League of Legends Has Big Changes Coming for Baron, Rift Herald

Patch 8.9 is introducing some big changes for two of League of Legends’ most impactful neutral [...]

By Tanner Dedmon

League of Legends Baron
(Photo: Riot Games)

Patch 8.9 is introducing some big changes for two of League of Legends' most impactful neutral monsters, the Baron Nashor and Rift Herald.

Both of these monsters have had changes tested on the PBE that alter their stats and are by now a guarantee for a release in Patch 8.9 that's coming soon. In a post on the League of Legends boards, Riot Meddler showcased the PBE changes to make sure they don't come as a surprise for anyone who didn't notice.

First up is Baron Nashor, an epic monster that's going to be tougher to take down when the next patch is released. Detailed in the changes below, Baron will have more health and will deal more AOE damage.

Baron Nashor

  • Whether or not your team can take an early Baron is currently too dependent on whether not you've got a strong tank who's in a good spot around 20 mins. That can lead to games that are effectively over dragging out until the winning team feel safe taking Baron and puts more pressure on team comps to include tanks.
  • We're distributing damage more evenly across teams during the Baron fight as a result. Base damage at 20 mins is down to 285 from 400 for example, AOE damage however is up (to 120+0.3 AD per second, from 60+0.1)
  • We're also seeing Baron get taken too quickly, which doesn't give opponents enough time to contest and force a fight. That takes away a window for comebacks and can make a brief period of Baron control too influential in deciding that game's outcome.
  • We're adding more base health to Baron as a result (9000, from 6400).

Next is the Rift Herald, the monster that precedes Baron on Summoner's Rift and is used to take down turrets. While it accomplishes that goal, Riot is making it stick around a bit longer when taking these objectives by reducing the health cost when hitting towers, though enemies will soon deal more damage when striking its eye.

Rift Herald

  • Rift Herald's not always delivering on its intended purpose at present. It's frequently better to just take a tower direct and not consider Rift Herald. It's also not serving to help games that are functionally over resolve quicker.
  • As a result we're reducing the damage it takes when hitting towers (150 less) and increasing damage it deals to towers (was 25% of own health +150, now the greater of 40% of its current health and 1500).
  • To avoid it being too impactful on even games, and better reward intended counterplay, we're also increasing the damage the summoned Rift Herald takes when you hit it in eye (was 20% max hp, now 40%). Quick response will shut it down quicker than before, if unchecked it'll more consistently take at least one tower.

The changes are expected to leave the PBE and deploy to live servers in Patch 8.9.

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