Legends of Runeterra is closing in on both a new expansion and the game's full release, but that's not stopping its developers from making changes to the game's current state. In the upcoming patch, Riot Games is buffing four champions, as well as adjusting nine other cards and Expedition archetypes.

The Legends of Runeterra developers explain in the official blog: "(...) while we’re happy with where Noxus is as a Region in terms of overall card usage, Noxian champions in general are somewhat underrepresented, so we’ve got adjustments to Draven and Katarina." Katarina's effect changes most significantly, as she gains a whole new effect. Upon being played, she generates a Blade's Edge, with the Fleeting keyword, in your hand. The developers hope that, with this change, Katarina will be more viable in multiple stages of the game. Draven's level up requirement has been tweaked minorly, allowing him to level up when he's wielding two Spinning Axes simultaneously too.

Yasuo is being tweaked minorly, gaining one extra health at both of his levels. His durability was too low, the developers felt, hence the small buff. Kalista also sees a single digit being adjusted: instead of requiring four of her allies to die, she now levels up when she has witnessed the death of just three allies.

Other balance adjustments

Avarosan Trapper: Health changed to 3 (was 2). Attack power changed to 3 (was 2).

Blood for Blood: Cost changed to 2 mana (was 3).

Frenzied Skitterer: Health changed to 2 (was 3).

Kato the Arm: Health changed to 4 (was 3).

Laurent Duelist: Changed attack power to 3 (was 4).

Shady Character: Health changed to 3 (was 1).

Starlit Seer: Health changed to 3 (was 2).

Vanguard Bannerman: New text: Grant all other allies +1|+1 (was: all allies, including Vanguard Bannerman itself).

Wyrding Stones: Health changed to 4 (was 3).

New and adjusted Expedition archetypes

Riot Games continues to actively adjust Expeditions to make the game mode feel like a viable and rewarding alternative to the Ranked and Casual game modes. About the various Expeditions archetypes in Legends of Runeterra at the moment, the developers note: "At the moment, we think we’re in a pretty good spot, so many of the changes in this patch focus on mixing things up a little and refining some archetypes to be more satisfying to play."

With that said, a whole new Expedition archetype is being introduced: Crimson Guard. It rewards a playstyle of self-inflicted damage, boasting cards from Noxus and Demacia. The other, existing Expedition archetypes are being tweaked minorly with a few cards being added and a few others being removed.

When the first Legends of Runeterra expansion goes live in a few weeks, Riot Games will add an archetype fitting the new region to Expeditions mode too.