After the 10.8b patch update, Dark Star in general and Shaco in particular have taken extremely heavy nerfs from Riot Games as their damage has been significantly reduced. However, reality has shown that Dark Star only dropped from the threshold of “Extremely Overpowered” to “Moderately Overpowered” on Teamfight Tactics statistics pages, meaning it is still a strong lineup if played correctly.
It seems that Riot Games is not fond of this, so in the latest PBE server testing patch, they continue to apply nerfs specifically targeting the Dark Star trait. Meanwhile, the key units of the Rebel trait are receiving buffs in various ways, could it be that Riot wants to bring this lineup back? The specific changes are:
Dark Star
The bonus AD and AP at the 3 unit threshold have been reduced from 25 to 20.
The bonus AD and AP at the 6 unit threshold have been reduced from 30 to 25.
The two main combo thresholds of 3 and 6 units of Dark Star have been heavily nerfed, directly weakening this trait’s ability to finish rounds significantly. Combined with Shaco’s sharp reduction in critical hit rate from his skill, it is likely that this clown will no longer be able to take on 3 or 4 enemy units with insane critical hits and massive healing.
Master Yi
The healing amount of the Chosen One skill has changed from 8/10/15% to 12% at all levels.
Jinx
The magic damage dealt to enemies around Jinx’s target when the skill is activated for the second time has increased from 100/175/750 to 125/200/750.
The buff for Master Yi is actually very significant as it greatly enhances this champion’s healing ability without relying on whether he reaches 3 stars or not. Combined with a slight buff to Jinx’s area damage, these are extremely valuable updates for the Rebel trait, allowing this team comp to deal and withstand damage effectively without being overly dependent on Aurelion Sol.
If these changes are implemented in the upcoming 10.9 patch, Dark Star is likely to take a significant slide and fall out of the top strongest lineups. Conversely, the Rebel trait may become stronger than before and no longer necessarily require Aurelion Sol to secure victories. You can stack items on Jinx to make her the main damage dealer with her ability to clear rounds extremely quickly.