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The notes for League of Legends Patch 7.9 have been released, and this year’s Midseason Update is bringing with it changes to just about everything. As usual, the patch should go live on Wednesday morning.
The Midseason Update was supposed to focus mostly on tanks this year, however, since tanks have such a far reach and impact just about every section of the game the changes had to touch on more than just tanks to keep the game balanced.
So, with all these changes how are you supposed to make sense of this huge patch? Well, here are the five things you need to know before you play a game on Patch 7.9. You can also check out all the changes in the Midseason Update here.
1. Sejuani, Zac and Maokai all got updated kits
It’s no secret that a few of League’s tanks were getting a little long in the tooth — looking at you Sejuani — and others, like Zac, always seemed like they were one or two abilities away from being great champions. With that in mind Riot took aim at fixing the kits of a few with the Midseason Update.
Rather than go overboard and update seven or eight champions at a time like they did last year, Riot is making this update a little more focused. Sejuani is the only one of these champs getting a whole new kit. Meanwhile, Zac only really got changes on his Stretching Strikes (Q) and he and Maokai are both getting updated ultimate abilities.
2. Defensive item changes galore
Any tank changes would be pretty incomplete without itemization changes to go along with them and Patch 7.9 gives us those in spades.
First of all, there is a new anti-mage item called Adaptive Helm and a new team fighting item called Gargoyle Stoneplate. These new items fit nicely alongside the changes to other tank items this patch which reduced the health on most items and increased the armor and magic resistance to force tanks to focus on resistances. You can read more about them here.
3. Marksman have a few more useful items now
To match these new resistances offensive items are getting a face-lift as well with Marksman items getting some buffs to Critical Strike items and Lifesteal items while Armor Penetration received some heavy nerfs. Guardian Angel has also been converted to be an attack damage item.
4. The Rift Herald can come visit lanes now
It’s no secret that the Rift Herald was rarely worth taking in most games, so Riot took the early game neutral objective into a new direction. Now, when you best the Herald in a fight you can summon her into a lane to fight for you and take down enemy structures.
5. Support items now have quests with rewards
Supports often got the short end of the stick when it came to experience and gold and Patch 7.9 hopes to give them something to make up for that with a new quest system attached to the standard support items. Completing some of the basic functions of the items will give supports a free level up for Ancient Coin, a passive shield for Relic Shield and increased movement speed for Spellthief’s Edge.
6. New Dark Star skins
The Dark Star skin lineup is getting two members this patch with Kha’Zix and Orianna joining the ranks.
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7. Dark Star is the new Rotating Game Mode
Riot’s really getting into the Dark Star spirit, along with the skins the new Rotating Game Mode is also a Dark Star theme. The game mode will be 3v3 and take place on the Cosmic Ruins, a new Dark Star themed map.