League of Legends is set to receive its 12.9 patch next Wednesday, but the designers are already sharing thoughts on the 12.10 update following it a week later, on May 18. One major thing that the Summoners Rift team wants to focus on in that patch, according to a blog post today, is tweaking the “time to kill” in games, specifically by boosting champion durability across the board.
League can be a pretty fast-paced game, with attacks flying back and forth and champions kicking the bucket in record time. It’s long been part of its appeal, offering high-octane thrills and satisfying clutch moments. But according to the team, “Devs and players agree—there is currently too much damage in League.” In other words, characters die slightly too fast, so the decision has been made to buff health, armor, and resistance for every single champion.
No doubt some fans — especially those who loudly lament the buffing or nerfing of their favorite character whenever it happens — will be dissatisfied with the choices, but the devs feel that the change will give players “more opportunities for counterplay and to live out their high moments.” They’re also making sure to make further changes to accommodate the knock-on effects of the durability increase, including reducing sustain, adjusting certain variables, and keeping an eye on burst champions to make sure they don’t get over-nerfed as a result of the update.
