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After Skarner's rework, the Primordial Sovereign got nerfed in Patch 14.8 because he was deemed too powerful, and then once more in a hotfix for Patch 14.8 on April 18 for the same reason. This rapid series of balance adjustments continues, with League of Legends balance lead Riot Phroxzon announcing on X (formerly Twitter) on April 22 that the revamped bracker is about to get hit with another nerf.
Skarner's journey after his rework in League of Legends Patch 14.7 has been quite a ride. Since then, he's undergone three further adjustments, and now he's set for another nerf in Patch 14.9, which will go live on May 1.
When a League of Legends champion gets reworked, they often end up in one of two scenarios: either they're too strong and dominate the game, or they're too weak and struggle to fit into the meta. For Skarner, when his rework went live in League Patch 14.7, his win rates remained on the lower side.
Given this context, you might be wondering why the Primordial Sovereign isn't settling into the game the way Riot wants him to, despite multiple nerfs and adjustments. According to Riot Phroxzon, it's a mix of optimising Skarner based on his stats and abilities, as well as how players are using him.
Riot Phroxzon noted that Skarner is incredibly powerful in the jungle when he's played with certain items. Once he reaches level nine, he experiences a significant power spike that makes him overwhelmingly strong. Skilled players have started dominating with him in this role after figuring out his optimal setup.
While Riot's balance lead didn't specify which abilities or stats would be nerfed, the developers hope to find a balance that keeps Skarner effective in the jungle—his primary role—without him being an unstoppable force in the top lane.
Until the full patch notes are released, it's unclear how severe the nerfs will be or whether they'll significantly change the jungle meta in May. However, since Patch 14.8 is the patch for MSI 2024, pro players will have access to the powerful Skarner, which could lead to some interesting games. This could also offer opportunities for Skarner gameplay tips and strategies from the pros.
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