Even though Riot Games conservatively adjusted a handful of champions in League of Legends: Wild Rift patch 2.3a, the biggest change is to the jungle.
Buffs to Summoner Spell, Smite, and two jungle camps could very well signal the start of a shift in the jungle meta.
Wild Rift patch 2.3a buffs Smite
- (New) Passive: Restores 4 mana per second while in jungle or river
Buffs to Gromp and Krugs jungle camps
Gromp
- Health decreased from 2500 to 2200
Krugs
- Ancient Krug Health decreased from 1600 to 1200
- Krug Health decreased from 600 to 500
- Jungle Fizz might surge in popularity after these two buffs
- Wild Rift patch 2.3 changed Akali so much she might actually be stronger now
Taking on a smacking new passive, the mana regen on Smite is intended to “help level the playing field between resourceless junglers and mana-hungry junglers” wrote Riot Games.
This means that junglers like Amumu, Olaf, and Gragas will find it easier to stay out field more, as the need to recall to replenish mana has been reduced.
Acknowledging that this Wild Rift patch 2.3a change is “significant”, the developers will be monitoring things, especially since when taken in context with the buffs to Gromp and Krugs.
Gromp’s HP went down by 300, while Ancient Krug’s health decreased by a massive 400 points. Since respawn times do not change, it means that junglers with a fast clear speed won’t be the key benefactors, but rather, those that were slower.
Fizz is the clear winner here, for his base mana regen was buffed on patch 2.2, while Playful / Trickster’s mana cost and cooldown were decreased in patch 2.3, among other welcome changes.
Already a top tier jungler, Fizz will now receive additional mana regen from Smite, which helps him out even more, so if you’re not playing jungle Fizz yet, start now, for you’re already late to the party.
Click here for the full League of Legends: Wild Rift patch 2.3a notes.
