Patch 26.22 arrived on November 4, 2026, bringing another round of balance changes aimed at shaking up the current meta. Riot is giving several underperforming champions a boost while toning down some of the strongest picks. ARAM Mayhem is also receiving further adjustments following the major Journey to Stardom update in the previous patch.
What’s the Big Picture for Patch 26.22?
LoL Patch 26.22 Breakdown: Every Buff, Nerf, and Meta Shift
Patch 26.22 focuses on improving the viability of champions who have struggled to find a place in the current meta, while toning down picks that have become too dominant in regular play. Riot is also looking to make alternative item choices more appealing, particularly for marksmen and juggernauts.
- Buffed: Aurelion Sol, Corki, Kayle, Maokai, Naafiri, Rumble, Shen, Smolder, Viktor, and Zaahen.
- Nerfed: Locke, Thresh, and Yasuo.
- Adjusted: Mel.
Doran’s Bow and Overlord’s Bloodmail are also being adjusted.
Champion Adjustments
Mel
Mel is receiving a midscope update that shifts some of her power away from the early game and towards scaling, while also changing one of her most frustrating abilities. Her original W allowed her to reflect enemy projectiles, often shutting down champions who rely on them and making certain matchups particularly difficult. Riot is replacing this mechanic with projectile destruction and adjusting her other abilities to compensate for the loss of such a powerful tool.
Base Stats
| Stat | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Health | 640 + 99 per level | 590 + 107 per level |
| Mana | 480 + 28 per level | 455 + 38 per level |
| Armour growth | 5.2 per level | 5.4 per level |
| Attack damage | 54 + 3.3 per level | 52 + 3.3 per level |
| Attack speed growth | 2.5% per level | 2.75% per level |
Rebuttal (W): Reworked
Rebuttal (W) no longer reflects projectiles back at their original targets. Instead, it destroys incoming projectiles within its expanding radius, then retaliates against the enemies who fired them. The ability also provides a shield and movement speed to Mel and nearby allies.
- Retaliation damage: 35 / 40 / 45 / 50 / 55 (+10% AP), reduced to 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 (+5% AP) for subsequent hits against the same enemy, up to seven hits.
- Shield: 80 / 110 / 140 / 170 / 200 (+70% AP) for 2 seconds.
- Movement speed: 10–30%, scaling with champion level, for 2 seconds.
- Mana cost: 100 / 80 / 60 / 40 / 0.
- Cooldown: 30 / 28.5 / 27 / 25.5 / 24 seconds.
Searing Brilliance (Passive)
- Bonus damage per bolt: 8–30 → 4–30.
- First stack damage reduction against minions: 50% → 45%.
Radiant Volley (Q)
- First hit damage: 60 / 85 / 110 / 135 / 160 (+55% AP) → 60 (+25% AP).
- Multi-hit damage: 5 / 7 / 9 / 11 / 13 (+5% AP) → 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 (+8% AP).
- Total damage: 85–277 (+80–100% AP) → 85–285 (+65–97% AP).
- Cooldown refund: Now refunds 0.5–1 second of its cooldown when it hits an enemy champion, scaling with champion level.
- Mana cost: 70 / 75 / 80 / 85 / 90 → 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80.
- Missile speed: 3800 → 3200.
Solar Snare (E)
- Root duration: 1.5 seconds → 0.8–1.6 / 0.85–1.75 / 0.9–1.9 / 0.95–2.05 / 1.0–2.2 seconds, increasing with distance.
- Slow: 30% → 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40%.
- Mana cost: 50 / 60 / 70 / 80 / 90 → 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 / 80.
Golden Eclipse (R)
- Cooldown: 120 / 100 / 80 seconds → 120 / 90 / 60 seconds.
Mel’s win rate was 45.87% in Patch 26.21.
Buffed Champions
Maokai
Maokai has struggled to find a place outside of support, with his top lane and jungle roles falling behind. This buff is aimed at making him more effective in those roles.
- Bramble Smash (Q) percentage max health damage: 2 / 2.5 / 3 / 3.5 / 4% → 2.5 / 3 / 3.5 / 4 / 4.5%.
Maokai’s win rate was 51.10% in Patch 26.21.
Corki
Corki was kept in check ahead of Worlds because of his strength in professional play. With those restrictions no longer as necessary, Riot is giving him some additional damage to help him compete more effectively in regular games.
- Missile Barrage (R) damage: 90 / 170 / 250 (+85% bonus AD) → 100 / 190 / 280 (+90% bonus AD).
