It’s already been a month since Legends of Runeterra officially launched, and the game is set to receive its first balance patch since release. Patch 1.2 is a big one, as it includes changes to a total of 18 cards, including five champions. But the biggest changes just might be the nerfs to a few of the game’s most hated early game cards.
Boomcrew Rookie has perhaps been the most problematic aggro card since the game’s beta. Its ability to deal two Nexus damage with every attack coupled with the fact that it had four health made it one the best two drops in the game. With patch 1.2 however, Riot will be reducing the card’s health by one, making this one of the biggest nerfs of the patch.
The difference between three and four health is massive, and this change will make multiple attacks with Boomcrew Rookie much less likely. As Riot puts it, “decreasing its health makes the Rookie more answerable through both removal and combat, giving opponents a better shot at preventing multiple triggers from hitting their Nexus.
Stand Alone will also be receiving a much needed nerf in the upcoming patch. Having this card played against you with Fiora or Zed on turn three can lead to one of the worst “feels bad” moments in the entire game. The card will now cost four mana instead of three, which will help delay its effects on the match. Riot says that the card leads to “deterministic games that undermine decision-making and turn too sharply on whether the opponent has the answer (or is even playing the right region).”
Finally, Legion Rearguard will see his health reduced from two to one. Having this guy come out on the first turn felt like it usually spelled doom for the opposing player, and it seems Riot has recognized this. “In the right decks (or against them), Rearguard provides too much punishment potential for a simple one drop, and we don’t want players to feel so consistently and immediately behind (or that they’ve already lost) for lack of a suitable round one answer.”
Patch 1.2 goes live on Tuesday, May 26, but players won’t actually see the changes until 24 hours later. Read the full patch notes here.
