Patch 5.16 League of Legends: New Champions, Skins, and Balance Changes

Patch 5.16 is a significant update to the popular online game, League of Legends. Released in August 2015, the patch brought about a number of changes to the game, including the introduction of new champions, items, and game modes. The patch was designed to shake up the game's meta and provide players with new and exciting challenges to overcome.

One of the most notable additions in Patch 5.16 was the introduction of Juggernauts, a new class of tanks that were designed to be high-damage, high-defense champions. These new champions were intended to shake up the game's meta and provide players with new strategies to use in battle. In addition to Juggernauts, the patch also introduced a number of new items, including Titanic Hydra and Sterak's Gage, which were designed to help players take down tanks and other high-defense champions more easily.

Overall, Patch 5.16 was a significant update to League of Legends, bringing about a number of changes that shook up the game's meta and provided players with new and exciting challenges to overcome. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the game, there's no doubt that Patch 5.16 had a significant impact on the way League of Legends is played.

Overview of Patch 5.16

Patch 5.16 for League of Legends was released on August 19th, 2015. This patch introduced several significant changes to the game, including the addition of the Juggernaut class of tanks and a new way to control dragons.

One of the most notable changes in this patch was the introduction of the Juggernaut class of tanks. These champions are designed to be heavy hitters that can take a lot of damage while dealing significant damage themselves. The Juggernauts included in this patch were Darius, Garen, Mordekaiser, Skarner, and Skarner. Each of these champions received a significant buff to their abilities to make them more effective in battle.

Another significant change introduced in Patch 5.16 was the addition of a new way to control dragons. In previous patches, teams could kill dragons to gain a global gold bonus. However, in this patch, teams could kill dragons to gain a permanent buff that would last for the rest of the game. The type of buff would depend on which dragon was killed, with each dragon providing a unique benefit to the team that killed it.

Patch 5.16 also included several other changes, such as updates to the HUD and improvements to several items. Overall, this patch had a significant impact on the game and changed the way players approached battles.

Major Changes

Champion Adjustments

Patch 5.16 for League of Legends brought a significant number of changes to champions. Riot Games, the developer of the game, made adjustments to over 20 champions to improve their balance and gameplay. Some of the notable changes are:

• Darius: The champion received a significant rework to make him a better Juggernaut. His passive ability was changed to give him more attack damage and armor penetration. The ultimate ability, Noxian Guillotine, now deals true damage instead of physical damage.
• Garen: Garen's passive ability, Perseverance, was changed to give him more health regeneration. His Q ability, Decisive Strike, now deals more damage and silences enemies for a longer duration.
• Mordekaiser: The champion received a rework that made him a better Juggernaut. His passive ability, Iron Man, now gives him more shield based on his maximum health. His ultimate ability, Children of the Grave, now deals more damage and heals him for a percentage of the damage dealt.

These are just a few examples of the many changes made to champions in patch 5.16. Players should take the time to read the full patch notes to understand how the changes will affect their favorite champions.

Item Modifications

Patch 5.16 also brought changes to items in League of Legends. The following are some of the significant modifications:

• Titanic Hydra: The item received a buff, making it more viable for Juggernaut champions. The item now deals more damage and gives more health.
• Sterak's Gage: The item was reworked to make it a better defensive option for melee champions. It now gives more health and base attack damage. The passive ability was also changed to give a shield when a champion takes a certain amount of damage.

These changes to items will affect how players build their champions and how they approach the game. It is important for players to understand these changes to make informed decisions during gameplay.

Minor Adjustments

Map Changes

Patch 5.16 brought some minor changes to the League of Legends map. The most notable change was the addition of some new decorations in the jungle. These decorations include new plants, flowers, and rocks that add more visual appeal to the game.

Another change was the adjustment of some of the bushes on the map. Riot Games made some changes to the size and shape of certain bushes to improve gameplay and make them more consistent across the map.

Bug Fixes

Patch 5.16 also included some bug fixes. One of the most significant bug fixes was related to the champion Azir. In previous patches, Azir had a bug that caused his ultimate ability to sometimes not knock back enemies as intended. This bug was fixed in patch 5.16, making Azir's ultimate more reliable and effective.

Another bug fix was related to the champion Yasuo. In previous patches, Yasuo had a bug that caused his ultimate ability to sometimes not deal damage to enemies as intended. This bug was also fixed in patch 5.16, making Yasuo's ultimate more consistent and effective.

Overall, patch 5.16 brought some minor adjustments to the League of Legends map and some important bug fixes that improved gameplay for certain champions.

