Amumu’s double Q charge revolution: A strategic guide to mastering the updated sad mummy in League of Legends patch 11.17
The State of Amumu: Why Changes Were Necessary
League of Legends developers announced that in testing for patch 11.17 Amumu’s Q ability, Bandage Toss, will now store two charges.
Riot has announced they are testing out big changes to the sad mummy, Amumu, for patch 11.17 which includes giving his Q ability Bandage Toss a second charge.
Amumu as a jungler in League of Legends Season 11 has certainly seen brighter days. Right now, his power is quite underwhelming at higher levels of play. His win rate above Platinum rank is the lowest out of all junglers at 43.61% according to stat tracker site u.gg.
On top of having the lowest win rate, he also has a pick rate of just 1% at Platinum and above rank. It seems as though Amumu has been completely forgotten about amongst more skilled players.
The fundamental issue stems from Amumu’s one-dimensional engagement pattern. In high-MMR games where players consistently dodge skillshots and maintain proper spacing, a single Bandage Toss provides insufficient reliability. This creates a massive performance gap where Amumu thrives in casual play but becomes nearly unplayable against coordinated opponents.
Patch 11.17 Changes: Double Bandage Toss Explained
Lead game designer for League Jeevun Sidhu sent a tweet on August 10 about changes that could be coming for Amumu.
11.17 has some interesting changes in test.
I wanted to talk about Amumu real quickly. Our goals here are to make Amumu better in higher MMRs, as his current performance disparity is very large.
Tl;dr – he has 2 Q charges, and we pulled power out of other places. Happy testing!
— Jeevun Sidhu (@JeevunSidhu) August 10, 2021
Jeevun says that Amumu’s Q ability, Bandage Toss, will now have two charges in testing for patch 11.17. The charges will work akin to other abilities that can be used multiple times, with an example being Caitlyn’s traps, which she stores up then can use multiple times.
This charge system operates with independent cooldowns—missing one Bandage Toss doesn’t lock you out of attempting another engagement immediately. However, developers have explicitly stated they’ve “pulled power out of other places” to compensate. This likely means adjustments to base damage, cooldowns, or mana costs on his W (Despair) or E (Tantrum) to maintain overall balance.
The double charge fundamentally transforms Amumu from a binary engage champion to a more versatile threat. Players can now use one charge for initial positioning and save the second for either securing the kill or creating an escape route—a tactical flexibility previously unavailable.
Strategic Implications and Gameplay Evolution
Adding another charge onto Amumu’s Bandage Toss will make it more forgiving to miss his only skillshot. Amumu is massively reliant on landing Bandage Toss, as it’s his only way of getting onto enemy targets.
The strategic evolution extends beyond simple forgiveness. With two charges, Amumu can now execute advanced maneuvers previously reserved for more mobile champions. Consider these new possibilities:
• Bait and Switch: Engage with first charge, force enemy mobility spells, then immediately follow with second charge.
• Terrain Hopping: Use first charge to cross a wall for positioning, save second for actual engagement on enemy champions.
• Escape Utility: Previously, using Q offensively meant committing fully. Now one charge can be reserved for disengaging if a gank turns unfavorable.
Jungle pathing must also adapt. Amumu players should time their rotations to arrive at gank opportunities with at least one charge available, while understanding that holding both charges maximizes engagement options but slightly reduces clear speed if used on monsters.
Practical Implementation: Tips and Common Pitfalls
LoL devs must be careful though, as the last time Amumu was powerful at higher levels of play, he was completely unstoppable and had to be hotfixed because he was so strong. Hopefully, the changes to his Bandage Toss ability will give him just enough power to become relevant again.
Practical Tip 1: Always track your charge count visually and auditorily. The sound cue when a charge replenishes is crucial for timing your engagements. Enter fights only when you have at least one charge available, preferably two for optimal flexibility.
Common Mistake: Wasting both charges immediately in a teamfight. Use the first to engage, then assess if the second is needed for securing a kill or saving for escape. Remember that power has been pulled from other abilities—your sustained damage may be lower, making smart charge usage more critical.
Advanced Optimization: Against mobile opponents, consider using Flash + first Q to guarantee contact, then save second Q for when they use their escape ability. This “commitment sequencing” forces enemies to burn summo spells or die.
Build Adaptation: With increased engagement reliability, consider shifting from pure tank builds to hybrid options that include one damage item like Demonic Embrace or Liandry’s Anguish. The guaranteed second Q improves the value of damage amplification effects.
Broader Patch Context and Champion Updates
League of Legends patch 25.17 will turn several champions into viable junglers
League of Legends patch 25.16 notes aim to make LoL less balanced
LoL patch 25.15 notes deliver a huge list of champion nerfs
Amumu isn’t the only champion receiving a slight rework for patch 11.17, as Lucian is also getting some changes to make him more of a bot-lane marksman.
This patch represents Riot’s continued effort to address champion disparity across skill levels. While Amumu receives mechanical changes to improve high-MMR performance, Lucian’s adjustments focus on role specialization. Together, these updates demonstrate a nuanced approach to game balance where different champions receive targeted changes based on their specific pain points rather than blanket buffs or nerfs.
The meta implications are significant: Amumu’s increased reliability may shift jungle tier lists, particularly in competitive play where his crowd control ultimate combined with consistent engagement could make him a valuable teamfight initiator. However, players should monitor whether the power pulled from his other abilities makes his early jungle clears too vulnerable to invades.
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