Wild Rift Patch Notes 4.4

Wild Rift Game Design Team

24/10/2023

BOO! This patch is full of surprises, whether you’re looking for a fright or a Powerspike delight, we’ve got you covered!

We’re unleashing Fiddlesticks on the Rift, so watch your back, he’ll sneak up on you and give you and the champion you’re playing a good scare when you least expect it. We’re also celebrating our third-year anniversary this patch! Thank you for playing with us these past few years, you’ve made the Rift what it is, and we’re so excited to celebrate with you all. We’ve been buzzing about the goodies we’ll be giving out this year, so make sure to log in every day so you earn them all!

The update to mages is here, as well as a bunch of updates to items and some other systems across the Rift. We’ve also got a new Wild Pass, Ranked Season, and much more! Welcome to Patch 4.4!

We still have more in store for the other updates coming in 4.4, check out what else is to come in our latest Patch Preview:

Reminder: content will be released throughout the patch.

NEW

NEW CHAMPIONS

FIDDLESTICKS, THE ANCIENT FEAR

Something has awoken in Runeterra. Something ancient. Something terrible. The ageless horror known as Fiddlesticks stalks the edges of mortal society, drawn to areas thick with paranoia where it feeds upon terrorized victims. Wielding a jagged scythe, the haggard, makeshift creature reaps fear itself, shattering the minds of those unlucky enough to survive in its wake. Beware the sounding of the crow, or the whispering of the shape that appears almost human… Fiddlesticks has returned.

Fiddlesticks will be released on October 25 at 00:01 UTC.

NEW FEATURES

WILD PASS

Those Dream Raiders are still on our tail…thank god our private eye is finally in town, we needed the help! Psychic Detective Ekko is now available and will be your reward for completing this Wild Pass! You can also earn his Ascended version and an array of other goodies throughout the pass and in the Wild Pass Emporium! This Wild Pass Emporium will also include Dream Raider Nasus, Superhero Jayce, and Supervillain Jhin!

The Wild Pass will be available on October 25 at 00:01 UTC.

RANKED

We’ve got an ash-ingment for you: climb the ranks and prove your skill in Ranked Season 11! As you play games, you’ll be able to earn this season's new skin Glorious Armada Ashe, and as always, her upgraded version will be available in the Ranked Store along with Glorious Crimson Nami!

Ranked S11 will be available on October 27 at 08:00 AM CST.

GAME MODES

Later in Patch 4.4, you’ll be able to queue up solo or with your favorite duo in a brand-new mode! Arena is a 2v2v2v2 mode, where each player will be placed in teams of two where they will then duke it out in a series of duels in different arenas each map. Every round won will decrease the enemies’ health total, and the last team standing will be the winner! There will be different augments that players can select, making each game fun and unique!

Arena will be available on November 10 at 00:01 UTC.

Additionally, we’ve added some easter eggs for you that can trigger in some modes, so keep an eye out and let us know what surprises you encounter!

QUALITY OF LIFE UPDATES

We’ve added new rank rewards for guilds, as well as made some adjustments to the length of a guild season.
You can now customize the page you share with your friends after each game.
We’ve added a new champion score reward system.
- This new system will grant you a Champion Score Protection Card when your highest Champion Score record in that season reaches 4000, 6000, 8000, and 10,000.
- You can use this card to recover 50% of the points deducted from the champion score after a loss. You cannot use it if your champion score exceeds 10,000, if you have negative behavior in-game, and is only available for Ranked and Legendary Queues.
We’ve also adjusted the champion score growth rules for Legendary Queue in the new season.

EVENTS

COCA-COLA PLAY AS ONE EVENT

Complete missions and earn bubbly rewards!

The Coca-Cola Play As One Event begins October 25 at 00:01 UTC.

ANNIVERSARY EVENT

It’s not a party without some presents! Thanks for playing with us for these past three years, we’re so happy to celebrate you! Happy Third Year Anniversary!

