TFT Patch 13.9 notes: Portals, Kai’Sa nerf, Aatrox buff, and more

Riot Games is delivering Portal drops that start with Patch 13.9 while tweaking the Teamfight Tactics Set 8.5 meta in preparation for Regional Finals. 

TFT Patch 13.9, which is set to go live on May 3, brings about the start of Portals in Normals, showing off a similar mechanic slated to drop through Set Nine while shifting the “for fun” patches to Normal mode. Most of the Patch 13.9 balance changes are minor tweaks, creating a healthy Set 8.5 meta for the EMEA and NA Regional Finals taking place from May 12 to 14. And all three-star units will have an additional 4,000 health applied through Patch 13.9.

From Portals in Normal drop changes to balance tweaks, here are the full TFT Set 8.5 Patch 13.9 notes, according to Riot. 

Patch 13.9 Normals with Portals

The fun continues in TFT Set 8.5’s Normal mode with Portals getting added through Patch 13.9. Players will encounter a random Portal opening at specific points throughout a game at Stages 2-6, 3-3, and 4-3. Drops have changed since the original announcement of Portals in Normals based on PBE feedback, according to Riot. 

Related: How TFT Set 8.5 ‘for fun’ Portals in Normals works

Each of the three possible Stages that a Portal may open will contain drops impacting the pace and meta of that game. 

• Stage 2-6: Common and game-accelerating drops
• Stage 3-3: Rare and electric drops
• Stage 4-3: Uncommon and powerful drops

Patch 13.9 notes for trait and Augment changes

Only two traits were adjusted for TFT Set 8.5 Patch 13.9: Defender and Gadgeteen. Both are minor tweaks, reducing the late-game power of the traits. 

• Defender: Team armor reduced from 25/75/200 to 25/70/180
• Gadgeteen: Damage and damage reduction per item adjusted from 3/10 to 4/9 percent

The Augment changes taking place through the Patch 13.9 update reduce access to powerful chase traits during the early-game stages. Trait Augments like LaserCorps Heart, LaserCorps Soul, Gadgeteen Heart, Gadgeteen Crest, and Gadgeteen Crown will only appear on Stage 4-2 from now on. 

Patch 13.9 notes for item changes

Gearing up for the Glitched Out! Regional Finals taking place during Patch 13.9, the TFT team tweaked several Ornn and Radiant items. Most of the tweaks are buffs, with nerfs getting applied to items like Radiant Statikk Shiv and Radiant Locket of the Iron Solari. 

Ornn item changes

• Death’s Defiance: Atack speed increased from 20 to 30 percent
• Death‘s Defiance: Armor increased from 20 to 30
• Obsidian Cleaver: Health increased from 150 to 250
• Obsidian Cleaver: Attack damage increased from 20 to 25 percent 
• Zhonya’s Paradox: Ability power reduced from 40 to 30
• Zhonya’s Paradox: Armor and magic resistance reduced from 40 to 30

Radiant item changes

• Radiant Edge of Night (Brink of Dawn): Attack damage increased from 10 to 30 percent
• Radiant Edge of Night (Brink of Dawn): Armor increased from 20 to 30
• Radiant Locket (Locket of Targon Prime): Shield value nerfed from 400/500/600 to 350/400/450
• Radiant Protector’s Vow (Bulwark’s Oath): Starting mana increased from 45 to 60
• Radiant Quicksilver (Quickestsilver): Magic resistance increased from 20 to 40
• Radiant Quicksilver (Quickestsilver): Critical chance buffed from 20 to 40 percent
• Radiant Firecannon (Rapid Lightcannon): Attack speed increased from 99 to 125 percent
• Radiant Statikk Shiv (Statikk Favor): Damage reduced from 75 to 65 

Patch 13.9 notes for champion changes

Champion balance changes taking place through Patch 13.9 focus on strengthening underperformers while continuing to bring down the power level of overperformers.

