Mel’s designer,
Riot Myles "Emizery" Salholm, has announced that the champion will undergo a substantial set of changes in the near future. The champion is set to receive a rework, with the updated version expected to be playable starting in
Patch 16.3, while testing will begin on the PBE as early as this Wednesday.
Given Mel’s laning dominance and the frustration she generates for opponents, Riot Games appears intent on delivering a version of the champion that is less oppressive and requires greater mechanical precision to be played effectively.
The only ability that will remain unchanged is Mel’s ultimate; all other skills will undergo significant adjustments. The most substantial modification concerns "Rebuttal," her W ability. Until now, the spell granted Mel a shield, reflected incoming projectiles at their source, rendered her immune to damage, and provided bonus movement speed.
Starting with Patch 16.3, Mel will no longer gain damage immunity from this ability. Instead, it will grant her a shield and destroy area-of-effect projectiles that do not directly target her. This includes abilities such as Ryze’s E, Brand’s E, or Yunara’s Q, for example.
Riot Phroxzon clarified in a post on X that this change would not alter the spell’s fundamental identity: "
She will still have her reflect, and we believe that is one of the core pieces that remains intact; it will just be more necessary for her to use it well to succeed."
At the same time, her passive will deal reduced damage to enemy champions. Her Q will become easier to dodge, with increased cast time and reduced projectile speed. Finally, her E will receive adjustments that reduce its range and hitbox, while compensating with faster projectile travel and a longer root duration in the early game. These changes have been welcomed by many players, for whom facing Mel has often proven to be a particularly frustrating experience.