The Anniversary Event begins October 25 at 00:01 UTC.

GAMEPLAY CHANGES

We’ve noticed that mages have not been performing well, and this patch we wanted to focus on showing them some love and helping them shine. Our main goals with our adjustments were to give them more survivability and mobility, so we’ve given a handful of mages extra movement speed, as well as some adjustments to wind up time on casting abilities and mobile cast. These changes should give some mages more opportunities to kite their enemies, especially in the later stages of the game.

We also wanted to give mages some more build options, since right now they’re lacking items to help them against heavily shielded foes, or in early-game skirmishes. A lot of builds are also tied to always having Rabadon’s Deathcap and Void Staff. One of the items we’re going to be adding to the shopkeeper's inventory is a classic, Mejai’s Soulstealer. If you’re feeling risky, you can pick it up and snowball your advantage if you get some early kills. Mages have also often struggled with pushing and clearing waves, because of the smaller map in Wild Rift, so we’ve also adjusted the positions of the bushes on both sides of the Mid Lane, which should give you more space to duke it out in 1v1s versus your lane opponent.

Champion Changes

FIDDLESTICKS

[HOTFIX] Fiddlesticks has been crushing his enemies in early team fights. As a result, he’s been snowballing into too big of a monster in the late game and players are finding him difficult to counter. We’ve adjusted some numbers on his abilities to make him easier to deal with.

TERRIFY

Damage: 7%/8%/9%/10% of enemies’ current health (every 100 Ability Power +2%) → 4%/5%/6%/7% of enemies’ current health (every 100 Ability Power + 1.5%)

Crowd control duration: 1.2/1.4/1.6/1.8s → 1/1.2/1.4/1.6s

BOUNTIFUL HARVEST

Damage: Per second 60/100/140/180+30% Ability Power → 50/80/110/140 (+25% Ability Power)
Damage of the last strike of Bountiful Harvest: Target’s 12%/14%/16%/18% missing health → target’s 10%/11.5%/13%/14.5% missing health
Damage to monsters: 150% → 185%

CROWSTORM

Damage: Every 0.25s 32.5/52.5/72.5 + 11% Ability Power → Every 0.25s 25/42.5/60 (+ 10% Ability Power)

NEW ITEMS

CROWN OF THE SHATTERED QUEEN

Base stats

Cost: 3000g
150 Maximum health
70 Ability Power
200 Maximum mana
10 Ability Haste
7% Magic penetration

Build path

Lost Chapter (900g) + Hextech Alternator (1400g) + 700g

Safeguard

Grant a spell shield that blocks the next enemy ability. When the shield is broken, reduce incoming damage by 70% for 1.5s (40s cooldown).

Poise

Provide 20 Ability Power while safeguarded. If you deal magic damage to enemy champions while using an active ability, it will reduce Safeguard's cooldown.

CHEMPUNK CHAINSWORD

Base stats

Cost: 2800g
200 Maximum health
40 Attack Damage
10 Ability Haste

Build path

Caulfield's Warhammer (1200g) + Executioner's Calling (800g) + 800g

Punishment

● Dealing physical damage to enemy champions applies 50% Grievous Wounds.

HEXTECH ALTERNATOR

Base stats

Cost: 1400g
25 Ability Power
150 Maximum health

Build path

Amplifying Tome (500g) + Ruby Crystal (500g) + 400g

Revved

Damaging abilities and empowered attacks against champions deal 25-60 bonus magic damage. (20s cooldown)

MAGNETIC BLASTER

Base stats

Cost: 2900g
25% Critical rate
35% Attack speed

Build path

Zeal (1400g) + Kircheis Shard (900g) + 600g

Fervor

+ 5% Movement speed

Energized

Generates energized attack from movement and basic attacks

Power Blitz

Energized attacks generate 25% faster, gain 125 attack range (50 range for melee attacks), and deal 50-120 bonus magic damage. Damage bounces to 5 nearby enemies and can critically strike.

