Akali and ADC Senna just got big buffs in League’s latest patch

TL;DR

  • Volibear receives significant buffs to mana, health growth, ultimate damage, and tower disable duration
  • Senna’s ADC potential enhanced with increased Mist Wraith drop chance from minion kills
  • Akali’s Q damage buffed to restore her viability in competitive play
  • Infernal and Cloud maps gain new strategic elements including Blast Cones and Scryer’s Blooms
  • New High Noon skins featuring Senna, Irelia, and Hextech Nocturne available June 18
  • Elemental Rift system expanded with movement speed zones and new vision control points

The latest League of Legends update introduces substantial gameplay modifications that will reshape competitive strategies across all skill levels. Patch 10.12 delivers crucial balance adjustments to underperforming champions alongside transformative map elements that create new tactical opportunities.

High Noon Senna, High Noon Irelia, and Hextech Nocturne become available on June 18, marking significant milestones for each champion’s cosmetic lineup. High Noon Senna particularly stands out as the inaugural skin collection shared between the Redeemer and her partner Lucian, creating thematic synergy for bot lane duos.

Champion Balance Updates and Strategic Implications

The recently reworked Volibear entered Summoner’s Rift with patch 10.11 but has consistently underperformed since his debut. Currently holding the distinction of League’s lowest win rate champion, Riot Games has implemented comprehensive power adjustments to address his competitive shortcomings. These enhancements significantly improve Volibear’s fluidity during engagement sequences and dramatically boost gameplay clarity for both the player and opponents.

While Volibear’s substantial improvements are noteworthy, they represent just one facet of this patch’s balancing philosophy. Riot continues its pattern of revisiting previous nerf decisions, demonstrating that excessive champion weakening rarely achieves sustainable game balance. The development team’s latest corrective measures specifically target Akali and Senna, two champions that experienced significant competitive nerfs in recent seasons.

Riot’s original design vision positioned Senna exclusively as a support champion, never intending her to function as a primary AD carry. Professional players’ exploitation of her passive abilities prompted successive nerfs that seemingly confined her to the support role—or so the developers initially believed.

Modern gameplay strategies have evolved where Senna begins matches as support then transitions to carry responsibilities upon completing her support item quest. Despite repeated adjustments and power reductions, competitive players continue prioritizing Senna over traditional marksmen options. Riot appears to have finally embraced this hybrid playstyle, as patch 10.12 strengthens ADC Senna by substantially increasing her passive’s availability through minion interactions.

Senna

  • Passive – Absolution, Mist Wraith Drop Chance 8.33% On Minions Senna Kills

During season nine, Akali emerged as the premier flex pick for professional competitors worldwide. Her designation as a flexible selection means she can effectively perform in any solo lane at elite competitive levels. This adaptability enabled teams to dynamically adjust their draft strategies based on opponent selections. Riot’s decision to severely nerf Akali resulted in her disappearance from professional play during the spring split. Patch 10.12 represents Riot’s attempt to reintroduce her viability through targeted Q damage enhancements.

Akali

  • Q – Five Point Strike, Damage 30/55/80/105/130 (+0.65 Total Attack Damage) (+0.65 Ability Power)

Elemental Rift Transformations and Tactical Advantages

Season 10’s elemental rift system ensures every match unfolds uniquely based on dragon influences. Each elemental dragon confers distinct team-wide benefits ranging from health regeneration and damage amplification to shielding strength and ultimate ability cooldown reduction. Dragon priority dynamically shifts according to team composition requirements and strategic objectives.

Patch 10.12 introduces innovative environmental elements to both Infernal and Cloud maps, creating more engaging and strategically diverse gameplay experiences. These additions introduce new rotation paths, vision control opportunities, and engagement options that will fundamentally alter how teams approach map control.

Infernal Terrain

  • New Blast Cones in the tri-bush near Gromp, in front of the base’s gates, alcoves, and Wolf camp.

Cloud Terrain

  • New Scryer’s Bloom in front of each base’s gate and in front of each tri-bush in the river.
  • Speed zone grants 35% movement speed.

The strategic implications of these champion adjustments extend far beyond simple power level changes. Volibear’s enhanced tower disable duration creates new split-push opportunities, while his improved health and mana growth enable more sustained lane presence. For optimal performance, consider building items that complement his newfound sustainability while maximizing his engage potential.

Senna’s increased Mist Wraith drop chance fundamentally alters her power curve, allowing ADC Senna builds to scale more consistently throughout the game. The 8.33% probability on minion kills she executes creates approximately 20-30 additional souls in a typical 30-minute game, significantly boosting her late-game damage output and range.

Akali’s Q damage restoration brings her back into viability for skilled players who can leverage her mobility and burst potential. However, her skill ceiling remains exceptionally high, requiring precise execution to maximize effectiveness in competitive environments.

Map changes introduce critical tactical considerations. The new Blast Cones on Infernal terrain create unexpected gank paths and escape routes, while additional Scryer’s Blooms on Cloud maps provide enhanced vision control around key river objectives. The 35% movement speed zones enable faster rotations between lanes, potentially shifting the meta toward more mobile team compositions.

Action Checklist

  • Test Volibear’s improved tower disable mechanics in practice tool to understand new split-push timing windows
  • Practice Senna’s last-hit timing to maximize Mist Wraith collection efficiency
  • Master Akali’s Q-precision for optimal trading patterns in lane phase
  • Explore new Blast Cone locations to create unexpected gank paths and escape routes
  • Utilize Cloud terrain speed zones for faster objective rotations and map control

No reproduction without permission:Game Guides Online » Akali and ADC Senna just got big buffs in League’s latest patch League of Legends patch 10.12 brings champion buffs, map enhancements, and new High Noon skins to transform your gameplay experience