Impact on Meta

Patch 5.16 had a significant impact on the meta of League of Legends. The introduction of the Juggernaut class of champions, including Darius, Garen, and Mordekaiser, brought about a shift in the top lane meta. These champions were given significant buffs to make them more viable in competitive play, and they quickly became popular picks in both solo queue and professional play.

The Juggernauts were designed to be tanky, high-damage champions that excel at taking down enemy champions and objectives. Their introduction to the meta led to a shift away from tankier top laners like Maokai and Sion, who were no longer able to keep up with the sheer damage output of the Juggernauts.

In addition to the Juggernauts, Patch 5.16 also introduced a number of new items, including Titanic Hydra and Sterak's Gage. These items were designed to synergize with the Juggernauts‘ playstyle, providing them with even more damage and survivability.

Overall, the impact of Patch 5.16 on the meta was significant. The introduction of the Juggernauts and their associated items led to a shift in the top lane meta, with tankier champions falling out of favor in favor of high-damage Juggernauts. This shift had a ripple effect throughout the game, with teams adjusting their strategies and playstyles to account for the new meta.

Community Response

The community response to patch 5.16 was mixed. Some players were excited about the new skins that were added to the game, while others were concerned about the changes to certain champions and items. Here are some of the most common reactions to the patch:

• Juggernauts are Overpowered – Many players felt that the new Juggernaut champions were too strong, making it difficult to play against them. They felt that the changes to these champions made them too tanky and too damaging, which made it difficult to kill them in team fights.
• ADCs are Weak – Other players felt that the changes to the ADC items and the nerfs to certain ADC champions made them too weak. They felt that ADCs were no longer able to carry games and that they were easily killed by other champions.
• New Skins are Awesome – Despite the balance changes, many players were excited about the new skins that were added to the game. They felt that the new Arcade and Academy skins were some of the best skins that Riot had ever released.
• Overall Balance is Good – Some players felt that the overall balance of the game was good, despite the changes to certain champions and items. They felt that the changes made the game more interesting and that there were more viable champions to play.

In conclusion, the community response to patch 5.16 was mixed. While some players were excited about the new skins and the changes to certain champions, others felt that the game was imbalanced and that certain champions were too strong or too weak.

Conclusion

Patch 5.16 for League of Legends brought significant changes to the game, including the Juggernaut gameplay update, champion buffs and nerfs, and the addition of new items. The Juggernauts, Darius, Garen, Mordekaiser, and Skarner, received a major overhaul, making them more viable picks in the game.

The two new items added were Titanic Hydra and Sterak's Gage, both of which provided new options for players to use in-game. The patch also included a long list of updates to existing items, making them more balanced and effective.

Overall, Patch 5.16 was a successful update for League of Legends, providing players with new options and more balanced gameplay. The Juggernauts became more competitive picks, and the addition of new items expanded the variety of strategies available to players.

Frequently Asked Questions

What changes were made to Skarner in the latest patch?

In Patch 5.16, Skarner received a major rework. His passive ability was changed to „Crystal Spires,“ which allows him to control certain points on the map. Additionally, his Q ability, „Crystal Slash,“ now deals bonus damage to targets hit by his E ability, „Fracture.“ For more information on Skarner's rework, check out the League of Legends Wiki page.

What champions were buffed in Patch 5.16?

Several champions received buffs in Patch 5.16, including Darius, Garen, Mordekaiser, and Skarner. For a full list of champion changes, check out the League of Legends Wiki page.

What champions were nerfed in Patch 5.16?

No champions were directly nerfed in Patch 5.16. However, several items were changed, which indirectly affected certain champions. For more information on item changes, check out the League of Legends Wiki page.

What are the new skins available in Patch 5.16?

Patch 5.16 introduced several new skins, including „Kawaii Academy Ahri,“ „Kawaii Academy Darius,“ „Kawaii Academy Gnar,“ and „Super Galaxy Kindred.“ For a full list of new skins, check out the League of Legends Wiki page.

What are the new items introduced in Patch 5.16?

Patch 5.16 introduced two new items: Titanic Hydra and Sterak's Gage. Titanic Hydra is a melee-only item that deals bonus damage based on the user's maximum health. Sterak's Gage is a defensive item that grants bonus health and a shield when the user takes damage. For more information on these items, check out the League of Legends Wiki page.

What are the balance changes made to the game in Patch 5.16?

In Patch 5.16, several items were changed to improve game balance. For example, armor items were made less effective, which indirectly buffed AD carries. Additionally, several champions received changes to their abilities to improve balance. For a full list of balance changes, check out the League of Legends Wiki page.