, these changes aim to preserve his traditional tank identity while discouraging sacrificial play patterns.

    Optimization Strategy: The Varus changes create opportunities for players to experiment with hybrid builds that combine on-hit items with ability power, leveraging the improved AP ratios on his abilities for unexpected burst potential.

    New Cosmetic Releases

    Riot introduces two distinct skin lines in patch 12.9, featuring both the continuing High Noon series and commemorative Edward Gaming Worlds 2021 championship cosmetics. These visual updates provide fresh customization options while celebrating competitive achievements.

    The High Noon theme maintains its position as one of League’s most popular aesthetic collections, with five new additions expanding the western fantasy universe.

  • High Noon Mordekaiser
  • High Noon Talon
    • High Noon Talon Prestige Edition
  • High Noon Talon Prestige Edition

    • Each High Noon skin includes eight chroma variations across different color schemes, providing extensive customization options for players who enjoy coordinating aesthetics with teammates or personal preferences.

    The Edward Gaming skins offer commemorative options celebrating the organization’s 2021 World Championship victory. Players can acquire these cosmetics individually or through bundled packages, with each skin featuring signature elements representing the championship roster.

    Dexerto has verified that each Edward Gaming Worlds 2021 skin will include one exclusive chroma variation, providing additional visual distinction for players supporting the championship team.

    Collection Strategy: Players should consider purchasing skin bundles during initial release periods to access exclusive content and potential discounts. The Edward Gaming skins particularly hold collector’s value as commemorative items celebrating specific competitive achievements.

    Detailed Patch Notes Analysis

    Below you’ll find the comprehensive League of Legends patch 12.9 notes provided by Riot Games, detailing all champion adjustments, system modifications, and technical improvements.

    Champion Ability Changes

  • Cooldown: 12 seconds ⇒ 14 seconds
  • Cooldown: 130/105/80 seconds ⇒ 140/115/90 seconds

    • Passive: Concussive Blows

  • Per-Target Cooldown: 8/7/6 seconds ⇒ 8/6/4 seconds
  • Damage Reduction: 30/32.5/35/37/40% ⇒ 35/40/45/50/55%
  • Physical Damage: 60/90/120/150/180 (+85% bonus AD) ⇒ 60/90/120/150/180 (+90% bonus AD)
  • Cooldown: 18 seconds ⇒ 14 seconds
  • Bonus Attack Speed: 25/45/65% ⇒ 25/35/45%
  • Base Health: 570 ⇒ 540
  • AD Growth :: 3.5 >>> 4.7
    • AD at level 18 :: 127.5 >>> 148
  • AD at level 18 :: 127.5 >>> 148
  • Health Growth :: 100 >>> 105
  • Mana Growth :: 42 >>> 50

    • Passive: Berserker Rage

  • Maximum Attack Speed Granted: 99% >>> 40-100% (levels 1-18)
  • [NEW] Berserker’s Rage now provides 10-30% life steal (levels 1-18), based on Olaf’s missing health
  • [UPDATED] Bonuses max out at 0% Health >>> 30% Health
  • Cooldown: 7 seconds >>> 9 seconds
  • Damage: 80/125/170/215/260 >>> 60/110/160/210/260
  • Minimum Range: 300 >>> 425 units
  • Mana Cost: 60 at all ranks >>> 40/45/50/55/60
  • [UPDATED] Picking up axes now fully refunds Undertow’s cooldown, but axes can only be thrown a maximum of once every 3 seconds.
    • The 3 second limit scales with Ability Haste.
  • The 3 second limit scales with Ability Haste.
  • [UPDATED] Included a quality of life buff to Olaf’s Undertow so that it now grants ghosting more consistently to jungle monsters who he hits or are near him when Q is cast
  • [UPDATED] Name change: Vicious Strikes ⇒ Tough It Out
  • Cooldown: 16 seconds at all ranks ⇒ 16/14.5/13/11.5/10 seconds
  • Attack Speed: 50/60/70/80/90% ⇒ 40/50/60/70/80%
  • Ability Duration :: 6 seconds ⇒ 4 seconds
  • [NEW] W now resets Olaf’s basic attack timer
  • [NEW] On activation Olaf now gains a 10/45/80/115/150 (+25% missing health, capped at 30% of his current HP) shield for 2.5 seconds
  • [REMOVED] No longer grants Life Steal
  • [REMOVED] No longer amplifies Olaf’s healing based on missing health
  • Bonus Attack Damage: 15/20/25 (+30% AD) ⇒ 10/20/30 (+25% AD)
  • Duration: 6 seconds ⇒ 3 seconds
  • Passive Resists: 20/30/40 ⇒ 10/25/40
    [REMOVED] Ragnarok’s passive bonus resistances are no longer lost for the duration of the ability
  • [NEW] Hitting a champion with a basic attack or Reckless Swing extends the duration of Ragnarok to 2.5 seconds. Olaf can refresh Ragnarok indefinitely

