Riot gives first look at new rework changes to Rammus ultimate

TL;DR

  • Rammus receives significant ultimate overhaul with Soaring Slam becoming a targeted leap ability
  • New Powerball-ultimate combo mechanics enable advanced engage and disruption tactics
  • Jungle remains primary role with enhanced ganking potential through reworked abilities
  • Balance adjustments include longer cooldowns but greater playmaking flexibility
  • Strategic implementation requires adapting to new mobility and crowd control patterns

Riot Games has officially confirmed comprehensive updates coming to Rammus across both PC and mobile platforms in League of Legends. This marks a significant modernization effort for one of the game’s classic champions.

The 2021 season introduces not just fresh champion releases but substantial improvements to veteran characters who have remained in the roster for extended periods. Rammus stands among these recipients, with targeted modifications to his ultimate ability Soaring Slam and complementary adjustments to Puncturing Taunt (E). These strategic changes aim to expand Rammus’ tactical versatility while enhancing visual and audio clarity across visual effects (VFX) and sound effects (SFX) presentations.

Gameplay thoughts just posted with a focus on the small Rammus update coming soon!https://t.co/YZ5bq5DMeA pic.twitter.com/bLOaoHK37p

— Mark Yetter (@MarkYetter) January 15, 2021

As detailed in the most recent Quick Gameplay Thoughts from design director Mark “Scuffy” Yetter, Rammus undergoes transformative changes to his ultimate alongside compensatory taunt modifications. The reimagined Soaring Slam now functions as a targeted area leap that impacts designated locations, inflicting magical damage while applying movement impairment to affected opponents.

The leap mechanics generate three subsequent shockwaves that each deliver additional damage while renewing the initial slow effect. Crucially, Rammus gains the capability to activate his ultimate during Powerball (Q) execution, enabling sophisticated combination plays previously unavailable in his kit.

Soaring Slam (R) changes:

  • Rammus propels himself airborne before crashing down at specified coordinates, dealing magic damage while applying 1-second movement reduction to enemy champions.
  • When Soaring Slam activates during Powerball engagement, opponents positioned near the impact epicenter experience knock-up effects while suffering Powerball collision damage, consequently terminating Powerball’s ongoing effect.
  • Rammus creates three supplementary seismic waves at the target zone, each delivering moderate magic damage while refreshing the initial slow duration.
  • Soaring Slam inflicts 200% increased damage against turret structures.
  • Soaring Slam’s effective range scales dynamically according to Rammus’ current movement speed statistics.
  • Cooldown adjustments: 100/80/60 seconds increased to 120/100/80 seconds respectively.

Release timing for the Rammus modifications remains unspecified but anticipated imminently based on Scuffy’s communications.

Rammus maintains his established identity as a premier jungle specialist, leveraging exceptional mobility and rapid gank initiation capabilities. He functions as a durable tank jungler who exhibits exceptional synergy with armor items and can effectively neutralize priority targets through his extended taunt duration.

While occasional appearances in top lane configurations occurred during previous patch cycles, this positioning doesn’t represent his intended competitive niche. The reworked abilities further cement his jungle dominance while providing additional tools for objective control and team fight engagement.

For players seeking comprehensive battlefield mastery, our Class Selection Guide offers valuable insights into role specialization that complement Rammus’ updated kit.

Rammus represents a consistently reliable jungler selection for solo queue environments though rarely appears in professional competitive settings. According to patch 11.1 statistics from season 11, Rammus maintains a 51.49% victory rate within jungle matchups.

Despite currently possessing strong performance metrics, Rammus remains comparatively outdated relative to newer champion releases and benefits significantly from these modernization efforts.

Mastering the updated champion requires understanding key ability interactions. Our Complete Guide provides foundational knowledge that enhances understanding of these rework implications.

Strategic players should focus on maximizing the new ultimate’s engagement flexibility while adapting to the extended cooldown windows through strategic ability timing.

Action Checklist

  • Practice Powerball into Soaring Slam combinations in training mode to master engagement timing
  • Experiment with movement speed itemization to understand range scaling mechanics
  • Study optimal gank paths that leverage the new ultimate’s aerial engagement capabilities
  • Analyze enemy team compositions to identify ideal Soaring Slam engagement opportunities
  • Coordinate with team for follow-up on knock-up and slow effects from ultimate combinations

No reproduction without permission:Game Guides Online » Riot gives first look at new rework changes to Rammus ultimate Complete guide to Rammus' 2021 rework with ability changes, gameplay strategies, and jungle optimization tips