Hey Kayle Mains,

So, we finally got news of Kayle receiving a buff, and after months of being borderline unplayable, we all hoped for something significant. Maybe a meaningful update to her outdated abilities, a fix to her terrible laning phase, or a real answer to the scaling issues that leave her outclassed by so many champions. Instead? Riot gave us a 15 mana reduction on her W.

...Let that sink in. 15 mana. That’s the big change.

Why This Buff is an Absolute Joke

Look, I’m not saying a mana reduction isn’t welcome, but let’s be real here—this isn’t what Kayle needs. This doesn’t fix her identity crisis, it doesn’t help her survive her abysmal laning phase, and it sure as hell doesn’t make her feel like a late-game monster again. The W change doesn’t address any of the core problems with Kayle right now. Let’s break down why this buff is a band-aid on a much bigger issue:

1. Kayle’s Laning Phase is Still a Nightmare
Kayle struggles against nearly every top lane matchup, and a 15 mana reduction on W won’t change that. Jax, Irelia, Nasus, Olaf, Volibear—you name it—they will still stomp you in lane. What does 15 less mana on W do when you’re getting bullied out of every trade? You still get out-traded, out-gapped, and your early game is still a ticking time bomb waiting to blow up in your face.

2. W is Still a Mana Drain
Yes, reducing the cost of W is nice on paper, but W is still too expensive for the minimal benefit it gives you. The healing is pathetic unless you invest in AP, which feels terrible, and the movement speed doesn’t even give you enough to reposition in a fight. 15 less mana doesn’t change the fact that using W too much in lane is a recipe for going OOM in minutes.

3. Kayle’s Identity Crisis Remains
The bigger issue here is that Kayle is being forced into this weird burst playstyle when she’s supposed to be an AP scaling champion who thrives on sustained damage. This buff does nothing to fix that. Riftmaker’s omnivamp is still gone, attack speed builds feel underwhelming, and AP builds pigeonhole you into praying for Rabadon’s spikes. This 15 mana change doesn’t suddenly make her a late-game powerhouse again, and it doesn’t bring back the joy of scaling into an unkillable angel.

4. Her Abilities Still Feel Clunky and Outdated
Let’s not even get started on her other abilities. The W mana reduction doesn’t make her Q cast any faster or less predictable, it doesn’t fix the self-stun when casting, and it doesn’t solve the fact that her R has a long cooldown and is still a high-risk, high-reward ability with little room for error. Kayle’s kit is outdated, and the game has left her behind.

5. Scaling Champs Are Still Outclassing Her
Even in the rare case you make it to late game without being completely irrelevant, Kayle just isn’t the late-game beast she used to be. Champions like Aurelion Sol, Sion, and Nasus outscale her while also having better lane phases. This mana buff doesn’t give Kayle more survivability, more damage, or better scaling—just 15 more mana to spare.

This Buff Isn’t Enough—Time to Bench Kayle Until Real Changes Come

Let’s be honest with ourselves—this buff is a slap in the face to Kayle mains who have stuck by her through thick and thin. It’s time for us to take a stand and stop playing Kayle until Riot actually addresses her problems. A champion as iconic as Kayle deserves better than this half-hearted attempt at a buff.

If we keep playing her, we’re sending the message that we’re fine with being ignored and left in the dirt. Let’s make some noise and get Riot’s attention for real changes—a proper rework of her kit, meaningful buffs to her scaling and itemization, and fixes to her terrible laning phase. Until then, it’s time to put her on the shelf and pick someone else.

this shit ain’t it.

— A Frustrated Kayle Main