    • Passive: Gift of the Drowned Ones

  • Damage Converted to Grey Health when near Two or more Enemies: 40% (+0.5% per Lethality) ⇒ 45% (+0.5% per Lethality)
  • [NEW] Bone Skewer now refunds mana upon hitting an enemy champion
  • Mana Cost: 50/55/60/65/70 ⇒ 74/78/82/86/90
  • Mana Refund: 50% ⇒ 75%
  • Cooldown: 120/100/80 seconds ⇒ 100/85/70 seconds
  • [REMOVED] Pyke no longer receives “Your Cut” gold upon successfully executing enemy champions with his R (last assisting ally will still receive “Your Cut”)
  • [REMOVED] Pyke no longer receives additional “Your Cut” gold when allies kill enemies within Death From Below’s execution area
  • Additional Magic Damage Against Marked Targets: 1-3.5% (levels 1-13) (+1% per 100 AP) ⇒ 1-2% (levels 1-9) (+2% per 100 AP)
    • Damage against unmarked targets unchanged
  • Damage against unmarked targets unchanged
  • Health Growth: 92 ⇒ 97
  • AD Growth: 3.75 ⇒ 4.15
    • AD at Level 18: 132.75 ⇒ 139.55
  • AD at Level 18: 132.75 ⇒ 139.55
  • Cooldown: 13/12/11/10/9 seconds ⇒ 16/14/12/10/8 seconds
  • Total Physical Damage: 10/30/50/70/90 (+75% AD) ⇒ 10/40/70/100/130 (+75% AD)
  • Total Physical Damage when Empowered: 15/45/75/105/135 (+75% AD) ⇒ 15/60/105/150/195 (+75% AD)
  • Magic Damage per Second: 40/80/120 (+10% AP) ⇒ 50/100/150 (+10% AP)
  • Damage to Monsters: 85-150 (levels 1-18) ⇒ 65-130 (levels 1-18)
  • Damage Tick Rate: 1 second ⇒ 0.5 seconds
  • [NEW] The area of effect zone from Shyvana’s E – Flame Breath now applies marks to enemies that enter the zone.

    • Passive: Glory in Death

  • [NEW] Sion now does 40% reduced damage to structures while in his reanimated frenzy form (includes runes and items)
  • Base Health: 531 ⇒ 500
  • Base Health Regen: 7 ⇒ 6.5
  • Health Regen Growth: 0.7 ⇒ 0.65
  • Base Mana Regen: 9.34 ⇒ 8
  • Mana Regen Growth: 0.85 ⇒ 0.8
  • Move Speed: 335 ⇒ 330

    • Passive: Rock Surfing

  • Out of Combat Bonus Move Speed: 20-45% (levels 1-18) ⇒ 10/20/35/55% (levels 1/9/12/15)
  • Passive Fall Off Time when not near Terrain: 1 second ⇒ 2.5 seconds
  • Mana Cost: 50/60/70/80/90 ⇒ 60/65/70/75/80
  • Cooldown: 7/6/5/4/3 seconds ⇒ 6.5/5.5/4.5/3.5/2.5 seconds
  • 1-Rock Damage: 70/95/120/145/170 (+45% AP) ⇒ 38/61/84/107/130 (+50% AP)
  • Damage Reduction from Subsequent Stone Shards: 50% ⇒ 60%
  • 5-Rock Damage: 210/285/360/435/510 (+135% AP) ⇒ 98.8/158.6/218.4/278.2/338 (+130% AP)
  • Damage Reduction from Subsequent Stone Shards Against Monsters: 25% ⇒ 60%
  • [NEW] Each Stone Shard now deals an additional 30 (+10% AP) damage against monsters
    [NEW] Stone Shards now deal damage in a 175 radius area of effect (approximately 1.6 Teemos)
  • [NEW] Threaded Volley will now continue to cast while Taliyah is in Stasis
  • [NEW] Casting Threaded Volley on Worked Ground now consumes the Worked Ground to fire a single Boulder that deals double damage [76/122/168/214/260 (+100% AP)] and slows all targets hit in a 225 AoE radius by 30/35/40/45/50% for 2 seconds
  • Mana Cost on Worked Ground: 1 ⇒ 20
  • Minimum Cooldown on Worked Ground: 1 second ⇒ 0.75 seconds
  • Worked Ground Duration: 25 seconds ⇒ 30 seconds
  • Worked Ground Radius: 300 ⇒ 400
  • [UPDATED] The size of Worked Ground< on Howling Abyss now matches Summoner’s Rift
  • [NEW] Threaded Volley casts on Worked Ground now has new VFX, SFX, animation, and icon!
  • Mana Cost: 70/80/90/100/110 ⇒ 40/30/20/10/0
  • Cooldown: 16/15/14/13/12 seconds ⇒ 14/12.5/11/9.5/8 seconds
  • Knock Up Radius: 200 ⇒ 225
  • Time Delay before Knock Up: 0.8 seconds ⇒ 0.75 seconds
  • [REMOVED] Seismic Shove no longer deals damage
  • Cooldown: 16/14/12/10/8 seconds ⇒ 16/15/14/13/12 seconds
  • Damage on Initial Cast: 50/75/100/125/150 (+40% AP) ⇒ 60/105/150/195/240 (+60% AP)
  • Slow Strength: 20% (+4% AP) ⇒ 20/22/24/26/28% (AP ratio removed)
  • Boulder Detonation Damage: 50/60/70/80/90 (+30% AP) ⇒ 25/45/65/85/105 (+30% AP)
  • Damage Reduction per Subsequent Boulder Hit: 15% ⇒ 25%
  • Maximum Boulder Detonation Damage: 155/186/217/248/279 (+93% AP) ⇒ 62.5/112.5/162.5/212.5/262.5 (+75% AP)
  • Delay Between Casting and Spawning First Row of Boulders: 0.1 seconds ⇒ 0 seconds
  • Delay Between Spawning Rows of Boulders after the First Row: 0.1 seconds ⇒ 0.17 seconds
  • [UPDATED] Unraveled Earth now spawns 6 rows of boulders extending outwards from Taliyah with 4 boulders per row (previously spawned 4 rows of boulders with 6 boulders per row)
    [NEW] Boulders now stun enemies that dash through them for the duration of the dash + 0.6/0.7/0.8/0.9/1 seconds.

