Emergency League of Legends Hotfixes Released as Feats of Strength Meta Dominates

League of Legends has embarked on an exciting new season, ushering in a year full of changes that players must adapt to. Among the most noteworthy updates is the introduction of the Feats of Strength mechanic, which has dramatically influenced gameplay, prompting Riot Games to implement urgent adjustments.

Feats of Strength introduces a competitive element where teams aim to achieve two out of three objectives: securing First Blood, being the first to destroy a turret, and the first to conquer three Epic monster camps within the jungle. Successfully completing these objectives rewards the winning team with upgraded Tier 3 boots, a significant upgrade over traditional options like Berserker’s Greaves and Sorcerer’s Shoes.

While this new mechanic intended to enhance the gameplay experience, it quickly became apparent that the advantages it conferred to one team were excessive, far exceeding Riot’s initial expectations. In response to this imbalance, the developers rolled out a patch aimed at recalibrating the competitive landscape.

Adjustments to Feats of Strength Rewards

Atakhan, Bringer of Ruin in League of Legends — Riot Games

In my personal experience playing twelve matches since the season’s launch, the correlation between winning the Feats of Strength and achieving victory was evident; I secured seven wins, all attributed to winning the Feat race, while five losses stemmed from lacking the enhanced equipment. Though this data is purely anecdotal, the stark advantage provided by the upgraded boots is undeniable. Riot has quickly acknowledged this issue, implementing nerfs to the equipped T3 boots’ attributes, alongside scaling back some Champion abilities in Swiftplay mode.

Details of the Patch Changes

Bloody Roses:
- Reduced spawn rate of Bloody Roses resulting from Gloom (Champion Deaths).
- Slight decrease in Bloody Rose spawn rate from Atakhan’s Pit.
Swiftplay Adjustments:
- Altered the thresholds for Atakhan’s Ruinous form to facilitate more frequent appearances in Swiftplay.

Future Modifications on the Horizon

Changes to Feats of Strength are ongoing, and players should not become too accustomed to the current format. Lead Gameplay Designer Matt Leung-Harrison has shared via Twitter/X that the team is actively working on replacing First Blood as a featured Feat, although these updates will not be implemented until the 15.2 or 15.3 patches, which could be two weeks away.

Patch 15.1b is Live! As mentioned previously, we are actively developing some changes to replace First Blood as a Feat, but will not be Live until 15.2 or 15.3 (TBD). As mentioned, we’re closely monitoring and following Player feedback and trying to get things into a good… https://t.co/66wog0piIb

— Matt Leung-Harrison (@RiotPhroxzon) January 11, 2025

The specifics of these forthcoming changes remain unclear, but players should prepare for a period of fluctuation as Riot fine-tunes gameplay balance. The initial days of this season have already showcased one of the most aggressive snowball metas in the game’s history, where matches can essentially be decided within the first fifteen minutes. For now, it may be prudent for players to adjust their strategies, setting aside late-game build plans in favor of early-game dominance.

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