Gwen changes in upcoming League patch trades late game power for early boost

Gwen has been a menace in League of Legends since her release, but the Hallowed Seamstress is getting her most comprehensive change yet in LoL patch 12.13 as Riot tries to snip the top laner (and jungler)’s late-game power with some big early trade-offs.

While Gwen skipped her way onto Summoner’s Rift with glee in Season 11, she has slowly been snipped back in power ⁠— to most players.

She’s gone through a couple of evolutions, being dragged around the map from the top lane into the jungle. However now Riot wants to send her back to her traditional home ⁠for good — while trying to solve the big Ryze-esque problem of making her good for casuals without being oppressive in pro play.

This is quite the gap to bridge. Gwen currently boasts a win rate below 46% in ranked, but in pro play across 2022 it’s above 52%.

Riot are doing that by simplifying some of the Hallowed Seamstress’ mechanics and snipping her late-game power, but making her early game significantly stronger in lane.

The update is the most comprehensive since her launch in early 2021 with almost every part of Gwen’s kit facing some sort of change.

The majority of changes help her out in the early game. This includes her Q, Snip Snip, being able to execute minions, as well as bonus flat stats on all her other abilities.

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However, these come with a cost ⁠— and that’s her late game scaling. While her damage numbers are going up, the cooldown on her E, Skip ‘n Slash, is also going up to make it less spammable late on. Her late-game burst will also be hampered by an ultimate change that changes the recast timing to once a second rather than after damaging an enemy.

Biggest of all, her contentious Hallowed Mist will last for a second less ⁠— down to four seconds in duration.

Gwen mains are divided on the changes. Some are concerned the ultimate timing change will introduce unnecessary clunkiness into her kit, while others state the boosts across the rest of a kit will be a net positive in making her more accessible outside of pro play, especially in top.

That’s good news for original fans of the Hallowed Seamstress who have seen the champion start to evolve from a skirmishing top laner into a jungler, with Riot slowly nudging the needle back in the other direction with these changes.

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These Gwen changes are planned to go live as part of LoL patch 12.13, which is a week delayed for Riot’s mid-year holiday break. They will be pushed onto live servers come July 13, 2022, and we will keep you updated if there are any major changes between now and then.