League fans fear Worlds 2023 meta as Statikk Shiv dominates despite 6 separate nerfs
Statikk Shiv has had a meteoric impact on the League of Legends meta. Once players figured out why the item was strong and how to use it, the meta began to shape itself around the item. And, despite 6 different nerfs being applied to the item over the course of multiple patches, it’s still dominating.
When Statikk Shiv was first re-introduced toLeague of Legendsin patch 13.10, it wasn’t a breakout hit of an item. In fact, it even got buffed in 13.11 as Riot tried to get more players to use it.
However, as more and more players got acquainted with the item, it became increasingly clear just how strong it was. Mid laners were building it, ADCs were building it, top laners were building it, even champions who don’t traditionally build AD items likeLeBlanc were using it.
Statik shiv hullbreaker HAVE GOT TO GO most unfun combopic.twitter.com/j46aeruTNJ
Even with the item’s AP scaling nerfed, even with its minion damage being nerfed multiple times, the item still dominates, nowpaired with Hullbreaker. League players are scared that the item and champions that take advantage of it will define Worlds 2023.
Statikk Shiv defines League meta going into Worlds 2023
Initially, Statikk Shiv was an exciting addition to League of Legends. Champions who were off meta picks previously were thrust into the limelight with their ability to abuse the item’s strong waveclear.
LeBlanc was arguably the biggest winner as Statikk Shiv LeBlanc dominated the mid lane for a while, to the point where the champion had to be target nerfed on top of the existing Statikk Shiv nerfs.
However, players adapted and began playing LeBlanc top, forcing her to get quickly nerfed by the balance team. And, even with all that effort, anAD Ahri top buildhas come in to take its place. And an AD Twisted Fate build.Andthe item is still built on ADCs.
League of Legends patch 25.16 notes aim to make LoL less balanced
LoL patch 25.15 notes deliver a huge list of champion nerfs
League of Legends patch 25.06 notes bring full rework for Naafiri
Not to mention AD LeBlanc topmay be a viable choice even after the nerfs.
take manaflow band to fix mana nerf ✅buy berserker’s greaves instead to fix as nerf ✅riot’s not gonna like this…
To provide a bit more context to the scope ofjusthow many times Statikk Shiv has been nerfed, here’s the full history:
Patch 13.13(June 04, 2025)
Patch 13.14(July 25, 2025)
Patch 13.17(August 11, 2025)
Patch 13.18(June 26, 2025)
Patch 13.19 (August 23, 2025)
And, even after months worth of nerfs, players have persevered and found ways to take advantage of the item’s strong waveclear and flexible build path. Statikk Shiv is everywhere and there’s no sign of that trend stopping ahead of Worlds 2023.
Bobqin has been one of the key figures tracking Statikk Shiv’s monolithic, all-consuming impact on League of Legends and posted a screenshot from one of thePathfinderspro matches that shows Shiv being built on four separate champions.
what happens if when worlds start and this is all we see 💀💀pic.twitter.com/3xDGFo3kVW
All of that said, it’s hard to say what the Worlds 2023 meta will hold. For instance, Heimerdinger/Ashe wasn’t a first pick/first ban worthy option in draft at the start of Worlds 2022, but it certainly was by the end with how heavily World Champion support player Cho ‘BeryL’ Geon-hee prioritized it.
Additionally, the prevailing Statikk Shiv builds are abusing Hullbreaker and Trinity Force as well. It’s part of the problem when it comes to a few degenerate picks rather than the whole issue.
It isn’t like Statikk Shiv is going to herald the next Ardent Censer-like meta that’s characterized as, in many ways, ruining Worlds 2017. Things aren’tthatbad.
However, there’s a good chance that Statikk Shiv has a massive meta presence come Worlds 2023, and it’s hard to be excited about it considering how long Shiv has been a meta menace.
