Patch 10.12 is only a week away, and it's bringing in a tidal wave of change. Between the ranked reset and 14 new champs, Set 3 is being completely revitalized. But don't worry, because I've been playing on the PBE non-stop to bring you guys everything you need to know for climbing success. So without further ado, let's hop into the changes.

 Cho'Gath - Void Units are being removed in 10.12, and sadly that means Cho'Gath as well. While his AOE Knockup will be greatly missed, Gnar, the new Tier 4 Brawler, fills this niche nicely.

 Kai'Sa - Valkyrie is the other trait being removed, meaning Kai'Sa will face the same fate. This is very unfortunate for Mech Infiltrator comps, and they will struggle to deal with her departure.

 Kassadin - In a surprise to everyone, Kassadin is being removed. Kassadin was a massively underrated unit, that was great for win streaking through early rounds with his AOE disarm. While his removal is puzzling, it's possible Riot wanted to remove a unit with the Mana-Reaver Trait as there were too many.

 Kayle - Kayle has left her mark and will bow out in 10.12. Kayle has served as the strongest Tier 4 Carry for the majority of Set 3. It will be interesting to see if Riven can fill the hole left behind by Kayle's departure.

 Kha'Zix - Kh'Zix and his days of one-shotting people are over. Nocturne will take his place as the Tier 1 Infiltrator.

 Lux - Another puzzling removal. Lux was likely removed solely to make room for more Tier 3 Units.

 Miss Fortune - A Fan Favorite Unit by many players. The removal of Miss Fortune will weaken the late game dominance of Brawler Blaster comps. Janna and Urgot will be added to the Tier 5 Units to take her spot.

 Sona - Sona is being taken out to make room for a new Rebel Unit. Upon Sona's departure, Soraka will be the only healer left in the set.

 Vel'Koz - Vel'Koz is the final unit being removed. With infamously inaccurate AI aiming from his ultimate, his removal will ease some frustration among players. His replacement Viktor is looking to go above and beyond in filling his shoes.

 Bard: (Astro/Mystic) - Bard is undoubtedly the most unique unit in the Set. While Bard is not fantastic in combat, his ability grants XP upon casting. With the right items, Bard can get 3 to 4 XP per round. Only time will tell if an "XP Printer" strategy emerges, but it will be interesting to see where Bard fits in the Meta.

 Cassiopeia: (Battlecast/Mystic) - Cassiopeia will look to keep shields in check. Cassiopeia's ability deals damage over time and shreds shields, making her great against Poppy and Protectors. She will be a worthy addition to any Protector Mystic comp.

 Gnar: (Astro/Brawler) - So far, Gnar has been one of, if not the strongest unit on PBE thus far. His AOE Displacement-Stun can change the tide of any game. This, combined with his tankiness, makes him a force to be reckoned with. Look to run him in Brawler Blaster comps.

 Illaoi: (Battlecast/Brawler) - Illaoi has felt very solid thus far. Her ability steals Percentage Armor and Magic Resist, making her particularly amazing against Vanguard units. She'll fit right into Brawler Blaster comps.

 Janna: (Paragon/Star Guardian) - Janna can single handily keep Vanguards in line with her Trait, Paragon. In addition to this, Janna's ability is an AOE Knockup that also grants attack speed to allied units. Janna will make Star Guardians one of the best comps in 10.12.

 Kog'Maw: (Battlecast/Blaster) - Percent Health Damage is something desperately needed this patch with so many tanky units and Kog'Maw delivers. For a short time, his ability gives him attack speed, infinite range, and Percentage Health Damage. Try a slow roll comp focused on Kog'Maw to see him shred through the competition.

 Nautilus: (Astro/Vanguard) - Nautilus adds another Vanguard to the early game. Notably, this makes Vanguard [4] possible early on. His ability is an AOE Knockup with substantial damage on top of it. He can be an MVP in Astro Sniper comps.

 Nocturne: (Battlecast/Infiltrator) - Nocturne feels pretty good to use early. His ability is a single-target fear that deals decent damage. Look to use him in a Battlecast Mech comp.