MEJAI’S SOULSTEALER

Base stats

Cost: 1500g
100 Health
30 Ability Power
7% Magic penetration ratio

Build path

Amplifying Tome (500g) + 1000g

Glory

Gain Glory stacks when engaging in taking down enemy champions, up to a maximum of 30 stacks. Lose 10 stacks on death. Melee champions gain 3 stacks for each champion kill and 2 stacks for each assist. Ranged champions gain 4 stacks for each champion kill and 2 stacks for each assist.

Fear:

Gain 5 Ability Power for each stack of Glory, and 10% bonus movement speed once you reach at least 10 stacks of Glory.

OCEANID’S TRIDENT

Base stats

Cost: 2600g
200 Maximum health
80 Ability Power
10 Ability Haste
7% Magic penetration ratio

Build path

Blasting Wand (900g) + Haunting Guise (900g) + 800g

Lethal Weapon

Dealing ability damage to an enemy champion reduces any shields they gain for 3s (Area of effect abilities apply 5% of bonus Ability Power + 25% shield reduction, capped at 45%; while single target abilities apply 5% of bonus Ability Power + 40% shield reduction, capped at 60%). When you damage an enemy who is unaffected by Lethal Weapon, all shields on them are reduced by the same values.

RING OF REVELATION

Base stats

Cost: 400g
10 Ability Haste

Build path

Blasting Wand (900g) + Haunting Guise (900g) + 800g

SURGING SCALES

Base stats

Cost: 1300g
40 Armor

Build path

Cloth Armor (500g) + Cloth Armor (500g) + 300 gold

Surge

Gain 20% Slow Resist while in combat with an enemy champion.

ITEM CHANGES

In previous patches we’ve seen that some items are too expensive to build. Even if you’re farming well on your first back, you aren’t able to pick up a full item, which delays your build and power spike. So, our goal with these adjustments is to give you a smoother build path. Additionally, we wanted to take a look at some of the marksmen items. While we’re happy with the changes we made to marksmen a few patches back, we wanted to make a few more adjustments to make some of the items more viable while also combining some of the effects from different items.

AMARANTH’S TWINGUARD

Build path update

Surging Scales (1300g) + Negatron Cloak (900g) + 1000g

ARCHANGEL’S STAFF

Base stats

[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

Build path update

Lost Chapter (900g) + Blasting Wand (900g) + Ring of Revelation (400g) + 800g

AWAKENED SOULSTEALER

Base stats

[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

Build path update

Prophet's Pendant (1000g) + Fiendish Codex (1000g) + Ring of Revelation (400g) + 600g

B.F. SWORD

Build path update

Long Sword (500g) + Long Sword (500g) + 500g

BLACK CLEAVER

Build path update

Phage (1000g) + Kindlegem (1000g) + Long Sword (500g) + 500g

BLOODTHIRSTER

Bloodsworn

[OLD] Lifesteal overheals. Any overflowed healing will manifest as a shield that absorbs 40-320 damage. The shield decays over 10s outside of combat. → [NEW] Gain 11-25 Attack Damage and 15% attack speed when your health is above 50%.

COSMIC DRIVE

Base stats

[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

CRYSTALLINE REFLECTOR

Base stats

Cost: 2900g → 3000g
Maximum health: 0 → 150
Armor: 45 → 35
Ability Haste: 15 → 0

Build path update

Seeker's Armguard (1200g) + Haunting Guise (900g) + 900g

Mirrored Force

[OLD] Casting champion abilities will grant you a mirror fragment (up to 3), each fragment can block 10 + 5% physical damage from the enemy champion and deals 20 +10% magic damage. → [NEW] Gain the mirror shard for 3s each time while casting champion abilities, the duration time of the fragment can not be stacked. During the fragment’s existence, it blocks 8-15 physical damage from the enemy champion, and deals 10 + 3% Ability Power + 1% bonus health magic damage.

