MSI is right around the corner, and so is a new LoL update - we've got the 14.9 patch notes for you below.

This update introduces the Lee Sin ASU, a plethora of balance changes big and small for Champions and items, updates to Arena and new skins as per usual. It's a hefty patch so there's a lot to take in, and we've listed everything that's changing in the game here for you. 

If you'd like to see the patch notes schedule to find out when future patches will take place, we've got one for you!

MSI, Lee Sin ASU & Other Highlights

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MSI is here and so is 14.9!

Starting tomorrow, May 1st, 12 teams from across the world will fight it out at the Mid-Season Invitational in beautiful Chengdu, China with a spot at the 2024 World Championship now on the line!

New Skins

Empyrean Akali, Empyrean Brand, Empyrean Kayle, Empyrean Malzahar, Empyrean Nocturne, Empyrean Varus, and Prestige Empyrean Kayle will be available May 1, 2024 at 19:00 UTC.

Vanguard

With 14.9, Vanguard, Riot’s proprietary Anti-Cheat system will be deployed and active in League of Legends. This means that active enforcement of Vanguard will be in effect and working hard to make sure your queues are free from scripters, botters, and cheaters!

If you’re wondering what all you need to do to keep playing League, all you need to do is install Vanguard. If you don't have Vanguard installed when you launch the Riot Client or League it will prompt you to install it and then restart your system to ensure Vanguard is active. You will be unable to queue for or play League until Vanguard is installed and active.

DirectX 9 Deprecation

With 14.9 we will be ending DirectX 9 support for League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics. To maintain the stability and performance of our games we need to deprecate support for older hardware or software that isn't widely used by players anymore. If you're currently opted into using DirectX 9, the game will automatically disable this option when we remove the support. If you were running in DirectX 9 due to hardware incompatibility issues, we recommend upgrading your devices as soon as possible, so you may continue to play.

Lee Sin ASU

Lee Sin’s long-awaited Art and Sustainability Update is here! We’ve been hard at work modernizing the blind monk for the past year, and now he’s finally ready to hit the Rift. Equipped with a brand new rig, animations, and audio we made sure to honour many of the aspects Lee Sin players have come to appreciate about him while giving him the update his dedicated players deserve. We can’t wait to see all of you try him out and InSec your opponent in style.

Speaking of skins, we’ve also made updates to 16 of them! Due to the scope of work and increased skin quality, 2 of the 16 will be receiving a small price increase accordingly. If you already own these skins you’re good to go and you’ll get the update for free, but if you don’t have them yet but want to get them at their current lower prices make sure to pick them up before Lee Sin’s ASU goes live tomorrow!

• Base Lee Sin
• Traditional Lee Sin (price increased from 520 RP to 750 RP)
• Acolyte Lee Sin
• Dragon Fist Lee Sin (price increased from 975 RP to 1350 RP)
• Muay Thai Lee Sin
• Pool Party Lee Sin
• Knockout Lee Sin
• Nightbringer Lee Sin
• Prestige Nightbringer Lee Sin
• Prestige Nightbringer 2022 Lee Sin
• Zenith Games Lee Sin
• God Fist Lee Sin
• Storm Dragon Lee Sin
• SKT T1 Lee Sin (Legacy skin, returning for 2 weeks)
• Playmaker Lee Sin (Legacy skin, returning for 2 weeks)
• FPX Lee Sin (Legacy skin, returning for 2 weeks)

Ranked Split 1 and 2 Timing

Here’s a reminder that the Split 1 end date is quickly approaching! If you’re on the cusp of hitting your Ranked goal for the season or if you’re determined to push for another two ranks, make sure to mark your calendars and get those games in because this is the last patch of Split 1. Split 2 will kick off the following day, May 15th, at noon so get ready!

