TL;DR
- Amumu receives significant Bandage Toss nerfs with increased mana costs and reduced damage
- Jarvan IV’s passive damage drops from 10% to 8% current HP, slowing jungle clear and burst potential
- Darius, Elise, Hecarim, and Udyr receive buffs to improve their competitive viability
- Patch 11.20 targets 10 champions total with focused balance changes for solo queue
- Strategic adaptation required for jungle and support roles with key meta shifts expected

League of Legends enthusiasts should prepare for strategic recalibration as patch 11.20 introduces targeted adjustments to dominant solo queue performers. While categorized as a minor update, these changes possess significant potential to reshape champion priority and gameplay approaches across multiple roles.
The upcoming balance modifications focus on ten specific champions, with particular emphasis on reigning in two currently overpowered picks that have been dominating their respective positions. Riot’s development team has identified Amumu and Jarvan IV as requiring immediate attention due to their excessive win rate performance metrics.
Interestingly, Darius joins the buff recipients despite maintaining solid ladder performance, suggesting Riot aims to enhance his presence in specific matchups or playstyles. This unexpected adjustment could lead to increased ban rates in lower ELO brackets where the Hand of Noxus traditionally excels.
11.20 Full Patch Preview!
We cut Senna and LDR from this patch after looking deeper into their data. Reminder – Worlds patch was 11.19, last patch. pic.twitter.com/hYXtvPC0Ev
— Phlox (@RiotPhlox) September 28, 2021
Amumu and Jarvan might exit the meta on patch 11.20
Following the competitive environment established during the 2021 World Championship patches, Riot continues refining champion balance by addressing recent overperformers. The Sad Mummy has emerged as a particular concern, demonstrating exceptional effectiveness in both support and jungle roles following his Bandage Toss (Q) mechanic overhaul.
The dual-cast capability introduced in his rework has proven excessively powerful for target lockdown, enabling chain crowd control that often proves decisive in team engagements. The shortened cooldown between casts created windows of vulnerability that opponents struggled to navigate effectively.
To restore balance, developers are implementing complementary adjustments: reducing Bandage Toss base damage while elevating mana expenditure to a flat 70 across all ability levels. This dual-pronged approach targets both his offensive output and resource management simultaneously.

The mana cost escalation represents the more impactful modification, creating meaningful consequences for missed skillshots. Players must now exercise greater precision with ability usage or face rapid mana depletion during extended engagements or jungle clears.
Strategic implications extend to itemization choices, with mana-regeneration options potentially gaining priority. Support Amumu builds may need to incorporate additional mana components early, while jungle routes could require optimization around blue buff availability. Understanding these resource management principles becomes crucial for maintaining effectiveness post-nerf.
Complementing the Amumu adjustments, Jarvan IV faces much-anticipated nerfs following his jungle domination throughout patch 11.19. Statistical analysis reveals win rates exceeding 52% across thousands of ranked games, clearly indicating an unbalanced competitive state requiring intervention.
The Exemplar of Demacia’s primary adjustment targets his passive ability, Martial Cadence. The percentage-based current health damage drops from 10% to 8%, a reduction that impacts both his initial engagement burst and sustained clearing capabilities.
This modification creates cascading effects throughout Jarvan’s gameplay pattern. Reduced passive damage elongates jungle clear times, potentially affecting early game tempo and objective control. The diminished burst potential also reduces his assassination threat against squishy targets during gank attempts.
Jungle pathing efficiency becomes paramount post-nerf, as players must compensate for slower camp clearing through optimized route selection. The change may also influence skill max order, with some players prioritizing Dragon Strike (Q) over other abilities to maintain clear speed.
Advanced Jarvan players should focus on maximizing flag and drag (EQ) combo accuracy to preserve engagement effectiveness. Understanding engagement timing fundamentals becomes essential when your initial damage output undergoes reduction.
While nerfs dominate the conversation, several champions receive compensatory buffs to improve their competitive standing. Darius, Elise, Hecarim, and Udyr all gain statistical improvements aimed at revitalizing their presence in the current meta.
Darius’s enhancement appears particularly strategic, potentially addressing specific weakness points in his kit rather than blanket power increases. This targeted approach suggests Riot aims to enhance his viability in specific scenarios without creating another dominant force.
Elise receives attention following her gradual decline from competitive relevance, with buffs likely targeting her spider form abilities or rappel mechanics. Hecarim’s adjustments may focus on his jungle sustainability or team fight impact, both areas where he’s struggled recently.
Udyr, despite his previous period of dominance, has fallen considerably and requires adjustments to remain viable in the evolving jungle landscape. Players should monitor specific ability changes to understand how these champions fit into emerging team compositions and strategic approaches.
Strategic preparation involves analyzing these buffed champions for potential counterpick opportunities or synergistic pairings. Mastering counterplay mechanics becomes valuable when facing unexpectedly strengthened opponents immediately following patch deployment.
Patch 11.20’s scheduled deployment for October 6 provides a limited window for strategic preparation and adaptation. Players should prioritize understanding how these changes affect champion interactions within their main roles and preferred playstyles.
Jungle mains face the most significant adjustment requirements, with two primary picks receiving substantial nerfs while several alternatives gain buffs.
Draft phase considerations become increasingly important, as previously reliable picks may no longer deliver consistent performance. Understanding emerging power spikes and adjusted matchups will separate adaptable players from those struggling with the meta shift.
Strategic recommendations include testing adjusted champions in practice tool to understand revised damage thresholds and clearing patterns. Additionally, monitoring high-ELO streams and professional player adaptations can provide valuable insights into optimal new strategies.
The reduced effectiveness of Amumu and Jarvan creates opportunities for previously niche picks to emerge. Players who quickly identify and master these rising champions can gain significant competitive advantage during the initial patch period.
Successful adaptation requires balancing immediate experimentation with proven fundamentals, ensuring you don’t sacrifice core gameplay principles while exploring new options in the evolving meta landscape.
Action Checklist
- Test Amumu’s new mana costs in custom games to understand revised ability usage patterns
- Practice Jarvan IV’s revised jungle clearing with updated passive damage values
- Experiment with buffed champions (Darius, Elise, Hecarim, Udyr) to identify new strengths
- Analyze high-ELO streamer adaptations to identify emerging meta trends
- Adjust your champion pool and ban priorities based on patch changes
No reproduction without permission:Game Guides Online » Amumu and Jarvan hit with the nerf hammer on LoL patch 11.20 League of Legends patch 11.20 brings strategic nerfs to Amumu and Jarvan while buffing underperforming champions for solo queue impact
