League of Legends patch 12.8 notes: Swain rework, Jinx & Xayah nerfs, Eclipse skins

League of Legends patch 12.8 is here — and it’s the big one before MSI. Get a look at what the League update brought like nerfs to meta AD carries Jinx & Xayah, the Swain rework, and new Eclipse skins.

Riot have been tweaking pro champ picks a lot lately — it’s high time ahead of MSI 2022 — and LoL patch 12.8 will be no different.

First on the list is meta AD carries Jinx and Xayah. Meanwhile, a number of changes across the Rift came through, including Swain’s long-awaited “mid-scope update” — or mini-rework, in layman’s terms.

A batch of new skins also came in the update: standalones for Gangplank and Yasuo as well as new cosmetics in the Eclipse range.

There’s tons to unpack in LoL patch 12.8, so here’s everything you need to know including what other changes are looming and how they affect champions.

What’s changing in LoL patch 12.8?

Meta AD carries Jinx, Xayah nerfed ahead of MSI

Meta League picks Jinx and Xayah got a bit of a nerf ahead of MSI to reign in the bot lane a bit more.

Xayah’s poke got a bit less punishing at higher levels with a fairly decent damage decrease on her W and a slightly longer cooldown to boot.

• Read More: Everything we know about League’s upcoming Void jungler

As for Jinx, she’s going to be a bit squishier still with her base health going down from 610 to 560, which should make players think twice about getting real aggressive with her in the early game.

Swain rework hits live servers

Swain mains have been hanging out for changes to the Noxian Grand General for months. Now, in LoL patch 12.8, Riot are realizing those wishes.

The goal of the “mid-scope update” is to push Swain back towards the top and mid lanes, away from his current support playstyle. This is being done by investing heavily into his drain tank ideology.

• Read More: Everything we know about Skarner’s LoL rework

No stone is being left unturned as Riot tunes up his damage and sustain, with a trade-off meaning he will be less effective at locking down targets. Read up on the full Swain changes here.

Top lane shake-up sees Mordekaiser, Poppy, more buffed

The top lane meta for most of League of Legends Season 12 has been solved. While tanks have been fleeting in and out, it’s been the year of Hullbreaker and split pushers.

While some like Mordekaiser, Poppy, and more recently Wukong have found refuge in the jungle, Riot are attempting to draw those names back to the top side of the Rift. Buffs to the former two certainly indicate that.

Vladimir also got a helping hand, with the vampire getting more base armor to sustain in lane. Combined with the Swain rework and a buff to Sylas, and the top lane meta could be in flux come LoL patch 12.8.

Lunar and Solar Eclipse skins

The fight between celestial light and dark comes to the Rift with the new Lunar Eclipse and Solar eclipse skins, along with new cosmetics for Yasuo and Gangplank.

The themed skins this time around have insane lighting effects for different abilities to give champs extra flair.

League’s Eclipse skin universe will reinvent six characters with a new look, and even a prestige form for one of the entries:

• Solar Eclipse Kayle
• Solar Eclipse Sivir
• Solar Eclipse Sejuani
• Lunar Eclipse Aatrox
• Lunar Eclipse Senna
  • Lunar Eclipse Prestige Senna

Every single champ this time around will also be getting Chromas with eight-a-piece, except for Sivir who has five.

Take a look at the full LoL patch 12.8 notes below, courtesy of Riot.

League of Legends 12.8 patch notes

Champions

Bard

Passive: Traveler’s Call

• 30 (+12 per 5 chimes) (+30% AP) ⇒ 35 (+14 per 5 chimes) (+30% AP)

W: Caretaker’s Shrine

• 55/95/135/175/215 (+60% AP) ⇒ 60/105/150/195/240 (+60% AP)

Ezreal

R: Trueshot Barrage

• 120 seconds at all ranks ⇒ 120/105/90 seconds

Fiddlesticks

W: Bountiful Harvest

• Healing against champions: 30/35/40/45/50% ⇒ 30/40/50/60/70% (still always 15% against minions)