    • Note: the max stun duration is 2 seconds and monsters are always stunned for the max duration
  • Note: the max stun duration is 2 seconds and monsters are always stunned for the max duration
  • [REMOVED] Unraveled Earth no longer detonates to deal additional damage after 4 seconds
  • Range: 3000/4500/6000 ⇒ 2500/4500/6500
  • Dash Range when Jumping off Wall: 400 ⇒ 700
  • Dash Speed when Jumping off Wall: 1000 ⇒ 1200
  • [UPDATED] Moving Taliyah while she is riding the Weaver’s Wall now causes Taliyah to dash to the location clicked, up to the maximum dash range instead of dropping her perpendicular to the wall.
  • [UPDATED] Dashing when jumping off of the wall is now more forgiving when trying to dash through terrain
  • [NEW] Damage from enemy champions or structures now prevents Taliyah from casting R – Weaver’s Wall for 3 seconds
  • [REMOVED] Taking damage no longer knocks Taliyah off her wall
  • Ability Power and Bonus Armor per Soul: 0.75 ⇒ 1
  • Shield Strength: 60/90/120/150/180 (+1 per Soul) ⇒ 60/90/120/150/180 (+2 per Soul)

    • Passive: Living Vengeance

  • Bonus Attack Speed on Non-Champion Kills: 10/15/20% (+15% bonus Attack Speed) ⇒ 10/15/20% (+20% bonus Attack Speed)
  • Bonus Attack Speed on Champion Kills: 40% (+30% bonus Attack Speed) ⇒ 40% (+40% bonus Attack Speed)
  • Bonus Magic Damage On-Hit: 7/10.5/14/17.5/21 (+30% AP) ⇒ 7/12/17/22/27 (+30% AP)
  • Champion Bonus Resists While Hunting Alone (Melee): 20-60 (levels 1-18) ⇒ 10 (levels 1-11), then 20/35/43/51/59/67/75 (levels 12-18)
  • Champion Bonus Resists While Hunting Alone (Ranged): 10-30 (levels 1-18) ⇒ 5 (levels 1-11), then 10/17.5/21.5/25.5/29.5/33.5/37.5 (levels 12-18)
  • [UPDATED] Deal 20% bonus damage from all sources against structures ⇒ Only attacks deal 20% bonus damage against structures

    • Game System Updates

  • Challenges track your overall progress within League across a ton of categories. Build your legacy through over 300 unique Challenges that celebrate the champs you’ve mained, modes you’ve conquered, plays you’ve made, stuff you’ve collected, and more.
  • Show off the Challenges you’re most proud of with Titles and Token. You can see how you measure up in your region with regional leaderboards — now you can finally hit Challenger in something.

