As we know, in Teamfight Tactics patch 11.17, Riot Games reworked 2 classes – the Vanguard and the Mage. While the adjustments to the Vanguard class immediately strengthened this composition, the Mage system seems extremely weak after the rework. According to statistics from the specialized site Metatft.com, the 6 Vanguard composition currently has a 51.7% chance of reaching the top 4. Meanwhile, this figure for the Zombie – Mage composition is only 40.2%.
So what has Riot done to put the Mage class in such a “dismal” situation? First, we need to carefully examine Riot’s rework in patch 11.17. Essentially, they removed the cap on skill damage stacking for the Mage system in this version. However, the basic skill damage provided by Mages at the 2/4 unit threshold has been reduced by 10/20 points. This means that a unit needs to cast their spell 5 times to achieve the skill damage numbers prior to the rework.
If you have ever played a Mage composition, you may know that the main damage output of this composition comes from Zyra and Vel’Koz. In reality, the number of casts for these champions is very difficult to reach 5, so overall, the skill damage that Mage units receive in patch 11.17 has been nerfed.
Clearly, when the damage stats are reduced and the output damage of the carry units declines, players are less inclined to use Mages. Of course, Vel’Koz remains a strong unit with high damage, so players still utilize it. However, this champion can shine in the Divine composition without needing the Mage system, thanks to being well-protected by units like Syndra and Lux.
If you want to use this system, the advice is to find a way to play around Brand with a Knight – Mage team and equip this unit with a Blue Buff. This champion has a maximum energy of only 20, so it can quickly accumulate skill damage from the Mage system. Besides the Knight – Mage team, there isn’t any other composition that can take advantage of Riot’s adjustments.
In summary, with the reduction in basic skill damage, the carry units are not suitable for Riot’s adjustments, which has made the Mage system extremely weak and difficult to use in the current meta. Perhaps Riot Games needs to implement additional buffs for this system to improve the strength of Mages. Otherwise, this system will gradually be neglected by players.