One-cost

• Gangplank: Attack speed buffed from 0.65 to 0.7
• Kayle: Starfire Spellblade attack damage ratio increased from 155 to 175 percent
• Wukong: Stone Skin spell damage buffed from 140/210/315 to 150/225/335

Two-cost

• Camille: Tactical Sweep attack damage ratio increased from 210 to 240 percent
• Camille: Tactical Sweep disarm duration buffed from 1.5/1.6/1.75 to 1.75/1.8/2 seconds

Three-cost

• Kai’Sa: Starcharged spell damage nerfed from 135/205/335 to 125/185/310
• Kai’Sa: Starcharged spell bonus attack speed reduced from 75 to 60 percent
• Jax: Adaptive Strike damage adjusted from 80/125/210 to 85/130/210

Four-cost

• Aatrox: Soul Crush spell damage buffed from 200/300/1200 to 220/330/1200
• Aatrox: The Darkin Blade damage increased from 200/300/1200 to 220/330/1200
• Garen: Mana nerf from 90/180 to 100/200
• Jhin: Attack damage increased from 65 to 70
• Miss Fortune: Bullet Time spell damage adjusted from 32/50/150 to 30/45/150
• Miss Fortune: Bullet Time spell subsequent damage reduced from 180/27/100 to 15/24/100
• Viego: Health increased from 950 to 1,000
• Viego: Heartbreaker spell damage buffed from 240/360/800 to 260/390/900

Five-cost

• Ultimate Ezreal: Alternate Ezrealities attack damage ratio increased at three-star from 133/133/277 to 133/133/533 percent
• Syndra: Syndra at three-star will always cast her ability a total of nine times, even if a player doesn’t have units on the bench. 

Patch 13.9 notes for Hero Augments

• Ashe Laser Focus (carry): Attack speed reduced from 50 to 45 percent.
• Garen Full Power to Sword (carry): Strongest Garen ability buffed to cost 50 less mana, instead of only 30 less mana.
• Garen My Sword is my Shield (support): Shielding allies reduced from 15 to 12 percent of maximum health for four seconds, instead of six seconds.
• Garen My Sword is my Shield (support): Shield duration reduced from six to four seconds. 
• Jax: Relentless Assault (carry): Every third attack, attack speed gained increased from 15 to 18 percent.
• Jinx: Get Excited (carry): Attack speed reduced from 35 to 30 percent.
• Lee Sin Cleansing Safeguard (carry): Strongest Lee Sin ability increased from costing 10 less to 15.
• Lux Illuminating Singularity (carry): Second cast damage buffed from 120 to 150 percent.
• Nasus Soul Eater (support): Team heals on takedown reduced from 300 to 275 health.
• Rell Hold the Line (carry): Ability power reduced from 80 to 60.
• Riven Triumphant Return (support): Shield granted to allies increased from 40 to 45 percent of maximum health.
• Pyke Your Cut (carry): One free shop refresh buffed from every three to every two times Pyke casts his ability last round.
• Warwick Feeding Frenzy (support): Damage dealt by units reduced from 0.75 to 0.65 percent.
• Warwick Well Fed (carry): Maximum health gained increased from 40 to 60.
• Warwick Well Fed Plus (carry): Maximum health gained increased from 140 to 150.
• Yasuo Winds of the Wanderer (carry): Bonus damage nerfed from 20 to eight percent. 

Patch 13.9 bug fixes

• Mecha, Feudal Future, and Galactic Victory Burno have had their animation issues resolved
• A bug was fixed where Hand of Justice was rolling an extra time on invasion
• An Exo Prime Selector bug that was being created when the trait wasn’t active has been resolved
• Fixed a bug where Crowns and Crests could fail to grant items if you had a full item bench.
• Gadgeteen units no longer lose their damage done and damage taken boosts when the Prankster trait procs
• The item Ionic Spark deals damage correctly now.