 Riven: (Chrono/Blademaster) - Riven will be contending with Jinx for the title of best carry in patch 10.12. Riven's ability has three parts with each costing 25 mana. The first two parts deal damage, while the third shields her. Notably, giving her a Blue Buff will allow her to use her ability continuously. Look to play her in a Chrono Blademaster comp.

 Teemo: (Astro/Sniper) - Kudos to Riot for making Teemo as annoying in TFT as he is in League of Legends. Teemo's ability throws shroom traps that damage and slow enemies. Teemo fits perfectly into the Astro Sniper comp and will be plaguing us all for the foreseeable future.

 Urgot: (Battlecast/Protector) - Urgot is a terrifying unit, but surprisingly balanced. His ability allows him to execute any enemy unit hit by it, and on top of that, each additional use of this ability has reduced mana cost. While it may seem overpowered, remember he is a Tier 5 Unit, and Miss Fortune used to deal enough damage to do this to an entire team.

 Vayne: (Cybernetic/Sniper) - Vayne is very strong for a Tier 3 Unit. Her ability makes her invisible, creates distance, and does Percent Health Damage. Interestingly this negates the need for a defensive item on her when she is the carry. Try her out in a Slowroll or Cybernetic comp.

 Viktor: (Battlecast/Sorcerer) - Viktor has been destroying opponents as the new carry for Sorcerer comps. Viktor's ability does AOE Percent Health Damage and massive Magic Damage. Play him in a Brawler Sorc or Star Guardian comps for easy wins.

 Zed: (Infiltrator/Rebel) - Zed is an exciting addition to the Rebels. As an Infiltrator, he is not hindered by the unique way Rebels position. His ability allows him to steal AD and deal Bonus Damage, making him great for eliminating opposing backline carries.

 Astro [3] - Astro Units are in orbit. Astros bring a lot of CC and unique utility to the mix. Their trait requires 3 Astros to be fielded and reduces Astro Units' mana costs by 30. Try mixing them in with snipers for terrific backline peel.

 Battlecast [2/4/6/8] - Battlecast Units are ready to tear through the opposition. These units repair themselves through dealing and taking damage. Specifically, when they are below 50 percent health upon receiving or dealing ten instances of damage, Battlecast units heal [70/150/300/600]. If they are above 50 percent, Battlecast units instead deal that amount to an enemy unit. Try pairing these with a Brawler Blaster or Protector comp for some free wins.

 Paragon [1] - Janna is the sole owner of this trait and for a good reason. Paragon converts all allied basic attacks to Magic Damage. But that's not all, allied star guardian's basic attacks are instead converted to True Damage. This ability makes Janna a must-have unit in any Star Guardian comp or any comp that is facing a strong front line, such as Vanguard.

 Chalice of Harmony - Removed

• Replaced by Chalice of Power - At the start of combat, the wearer and units within one hex to their left and right gain 30 AP for 10 seconds.

 Demolitionist Charge - Removed

• Replaced by Battlecast Armor - Grants a unit the Battlecast Trait.

 Giant's Belt - No longer deals Percent Health Damage

• New effect: Attacks do 25% Bonus Damage as True Damage. This bonus increases to 100% if the target has more than 1500 HP.

 Infinity Edge - No longer increases Critical Strike Damage by 100%

• New Effect: Gives unit 100% Crit Chance and increases Crit Damage by 20%. This effect is now unique.

 Jeweled Gauntlet - Changed

• Extra Effect: Grants 20% Bonus Damage to spells that Critically Hit.

 Luden's Echo - No longer scales with Unit Level.

• New Effect: Now deals a flat 200 damage to the additional units.

 Seraph's Embrace - Removed

• Replaced by Blue Buff - After casting a spell, wielders mana is set to 20.

 Rapidfire Cannon - Changed

• Extra Effect: Attacks cannot miss.

 Warmog's Armor - No longer grants 5% Health Regen.

• New Effect: Now grants 1000 HP.

Numerous traits are being buffed, such as Brawler and Cybernetics, but we will be looking at what changes are being made to how certain traits function.

