Yone is set to receive his first real nerf in patch 10.17

Riot Games lead gameplay designer Mark “Scuffy” Yetter has unveiled the upcoming patch 10.17 adjustments, featuring significant nerfs to recently overpowered champions and strategic buffs for underperforming marksmen. This update arrives following community feedback about certain champions dominating matches.

The forthcoming patch represents a more focused balancing effort compared to typical updates, directly targeting several top-performing solo queue picks while providing much-needed assistance to marksmen who have struggled to maintain relevance in the current meta.

Better late than never, 10.17 Patch Preview. A bit smaller than a normal patch with the Riot summer break last week.

These changes should be going out some time Wednesday.pic.twitter.com/iDLklb4m2i

— Mark Yetter (@MarkYetter)August 17, 2020

Current patch 10.16 has featured several champions performing beyond intended power levels, creating frustration among players facing these dominant picks. Some adjustments represent partial reversions of recent buffs that proved too impactful.

When we overshoot a buff in a patch we always first think about reverting partially (like cait and hecarim this patch)

When we sometimes go with a different nerf it’s because we think the buffs are worth keeping and we want to shift a champions gameplay in that direction

— Mark Yetter (@MarkYetter)August 17, 2020

Yone Receives His First Nerf After Release

• Q – Mortal Steel, base damage 20-120 >> 20-100
• R – Fate Sealed, no longer lifesteals

The newly released champion Yone stands as one of the most discussed changes in patch 10.17, marking his first significant adjustment since joining the League roster. Despite posting relatively modest win rates in solo queue environments, Riot has identified specific pain points requiring immediate attention.

These targeted nerfs address two key areas: reducing his consistent damage output through Mortal Steel (Q) and eliminating the sustain component from his ultimate ability Fate Sealed. The Q damage reduction from 120 to 100 at maximum rank represents a meaningful 16.7% decrease in his primary damage tool, while the lifesteal removal from his ultimate significantly impacts his teamfight survivability.

Common mistake: Many players underestimate how much the lifesteal on Fate Sealed contributed to Yone’s sustain in extended engagements. The removal forces players to rely more heavily on proper positioning and timing rather than raw healing through ultimate usage.

Nerfs for Both Caitlyn and Hecarim in Patch 10.17

Both Caitlyn and Hecarim have benefited from substantial power increases across recent patches, prompting Riot to acknowledge these enhancements exceeded intended thresholds.

Caitlyn

• Movement Speed 330 >> 325

Caitlyn’s resurgence began with patch 10.15 adjustments that elevated her base movement speed and attack damage. These combined improvements propelled the traditional lane bully back into meta relevance, establishing her as one of the game’s most dominant champions.

Scuffy publicly recognized on Twitter that Riot overestimated the appropriate buff levels for Caitlyn and now seeks to partially scale back these changes. She retains the base attack damage improvement but loses the movement speed enhancement, creating a more balanced power profile that maintains her strengths while reducing laning phase advantages.

Hecarim

• E – Devastating Charge, movement speed 25-100% >> 25-85% over three seconds.

Hecarim represents another champion receiving a partial buff reversion. His Devastating Charge (E) ability received substantial improvements in patch 10.16, significantly boosting movement speed during ability activation. This enhancement now receives a moderate reduction, settling at a middle ground between the original and buffed states.

Optimization tip: Hecarim players should now focus on timing their E engagements more carefully, as the reduced movement speed requires more strategic positioning rather than relying on raw speed advantage.

Several Marksmen Will Be Buffed in Patch 10.17

While the buff list remains relatively concise in this preview, significant attention goes toward revitalizing some of the game’s struggling marksmen champions. Varus, Xayah, and Kai’Sa all receive necessary improvements that should enhance their competitive viability in the bottom lane.

These enhancements, while not revolutionary individually, collectively provide meaningful base stat and scaling upgrades that can substantially impact performance on Summoner’s Rift.

Varus

• Attack speed per level 3 >> 3.75%

Xayah

• Attack damage per level 2.9 >> 3.5

Kai’Sa

• Attack damage per level 1.7 >> 2
• E – Supercharge, attack speed 40-60 >> 40-80%

Practical strategy: Varus players should now prioritize attack speed items slightly less heavily in their builds, as the enhanced natural scaling reduces dependency on external sources.

Time estimate: Players can expect to see noticeable performance improvements with these champions after approximately 5-10 games of adaptation to the new stat profiles.

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Yone is set to receive his first real nerf in patch 10.17 League of Legends patch 10.17 brings targeted nerfs to overpowered champions and buffs to struggling marksmen for better game balance