Hey gamers! Librarian Husky here with the lowdown on Patch 14.15. This update has stirred things up with new champs on the rise and some falling off. Aurora’s hotfix nerfs are live, and we’re here to break down all the changes. Let’s dive into the New Meta Trends and how you can stay ahead in solo queue.

Patch 14.15 has introduced several new champions as formidable solo queue options, while a few have seen their effectiveness wane. Aurora hotfix nerfs have also been implemented on live servers, prompting a discussion on the impact of these changes.

New Meta Trends

In today’s article, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive update on all the New Meta Trends and a detailed look at the solo queue tier list for every role. Are you tired of losing games due to bad teammates?

Aurora Nerfs Impact

You’ve always dreamed of starting things off in the Top Lane. We mentioned in the pre-patch tier list that we didn’t expect the Aurora nerfs to significantly affect her solo queue strength, and that prediction has proven accurate.

Significant Nerfs

Riot has already issued hotfix nerfs that have been quite substantial. Aurora’s base armor has been reduced from 27 to 23. Her passive percent health damage has decreased from 4% to 2.5%. The Q cooldown has increased by 1 second at all ranks, and Q2 minion damage reduction has gone up from 50% to 75%.

Win Rate Drop

With these nerfs now live, day-to-day analytics show about a 3% drop in her win rate. Initially, Aurora was overperforming at the start of the patch, surpassing our pre-patch expectations. Despite the nerf, she remains a solid solo queue pick.

Top Lane Aurora Strengths

In the Top Lane, Aurora excels at bullying melee champions lacking heavy mobility. Champs like Sett, Aatrox, Nasus, Darius, and Garen struggle to stick to Aurora due to her significant kiting strength and built-in movement speed.

Weaknesses Against Certain Champions

Aurora struggles against top laners with strong gap-closing abilities, such as Irelia and Yone. Despite the live nerfs, we won’t adjust Aurora’s tier list placement from where we had it pre-patch.

Pre-Patch Expectations and Current Tier

Aurora was performing better than an A tier to start the patch, but with the nerfs now live, A tier seems appropriate. As one ranged top enters the meta, another exits; Top Lane Twisted Fate has become rather ineffective for solo queue.

Twisted Fate Nerfs

This patch has significantly impacted Twisted Fate, with Fleet losing power early on and both Kraken and Shiv receiving nerfs, reducing his strength considerably. It is highly likely that Twisted Fate will vanish from the Top Lane meta in the upcoming patches. However, for now, we’ll keep him on the tier list as one of the weaker C-tier picks.

Top Lane Tier List

Looking at the Top lane tier list, the OP tier is comprised of two champions: Sett and Volibear. Kennen, one of the bigger winners in the Top Lane for this patch, has already been moved up into S tier during the pre-patch tier list.

Kennen’s Performance

Players who rush Rocketbelt on Kennen have experienced about a 1.5% increase in win rate this patch due to the buff, which has been quite significant. We anticipated the Yone adjustments would result in a net positive, and that prediction has held true.

Yone’s Buffs and Keystones

Despite the nerfs to Fleet Footwork, Yone has seen a significant boost in power due to the Q damage buffs. As a result, we are moving him up the Top lane tier list for mid-patch. Tracking Keystone run viability on Yone this patch has been interesting because, with Fleet getting nerfed, Conqueror is performing better in higher elos.

Conqueror’s Appeal

While it’s early in the patch, we don’t want to definitively say that Conqueror is now Yone’s best Keystone. However, it’s looking much more promising in matchups against tankier champions where extended fights are necessary to win. This is where Conqueror‘s value truly shines.

Jungle Winners

One jungler has emerged as a significant winner due to the item changes this patch: Nunu. Nunu benefits not only from the Rocketbelt buffs but also from the Dark Harvest buffs. The win rate of Rocketbelt on Nunu has increased by over 2% this patch.

Offensive Nunu Playstyle

If you prefer a more aggressive Nunu playstyle, he’s in a great spot now. Using Nunu as a pocket pick when your support locks in a melee engage champ is highly valuable. If your support picks Leona, Braum, or Nautilus, locking in Nunu and spamming ganks bot will secure numerous kills and frustrate your opponents.

Nunu’s Tier List Movement

Nunu was previously placed in the jungle B tier, but due to his improved performance from indirect buffs, he has moved up to A tier. This patch has not significantly altered the overall jungle meta, so the tier list remains relatively stable.

Shyvana’s Performance

Shyvana is being moved back up into the OP tier for mid-patch as the nerfs have not been as impactful as anticipated. While Shyvana is weaker now, the nerfs have only brought her more in line with other OP picks like Lillia and Nocturne. For those playing at or below Platinum, Shyvana remains one of the best jungle picks for solo queue.

Skarner’s Buffs

Aside from Shyvana, Skarner was the only other jungler changed in this patch. As expected, the buffs have been very underwhelming. With Skarner‘s win rate around 46%, Riot could have been more aggressive with the buffs. The changes have not improved his solo queue viability, and he remains in the C tier.

Nico’s Rise in the Meta

Nico has been largely overlooked in solo queue, with her pick rate sitting at around 1%. However, her potential is very high right now. Buffs to her core items, Rocketbelt and Storm Surge, have significantly boosted her strength this patch. For those who like to stay ahead of meta trends, prioritizing Nico could prove beneficial in the coming patches. We are moving her into the S tier for the first time in a while, so take advantage of her strength while you can.

Yasuo and Yone’s Performance

The Wind Brothers are currently holding a win rate slightly above 50% in solo queue. We expected Yone to gain strength from the recent changes, but Yasuo’s adjustments were less certain. Yasuo lost indirect power from the Kraken Slayer and Fleet nerfs, while Yone, who doesn’t use Kraken, was unaffected by that change.

Yasuo’s Buffs

Despite the nerfs to Kraken and Fleet, Yasuo’s direct buffs have more than compensated, putting him back in a strong position for solo queue. For the first time this season, both Yasuo and Yone are in the S tier for mid lane, thanks to the significant improvements they received in Patch 14.15.

Silas’ Decline

Silas is one mid lane champion we have to drop further down the tier list for mid patch. Riot categorized Silas’ changes as adjustments, but they turned out to be outright nerfs, resulting in a significant loss of power. His win rate has dropped by nearly 2% this patch, which is notable, especially since the changes were meant to be power neutral.

New Silas Build

A new build for Silas has emerged this patch, showing promise, but it is still relatively underplayed. As a result, it’s challenging to gauge its full potential accurately.