Honor of Kings: Massive Updates and Redesigns, Reviewing the Most Successful Hero Reworks of 2025. (Part 3)

As the saying goes, some are happy, some are sad. A hero rework isn't necessarily a good thing. What should have been a bright future turned into a disappointment. After the upgrade, if the controls don't feel right, it becomes a point of weakness. It lags, combos fall apart, and the margin for error decreases. The upgrade was announced with great fanfare, but after its official release, its presence is minimal. True fans, however, probably noticed the differences.

The following characters have low visibility after upgrading: Liu Bei, Sima Yi, Nakoruru, and Agudo.

Liu Bei, the most criticized jungler in 2025, traded a weak shield for ranged burst damage, which annoyed users. Initially, players liked Liu Bei's shield; his ultimate made him very durable. He wielded a shotgun instead of a sniper rifle, dashing into enemies and firing at their abdomen at close range, resulting in either death or serious injury. With the shield weakened, enemies could be instantly killed once they reached him. Sima Yi was overpowered for a long time; the so-called balance was ultimately a nerf. Previously, he was a nemesis for mages, his silence effect preventing them from using skills. Now, with physical and magical damage split, his low damage output makes him easier to interrupt.

The third hero, Nakoruru, has been rumored to have undergone multiple reworks and was leaked on the test server, generating immense anticipation among players. However, after playing her, it became apparent that she couldn't deliver the original damage output. Her playstyle, relying solely on her one-shot kill mechanic, is no longer practical. She still needs to rely on basic attacks to finish off opponents, which creates openings for counterattacks. Her damage output is severely insufficient. In direct confrontations, it's better to switch to a hero like Lanling Wang, who can become invisible, for a much more effective strategy. The data speaks for itself: currently, she has a 3.5% pick rate across all ranks with a 50.27% win rate; at a peak rating of 1350, her pick rate is 4.6% with a 50.79% win rate; in high-star matches, her pick rate is 4% with a 50.11% win rate; and in top-tier matches, her pick rate is 2.9% with a 53.36% win rate.

Without numerical guarantees, the appearance rate plummeted.

This shows that her low pick rate has long been looked down upon by the entire Rift. Her long development cycle, lack of burst damage, and fast-paced gameplay don't tolerate her existence. Agudo is not bad; transitioning to a marksman, she can at least be used to climb the ranks. Her charge speed boost is slightly difficult to control, but her health has been adjusted to be consistent with other heroes, making her a top-tier (T0) marksman for a time.