DEATH’S DANCE

We’ve seen some incidents where the bleeding effect from Cauterize on monsters and minions would interrupt players' recalls, causing their back timers to be ruined or getting them caught by foes. So, we’ve removed the effect of Cauterize on monsters and minions so players can get their recall off as soon as possible.

Cauterize: No longer effective on minions and monsters.

DEAD MAN’S PLATE

Build path update

Surging Scales (1300g) + Winged Moonplate (900g) + 600g

EDGE OF NIGHT

Build path update

Serrated Dirk (1000g) + Jaurim's Fist (1100g) + Long Sword (500g) + 550g

HARMONIC ECHO

Build path update

Lost Chapter (900g) + Blasting Wand (900g) + Ring of Revelation (400g) + 700g

HAUNTING GUISE

Base stats

Cost: 1100g → 900g
Maximum health: 150 → 100

HEXDRINKER

Base stats

Cost: 1200g → 1100g
Attack Damage: 15 → 20
Magic resistance: 30 → 20

Build path update

Long Sword (500g) + 600g

Lifeline

[REMOVED]

HORIZON FOCUS

Base stats

[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

HULLBREAKER

Base stats

Cost: 3000g → 3100g
Maximum health: 300 → 325

INFINITY ORB

Base stats

[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

JAURIM’S FIST

Base stats

Cost: 1200g → 1100g
Maximum health: 200 → 175

LAST WHISPER

Base stats

Cost: 1100g → 1300g

Last Whisper

[OLD] +10% Armor penetration → [NEW] +15% Armor penetration

LIANDRY’S TORMENT

Base stats

Maximum health: 200 → 250
[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

Build path update

Haunting Guise (900g) + Blasting Wand (900g) + Ruby Crystal + 700g

LICH BANE

Base stats

[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

Build path update

Aether Wisp (950g) + Sheen (800g) + Amplifying Tome (500g) + 700g

LOST CHAPTER

Base stats

Cost: 1050g → 900g
Maximum Ability Power: 150 → 200
[REMOVED] Insight: +10 Ability Haste

LUDEN’S ECHO

Base stats

[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

Build path update

Lost Chapter (900g) + Blasting Wand (900g) + Ring of Revelation (400g) + 800g

MANTLE OF THE TWELFTH HOUR

Build path update

Surging Scales (1300g) + Negatron Cloak (900g) + 700g

MAW OF MALMORTIUS

Base stats

Cost: 2800g → 3000g
Attack Damage: 45 → 55

Build path change

Hexdrinker (1100g) + Hexdrinker (1100g) + 800g

Lifeline

[REMOVED]

Lifegrip

[REMOVED]

[NEW] Demonbane

20% of the damage dealt is converted into a magic shield that absorbs up to 60-400 magic damage. The shield decays by 5% per second.

MORELLONOMICON

Base stats

[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

Affliction

[OLD] Dealing magic damage to enemy champions inflicts 40% Grievous Wounds for 3s, 60% if enemy champions health is lower than 50%. → [NEW] Dealing magic damage to enemy champions inflicts 50% Grievous Wounds for 3s.

MORTAL REMINDER

Base stats

Cost: 3000g → 3300g
Attack Damage: 45 → 30
Critical rate: 0 → 25%

Build path update

Last Whisper (1300g) + Executioner’s Calling (800g) + Brawler's Gloves (500g) + 700g

Sepsis

[OLD]: Dealing physical damage to enemy champions applies 40% Grievous Wounds for 3s, 60% if enemy champions health is lower than 50%. → [NEW]: Dealing physical damage to enemy champions applies 50% Grievous Wounds for 3s.

