Archives 5 March 2025

Yorick, the Shepherd of Souls, standing in a dark and eerie graveyard, wielding his massive spade while summoning ghostly ghouls to aid him in battle.

League of Legends Patch 25.05: What’s Changing on the Rift?

by SquishieInc News & Updates, Riot Games developer news

Summoners, it’s time to brace yourselves—Patch 25.05 is just around the corner, bringing a slew of buffs, nerfs, and adjustments that are sure to shake up the meta. Whether you’re a top-lane bruiser, a jungle mastermind, or a bot-lane sharpshooter, this patch will have something in store for you.

Let’s dive into all the exciting changes coming on March 5, 2025! 🚀

🥳 Champion Buffs: The New Threats on the Rift

These champions are getting some love from Riot—expect to see them more often!

  • Aphelios: His attack speed ratio is getting a buff (0.640 → 0.658). Get ready for some faster gun-slinging action! 🔫
  • Dr. Mundo: The big guy is even beefier, with an HP increase (613 → 640). Mundo goes where he pleases… and now, he pleases more than ever. 🧪
  • Seraphine: Her Q max champion damage amplification is getting a boost (60% → 75%), meaning her damage will hit even harder in team fights. 🎶💥
  • Zed: The Shadow Master is sharper than ever, with his E damage increasing from 65-165 (+65% bonus AD) → 70-170 (+80% bonus AD). Time to vanish your enemies. ⚔️

😵 Champion Nerfs: Say Goodbye to Overpowered Champs

If you’ve been abusing these champions in solo queue, it might be time to reconsider your picks.

  • Ambessa: Her E damage per hit is getting reduced—a much-needed tweak to balance her aggressive skirmishing.
  • Ashe: The Frost Archer’s R damage is dropping from 250/450/650 → 200/400/600. No more sniping people from across the map as easily! 🏹❄️
  • Aurora: Her E ability damage is taking a hit, meaning her all-in potential is slightly weaker.
  • Cho’Gath: His Q and W damage are being reduced, making him less oppressive in the mid-lane.
  • Elise: Both her Q abilities in human and spider form are being nerfed, reducing her early-game burst damage. Jungle mains, take note. 🕷️
  • K’Sante: His passive mark damage is getting toned down to keep him from being an unkillable nightmare.
  • Skarner: Riot is adjusting his Q max HP damage and E cooldown—a change aimed at balancing his newly reworked form.
  • Yorick: His R monster damage cap is being reduced, making his pet army a little less oppressive in the jungle. 🪦

🔧 Champion Adjustments: Fine-Tuning the Meta

These changes aren’t full buffs or nerfs but reworks meant to refine how these champions function.

  • Poppy is getting a series of adjustments:
    • HP Growth: 104 → 110 💪
    • Passive Shield Scaling: Adjusted to 13/15/18.5% max HP at levels 1/7/13, scaling more smoothly.
    • E Ability: Riot is tweaking her damage values for better balance.

⚙️ System Changes: The Rift Evolves

Riot is also fine-tuning some systems that will impact all champions.

  • Sixth Sense: The cooldown is being reduced, giving players more opportunities for strategic play.
  • Unflinching: Both armor and magic resist are getting a boost, making this a more valuable defensive option.
  • Axiom Arcanist: Riot is adjusting its AoE scaling and ultimate amplification to refine its impact in fights.

🔄 Lane Swap Mechanics: Meta Shake-Up Incoming

Riot is making it harder to abuse early lane swaps, ensuring that traditional lanes remain intact.

  • Swap Zone: A new detection system is being added to cover the area from the inhibitor to the outer turret and 500 units into the jungle.
  • Warnings: Players will receive multiple alerts if a swap is detected.
  • Turret Damage Reduction: Increased to 95% if a swap is identified.
  • Experience & Gold Adjustments: Defenders get full rewards, while offenders receive 50% less XP and gold.

These changes aim to keep the game fair and prevent abuse of early lane swaps. 🌍

📜 Full Patch Notes & Source Links

Want to read the official Riot post about these changes? Check out these sources:

🔥 Final Thoughts: What This Means for the Meta

Patch 25.05 is huge, and we can expect big shifts in the meta. Here are some predictions:

✔️ Expect Aphelios and Zed to dominate solo queue thanks to their buffs.
✔️ Champions like K’Sante and Skarner might fall out of favor due to their nerfs.
✔️ The lane swap detection system will force teams to stick to traditional lanes more often.

