Riot is finally nerfing Goredrinker after months of League of Legends player pleas

Goredrinker has been League of Legends’ strongest item throughout most of Season 11. From being an item for bruisers, most AD champions on the Rift have found use out of the Mythic. Riot are trying to curb its power though with nerfs finally arriving.

No amount of Grievous Wounds in League of Legends could deal with the amount of sustain Goredrinker gave players in Season 11.

The item, which was slowly buffed into the meta, is now common place in every game of League of Legends. It’s not just bruisers building it, but assassins too ⁠— almost every melee champion started opting for it.

After patches of nerfing champions around Goredrinker rather than the items itself, League community criticism reached fever pitch. Now, in LoL patch 11.21, Riot is finally doing something about it.

Riot Games

Talon’s high mobility allows him to unleash some truly game-changing plays.

Goredrinker nerfs cut item’s damage, but keeps sustain

The Goredrinker changes are trying to push the item away from all AD champions and back into its intended role as a duelist and bruiser tool. The base health regen and the Spite passive have been removed, reducing the amount of damage players do on low health with Goredrinker.

In its place, the item will receive 8% Omnivamp, so there’s still a sustain element.

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However, the biggest change is coming to the Thirsting Slash active.

Instead of doing 100% total AD damage, it now scales purely off base AD. This stops high AD itemizing carries and assassins from building Goredrinker, and shifts it back towards bruisers. The heal remains unchanged.

Riot aren’t just nerfing Goredrinker. Its counterpart Stridebreaker, as well as the Ironspike Whip component, are also receiving changes.

Stridebreaker is having its AD increased from 45 to 50, but will have the same active damage change to a percentage of base AD rather than total AD. Ironspike Whip is also getting the latter change, which will stop bruisers and assassins scaling hard with the items.

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The changes might not be enough to shift the item out of the meta entirely though. With Sterak’s Gage remaining untouched, it’s likely the popular Goredrinker-Sterak’s combo will be prevalent until Season 12.

Players claim assassins will also still find some use out of Goredrinker unless further Eclipse buffs come into play to give them a sustain option.

Riot Games

Bruiser and drain tanks like Aatrox will still be able to use Goredrinker post-nerf.

The Goredrinker nerfs are set to ship on League of Legends patch 11.21, planned for October 20. You can find the full changelist below.

Goredrinker nerfs in LoL patch 11.21

Goredrinker

• REMOVED: 150% Base health regen
• REMOVED: Spite passive
• NEW: 8% Omnivamp
• Thirsting Slash active damage changed from 100% AD physical damage to 175% base AD physical damage

Ironspike Whip

• Halting Slash active damage changed from 75% AD physical damage to 100% Base AD physical damage

Stridebreaker

• AD increased from 45 to 50
• Halting Slash active damage changed from 100% AD physical damage to 175% base AD physical damage