NASHOR’S TOOTH

Build path update

Recurve Bow (1400g) + Nashor's Talon (800g) + 800g

NEEDLESSLY LARGE ROD

Base stats

Cost: 1400g → 1500g
Ability Power: 60 → 65

Build path update

Amplifying Tome (500g) + Amplifying Tome (500g) + 500g

NOONQUIVER

Base stats

Cost: 1200g → 1350g
Attack speed: 10% → 15%

Build path update

Long Sword (500g) + Dagger (500g) + 350g

PHAGE

Base stats

Cost: 1100g → 1000g
Maximum health: 175 → 150

PHANTOM DANCER

Build path update

Noonquiver (1350g) + Dagger (500g) + Brawler's Gloves (500g) + 650g

RABADON’S DEATHCAP

Base stats

Ability Power: 110 → 100
[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

Overkill

[OLD] Increases Ability Power by 40% → [NEW] Increases Ability Power by 20 - 45% (based on level).

RECURVE BOW

Base stats

Cost: 900g → 1400g

Build path update

Dagger (500g) + Dagger (500g) + 400g

[NEW] Reinforced

Attacks deal 15 on-hit bonus physical damage against targets.

RIFTMAKER

Base stats

[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

Build path update

Hextech Alternator (1400g) + Fiendish Codex (1000g) + 800g

ROD OF AGES

Base stats

[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

RUNAAN’S HURRICANE

Base stats

Cost: 2800g → 2900g
Critical rate: 25% → 0%

Build path change

Nashor's Talon (800g) + Recurve Bow (1400g) + 700g

[NEW] Wind’s Favor

Gain 30 Attack Damage or 60 Ability Power (Adaptive).

[NEW] Wind Blade

Attacks deal 15 bonus physical damage on-hit against targets.

SERAPH’S EMBRACE

Base stats

[NEW] +7% Magic penetration ratio

SERPENT’S FANG

Shield Reaver: [NEW]: Dealing damage to an enemy champion reduces any shields they gain for 3s. Melee champions apply (10% of bonus Attack Damage + 40)% shield reduction, capped at 60%; while ranged champions apply (10% of bonus Attack Damage + 25)% shield reduction, capped at 45%. When you damage an enemy who is unaffected by Shield Reaver, all shields on them are reduced by the same values.

SHEEN

Base stats

Cost: 900g → 800g

Build path update

Ring of Revelation (400g) + 400g

STERAK’S GAGE

We’ve noticed that the shield decay wasn’t as beneficial to players as we wanted it to be, so we’ve adjusted the shield decay mechanic and now the decay is based on the current shield value, rather than the maximum value.

Lifeline: Optimized the shield decay mechanic. When the shield is consumed partially by enemy attacks, it will not decay to 0 in advance.

THORNMAIL

Thorns：

[OLD]: When hit by an enemy champion's attack, deal 20 + 6% bonus armor + 1% bonus health magic damage to the attacker and inflict 40% Grievous Wounds for 3s. Immobilizing enemy champions also inflicts 60% Grievous Wounds for 3s. → [NEW] When hit by an enemy champion's attack, deal 20 + 6% bonus armor + 1% bonus health magic damage to the attacker, inflicting 60% Grievous Wounds for 3s.

ZEAL

Base stats

Cost: 1300g → 1400g
Critical strike chance: 10% → 15%

Build path update

Brawler's Gloves (500g) + Dagger (500g) + 400g

RUNE CHANGES

Last patch we launched the new rune system, which added lots of new runes to grant your champ more ways to deal damage to enemies. To make it easier to see where your damage may be coming from or the value your runes are giving you in-game, we’ve added a new feature for rune effect stats. During game, you’ll now be able to view the benefits each Rune you’ve taken has given you in real time through the rune tab in the Strategy panel. And don’t worry if you forgot to check in-game or were too busy carrying to have a chance to check it out, you’ll also be able to view these stats after your game, as well as the stats from the runes your teammates and opponents that game took.

SYSTEM CHANGES

DRAGON SOUL REWORK

[NEW]: When a team kills three dragons successively, they will gain a bonus Dragon Soul Buff, which grants a new bonus effect.
The element of the dragon soul buff is the same as the first dragon that spawns, which is the one that changes the environment of the map.
If both teams don’t kill all the three dragons in a game, the Dragon Soul Buff will not be granted to any team.

