In a surprising twist, Riot Games has announced that Azir, a popular mid lane champion in League of Legends competitive play, will be nerfed just before the start of the 2023 World Championship. This decision comes as part of the crucial balance patch, Patch 13.19, which will be used for the event.
Previously, Ziggs was set to receive buffs in this patch, but the developers have decided to replace him with Azir. The reasoning behind this change is that Azir has been benefiting too much from recent meta effects, such as nerfs to other champions and items that indirectly buffed him. To address this, Riot will be nerfing Azir’s Conquering Sands (Q) ability by increasing its cooldown by two seconds.
Although this nerf may not have a significant impact on gameplay, as most players prioritize maxing Arise! (W) before Conquering Sands (Q), it will require slight adjustments in laning phase and teamfights.
Azir was heavily picked during the 2022 League World Championship, with teams like DRX, Gen.G, and DFM frequently choosing him. Despite being played 48 times, he maintained a 50 percent win rate throughout the event.
While Azir has been a popular pick in professional play this year, he surprisingly did not make an appearance at the 2023 Mid-Season Invitational in London. This departure from his previous pick rate at Worlds raises questions about his future presence on the Worlds stage.
Although Azir may still be chosen by professional players at the upcoming World Championship, these Patch 13.19 nerfs are likely to reduce his prevalence in the tournament.
Source: DOTESPORTS