• Split 1 End Date: May 14, 2024 at 23:59:59 according to your server’s local time
• Split 2 Start Date: May 15, 2024 at 12:00:00 according to your server’s local time

Arena

Are you ready to RUUUUUMBLE!? Arena is BACK for round 3 with all the crazy shenanigans you’ve all come to learn and love. But it’s not coming back exactly as you remember it, because we’ve been cooking up a lot of changes behind the scenes. You can read more about the exciting additions coming in round 3 here:

• https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-pl/news/dev/dev-arena-round-three/

Arena Champion Balance Changes

Ahri

• W bonus decaying movement speed: 40% 50%
• W base magic damage: 50/75/100/125/150 70/95/120/145/170
• E cooldown: 12 10 seconds
• R recasts on kill: 1 2

Azir

• Bonus Health: 0 0-187 (levels 1-18)
• Q Cooldown: 14/12/10/8/6 12/10.5/9/7.5/6
• W Damage: 0-77 (based on level) (+ 50/67/84/101/118) (+55% AP) 0-77 (based on level) (+ 55/72/89/106/123) (+55% AP)
• E Cooldown: 22/20.5/19/17.5/16 18/17/16/15/14 seconds

Gnar

• Bonus Health: 0 0-357 (levels 1-18)
• Passive “Tired” duration: 15 8 seconds
• Q Cooldown: 20/17.5/15/12.5/10 18/16/14/12/10 seconds
• Q Base Damage: 5/45/85/125/165 20/65/110/155/200
• W decaying movement speed duration: 3 4 seconds

Karthus

• Bonus Health: 0 0-314 (levels 1-18)
• Q Magic Damage: 45/65/85/105/125 (+35% AP) 60/80/100/120/140 (+45% AP) Note: This is still doubled when hitting a single target.)
• W Cooldown: 15 12 seconds
• R Cooldown: 200/180/160 60 seconds

Lux

• Passive AP Ratio: 45% 50%
• E Slow: 25/30/35/40/45% 40/45/50/55/60%
• R Cooldown: Cooldown: 60/50/40 30 seconds

Shen

• Bonus Health: 0 0-187 (levels 1-18)
• R Cooldown: 200/180/160 60 seconds

Vex

• Bonus Health: 0 0-612 (levels 1-18)
• W Damage: 70/115/160/205/250 (+70% AP) 90/135/180/225/270 (+80% AP)
• W Cooldown: 16/15/14/13/12 13/12.5/12/11.5/11 seconds
• E Cooldown: 13 10 seconds
• E Slow: 30/35/40/45/50% 40/45/50/55/60%

Xerath

• Bonus Health: 0-255 0-493 (levels 1-18)
• W Damage: 60/95/130/165/200 (+60% AP) 90/125/160/195/230 (+60% AP)
• W Cooldown: 14/13/12/11/10 10 seconds
• R Cooldown: 130/115/100 50 seconds

Ziggs

• Bonus Health (levels 1-18): 0-255 0-493
• Q Cooldown: 6/5.5/5/4.5/4 4 seconds
• W Cooldown: 14/13/12/11/10 12/11/10/9/8 seconds
• R Base Damage: 250/400/550 300/450/600

Big Item & Champion Changes

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Items

Hexdrinker

• Item Recipe: Long Sword + Null-Magic Mantle + 500 gold Long Sword + Long Sword + Null-Magic Mantle + 150 gold
• Magic Resistance: 35 30

Maw of Malmortius

• Total Price: 2800 3100
• [NEW] Ability Haste: 0 15
• Magic Resistance: 50 40
• Attack Damage: 65 70
• Lifeline Duration: 2.5 3 seconds
• Lifeline Buff: 12% Lifesteal 10% Omnivamp

Death’s Dance

• Item Recipe: Steel Sigil + Caulfield’s Warhammer + 1000 gold Steel Sigil + Caulfield’s Warhammer + Pickaxe + 125 gold
• Attack Damage: 55 60
• Defy Healing: 50% bonus AD 75% bonus A