No matter how the meta shifts, we’ll be here to break it down for you! Stay tuned to HextechHub.com for more LoL news, tier lists, and game guides! See you on the Rift, Summoners! 🎮✨

Darius, the Hand of Noxus, ready for battle in League of Legends.

Darius Jungle: How to Dominate as in League of Legends

by SquishieInc Beginner-friendly champion guides, Best item builds and rune setups, Champion Guides & Builds, Gameplay & Strategy, Lane-by-lane guides (Top, Jungle, Mid, ADC, Support)

Darius is a champion known for his oppressive laning phase, but in the jungle, he brings high damage, strong dueling potential, and devastating teamfight presence. If you’re looking to try something different, Darius Jungle can be a sleeper pick in lower ELOs due to his ability to snowball games quickly. This guide will walk you through the best runes, items, jungle clear path, early/mid/late game strategy, and win conditions to carry games with Darius Jungle.

Runes Setup

Primary: Precision

  • Conqueror – In extended fights, Darius stacks his passive and Conqueror quickly, making him an unstoppable force.
  • Triumph – Restores HP after securing kills, crucial for surviving skirmishes and multi-kills.
  • Legend: Tenacity – Reduces crowd control duration, allowing Darius to stick to targets.
  • Last Stand – Increases damage when you’re low HP, making clutch plays easier.

Secondary: Resolve

  • Conditioning – Grants bonus armor and magic resist after 12 minutes, helping Darius scale better.
  • Unflinching – Provides extra tenacity when low on HP, allowing for better survivability.

Stat Shards:

  • Attack Speed (for faster jungle clear)
  • Adaptive Force (for bonus AD)
  • Armor (to help sustain against jungle camps)

Jungle Clear Path & First Back

Darius lacks mobility, so an efficient clear is crucial. Here’s how to do it:

First Clear Route:

  1. Start at Red Buff – Get a leash from your bot/top laners.
  2. Raptors – Use your Q (Decimate) to heal and clear them quickly.
  3. Wolves – Auto-attack reset with W (Crippling Strike) for faster clears.
  4. Blue Buff – Continue stacking your passive for bonus damage.
  5. Gromp – Use Q to heal up before heading to Scuttle Crab.
  6. Look for a gank – If no lanes are overextended, take the opposite-side Scuttle.

First Items to Buy:

  • Eclipse (vs squishy teams) or Stridebreaker (vs tanky teams) – Provides damage, sustain, and mobility.
  • Boots (Plated Steelcaps or Merc Treads) – Based on enemy team composition.
  • Control Wards – Helps with vision control and objective setup.

Early Game Strategy

  • Focus on Power Farming & Early Fights – Darius is strong in early skirmishes. Look for invades or counter-ganks.
  • Gank Overextended Lanes – Without mobility, Darius relies on proper positioning to secure kills.
  • Secure First Dragon – With proper bot lane prio, contest the first dragon at level 5 or 6.

Mid Game Strategy

  • Look for Skirmishes – Darius thrives in small fights where he can fully stack his passive.
  • Split-Push or Force Objectives – If your team is ahead, help take Rift Herald or contest Dragons.
  • Flank in Teamfights – If enemies group, look for an angle to land a multi-champion Apprehend (E).

Late Game Strategy

  • Tanky Bruiser Role – Darius transitions into a frontline bruiser that can dive backlines or peel for carries.
  • Full Build Items:
    • Stridebreaker / Eclipse
    • Sterak’s Gage
    • Dead Man’s Plate
    • Force of Nature / Spirit Visage
    • Guardian Angel (for safety in fights)
  • Teamfight Execution:
    1. Engage with Apprehend (E) to pull squishies into your team.
    2. Use Q (Decimate) for healing and damage.
    3. Auto-attack and W (Crippling Strike) reset to maximize damage.
    4. If your passive is stacked, use Noxian Guillotine (R) to execute enemies and get resets.

Objective Control & Win Conditions

  • Early Game Win Condition: Secure first Dragon and Rift Herald to snowball.
  • Mid Game Win Condition: Force fights around objectives where Darius can hit multiple targets.
  • Late Game Win Condition: Frontline for your team, peel carries, or dive enemy backline if fed.

Final Thoughts

Darius Jungle may not be meta, but his ability to carry low-ELO games with high-damage skirmishes makes him a fun and rewarding pick. By following this guide, mastering his jungle path, and utilizing his dueling power effectively, you’ll be able to stomp games as the Hand of Noxus!

Want more League of Legends educational content? Stay tuned to HextechHub.com for the best strategies, guides, and tips!