Jhin

W: Deadly Flourish 

• CC duration increased: 1/1.25/1.5/1.75/2 seconds ⇒ 1.25/1.5/1.75/2/2.25 seconds
• Damage against monsters no longer reduced by 25% (damage against minions and summons unchanged)

E: Captive Audience

• First Lotus Trap damage no longer reduced by 35% against monsters and summons (damage against minions and summons unchanged)
• Trap recharge rate: 28/25/22/19/16 seconds ⇒ 24/21.5/19/16.5/14 seconds

Jinx

Base Stats

• Health lowered: 610 ⇒ 560

Kai’Sa

Passive: Second Skin

• Missing health damage ratio increased: 15% (+2.5% per 100 AP) ⇒ 15% (+5% per 100 AP) of target’s missing health

W: Void Seeker

• AP ratio reduced: 30/55/80/105/130 (+ 130% AD) (+70% AP) ⇒ 30/55/80/105/130 (+130% AD) (+45% AP)

R: Killer Instinct

• AP ratio increased: 75/100/125 (+100/150/200% AD) (+75% AP) ⇒ 75/100/125 (+100/150/200% AD) (+100% AP)

Kassadin

Q: Null Sphere

• Shield increased: 40/70/100/130/160 (+30% AP) ⇒ 60/90/120/150/180 (+40% AP)

E: Force Pulse

• Magic damage: 80/105/130/155/180 (+80% AP) ⇒ 80/105/130/155/180 (+85% AP)

Mordekaiser

Passive: Darkness Rise

• Movement Speed changed: 3% at all levels ⇒ 3/6/9% at levels 1/6/11

Poppy

W: Steadfast Presence

• Cooldown: 24/22/20/18/16 seconds ⇒ 20/18/16/14/12 seconds

R: Keeper’s Verdict

• Press knockup duration increased: 0.75 seconds ⇒ 1 second
• Hold missile speed increased: 2000 ⇒ 2500
• Hold knockback distance increased: 2400 ⇒ 3400
• Channel refund reduced: 30 seconds ⇒ 15 seconds

Sejuani

Passive: Fury of the North

• Cooldown changed: Sejuani receives Frost Armor after 12 seconds ⇒ 12-6 seconds (levels 1-18) of not taking damage from enemy champions or monsters

Soraka

W: Astral Infusion

• Heal lowered: 100/135/170/205/240 (+70% AP) ⇒ 100/130/160/190/220 (+65% AP)

Swain

Passive: Ravenous Flock

• Swain can no longer pull crowd-controlled enemies.
• Swain’s pull no longer deals damage.
• Healing: 4/5.5/7% (levels 1/6/11) maximum health >>> 4/5.5/7%/9% (levels 1/6/11/16) maximum health
• Health Per Soul Fragment: 5 >>> 12

Q: Death’s Hand

• Mana cost lowered from 65-85 to 45-65
• Cooldown lowered from 9-3s to 7-3s
• Damage increased from 55-135 (+40% AP) to 60-140 (+40% AP)
• Additional Bolt Damage changed from 15-35% to 12-52 (+10% AP)
  • Previous Equivalent Damage: 8.25-47.25 (+6-14% AP)
• Maximum Damage changed from 88-324 (+64-96% AP) to 108-348 (+80% AP)

W: Vision Of Empire

• Mana cost lowered from 70-110 to 60-80
• Pings now display enemies in range similar to Twisted Fate R and Nocturne R

E: Nevermove

• Can now be reactivated to pull all champions rooted by Nevermove.
• Cooldown is reduced by 20% during Demonic Ascension

R1: Demonic Ascension

• Cooldown lowered from 120s to 100-60s
• Drain Damage per Second changed from 35/50/65 (+14% AP) to 20/45/70 (+10% AP)
• No longer grants 125/200/275 health.
• Rather than lasting 12s, upon casting Demonic Ascension Swain gains 50 Demon Power, which drains at a rate of 10 per second. While draining an enemy champion, Swain gains 20 Demon Power per second. Upon running out, Demonic Ascension ends and Swain returns to normal. After 5 seconds, Demon Power drain rate is increased to 15 per second. After 3 seconds, Swain can cast Demonflare (R2)

R2: Demonflare 

• Damage increased from 100-200 (+50% AP) to 150-300 (+60% AP)
• Demonflare now slows enemies by 60%, decaying over 1.5 seconds.
• On casting Demonic Ascension, Swain can cast Demonflare 1 time. This does not end Demonic Ascension
• Demonflare no longer charges up based on health drained, up to double damage.