Chrono - Changed

• Now has a Chrono [8]. When you have 8 Chrono gain 15% attack speed every 0.75 seconds.
• Thoughts: This is a great addition. Chrono Blademaster comps, revolving around Riven, will look to use 8 Chrono with great success.

 Dark Star - Changed

• Dark Star now has [2/4/6/8] instead of [3/6/9]. These new tiers grant [10/20/30/50] Spell Power and Attack Damage*.
• All allies now gain increased damage from Dark Star Units dying.
• Thoughts: Jhin comps get a bit stronger. Dark Star likely won't be a premier comp due to the Infinity Edge changes, but Dark Star [2] will probably be used in many comps now like Sorcs and Snipers.

 Sniper - Changed

• Sniper [2] was nerfed slightly to compensate for the addition of Sniper [4]. Sniper [4] gives 30% increased damage per hex*.
• Thoughts: With these changes, new units, and their inherent flexibility look for Snipers to dominate the Meta.

 Sorcerers - Changed

• Removed Sorcerer [8].
• Thoughts: The addition of Victor more than makes up for this change. Star Guardian Sorcs will continue to find success while adding in Victor and Janna to round out their comp.

 Mech Pilots - Changed

• Both the Mech and its Pilots have been buffed for damage and HP.
• Upon pilots ejecting, they start at only 35% of their HP.
• Thoughts: Mech players have been dominating Set 3. This change feels healthy and makes them more enjoyable to play against without making them unviable. Look for Mech Battlecast to replace Mech Infiltrators after the update.

 Valkyrie - Removed

 Vanguard - Changed

• Added a Vanguard [6] that gives 1000 armor*
• Thoughts: While this certainly gives Vanguard Units more potential, it's unlikely that 6 Vanguard will be used frequently, if at all, in Meta comps. Janna also counters these units to great effect. Brawlers will likely remain as the premier Frontline Units in the Meta.

Void - Removed

*Accurate as of 6/1/2020

Only time will tell how the meta plays out, but certain comps have stood above the rest throughout my testing on the PBE. Try them out to see which you like best and be on the lookout for in-depth guides on these comps in the future.

Composition #1

Protector Mystics - The addition of Urgot and Cassiopeia have given new life to this composition. When played correctly, your team becomes borderline unkillable, all the while Urgot is destroying the enemy team one by one. For this comp, you're going to want to run Urgot, Rakan, Jarvan IV, Xin Zhao, Cassiopeia, Karma, Soraka, Lulu. Prioritize items for Urgot/Xin Zhao and Rakan. A Battlecast Armor on Xin Zhao is incredible.

Composition #2

Astro Snipers - Astro Snipers are one of the most contested comps on PBE, and that will carry over to the release of the patch. The Sniper [4] Trait is potent, and the peel from Astros allows your Snipers to win the game. Look to pick up Nautilus, Bard, Wukong, Ashe, Teemo, Caitlyn, Lulu, and Jhin. Prioritize items for Jhin.

Composition #3

Brawler Blaster (Battlecast Edition) - Brawler Blasters have seen a few changes but have ended off better than before. Kog'Maw and Illaoi fit into the comp perfectly and give the Battlecast Trait early on. The removal of Cho'Gath has given us Gnar, who is arguably a better champ for this comp. For this composition, we will be using Jinx, Vi, Kog'Maw, Lucian, Gnar, Blitzcrank, Ezreal, and Illaoi. Prioritize items for Jinx.

There are a few other changes that you're going to want to take into account that both effect gameplay and contribute to the quality of life of the game.

• Most notably of these changes, units across the board have received buffs to their Armor and Magic Resist.
• Units will now sell for their full value at all ranks. This makes transitioning between comps a lot smoother and is a welcome addition.
• Riot heard our complaints, and Kayn will no longer drop unnecessary Spat Items (Finally!).
• There are now only 16 copies of each Tier 3 Unit.
• Lilac Galaxy will be removed.
• All Galaxies now have an equal chance of appearing.
• Drop chances adjusted for more Tier 3 units at Level 4.
• The Meta has a good chance of leaning towards more Slow Roll focused comps. Stay up-to-date on the Meta by checking back in at Dignitas for more in-depth guides and information. Good luck out there and happy climbing!