A Particular Item Causes popularity of Jarvan IV Soar in League of Legends

In League of Legends, sometimes small changes to items or champions can have a big impact on the game. Currently, a champion named Jarvan IV is very strong on the game’s map, Summoner’s Rift, thanks to a particular item called Spear of Shojin.

Riot Games wanted to make this item better for fighters in Patch 13.17, but it ended up making Jarvan IV and other melee champions too powerful. As a result, Jarvan IV’s win rate went up to 53%, and he was picked in almost 20% of games, making him very popular.

The changes to Spear of Shojin, which came with a big item update in the 2023 midseason, made it a must-buy item early in the game. This gave champions who like to roam and fight a big advantage.

Besides Spear of Shojin, Jarvan IV also benefited from a change to his main item, Goredrinker, in Patch 13.17. Both items together made Jarvan IV very strong and hard to kill.

But, don’t get too used to seeing Jarvan IV dominate games. Riot Games has announced that they will make him weaker in the upcoming Patch 13.18, which is expected to come out on September 13. They are also making Spear of Shojin a bit weaker, but it will still be a good item, especially in the early game.

If Jarvan IV and Spear of Shojin remain strong, they might continue to be important in future patches and even show up at the World Championship later this year.

In League of Legends, the balance between items and champions is delicate, and sometimes even minor adjustments can have major consequences. Currently, Jarvan IV, a champion known as the crown prince of Demacia, has become a dominant force on Summoner’s Rift, largely thanks to the resurgence of an item called Spear of Shojin in the 2023 midseason update.

Riot Games initially aimed to make Spear of Shojin a well-rounded item for fighters in Patch 13.17, but it unintentionally made it incredibly potent for many melee champions. This change caused Jarvan IV’s statistics to skyrocket, boasting a 53% win rate, close to a 20% pick rate, and a substantial 31% ban rate, according to data from OP.GG, U.GG, and champion.gg.

The adjustments to Spear of Shojin included a boost to its base health at the expense of base damage. Furthermore, it doubled the base ability haste per attack damage for both melee and ranged champions while halving the factored-in attack damage ratio. These changes transformed the item into a crucial early-game rush, turning roam-focused champions into formidable snowball machines.