Sylas

R: Hijack 

• Cooldown: 100/70/40 seconds ⇒ 80/55/30 seconds

Tristana

Base Stats

• AD growth: 3.3 ⇒ 3.7
• AD at level 18: 115.1 ⇒ 121.9

Vel’Koz

Q: Plasma Fission

• AP ratio increased: 80/120/160/200/240 (+80% AP) ⇒ 80/120/160/200/240 (+90% AP)

W: Void Rift

• Initial damage AP ratio increased: 30/50/70/90/110 (+15% AP) ⇒ 30/50/70/90/110 (+20% AP)

Vladimir

Base Stats

• Armor changed: 23 ⇒ 27

Xayah

Q: Double Daggers

• Damage lowered: 45/65/85/105/125 (+50% bonus AD) ⇒ 45/60/75/90/105 (+50% bonus AD)
• Cooldown increased: 10/9/8/7/6 seconds ⇒ 10/9.5/9/8.5/8 seconds

Xerath

E: Shocking Orb

• Stun duration increased: 0.5-2 seconds (based on distance) ⇒ 0.75-2.25 seconds (based on distance)

Zoe

Q: Paddle Star

• Mana cost lowered: 50/55/60/65/70 ⇒ 40/45/50/55/60

R: Portal Jump

• Mana cost lowered:50 ⇒ 40

Items

Stopwatch

• Golden Hour: Stopwatch will no longer be purchasable if you already own Guardian Angel or Zhonya’s Hourglass

Bugfixes and QoL Changes

• Nexus turrets with active Objective Bounties will now correctly have bounty healthbar indicators and display bounty information in chat when pinged
• Fixed the bug where Nexus hitboxes were unintentionally larger than they appeared
• Fixed a rare bug that would permanently reduce a turret’s resistances if certain conditions were met when plating fell
• Being in an enemy turret’s range with an enemy Sion, Kog’Maw, or Karthus passive zombie as it dies will no longer make that turret’s aggro switch to you
• Ghost Poros have been restored and will once again grant normal vision, NOT true sight
• UPDATED – QoL Change: Illaoi’s E – Test of Spirit will now grant assist credit, even if the Vessel does not take any damage
• Fixed a bug where, if you casted Illaoi’s Q – Tentacle Smash during her E – Test of Spirit animation or while she was locked out of her abilities (e.g. in stasis), she would instantly change direction to face your cursor
• Fixed a bug where Vessels spawned from Illaoi’s E – Test of Spirit would be invisible if the tethered champion was camouflaged and being revealed by a control ward
• Fixed some strange Vessel interactions that would sometimes benefit Illaoi’s enemies upon expiring, like healing them if they had Omnivamp… :3
• Fixed a bug where Illaoi’s W – Harsh Lesson-empowered basic attacks would not trigger nearby Tentacles to slam her target if she had an active spell shield
• Fixed the bug where Taliyah would not be able to use her Passive – Rock Surfing for the rest of the game if someone broke her Banshee’s Veil spell shield while she was Rock Surfing again
• Fixed a bug where, if an enemy champion got DUNKED by Sett’s R – The Show Stopper into Tahm Kench’s R – Devour, they would first reappear at the original Devour point before quickly sliding to the actual Regurgitate destination
• Fixed an uncommon bug where Viego could become permanently attached to an ally champion if he possessed Yuumi under certain conditions
• Sona will no longer be able to reset her basic attacks against wards by casting an ability when she has full stacks of Passive – Power Chord
• Fixed a bug where, if Elise casted E – Rappel on herself while an enemy champion was right next to her, she would ascend and immediately descend upon on them despite not having recasted the ability
• Fixed a bug where, if you spammed Pantheon’s Q – Comet Spear or Sett’s E – Facebreaker while the ability was on cooldown, it would sometimes cancel your attacks and movements
• Black Cleaver’s passive interactions have been fixed so that you will correctly gain only one stack of Carve per basic attack, even if you purchased Titanic Hydra first
• Lulu’s interactions with Spellthief’s Edge and Spectral Sickle have been fixed so she will once again receive a stack of Tribute whenever Passive – Help, Pix! damages an enemy champion, too
• Rengar will no longer receive a Navori Quickblades stack upon hitting a plant with a Q – Savagery-empowered basic attack
• Axiom Arc’s passive has been fixed and will correctly grant Tahm Kench partial refunds on his R – Devour for scoring takedowns
• Fixed a bug where Teemo couldn’t gain Manamune stacks if he had ranked up E – Toxic Shot at least once. Unfortunately, this bug did not make Teemo players any less toxic.
• Fixed a bug where the Ornn Masterwork items Caesura and Eternal Winter did not grant the correct amounts of AP
• Fixed a bug where certain skillshots would not play their hit confirmation SFX if they hit a target in Fog of War (e.g. Ahri’s Q – Orb of Deception passthrough sound)
• Nocturne’s R – Paranoia VO volume has been fixed and is no longer much louder than intended
• Ivern and his friends are on speaking terms again (his jungle camp VO lines have been restored)

