Riot Games is addressing concerns about the limited and one-dimensional array of items available for mages in League of Legends. In the upcoming 2024 season, players can expect new items and updates to existing ones. Riot has provided a detailed developer blog outlining these changes, which are available for testing today. However, popular mage items like Everfrost, Demonic Embrace, and Night Harvester will not be returning with the preseason update.
Several new items are being introduced for mages, offering unique mechanics and expanding on existing effects. Malignance, for example, transfers the burn effect of Liandry’s Torment to the ground beneath enemies in a small area. Stormsurge purges foes in a larger area with a lightning strike upon earning a kill.
Caster’s Companion is a new stacking mage item similar to Echoes of Helia. It grants charges every three seconds, up to a maximum of six, which are consumed when using a damage-dealing ability. Unlike Echoes of Helia, Caster’s Companion deals damage to two targets if another is present. Mages also gain a new tool for team play with Cryptbloom, which creates a healing aura below a defeated enemy champion, benefiting both the mage and their allies.
Haunting Guise returns as a main component for Liandry’s Torment, now at a lower cost. It deals burn damage based on two percent of the target’s max health and provides increased damage the longer the fight lasts. Cosmic Drive grants additional movement speed for damaging an opponent every two seconds, while Rod of Ages’ base stats are slightly reduced.
Shadowflame undergoes a significant change to differentiate it from Void Staff. Instead of dealing damage based on the enemy’s magic resist, Shadowflame allows all magic and true damage from the user to critically strike targets below 35% health. This change provides mages with a way to execute enemies similar to assassins.
Notably, the price of Amplifying Tome is reduced from 435 gold to 400 gold, making it easier for champions to increase their ability power. It remains a core component of items granting ability power, including the reworked Seeker’s Armguard, which now includes the active effect of Stopwatch.
These extensive changes impact nearly every mage champion in League of Legends. Riot will closely monitor the new and reworked items, along with other item changes, during testing on the PBE. The 2024 League season is scheduled to begin early next year.
Source: DOTESPORTS