Sterak’s Gage

• Total Price: 3000 3200
• Lifeline Cooldown: 60 90 seconds

Sundered Sky

• Lightshield Strike per Target Cooldown: 6 8 seconds
• Lightshield Strike Healing: 140% base AD (+6% missing health) 120% base AD (+6% missing health)
• Ornn upgrade unchanged

Eclipse

• Ever Rising Moon Damage: 8% (melee) / 4% (ranged) of target’s maximum health 6% (melee) / 4% (ranged) of target’s maximum health
• Ornn upgrade unchanged

Champions

Akshan

Q - Avengerang

• Move Speed on Champion Hit: 20/25/30/35/40% (+5% per 100 AP) 20% at all ranks (+5% per 100 AP)
• Damage to Non-Champions: 40/52.5/65/77.5/90% 40/50/60/70/80%

R - Comeuppance

• Minimum Damage per Bullet: 20/25/30 (+10% total AD) 25/35/45 (+15% total AD)
• Maximum Damage per Bullet: 80/100/120 (+40% AD) 75/105/135 (+45% total AD)

Bel’Veth

Passive - Death in Lavender

• Bonus Attack Speed per Stack: 0.28%-1% (levels 1-13) 0.28%-1% (levels 1-17) Note: This means that at levels 2-16, Bel’Veth will have slightly less attack speed, this is most pronounced at level 13.)

Q - Void Surge

• Damage: 10/15/20/25/30 (+110% total AD) 10/15/20/25/30 (+100% Total AD)
• Monster Damage Modifier: 140% total damage +45/55/65/75/85 flat damage Note: This is a buff until 136 total attack damage.

Kennen

E - Lightning Rush

• [NEW] Added a range indicator for the damage radius.

R - Slicing Maelstrom

• [NEW] New animation has been added for Slicing Maelstrom.
• [NEW] Kennen can now cast his ultimate while moving.

Nilah

Q - Formless Blade

• Minimum Damage: 5/10/15/20/25 (+90/97.5/105/112.5/120% total AD) 5/10/15/20/25 (+90/95/100/105/110% total AD)
• Bonus Attack Speed: 10-50% (based on level) 10-60% (based on level)
• Critical Strike Chance Damage Modifier: 100-220% (based on critical strike chance) 100-200% (based on critical strike chance)

Sejuani

Passive - Fury of the North, Frost Armor

• Bonus Resistances: 10 (+50% Bonus Armor/Magic Resistance) 10 (+75% Bonus Armor/Magic Resistance

W - Winter’s Wrath

• First Hit Damage: 10/15/20/25/30 (+20% AP) (+2% of her maximum health) 5/15/25/35/45 (+20% AP) (+4% of her maximum health)
• Second Hit Damage: 20/60/100/140/180 (+60% AP) (+6% of her maximum health) 5/25/45/65/85 (+60% AP) (+8% of her maximum health)
• Maximum Damage: 30/75/120/165/210 (+80% AP) (+8% of her maximum health) 10/40/70/100/130 (+80% AP) (+12% of her maximum health)

Skarner

Base Stats

• Mana Regeneration Growth: 0.6 0.75

Q - Shattered Earth / Upheaval

• Damage per Hit: 10/25/40/55/70 (+60% bonus AD) (+5% of his bonus health) 10/20/30/40/50 (+60% bonus AD) (+5% of his bonus health)
• [REM] Q no longer refreshes the buff duration upon attacking wards or plants

W - Seismic Bastion

• Slow: 20/25/30/35/40% 20% at all ranks
• Shield: 9% maximum health 8% maximum health

Champion Radii (Radiuses?)

This patch we’re re-tuning champion collision, pathfinding, and selection radii in order to match gameplay with visuals more consistently.

Selection Radius is when a player's client registers that they're hovering over the target champion for declaring attacks and targeted spells. This doesn't affect attack ranges, skill shot accuracy, or anything else of that nature, just make it easier to select an enemy champion. Most champions have between 100 and 140 Selection Radius, tightly correlated with their gameplay and visuals. The changes here amount to moving champions into more normal bounds to make gameplay feel more consistent.