    • Bug Fixes

  • Fixed a bug where Swain’s old ability descriptions were displaying in the Champion Details Page
  • Fixed a bug where Swain could reactivate his Nevermove to pull enemies closer to him even if they had cleansed the Root effect
  • Fixed a bug where Rengar could still deal damage with his Savagery when blinded by Teemo’s Blinding Dart
  • Fixed a bug where Chaos (Red) side inhibitors would display blue icons when selected
  • Fixed a bug where Kayle’s movement and attack VO lines were not playing correctly while Ascended
  • Fixed a bug where Elise’s Volatile Spiderling was ignoring Baron and not exploding
  • Fixed a bug where Nocturne’s Paranoia VO line would play louder than intended if players had visibility of more than 1 champion affected by nearsightedness
  • Fixed a bug where Black Belt Udyr’s Bear Stance was not displaying the correct visual textures
  • Fixed a bug where Irelia would only receive stacks of her Passive – Ionian Fervor for Champions hit when hitting Champions and minions/monsters simultaneously
  • Fixed a bug where Lillia was not receiving the correct among of healing from her Passive – Laden Bough
  • Fixed a bug where the sound effects for Ashe’s Volley would stop playing if it was leveled up to Rank 2 on-cast
  • Fixed a bug where Gangplank’s Cannon Barrage would cancel allies’ auto attacks if it was upgraded with Raise Morale
  • Fixed a bug where Ekko’s Timewinder tooltip was displaying the incorrect AP ratio
  • Fixed a bug where the damage from Janna’s Howling Gale was not correctly factoring in the ability’s base AP ratio
  • Fixed a bug where Wukong’s Nimbus Strike into Crushing Blow combo would fail to stack Conqueror
  • Fixed a bug where Turrets would prioritize and target enemies damaged by Kog’Maw’s Icathian Surprise
  • Fixed a bug where Master Yi’s Alpha Strike sound effects would sometimes be audible to the enemy team in the Fog of War
  • Fixed a bug where Shaco’s Backstab was sometimes audible to the enemy team from the Fog of War
  • Fixed a bug where Aphelios’ gun swapping and ability sound effects would sometimes be audible from the Fog of War
  • Fixed a bug where the sound of Scuttle’s shield breaking would play through the Fog of War

    • Technical Analysis: The extensive bug fixes address numerous quality-of-life issues that have persisted in the client. Particularly noteworthy are the Fog of War audio fixes, which eliminate unfair audio cues that could reveal hidden champion positions.

    Skin Descriptions

    “Honoring Viper’s winning performance as Aphelios during the 2021 World Championship.”

    “Honoring Flandre’s winning performance as Graves during the 2021 World Championship.”

    “Honoring Jiejie’s winning performance as Viego during the 2021 World Championship.”

    “Honoring Meiko’s winning performance as Yuumi during the 2021 World Championship.”

    “Honoring Scout’s winning performance as Zoe during the 2021 World Championship.”

    “My people got swindled. I aim to collect what we’re owed,” the Outsider says, pinning her dagger in a wanted poster of the Mechanical Devil. Her eyes burn like stoked coal as she fixes each dusty traveler in her gaze, “And I hear y’all plan on jumpin’ the Sulfur Rail, Harbingers. If you’re gonna take this devil down, I want in.”

    “The Lady of House Solari lifts her chin against the scorching wind. Ahead lies her family’s salvation: the Sulfur Rail, carrying the stolen family fortune, churning across the desert. The only thing that stands in her way is the Mechanical Devil himself. Her sword hums like cicadas in the gloaming. The butterflies gather. Time for the Harbingers to ride.”

    “Few meet the Mechanical Devil and live to tell the tale. They describe a behemoth: all steel and gears, fueled by hellfire and fierce enough to scare a man’s soul from his skin. He is the King of the Sulfur Rail, reigning over the train to Hell from a throne of stolen gold and infernal iron. Eternal, and unassailable.”

    “Fate is catchin’ up to you, old friend,” Talon says, leaning back in his chair, predator’s eyes gleaming under the shadows of his hat. He still moves like a demon, even warped and corrupted by angel blood as he is. His smile, rueful and knowing, has too many teeth: “The end is comin’ for us all.”

    “Devilishly handsome and wearing the latest in Western chic, Talon is equally ready to rock the runway or ride the open road. Those boots are made for walking, and he’ll walk all over anyone standing in his way.”

    “Ain’t nothin’ for a dead angel to do but resign himself to grief. Varus was content to allow Mordekaiser to take him past the infernal gates themselves… Until a ragtag gang of thieves interrupted his mourning. Varus now picks up his bow once more, riding as a Harbinger. It’s high time he got revenge for the massacre of Heaven.”

    No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » League of Legends patch 12.9 notes: Olaf & Taliyah reworks, Pyke nerfs, more Comprehensive guide to League of Legends patch 12.9 with champion reworks, balance changes, and strategic insights

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