Turn into a Jungle Plant, Melee Minion, or anything that has an HP bar (Except for Towers and Neutral Epic Monster). Learn everything on the new Neeko Rework that just hit the PBE...
Neeko Midscope Rework finally hits the PBE rift after three months of being announced in LoLDev's Video on Reworks. In the video, Riot Phlox talked about a series of changes planned for Neeko, especially ones to empower her shapeshifting fantasy that didn't feel as satisfying.
And although there's a niche of players that love the Chameleon, she holds the spot for the 8th least picked champion in League of Legends, around a 1,6% pick rate.
Shapeshift into Ally Minions, Jungle Plants, and even Heimer turrets - Neeko Midscope LoL Rework
Yes! you read it well. Riot revamped her shapeshifting passive and now allows Neeko to turn into much more stuff, so you can get lane ganked by a melee minion that ends up being the Curious Chameleon.
Along with minions, she can turn into pretty much everything that has an HP bar such as Zyra's plants, Heimerdinger Turrets, and even turn into Kalista's Sentinel Ghost. There are a few exceptions though, Neeko cannot turn herself into enemy champions and minions, towers, neutral epic monsters like Rift Scuttle/Baron/Dragons, and other exceptions to the rule such as Anivia's egg.
On how it works, the usual ally champions spots for her shapeshifting remain the same, whats new is that you now have a spot to store a unique unit form. To obtain the Sho'ma (Shape), you need to be close to the unit and after a few seconds Neeko channels the passive to absorb it, you store it and then you can choose whenever you want to use it.
Do remember that you can ONLY store one unique shape, so prepare your strategy around it.
Now you can control her Clone and her Ultimate Elevates!? - LoL Neeko Rework Abilities
Along with these changes, the Midscope Team also took the time to improve many things on Neeko Kit that needed an update along with tweaks to her numbers, so she doesn't release in an OP state with her new passive shenanigans. Check this list of changes from Riot Phlox's tweet.
Key takeaways. Now Neeko's Shapesplitter (W) on top of having new shapes, you can now control the clone, even fake recalls. Neeko's Pop Blossom (Ultimate) now elevates (Like Namis Aqua Prison) enemies for a brief time, instead of giving a shield at the end.
However, these changes come with a cost and now Neeko numbers are overall nerfed in the early game (Scaling is better). Looking at the bright side, she's receiving a nice damage boost to jungle monsters so Neeko Jungle is a viable option.
A lot more depth of interactions
Despite naming a few of them already, there are still so much more that including them all would be more than one article. On Hextech Lab Youtube channel, you can check a lot of different interactions put on the test.
For instance, if Neeko transforms into a jungle creep, can she be eaten by a Nunu's Q or get Smited?
You can watch the test in the video below.
There are many more channels too with Neeko experimentation, feel free to explore.
Reaction on the Neeko subreddit.
Reactions are mixed, there is a population of veteran players that are not quite fond of the changes, but most of the responses are positive towards the new changes, even many Neeko players praising it as one of the best changes from Riot in quite some time.
Neeko destroying the nexus as a melee minion.
When you will be able to play the LoL New Neeko Rework?
Right now she's live on the PBE cycle for League of Legends patch 13.9, so Neeko is going to be released most likely in patch 13.9 scheduled for May 3.
On a side note, do remind that these changes are still in PBE so a lot of the new mechanics showcased by many videos are still up to debate whether they are going to hit the live servers or not.
