An AP item in Season 14 of League of Legends stands out particularly. MeinMMO author Fabienne Kissel shares her first impression.
The current Season 14 in League of Legends has some impressive changes, and particularly one new item stands out – Stormsurge (in English: Storm Blitz). After an evening of playing and watching some LoL matches, I want to give a little impression of the new AP item.
Storm Blitz – A True Game-Changer
What exactly can Storm Blitz do and why is it so strong? The AP item Storm Blitz is characterized by its strength for AP-based champions in League of Legends, thanks to:
- High Ability Power: 100 Ability Power
- Magic Penetration: The 10 magic penetration helps break through the opponent’s MR. Even if opponents do not stack MR, every champion has base magic resistance by default.
- Movement Speed: With an additional movement speed of 5%, it improves the mobility of the champion.
- Passive – Storm Hunter: If you deal 35% of a champion’s maximum health as damage within 3 seconds, they are marked with “Storm Blitz” and the user receives 25% movement speed for 2 seconds. 30 seconds cooldown.
- Passive – Storm Blitz: After 2 seconds, a lightning bolt strikes the target dealing 120–260 (depending on level) (+40% ability power) (melee) / 90–195 (+30% ability power) (ranged) magic damage. If an opponent dies from the lightning or before it strikes, the lightning explodes immediately, dealing damage to enemy champions in a large area and granting you 30 gold.
Storm Blitz is especially effective for champions that can deal large burst damage quickly and also benefit from additional movement speed – for example on Fizz, Zoe, Viktor, Syndra, Ahri, Lux, Hwei, and also on Rumble.
The item costs 2900 gold, which is cheap for what it can do. Also, the fact that the lightning explodes immediately (if an opponent dies from the lightning or dies before it strikes) and deals AOE damage to enemy champions is pretty cool. The passive can be compared to Electrocute, only it deals more damage and also has the described AOE effect. With the additional movement speed from the passive, you can cleverly maneuver out of the fight once you unleash your burst – or chase down the opponents.
But not only Storm Blitz has caught my attention this season. I am also particularly impressed by the new passive of Shadow Flame. Magic damage and true damage critically hits enemies with less than 35% health and causes 20% increased damage (increased to 30% for damage over time and companion effects). For example, the item is strong on Syndra. Do you know the feeling when the opponent barely survives despite your burst damage and ultimate? That doesn’t happen as quickly with Shadow Flame anymore. But also on Rumble together with Storm Blitz.
Please note that this is just a first impression, and I definitely need to play some more matches to get a full picture, especially since we are still at the very beginning of the new season and there is so much new to try out. Overall, I feel that AP champions currently stand in a very good light, which makes me very happy because I enjoy playing AP mages in the mid lane in addition to support champions.
In general, I am impressed by the dynamics that these new and changed AP items bring to the current meta.
With the removal of mythical items, I feel that we are no longer on such a fixed path regarding item builds. Thus, no item is excluded anymore because you couldn’t combine two Mythic items.
Presumably, some AP items, including Storm Blitz, will be nerfed again. But for now, I definitely enjoy it.
What is your impression of the new season? Feel free to write it in the comments.
More about the changes in Season 14: New season in LoL is live – What’s inside?