Gameplay Collision Radius does have gameplay impact. (It’s in the name!) Auto attack range and collision with missiles are both affected here. These changes are meant to make the game feel consistent (reduce instances of "why didn't I hit that champion?"), not make any particular champions stronger or weaker. These new values are meant to match with how big champions look in game and thus should feel better for players.

Pathfinding Radius also has gameplay impact and determines how closely units can stand together. There are several pathfinding outliers who haven’t been touched yet, but we didn’t want to let that work hold up rolling out these quality of life improvements. This patch, we generally matched champions with the standards for their new size.

Selection Radius

• Alistar: 145 140
• Aurelion Sol: 165 150
• Azir: 88 120
• Bard: 88 130
• Blitzcrank: 165 140
• Brand: 65 120
• Braum: 100 130
• Briar: 111 120
• Darius: 125 120
• Diana: 75 120
• Gangplank: 85 120
• Garen: 75 120
• Gragas: 155 140
• Jayce: 75 120
• K’Sante: 102 140
• Leona: 75 120
• Lissandra: 88 120
• Malzahar: 88 120
• Mega Gnar: 180 140
• Milio: 125 100
• Naafiri: 111 120
• Neeko: 90 120
• Nilah: 75 120
• Poppy: 95 100
• Rengar: 70 120
• Rumble: 165 140
• Veigar: 93 100
• Vel’Koz: 88 120
• Viktor: 160 120
• Warwick: 111 120
• Xerath: 88 120
• Yasuo: 75 120
• Yone: 75 120
• Yuumi: 120 100
• Zac: 90 140
• Zoe: 120 10

Gameplay Collision Radius

• Aurelion Sol: 65 80 Note: Pathfinding radius unchanged at 35.)
• Briar: 55 65 Note: Pathfinding radius unchanged at 35.)
• Darius: 80 65 Note: Pathfinding radius unchanged at 26.)
• K’Sante: 65 80. Pathfinding radius: 35 50 
• Lulu: 65 55 Note: Pathfinding radius unchanged at 30.)
• Milio: 65 55. Pathfinding radius: 35 30
• Naafiri: 55 65 Note: Pathfinding radius unchanged at 35.)
• Vex: 65 55. Pathfinding radius: 35 30
• Warwick: 55 65 Note: Pathfinding radius unchanged at 35.)
• Yuumi: 65 55. Pathfinding radius: 35 30
• Zoe: 65 55. Pathfinding radius: 35 30

Skins, Bug Fixes & Smaller Gameplay Changes

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Champions

Ahri

W - Fox-Fire

• Damage: 50/75/100/125/150 (+30% AP) 45/70/95/120/145 (+30% AP

R - Spirit Rush

• Cooldown: 130/105/80 130/115/100 seconds

Amumu

Base Stats

• Base Attack Damage: 53 57
• Base Armor: 30 33

Aurelion Sol

E - Singularity

• Total Damage: 50/75/100/125/150 (+100% AP) 50/75/100/125/150 (+80% AP)

Blitzcrank

Passive - Mana Barrier

• Passive Shield Duration: 10 seconds 4 seconds

W - Overdrive

• Initial Bonus Movement Speed: 70/75/80/85/90% 60/65/70/75/80%

Evelynn

W - Allure

• Slow: 65% 45%

R - Last Caress

• Damage: 125/250/375 (+75% AP) 125/250/375 (+65%)

Janna

W - Zephyr

• Damage: 55/90/125/160/195 (+60% AP) (+30% Bonus Movement Speed) 55/85/115/145/175 (+50% AP) (+30% Bonus Movement Speed)

E - Eye of the Storm

• Shield: 80/115/150/185/220 (+55% AP) 80/120/160/200/240 (+55% AP)

Jinx

R - Super Mega Death Rocket

• Cooldown: 70/55/40 85/65/45 seconds

Karma

Q - Inner Flame

• Slow: 35% 40% Note: Mantra Q slow is unchanged at 50%.

