Most multiplayer games receive regular balance updates to keep the game fresh, and so does Legends of Runeterra. Though the game's Open Beta isn't going live until tomorrow—for those who pre-registered, at least, otherwise you'll have to wait until the 24th—Riot's developers have made adjustments to quite a few cards, based on the data gathered during the two preview patches in 2019.

A few days ago, some of these card changes were leaked on YouTube. However, there are more official changes in the Open Beta patch. Furthermore, some of the changes the community thought it had picked up turned out not to be as accurate. Below you can find all the official card changes, with elaborating comments of the Legends of Runeterra developers for some of them.

Champions

Anivia (Level 1)

Cost: 7 (up from 6).

Power: 2 (down from 4).

Health: 4 (up from 3).

Old text: Can't Block. Attack: Deal 1 to all enemies. [Last Breath]: Revive me transformed into [Eggnivia].

New text: Attack: Deal 1 to all enemies. [Last Breath]: Revive me transformed into [Eggnivia]. Level Up: You're Enlightened.

Anivia (Level 2)

Cost: 7 (up from 6).

Power: 3 (down from 5).

Health: 5 (up from 4).

Old text: Can't Block. Attack: Deal 2 to all enemies.[Last Breath]: Revive me transformed into [Eggnivia].

New text: Attack: Deal 2 to all enemies. [Last Breath]: Revive me transformed into [Eggnivia].

Eggnivia

Health: 2 (up from 1).

Old text: Can't Block. Level Up: Start of Round: Transform me back into Anivia and Level Up.

New text: Level Up: Start of Round: If you're Enlightened, transform me back into Anivia and Level Up.

Developer comments: "Based on internal playtesting and the first two preview patches, we found Anivia was in a pretty bad spot, especially when players went all in on building their deck to exploit her strengths. Often, she could be leveled up with almost no chance for the opponent to interact. With these changes, we’re preserving her copy / sacrifice synergy while giving opponents a more consistent opportunity to react.

"Also, by reworking her to fit into an Enlightened deck, we think she’ll have a clearer role as a control / ramp finisher. Finally, we heard feedback that Anivia’s design felt a bit off thematically, particularly in her inability to block, so we’ve removed that trait and adjusted her stats to support both an ice-wall feel and a roadblock playstyle that better synergizes with her abilities."

Ezreal (Level 2)

Old text: Nexus Strike: Create a zero cost [Fleeting] [Mystic Shot]. When you cast a spell, deal 2 to the enemy Nexus.

New text: Nexus Strike: Create a [Fleeting] [Mystic Shot]. When you cast a spell, deal 2 to the enemy Nexus.

Developer comments:  "Ezreal’s level up was slightly too consistent at immediately ending games, so we wanted to add a bit more suspense to the “is this it” moment that comes when he hits Level 2 without impacting his power level overall. Leaving the mana cost on his fleeting Mystic Shot won’t impact him early while keeping his late-game spell slinging a true display of skill."

Vladimir (Level 1)

Old text: Level Up: You've had 6+ other allies survive damage.

New text: Level Up: You've had 6+ allies survive damage.

Developer comments: "Vlad’s level-up progress was weirdly inconsistent across copies of himself. This small buff corrects that issue."

Tryndamere (Level 2)

Old text: [Overwhelm] [Fearsome] [Tough].

New text: [Overwhelm] [Fearsome].

Developer comments: "Tryndamere was just a tad too difficult to deal with at Level 2 and constrained the window of interaction to deal with him, especially when “cheated out” with Thresh or ramp spells. Removing Tough should give midrange decks a better shot at interacting with him, and make the Barbarian King a bit less tyrannical in Expeditions."

Followers

Battlesmith: Rarity changed from Common to Rare.