Dragon soul buffs

Infernal Dragon Soul buff effect: Gain 3% Attack Damage and Ability Power.
- Infernal Dragon Soul effect: Cause an explosion (250 radius) at the target's position when dealing damage to enemy champions with your attacks and abilities. Deals adaptive damage (110 + 20% bonus Attack Damage + 10% Ability Power). (5s cooldown)
Mountain Dragon Soul buff effect: Gain 3 + 2% armor and magic resistance.
- Mountain Dragon Soul effect: Gain a 210 omni-attribute shield if you don’t receive damage from champions or turrets for 5s.
Ocean Dragon Soul buff effect: Regenerate 2% lost health every 5s.
- Ocean Dragon Soul effect: When dealing damage to enemy champions with attacks or abilities, you’ll regenerate a certain value of health in 4s (150 + 30% bonus Attack Damage +15% Ability Power +6% bonus health). (6s cooldown)
Ice Dragon Soul buff effect: Gain 7 ability haste.
- Ice Dragon Soul effect: Mark the target for 3s when dealing damage to enemy champions with attacks or abilities. Slows enemy champions when the mark disappears, and deal bonus true damage equal to 10% of the damage the enemy champions received during the marked period.

DAMAGE TO TURRETS ADJUSTMENT

In previous patches, there were some issues with damage from champions to structures. The first was that champions with hybrid damage could not deal damage with part of their Attack Damage or Ability Power to turrets. The second issue was from champions with Ability Power items dealing damage to structures. The amount of damage they could deal, especially in the later stages of the game, was much higher than Attack Damage champs. So, we’ve made adjustments to address these problems.

[OLD] Basic damage from champion to structure = champion basic Attack Damage + ("bonus Attack Damage" and "50％ Ability Power", choose the higher from the two) → [NEW] Basic damage from champion to structure = champion basic Attack Damage + Bonus Attack Damage + 40％ Ability Power.

GHOST PORO

[NEW]: Ghost Poro has 3 health, and will be stunned after 3 attacks. Ghost Poro can no longer provide vision while stunned, recovers after 60s.
[NEW]: If Ghost Poro is not stunned, it regenerates health after 5s, regenerating 1 health every 3s.

HEAL

[OLD] Restores 60-242 health to you and the most wounded nearby ally champion, and grants you both 20% bonus movement speed for 1s. (This effect is increased by 100% to ally champions) Healing is halved for champions recently affected by Heal. → [NEW] Restores 90-370 Health to you and the most wounded nearby ally champion, and grants 30% bonus movement speed for 1s. Healing is halved for champions recently affected by Heal.

SMITE

When you have the spell Smite equipped, monsters’ health will display the execute health threshold for Smite.

RIFT HERALD

It can be frustrating when the enemy team summons Rift Herald to attack the Nexus directly without minions. This also isn’t healthy for the pace of the game, so we’ve made some adjustments to Shelly.

Damage to Nexus: 775-1125 (based on level) → Maximum health of Nexus × 25%

[NEW]: Rift Herald dies after hitting the Nexus once

IN-GAME QUALITY OF LIFE CHANGES

When enemy champions are continuously attacked by turrets, the last attack will not be interrupted by distance as enemy champions exceed the attack range.
Optimized the store page in-game.
Optimized the Red and Blue Buff respawn announcer. There’s now a new announcer in the chat bar when the first upgraded buffs spawn.
Tapping the mini icon of teammates near the minimap will now share their Ultimate’s Cooldown
Made optimizations to the scoreboard.

SKINS

Beemo

Releasing October 25 @ 00:01 UTC

Count Kassadin

Releasing October 25 @ 00:01 UTC

Pumpkinhead Fiddlesticks

Releasing October 25 @ 00:01 UTC