R + E - Mantra Defiance

• AoE Shielding on Secondary Targets: 90% of Primary Target’s Extra Shield 100% of Primary Target’s Extra Shield
• AoE Movement Speed Bonus: 12% 15%

Kassadin

E - Force Pulse

• Damage: 60/90/120/150/180 (+80% AP) 60/90/120/150/180 (+70% AP)

Malzahar

Q - Call of the Void

• Mana Cost: 80 60/65/70/75/80

E - Malefic Visions

• Cooldown: 15/13/11/9/7 11/10/9/8/7 seconds

Master Yi

E - Wuju Style

• Bonus True Damage: 30/35/40/45/50 (+30% bonus AD) 20/25/30/35/40 (+30% bonus AD)

Olaf

Q - Undertow

• Damage: 65/115/165/215/265 (+100% bonus AD) 60/110/160/210/260 (+100% bonus AD)
• Bonus Damage to Monsters: 5/15/25/35/45 10/25/40/55/7

R - Ragnarok

• Passive Resistances: 10/20/30 10/15/20

Pyke

W - Ghostwater Dive

• Mana Cost: 50 65
• Cooldown: 12/11/10/9/8 14/13/12/11/10 seconds

Seraphine

Q - High Note

• Damage: 60/85/110/135/160 (+50% AP) 60/85/110/135/160 (+60% AP)

Taliyah

Q - Threaded Volley

• Mana Cost: 55/60/65/70/75 65/70/75/80/85 Note: Mana cost of 20 on Worked Ground unchanged.)
• Bonus Damage to Monsters: 25 (+10% AP) 25 (+5% AP)

Twitch

Base Stats

• Base Health: 682 630
• Health Growth: 100 104

W - Venom Cask

• Slow: 30/35/40/45/50% (+6% AP) 30/35/40/45/50 (+5% AP)

R - Spray and Pray

• Bonus Attack Damage: 40/55/70 30/45/60

Urgot

Base Stats

• Armor Growth: 5.45 5.0

ARAM Balance Changes

Nerfs

Hwei: Ability Haste: 20 10

Nami: Healing Received: 95% 90%; Damage Dealt: 100% 95%

Smolder: Ability Haste: 0 -10; Damage Taken: 100% 105%

Item Adjustments

Hubris: Passive: 10 + (1*statues) AD, Buff duration 45 seconds (all users) 15 + (2*statues) AD, Buff duration 90 seconds (melee users), 10 + (1*statues) AD, Buff duration 45 seconds (ranged users) Note: This passive change will also be inherited by the Ornn upgrade, Ataraxia.)

Behavioral Systems

While we do punish leavers, chat abusers, and players who exhibit other disruptive behaviors, we also know that being on the receiving end of this behavior isn’t fun for anyone. And getting indirectly punished by losing LP or having your time wasted can be frustrating. In order to make this less painful moving forward, we’ll be providing consolations when a verified leaver or feeder is identified in your game. Depending on your situation, these consolations may include the following:

• LP Consolation
• Autofill Protection
• XP Boost
• ARAM Rerolls

Additionally, warnings will now be issued for players who have received a large volume of reports, requiring them to review and accept our Code of Conduct before proceeding. If the player continues to receive high volumes of reports they will be punished.

Mythic Shop Rotation

Lee Sin ASU “Kick”off

Where could Lee Sin hop without a reliable ward(robe). With Lee Sin’s ASU making its way onto the rift we’re bringing back his Prestige Nightbringer skin in the Mythic Shop. Act fast because it’ll be gone in the shop rotation coming in 14.10, next patch.

Bugfixes & QoL Changes

QoL Changes

Fiora’s E now defaults to the highest damage effect between Sundered Sky and her E2 when Sundered Sky and E2 are both active at the same time.