- Missile Barrage (R) Big One damage: 180 / 340 / 500 (+170% bonus AD) → 200 / 380 / 560 (+180% bonus AD).
Corki’s win rate was 49.05% in Patch 26.21.
Rumble
Similar to Corki, Rumble’s strength in competitive play made it difficult to increase his power elsewhere. Now that this is less of a concern, these changes aim to improve his performance in regular games.
- The Equalizer (R) damage per second AP ratio: 35% → 40%.
- The Equalizer (R) maximum damage AP ratio: 175% → 200%.
Rumble’s win rate was 47.29% in Patch 26.21.
Aurelion Sol
Even though Astral Flight (W) offers more power when maxed second, most Aurelion Sol players still prefer putting points into Singularity (E) because of its wave clear, large area of control, and execute mechanic. This buff makes that preferred skill order more rewarding.
- Singularity (E) total magic damage over 5 seconds: 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 / 150 (+60% AP) → 50 / 80 / 110 / 140 / 170 (+60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80% AP).
Aurelion Sol’s win rate was 51.17% in Patch 26.21.
Kayle
Kayle was particularly strong when the top lane role quest system was first introduced, as its experience rewards suited her need to level up quickly. However, subsequent patches reduced the experience bonus provided by the quest and took away her earlier advantage. Now, the focus is on improving her laning phase and making her a more appealing scaling pick.
- Radiant Blast (Q) cooldown: 12 / 11 / 10 / 9 / 8 seconds → 10 / 9.5 / 9 / 8.5 / 8 seconds.
- Divine Judgment (R) cooldown: 160 / 120 / 80 seconds → 140 / 110 / 80 seconds.
Kayle’s win rate was 51.16% in Patch 26.21.
Shen
Even after previous changes aimed at helping tank junglers, Shen has struggled to keep pace with the others. The focus is now on improving his jungle clear.
- Twilight Assault (Q) monster damage modifier: 100 / 125 / 150 / 175 / 200% → 120 / 140 / 160 / 180 / 200%.
Shen’s win rate was 51.3% in Patch 26.21.
Smolder
The buffs Smolder received in Patch 26.20 helped establish a healthier balance between his Crit and Caster builds, but still left him underpowered. Rather than pushing one build ahead of the other, this patch gives him a general damage increase that benefits both.
- ACHOOO! (W) explosion damage: 10 / 35 / 60 / 85 / 110 → 25 / 50 / 75 / 100 /
Smolder’s win rate was 49.06% in Patch 26.21.
Viktor
The nerfs in Patch 26.21 did their job in reducing Viktor’s early-game bullying, but they also affected his late-game scaling more than intended. Riot is looking to restore some of that power without undoing the progress made against his early-game strength.
- Health growth: 100 → 105 per level.
- Arcane Storm (R) Conjure damage AP ratio: 50% → 60%.
Viktor’s win rate was 47.06% in Patch 26.21.
Zaahen
While Zaahen has established himself as a strong scaling champion, his early laning phase leaves him with few opportunities to trade or skirmish. A lower cooldown on The Darkin Glaive (Q) gives him more opportunities to fight during this stage of the game.
- The Darkin Glaive (Q) cooldown: 10 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 seconds → 8 / 7.5 / 7 / 6.5 / 6 seconds.
Zaahen’s win rate was 50.40% in Patch 26.21.
Naafiri
Although the nerfs in Patches 26.10 and 26.15 were not aimed at a specific role, they had little impact on Naafiri’s jungle performance while significantly weakening her in mid lane. These changes aim to help her recover in her weaker role.
- Darkin Daggers (Q) healing: 45 / 60 / 75 / 90 / 105 (+40% bonus AD) → 55 / 70 / 85 / 100 / 115 (+45% bonus AD).
- The Call of the Pack (W) bonus attack damage: 20% → 22%.
Naafiri’s win rate was 49.65% in Patch 26.21.
