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League of Legends patch 13.9 notes: Neeko and Kayle adjustments, Lich Bane buffs

Master League of Legends Patch 13.9 with champion updates, item changes, and strategic insights

  • 8c77a5 Published on 2026-04-01
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Master League of Legends Patch 13.9 with champion updates, item changes, and strategic insights

Patch 13.9 Overview: What You Need to Know

League of Legends Patch 13.9 introduces transformative quality-of-life improvements for Neeko alongside significant Kayle adjustments and item buffs that could reshape the mid-lane meta. This comprehensive guide breaks down everything from release timing to strategic implications.

Riot Games continues their ongoing balance efforts with Patch 13.9, focusing on champions who have struggled to find consistent footing in the current meta. The update delivers particularly groundbreaking changes to Neeko’s disguise mechanics while addressing Kayle’s perennial balance challenges.

League of Legends Patch 13.9 launches on May 3, 2023, following Riot’s standard deployment schedule. The update rolls out first to Oceanic servers, with other regions receiving it throughout the day. Players should anticipate several hours of server downtime during the maintenance window.

Matchmaking queues typically go offline approximately three hours before patching begins. Strategic players should plan their gaming sessions accordingly and consider testing changes in practice tool before jumping into ranked games.

Champion Updates: Neeko and Kayle Transformations

Neeko’s passive ability receives arguably the most innovative overhaul in recent League history. Her new Inherent Glamour now allows her to transform into nearly any non-epic monster, minion, trap, ward, or plant after standing near them for two seconds.

Strategic Tip: Advanced Neeko players can use this to create devastating ambushes by disguising as seemingly harmless environmental objects. The disguise only breaks when the transformed unit would have died or when Neeko receives crowd control, making her exceptionally slippery in jungle skirmishes.

Kayle’s adjustments target her problematic power curve. Riot acknowledges she’s currently underperforming and buffs her E ability Starfire Spellblade and ultimate Divine Judgment to provide more consistent mid-game impact.

Common Mistake: Many players overestimate Kayle’s late-game scaling and play too passively early. With these changes, she gains more agency during mid-game teamfights, allowing skilled players to capitalize on earlier power spikes.

Additional champion adjustments include:

Passive: Deathbringer Stance

  • Max HP damage increased: 4-10% >>> 4-12% (based on level)
  • Bonus movement speed increased: 50/65/80% >>> 60/80/100%
  • Damage per second adjusted: 12/16/20/24/28 (+1/1.15/1.3/1.45/1.6% target’s max HP) >>> 20 flat (+1/1.25/1.5/1.75/2% target’s max HP)
  • AD per level reduced: 1.7 >>> 1.5
  • Bonus damage monster ratio increased: 120% >>> 140%
  • AD per level reduced: 3.4 >>> 3.15

    • E: Starfire Spellblade

  • On-hit AP ratio decreased: 25% >>> 20%
  • Passive wave damage increased: 15-35 (based on E rank) >>> 20-41 (based on lvls 11-18)
  • Cast time decreased: 1.5 seconds >>> .5 seconds
  • AoE delay increased: 1.5 >>> 2.5
  • Invulnerability duration flattened: 2 – 3 seconds >>> 2.5 seconds
  • AoE radius increased: 525 >>> 675/675/775
  • Damage decreased: 200 – 500 (+80% AP) (+100% bAD) >>> 200 – 400 (+70% AP) (+100% bAD)

    • Passive: Inherent Glamour

  • When Neeko is near a non-epic monster, minion, trap, ward or plant for two seconds she stores their Sho’Ma. Neeko can click on her bar to become that unit. Click on Neeko’s face to return to Neeko. Click on the little x to clear out that Sho’Ma. Only one unit can be stored at a time.
  • Disguise no longer breaks on taking damage, only when the disguised self would have died or when you are crowd controlled
  • Neeko no longer inherits base Attack Speed/Movement Speed from disguised target if that stat is higher than hers
  • Cooldown flattened to 6 seconds at all ranks
  • Secondary/Tertiary Pop Damage: 40/65/95/115/140 (+20%AP) >>> 35/65/85/110/135 (+25%AP)
  • Each explosion now deals 30/40/50/60/70 bonus damage to monsters
  • After casting Neeko can reactivate to send the clone to a new location
  • Clone now plays animations and sounds of Q/E/Dance/Joke/Taunt/Recall/Laugh and survives for their duration
  • Empowered Attacks deal 50 bonus damage to monsters
  • Damage adjusted: 80/115/150/185/220 +60%AP >>> 70/105/140/175/210 + 65%AP
  • After the channel, Neeko jumps into the air, knocking up all nearby enemies.
  • After 0.6s Neeko crashes to the ground with all suspended enemies and deals damage to all nearby enemies, the stun lasts for 1.25s total
  • No longer shields Neeko on cast
  • Damage: 200/425/650 (+130%AP) >>> 150/350/550 (100%AP)
  • Cooldown: 90s >>> 120/105/90s

    • Itemization Updates: Lich Bane and AP Builds

    The AP item landscape receives meaningful attention with significant buffs to Lich Bane, an item that has languished in the meta despite its theoretical power. This enhancement aims to provide traditional mages with more competitive options against the influx of fighters and assassins in mid-lane.

    Optimization Tip: Champions like Ekko, Fizz, and Twisted Fate who synergize well with spell-weaving patterns should immediately test the updated Lich Bane. The increased power could make it a core item rather than situational purchase for these champions.

    Mage champions including Xerath, Lux, and Veigar who have increasingly migrated to bot-lane due to mid-lane pressure may find renewed viability with these item changes. The Lich Bane buff represents Riot’s ongoing effort to diversify viable playstyles and champion selections.

    Additional item and stat adjustments include:

    Passive: Glory in Death

  • HP loss per tick increased: 2-19 >>> 2.3-24.4 (based on level)
  • Damage increased: 60/80/100/120/140 (+38% AP) >>> 65/85/105/125/145 (+40% AP)
  • Bonus damage per subsequent bolt increased: 12/22/32/42/52 (+8% AP) >>> 15/25/35/45/55 (+10% AP)
  • Cast lockout unaffected by Taliyah dealing damage, now determined by whether Taliyah takes damage
  • Base Attack speed increased: 0.6 >>> 0.67
  • Base Mana increased: 281 >>> 340
  • Damage from bonus HP ratio increased: 5% >>> 6%
  • Missing HP heal ratio increased: 7/8.5/10/11.5/13% >>> 8/10/12/14/16%
  • AP increased: 75 >>> 85

    • ARAM-Only Balance Changes

    Howling Abyss receives targeted balance changes separate from Summoner’s Rift adjustments. These ARAM-specific modifications address abilities that disproportionately impact the fast-paced teamfight nature of the game mode.

    The following cooldown increases apply exclusively to ARAM matches:

  • Cooldown increased: 18/14.5/11/7.5/4 >>> 21/18/15/12/9 seconds
  • Cooldown increased: 12 >>> 16 seconds

    • Game Mode Insight: These adjustments target abilities that provide excessive utility or safety in ARAM’s constrained map environment. Players should adjust their ability usage patterns and consider different skill max orders to accommodate the longer cooldowns.

    ARAM enthusiasts should note that these changes reflect Riot’s ongoing efforts to balance champions differently across game modes, acknowledging that power levels don’t always translate evenly between Summoner’s Rift and Howling Abyss.

    No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » League of Legends patch 13.9 notes: Neeko and Kayle adjustments, Lich Bane buffs Master League of Legends Patch 13.9 with champion updates, item changes, and strategic insights

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