Bugfixes

Fixed a bug that caused buying and selling / refunding the jungle item immediately to give reduced XP from lane minions for the rest of the game.

• Fixed a bug that caused Master Yi’s double strike to consume Hail of Blades stacks.
• Fixed a bug that caused Graves’ auto attacks to not utilize Sundered Sky.
• Fixed a bug that caused Aatrox’s W chains to deal damage after the target had left the applicable zone.
• Fixed a bug that caused Kled’s W to not apply spell effects on the fourth hit.
• Fixed a bug that caused Yone to gain a charge on his Q if the target had dodged the spell.
• Fixed a bug that caused Gwen W to not factor in AP from conversions or adaptive force when calculating the armor and magic resistance buff.
• Fixed a bug that caused Sylas to not gain a charge of Essence Rush on takedown when he had stolen Ahri's ultimate.
• Fixed a bug that caused Rengar to lose the reduced cooldown from Navori Quickblades after exiting his empowered state.
• Fixed a bug that caused Knight’s Vow’s VFX to be visible to the enemy team.
• Fixed a bug that caused Skarner to be able to refresh his Q buff duration by hitting wards or plants.
• Fixed a bug that caused Skarner to be able to take Hexgates while using his Impale.
• Fixed a bug that caused Nocturne’s Passive VFX to persist if the passive came off of cooldown while he was Polymorphed by Lulu.
• Fixed a bug that caused Illaoi’s E to make Briar’s R to last indefinitely.
• Fixed a bug that caused Neeko recasting W to move her clone to count as a spell cast towards abilities such as Kassadin’s E stacks.
• Fixed a bug that caused Sylas hijacking Taliyah’s R, mid-cast, to give Sylas only the recast option of the ability.
• Fixed a bug that caused Skarner’s Impale to make him briefly invisible inside of bushes.
• Fixed a bug that caused Skarner’s E to sometimes make both Skarner and enemies being moved through a bush to briefly disappear.
• Fixed a bug that caused Skarner’s E to not proc Fiora’s W, meaning she couldn’t stun enemies after parrying.
• Fixed a bug that caused Skarner’s E to be unable to stun an enemy if the wall he moved them into was too thin.
• Fixed a bug that caused Skarner’s E to stop if the targeted champion was hit by CC while having a spellshield.
• Fixed a bug that caused Skarner’s E to cause unnatural camera movement if grabbing an enemy from the other side of a wall.
• Fixed a bug that caused Smolder’s ultimate ability icon to show as available after casting it.
• Fixed a bug that caused Lux’s E and Xerath’s W to fail to detect enemies when cast into certain walls.
• Fixed a bug that caused several issues with Sandscourage Skarner’s SFX.
• Fixed a bug that caused Skarner’s exit wall SFX to play later than intended.
• Fixed a bug that caused Mikael’s Blessing to not Cleanse Renata’s R from allied champions.
• Worldbreaker Malzahar’s Nether Grasp (R) VFX now fires from his mouth as intended.
• Arclight Brand’s Blaze (P) VFX no longer renders over impassable terrain.
• Apocalyptic / Vandal / Arclight / Eternal Dragon Brand's Blaze (P) no longer causes red pixel VFX to appear when enemies are affected while Players hover cursor over.
• Immortal Journey Kayle now has a unique HUD portrait splash art at pre-level 11.

Upcoming Skins & Chromas

The following skins will be released in this patch:

• Empyrean Akali
• Empyrean Brand
• Empyrean Kayle
• Empyrean Malzahar
• Empyrean Nocturne
• Empyrean Varus
• Prestige Empyrean Kayle

The following chromas will be released this patch:

• Empyrean Akali
• Empyrean Brand
• Empyrean Kayle
• Empyrean Malzahar
• Empyrean Nocturne
• Empyrean Varus

That's it for this LoL update! Check back in two weeks for the next patch notes.

For more LoL, check out our homepage. Or take a look at the patch notes schedule here to see when new patches are planned to be released!