Yuumi, a high value support in pro play right now with a 88.9% presence in LCK Summer 2022 playoffs and 70.6% presence in LPL Summer 2022 playoffs according to Games of Legends’ database, was supposed to get nerfed in League of Legends patch 12.16.
Riot Games even justified their decision in the patch notes, admitting that “Yuumi has had a very high pick rate in professional play” because she pairs well with meta bot lane champions and has good scaling into the late game.
One day after the update went live, however, the game developers went back to buff two other abilities, Prowling Projectile (Q) and her ultimate Final Chapter (R), making her stronger than she was before.
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Out of nowhere, Yuumi receives three buffs in patch 12.16 hotfix
- Q base damage (unempowered) increased from 50/80/110/140/170/200 to 50/90/130/170/210/250
- Q base damage (empowered) increased from 60/100/140/180/220/260 (+2/3.2/4.4/5.6/6.8/8% of the target’s current health) to 60/110/160/210/260/310 (+3/4.2/5.4/6.6/7.8/9% of the target’s current health)
- Final Chapter (R) cooldown decreased from 130/110/90 seconds to 110/100/90 seconds
Zoomies’ bonus movement speed scaling was nerfed, while the base bonus actually remains the same. Its cooldown was also marginally increased at later levels from eight seconds to 10 seconds.
Altogether a conservative nerf, Riot Games’ intention was to make the ally she’s attached to a little more killable, since she’s currently giving them a little too much utility.
Even before the dust could settle, Summoner’s Rift Lead Designer Matt “Riot Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison tweeted today that the team decided to roll out a micropatch to buff Yuumi, adding “power back in a way that is not super focused into E after putting it in a better long term spot”.
Q base damage was increased, especially at later levels, from 200 to 250. What’s going to hurt more is Q’s empowered damage, which scales harder based on the target’s current percent health. Thirdly, Final Chapter (R), her large AoE team fighting tool, also had its cooldown decreased by 20 seconds at level six.
“We recognize there’s a risk to the return of artillery Yuumi, but there aren’t a lot of great areas to buff,” Riot Phroxzon said.
“Long term, we’re interested in reducing her level of force multiplication with fighters and have her be happier about sitting at marksman. Forcing marksman to lane 1v2, then abandoning them later to reduce counterplay of fighters isn’t a great experience for everyone involved.”
Feedback from the community in the Twitter thread was largely negative. French League of Legends shoutcaster Fabien “Chips” Culié wasn’t satisfied with Riot Phroxzon’s explanation and wanted more, calling Yuumi a top priority pick in pro play that’s also “the most frustrating” in the current meta.
Read the full LoL patch 12.16 notes here.
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