Skins

Gangplank the Betrayer

“Energized by a mysterious amulet containing Viego of Camavor and wielding the Blade of the Ruined King, Gangplank’s personality erupted as he raged in search of the long-lost Isolde. Though ultimately freed of the King’s influence by a group of heroes, he carries the experience with him… a reminder, perhaps, of true power”

Sea Dog Yasuo

“Empowered by the Buhru during his fight against Viego of Camavor, Yasuo made an unlikely champion for the children of Nagakabouros– his obsession with past events flew in the face of everything they believed in. Yet even the mangiest sea dog has his day, and Yasuo stood against the forces of darkness, emerging triumphant.”

Sun-Eater Kayle

“The hated sun-eater, Kayle wished to be one with the divine she loved, devouring the primordial sun and steeping the land in an eternal eclipse. Driven mad with light and unable to contain her power, she passed fragments down to an army of witch-knights, who slew the other gods in an act of unforgivable blasphemy.”

Solar Eclipse Sejuani

“A Knight of the Eclipse who patrols the border of the Elderwood on a great beast. Grim and wild at heart, Sejuani lives for battle with the forces of the Old Gods, caring naught for the reason why.”

Solar Eclipse Sivir

“A mercenary Eclipse Knight known for her skill in battle and lack of chivalry, Sivir sells her services eliminating witches and monsters who menace the countryside, ignoring threats that do not prove lucrative. Though many knights find nobility in their stated purpose, Sivir cares naught but for coin, pledging to aid her order only in their final, dire hour.”

Lunar Eclipse Aatrox

“One of the few who took up the mantle of the Eclipse Knights in the days of old, Aatrox hopelessly pined for Kayle’s affections… but she could only ever love the blazing sun. When she devoured it, the entity’s lunar corona consumed him. He exists now as Kayle’s monstrous, once-noble shadow, ever at her side.”

Lunar Eclipse Senna

“An ancient knight long thought dead, freed from the Eclipse Cathedral’s catacombs as Kayle began to stir from her ancient slumber. Senna now aids her knighthood against the new threat of the Coven, saving whoever she can from the resurrected Old Gods… though she remains ever vigilant, as the sun-eater’s return is now inevitable.”

Lunar Eclipse Senna Prestige Edition

“Burning up the runway in a look inspired by an ancient order of magical knights, Senna brings a cold, but determined energy to the Gala proceedings. Evil beware– these looks can kill… and kill again.”