Bel’veth Will Always Be Relevant

Bel’veth, the Empress of the Void, has become one of the most controversial champions in League of Legends since her release. Despite receiving numerous nerfs since her debut, she continues to maintain a strong presence, particularly in the jungle. Her complex kit and infinite scaling have made her a staple pick in both solo queue and professional play. But what exactly makes Bel’veth such a relevant champion, even in the face of continuous adjustments? This article will break down why she remains such a dominant force in the meta, focusing on her design, scaling potential, and how she interacts with the game's mechanics.

Bel’veth’s Unique Playstyle

Bel’veth’s design revolves around her rapid attack speed and the ability to scale infinitely through takedowns and jungle clears. Her kit allows her to chain dashes in four directions, making her highly mobile and difficult to escape from. Unlike many other infinite scaling champions, Bel’veth's early game is surprisingly strong. While other champions like Nasus or Veigar are traditionally weak early and rely on stacking to become powerful later, Bel’veth can contest early objectives, gank, and invade enemy jungles due to her mobility and crowd control abilities.

Her passive, Death in Lavender, boosts her attack speed after using abilities, and this stacks with each kill she participates in, which makes her an exceptional snowball champion. Once she gets going, Bel’veth becomes a terrifying presence on the map, capable of dishing out immense damage in team fights. This combination of early-game pressure and late-game scaling makes her relevant across different stages of the match, a trait that many champions lack.

Nerfs and Adaptability

Since her release in patch 12.11, Bel’veth has been subject to six patches of nerfs. These adjustments have primarily targeted her early game power, reducing her base stats and tweaking her cooldowns. However, despite the repeated attempts to balance her, Bel’veth has consistently maintained a win rate above 50% in Platinum and higher elos. Part of her strength comes from how well she scales with items that enhance attack speed and on-hit effects, which means that even small stat adjustments in her base kit don’t prevent her from becoming a powerhouse in the mid to late game.

Even until now at patch 14.20, she still has a win rate above 50% at Emerald+ ranks. The key to Bel’veth's continued dominance lies in her ability to adapt. Riot has nerfed various aspects of her kit, including her health regeneration, attack range, and damage mitigation. Despite these changes, her core mechanics remain intact, allowing her to farm and scale efficiently. Bel’veth’s true power lies in her ability to outmaneuver opponents with her dashes, secure objectives, and consistently apply pressure on the map.

Infinite Scaling with Few Drawbacks

Infinite scaling champions typically have glaring weaknesses that can be exploited, even when they reach maximum potential. Nasus, for example, has high damage but struggles with mobility and can be kited easily. Veigar has immense ability power but is vulnerable to engage and poke. Bel’veth, on the other hand, doesn’t suffer from such weaknesses. Her kit is built around mobility, making her difficult to kite, and she has strong crowd control in the form of her W – Above and Below, which knocks up enemies and allows her to dash toward them again.

What sets Bel’veth apart is that her infinite scaling comes with no significant drawbacks. She can continuously increase her attack speed and on-hit damage without sacrificing any of her ability to stick to targets or escape bad situations. This lack of a permanent weakness makes her one of the most dangerous champions in the game, especially in the hands of players who can utilize her mobility to its full extent.

Early Game Power

While many infinite scalers rely heavily on items to become effective, Bel’veth can exert pressure right from the start. Her early-game base stats, combined with her mobility and crowd control, give her the ability to invade the enemy jungle and secure kills before her opponents have had the chance to build up their defenses. This makes her a unique threat in the jungle role compared to champions like Master Yi or Shyvana, who are often passive until they reach their item spikes.

In addition, Bel’veth's E – Royal Maelstrom grants her damage reduction and life steal, allowing her to duel effectively early on. This ability makes her surprisingly tanky for a champion who specializes in attack speed and on-hit effects. While Riot has nerfed this ability multiple times, it still provides enough sustain and mitigation to make her a formidable opponent in skirmishes and early-game fights.

The Impact of Itemization

One of the reasons Bel’veth remains strong is due to her synergy with on-hit items. She scales incredibly well with items like Kraken Slayer, Guinsoo's Rageblade, and Blade of the Ruined King. These items not only enhance her damage output but also interact with her passive and ultimate, making her attack speed even more oppressive. On-hit items also benefit from being completed as a full set, meaning the more of them she buys, the more powerful she becomes.

This item synergy gives her a clear advantage in the late game, where most champions' power begins to taper off. Bel’veth, on the other hand, becomes even more dangerous as she completes her core items. Her ability to shred tanks and carry team fights is amplified by the way these items stack with her passive, allowing her to tear through even the toughest opponents with ease.

Snowballing and Late-Game Threat

Bel’veth is a snowball champion who excels in the mid to late game if she can get an early lead. Once she gains momentum, her infinite scaling and itemization come into play, making her incredibly difficult to shut down. Her ability to take neutral objectives like Dragon and Baron quickly with her high attack speed also allows her to control the pace of the game.

In the late game, Bel’veth becomes one of the most threatening champions on the Rift. Her ultimate, Endless Banquet, grants her bonus attack speed and true damage, allowing her to melt through enemies in team fights. If she secures a kill during her ultimate, she becomes even stronger, unleashing true damage in an area and gaining even more stats. This makes her a win condition for teams, as she can single-handedly carry fights if left unchecked.

Pro Play and Solo Queue Dominance

Bel’veth has made her presence felt in both solo queue and professional play. In solo queue, her ability to snowball and dominate the jungle allows her to consistently carry games, especially at higher elos where players are better at maximizing her potential. Her strong jungle clear, mobility, and scaling make her a highly contested pick, with many players banning her outright to avoid dealing with her oppressive playstyle.

In professional play, Bel’veth's ability to secure objectives and provide consistent pressure makes her a valuable asset in coordinated team compositions. While she requires careful management of resources and positioning, her ability to turn the tide of a game with a single Baron or Dragon fight makes her a popular pick in certain team strategies.

Future Relevance and Balance Concerns

Bel’veth's relevance in the game is unlikely to diminish anytime soon. Despite Riot's efforts to balance her, she continues to be a dominant force due to her scaling, mobility, and synergy with the game's itemization system. As long as on-hit items remain powerful and her scaling mechanics are left untouched, Bel’veth will always find a way to remain relevant in the meta.

The challenge for Riot moving forward will be to find a way to balance Bel’veth without completely gutting her. Too many nerfs could make her unplayable, while too many buffs could push her back into overpowered territory. 

Conclusion 

Bel’veth is a prime example of a champion who, despite numerous nerfs, continues to thrive in the current meta. Her unique combination of mobility, infinite scaling, and strong itemization keeps her relevant across all levels of play. Whether in solo queue or professional matches, Bel’veth's ability to dominate the jungle and carry games makes her a constant threat. Even with future balance changes, it's clear that she will continue to be a formidable force for the foreseeable future.

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