We recently covered all the changes coming with patch 8.19, but now it’s time to take a look at its Worlds implications.
The Worlds Patch Has Arrived
It’s no secret that this is the Worlds patch and that Riot tailored it towards the professional scene. As such, we saw a few buffs that’ll place some popular champions squarely into the Worlds meta.
Darius is probably the champion who we’ll be seeing most after the buffs to his W and E. With how much tanks have been being played in the top lane, Darius’ tank-busting ability is likely to be in high demand in Korea.
Alongside him, expect to see a lot more Fiora. The buffs to her healing are enough to make her a much more viable option in the early game. She’ll now be able to trade better in lane and retains her impressive late game prowess. And we might be seeing a lot less Cho’Gath as a result of both of these champions’ buffs.
Pyke saw a pretty sizable buff to his R, but we might not be seeing as much of him at Worlds as you might think. He was already frequently banned and didn’t see a lot of play as a result. Now, he might be banned in just about every match in Korea.
On the other side of the support spectrum, Tahm Kench might be out of the Worlds meta entirely. He was already borderline thanks to the nerfs he received last patch, but now that his base health has been decreased, we might not see any of the River King at Worlds.
Though Tahm might be gone, Thresh is likely to be taking his place. He was already a powerful support and a buff to his Q just made the Chain Warden even stronger. With his impressive ability to engage and disengage, expect to see a lot of Thresh in Korea.
Finally it’s time to talk about Nunu & Willump. Though the reworked duo has looked great since their total makeover, they haven’t seen much attention on the professional stage. But with sizeable buffs to their AP build, that might change. Nunu & Willump aren’t likely to be top picks for any jungler, but with their powerful engage tools and versatility, we might see them pop up at least a few times during Worlds.