Riot Games Confirms More Changes for League of Legends' Skarner

Riot Games is not finished with Skarner, as developer and popular figure Phreak confirms that more changes are on the way for the champion. Skarner has been one of the most challenging characters to balance in the globally popular MOBA, League of Legends. Despite multiple reworks, Skarner's gameplay has seen mixed success. The latest rework, intended to revitalize the "Primordial Sovereign," has reportedly not met Riot's expectations.

Earlier this year, Skarner received a "Visual and Gameplay Update," which revamped both his appearance and abilities. This update allowed Skarner to suppress multiple enemies with his ultimate and introduced a unique charge on his E ability, enabling him to ignore terrain. However, Phreak's recent statement indicates that Riot is still not satisfied with the changes.

According to Dexerto, during his Patch 14.14 preview, Phreak admitted that the Skarner rework had "failed" and that Riot is working on further adjustments to his kit. Potential changes include removing his ability to "backwards charge" with his E and eliminating the slow from his W. Skarner's full relaunch debuted with the 14.7 update in early April.

More Changes Coming for Skarner, Says Riot's Phreak

Phreak also pointed out the disparity in Skarner's performance between casual play and professional matches. Since the relaunch, Skarner has become a popular pick among professional players as both a top lane champion and a jungler. However, in the broader game, Skarner holds a 47% win rate in his primary roles. Phreak confirmed that the discussed changes would not be included in Patch 14.14.

The upcoming changes to Skarner are part of a broader series of updates and events in League of Legends this year. Riot Games recently made headlines with the announcement of a $500 skin for Ahri, inspired by pro player Faker. Additionally, League introduced its first new PvE mode since 2018, "Swarm | Operation Anima Squad," drawing inspiration from "bullet hell" games like Vampire Survivors. Skarner fans should keep an eye on future patches as Riot continues to refine the champion.