How the Buffs Affect the Meta
| Champion | Impact |
|---|---|
| Aurelion Sol | Better wave clear and zone control. |
| Corki | More reliably finishes off low-health targets and deals damage to grouped enemies. |
| Kayle | More frequent access to her ultimate during the laning phase, giving her better protection against early all-ins. |
| Maokai | Faster jungle clears. |
| Naafiri | Stays in lane longer after trades and has more threat when looking for picks. |
| Rumble | More rewarding ultimate placement, with greater damage to punish enemies caught in its path or grouped together. |
| Shen | Faster jungle clears give him more opportunities to pressure lanes and set up ganks. |
| Smolder | Puts more pressure on opponents with his poke before he reaches his late-game scaling. |
| Viktor | Regains some of his late-game damage threat, making him more dangerous as fights go longer. |
| Zaahen | More opportunities to trade and skirmish in lane rather than being a passive laner. |
Nerfed Champions
Locke
Since his release, Locke has received repeated nerfs but continues to perform well, particularly among experienced players who have learned to make the most of his kit. The latest adjustments aim to rein in his early-game strength without making broader changes to his abilities.
- Ritual Nails (Q) stack bonus damage: 18 / 26 / 34 / 42 / 50 → 15 / 22 / 29 / 36 / 43.
- Ritual Nails (Q) maximum stack damage: 75.6 / 109.2 / 142.8 / 176.4 / 210 → 63 / 92.4 / 121.8 / 151.2 / 180.6.
- Soul Ignition (W) duration: 6 → 5 seconds.
Locke’s win rate was 50.24% in Patch 26.21.
Thresh
Thresh has remained one of the strongest support picks among high-level players despite his previous nerf. This time, the changes target his damage to bring him down another step without affecting the utility that makes him valuable as a support.
- Base attack damage: 56 → 54.
- The Box (R) damage: 250 / 400 / 550 (+100% AP) → 200 / 350 / 500 (+100% AP).
Thresh’s win rate was 51.90% in Patch 26.21.
Yasuo
Yasuo’s win rate and ban rate have continued to climb as players move towards critical strike builds. Riot initially held off on nerfing him alongside Yone, but his continued rise has made another adjustment necessary.
- Steel Tempest (Q) total AD ratio: 105% → 100%.
Yasuo’s win rate was 50.59% in Patch 26.21.
How the Nerfs Affect the Meta
| Champion | Impact |
|---|---|
| Locke | Has fewer opportunities to snowball early leads through aggressive trades and all-ins. |
| Thresh | Relies more on teammates to follow up on his hooks and crowd control to secure kills. |
| Yasuo | Less burst threat, pushing him towards extended trades to get the most out of his damage. |
Item Changes
| Item | Change | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Doran’s Bow | AD: 8 → 7. | Slightly reduces its early-game offensive value, making Doran’s Blade a more competitive starting option for marksmen. |
| Overlord’s Bloodmail | AD: 30 → 40. Retribution: 0–12% → 0–10% total AD based on missing health. | Makes the item less reliant on low-health situations to provide value, giving juggernauts a more reliable damage boost throughout fights. |
Doran’s Bow
Doran’s Bow has become the preferred starting item for marksmen who would normally be expected to choose Doran’s Blade. Riot considers it slightly too strong, so this small reduction brings the two starting options closer together without making Bow an unattractive choice.
Overlord’s Bloodmail
Overlord’s Bloodmail is intended to be one of the main late-game items for juggernauts, but outside of Sett, it has struggled to justify its place in their builds. The changes shift more of its power into its base stats rather than its missing-health scaling, making it a more appealing option for champions such as Dr. Mundo and Sion.
What Else Is Happening in Patch 26.22?
LoL Patch 26.22 Breakdown: Every Buff, Nerf, and Meta Shift
League Classic Update
League Classic receives its penultimate content update in this patch, adding three more champions: Volibear, Swain, and Elise. The update also brings a larger-than-usual balance pass to bring the mode’s strongest and weakest picks closer together.
Additionally, Classic Pass rewards are increasing by 50% per game for the rest of the mode’s run, making up for slower-than-intended progress.
ARAM: Mayhem Adjustments
ARAM: Mayhem is getting another round of Augment adjustments, with several changes aimed at improving survivability. The update also brings back Butcher’s Bridge and Koeshin’s Crossing.
Teamfight Tactics Standalone Client
Teamfight Tactics is moving to its own standalone client on November 4, although players will still be able to switch between it and League of Legends. Existing TFT cosmetics will remain usable in League for now, with the full separation of cosmetics scheduled for December 15.
Six New Skins
The patch introduces six new skins:
- K/DA Firestarter Ahri
- K/DA Firestarter Evelynn
- K/DA Firestarter Kai'Sa
- K/DA Firestarter Ignition Akali
- K/DA Hitmaker Evelynn
- Prestige Classic Baron Kog’Maw