Developer comments: "This change is aimed at Expeditions, where Demacia and the Elites archetypes in particular have been overperforming. This patch’s content reset also makes now an ideal time for using a rarity adjustment as a balance lever rather than stat / effect tweaks. To preserve rarity balance in Demacia, we’re also moving Silverwing Vanguard from Rare to Common."

Fleetfeather Tracker: Changed text from [Challenger] to: When you summon another ally, grant me [Challenger].

Developer comments: "Tracker is a slightly-too-frequently-used unit, setting a risky bar for Demacia one-drops. Given the utility of cheap Challenger units, we’re making you work a little to turn on the bird’s power."

Avarosan Hearthguard: Health changed to 5 (down from 6).

Developer comments: "Hearthguard was quietly one of the best things you could do in your ramp deck—a big blocker, credible attacker, and long-term value generator. We’re preserving its more intangible power while reducing its health to give opposing units a better chance at going toe-to-toe with a unit that’s already generating so much off-board value."

Wyrding Stones: Health changed to 3 (down from 4).

Developer comments: "Catalyst just offered too much ramp and sustain at 4 mana, allowing it to consistently fit the curve ramp decks want on turn 3. Bumping it to 5 provides time for opposing decks to interact with the ramp deck, and more room for us to add tools to ramp decks in the future. It also better differentiates Catalyst from Wyrding Stones, ideally making the inclusion of both in a deck more of a choice and less of an auto-include."

Cloud Drinker: Health changed to 5 (down from 7). Removed Enlightened effect. Burst spell cost reduction applies to both players now.

Developer comments: "Cloud Drinker is a dangerous combo piece, but it was doing too much by also acting as a huge blocker to defend the combo strategy, so we’re reducing its health. We’re also removing the “super” effect at Enlightened, which was risky long-term (potentially enabling infinite / game-ending combos) without offering much to existing Enlightened strategies."

Flame Chompers: Health changed to 2 (up from 1).

Developer comments: "Our previous nerf to Flame Chompers (dropping its health to 1 from 3) was intended to make sure it would really only get to tie up one enemy unit without assistance. However, ol’ Chompers has ended up a tad too unimpactful at 1 health (particularly in Expeditions), so we’re splitting the difference."

The Rekindler: Attack power and health changed to 4 (both down from 5).

Developer comments: "Just a straightforward power reduction—getting a champion back doesn’t need to come with quite so strong a body for the cost. We’ve also adjusted the text for clarity."

Wraithcaller: Health changed to 3 (up from 2). Wraithcaller also has Fearsome now.

Developer comments: "Mistwraiths are pretty fun, but the deck is a little weak. We hope buffing Wraithcaller will make the dedicated Mistwraith deck a bit more satisfying and powerful to play."

Piltover & Zaun specific changes:

Developer comments:  "Piltover & Zaun has been struggling in Expeditions, and we’ve got some buffs to some specific, underperforming cards that should increase P&Z’s consistency in Expeditions without undue impact outside the mode."

Spells

Catalyst of Aeons: Cost changed to 5 (up from 4).

Developer comments: "Catalyst just offered too much ramp and sustain at 4 mana, allowing it to consistently fit the curve ramp decks want on turn 3. Bumping it to 5 provides time for opposing decks to interact with the ramp deck, and more room for us to add tools to ramp decks in the future. It also better differentiates Catalyst from Wyrding Stones, ideally making the inclusion of both in a deck more of a choice and less of an auto-include."

A spell many players complained about during the preview patches in 2019 was Deny, the Ionian spell that lets you nullify any opponent Skill, Fast Spell or Slow Spell. While the Legends of Runeterra developers acknowledge that the card is strong, they aren't making changes yet: "We're currently exploring potential changes to Deny that would maintain its role, but in a more balanced way. One option is increasing Deny’s mana cost, but there are obviously significant implications to bringing it out of the “can be cast with only spell mana” range."

Want to get a head start before the Legends of Runeterra Open Beta starts? Head over to our guide page, featuring over 30 guides for the game!

Images via Riot Games.