LoL: Huge Mel Nerf Hotfix in Patch 15.2

The new League of Legends season comes with a new champion, Mel Medarda who we know from the Arcane. As the daughter of the powerful Ambessa Medarda, another LoL champ, Mel steps onto Summoner's Rift with patch 15.2. However, Mel Medarda is currently too overpowered, forcing Riot Games to release an emergency nerf after her release. Here's what you need to know.

Mel Medarda's Kit Overview

While her addition to League of Legends was met with excitement, many players quickly discovered that Mel’s abilities were significantly overpowered. Here’s a breakdown of her abilities (info from the official LoL website):

Searing Brilliance (Passive)

• Whenever Mel uses an ability, she gains three bonus projectiles (up to nine maximum) on her next attack. When Mel deals damage through an ability or attack, she applies Overwhelm, which can stack infinitely. If the enemy is hit by Mel with enough Overwhelm damage, the stacks are consumed to execute the target.

Radiant Volley (Q)

• Mel fires a barrage of projectiles that explode around a target location, dealing damage repeatedly to enemies within the area.

Rebuttal (W)

• Mel forms a barrier around herself that reflects enemy projectiles back at the attacker, prevents her from taking damage, and grants her movement speed.

Solar Snare (E)

• Mel fires a radiant orb forward, rooting those at its center while the area around it slows enemies and deals damage over time.

Golden Eclipse (R - Ultimate)

• Mel strikes all enemies marked with Overwhelm regardless of their distance from her, dealing additional damage for each stack of Overwhelm. Ranks of Golden Eclipse increase Overwhelm's damage.

Why Was Mel Nerfed So Quickly?

Upon release, Mel proved to be absolutely OP on the Summoner's Rift. Although this is a usual thing for all newly released LoL champions, the measures against Mel were taken very quickly. Her Passive allowed for easy executions, her Q had immense burst potential, and her R could wipe out enemies across the map with little counterplay. As a result, Riot has deployed an emergency hotfix nerf to tone down her power.

Mel Hotfix Nerfs – Patch 15.2

Searing Brilliance (Passive)

• Overwhelm Flat Damage AP Ratio: 25% → 10%

Radiant Volley (Q)

• Damage: 13/16/19/22/25 → 13/15.5/18/20.5/23

• Total Damage: 78/112/152/198/250 → 78/108.5/144/184.5/230

Golden Eclipse (R - Ultimate)

• Overwhelm Flat Damage Increase: 65/80/95 +25% AP → 60/70/80 +10% AP

• Ultimate Flat Damage: 125/175/225 +40% AP → 100/150/200 +30% AP

Riot Games is basically nerfing most of Mel's kit, aside from her W and E. The changes are huge and drastic. Some players on Reddit are even discussing if these nerfs are taking things too far or if she was so OP that she'll now get normal performance. 

What’s Next for Mel Medarda?

While these nerfs have significantly reduced Mel’s burst potential, it remains to be seen whether they are enough to balance her effectively. Players will need time to adjust to the changes, and Riot may issue further adjustments in upcoming patches based on performance data. Stay tuned for more updates on Mel Medarda and other upcoming League of Legends balance changes!