Patch 26.15 arrived on July 29, 2026, marking the start of Season 3. It brings nerfs to overperforming picks, buffs to struggling champions, and adjustments to several items, runes, and systems.
What's the Big Picture for Patch 26.15?
Bel'Veth is easily the most interesting part of Patch 26.15. Riot is shifting some of her early-game power into her scaling instead, reinforcing her identity as a late-game threat. Alongside this, Locke, Naafiri, Riven, Sylas, and Mordekaiser are targeted with nerfs after strong performances in recent patches, while Alistar, Kai'Sa, Maokai, Volibear, and Zac receive buffs aimed at bringing them back into the meta.
Champion Adjustments
Bel'Veth
Bel'Veth is designed to be a champion who needs time, items, and passive stacks before becoming a serious late-game threat. However, her solid base stats and low Q cooldown turned the Empress of the Void into a dominant early invader. To address this, almost every base stat , with the exception of Armor Growth, Health Growth, and her Basic Attack Damage Modifier , is being nerfed. Her abilities are also receiving several adjustments.
Which Champions Are Buffed
Kai'Sa
After receiving a couple of buffs not too long ago, this ADC is getting another push towards her hyperscaling identity. Her passive, Second Skin, gets increased Base Damage, going from 4–24 to 4–30 based on level, and the Base Additional Damage from each previous Plasma stack increases from 1–6 to 1–8. In Patch 26.14, her win rate was 50.63%.
Maokai
Maokai has slowly disappeared from the jungle meta, so this patch focuses on giving him more tools in that role. Bramble Smash (Q) receives a buff to its Monster Damage Modifier, increasing from 140–180% to 150–190%, and its Ability Power ratio increases from 40% to 50%. Maokai's win rate in Patch 26.14 was 51.85%.
Volibear
Volibear has struggled to find a consistent place in the meta despite his strength in extended fights. This patch, the electric bear is getting his Thundering Smash (Q) Cooldown reduced, especially at early levels, going from 14–10 seconds to 12–10 seconds depending on Ability Rank. Volibear's win rate was 49.35% in Patch 26.14.
Zac
Zac's biggest strength has always been his ability to find unexpected angles and disrupt fights from places most champions cannot reach, but he has struggled to make that impact consistently in the current jungle meta. To address this, his Armor Growth increases from 4.7 to 5.2, while Elastic Slingshot (E) gets a lower Cooldown, going from 22–10 seconds to 21–9 seconds. His win rate last patch was 51.69%.
Alistar
Since the removal of Symbiotic Soles at the start of the Season, Alistar has struggled to keep up with the roaming-focused support meta. To help him find his footing again, his Base Move Speed increases from 330 to 335. In Patch 26.14, Alistar's win rate was 51.96%.
Which Champions Are Nerfed
Locke
Even after receiving some nerfs in the last patch, Locke remains one of the most dominant picks in the current meta. To counter this, his Base Health decreases from 655 to 620, each Nail from Ritual Nails (Q) has its Base Damage reduced from 50–82 to 40–72, and Soul Ignition (W) gets toned down, with its bonus Move Speed now fixed at 40%, its Grey Health reduced from 40–160 to 40–120, and its Ability Power ratio lowered from 120% to 100%. In Patch 26.14, Locke's win rate was 54.40%.
Mordekaiser
Last patch, Mordekaiser received a buff to his Realm of Death. However, the increased power ended up being too much, so the change is being fully reverted, returning the stolen stats from his Ultimate back to 10%. To make up for it, Death's Grasp (E) receives a Cooldown reduction from 18–10 seconds to 16–8 seconds. During Patch 26.14, Mordekaiser's win rate was 53.08%.
Riven
In the current meta, Endless Hunger is a strong item overall, but Riven synergizes with it extremely well. Instead of changing the item itself, Riot is adjusting some of Riven's abilities. Her Blade of the Exile (R) Bonus Attack Damage scaling decreases from 25% to 20%, and Wind Slash's Bonus Attack Damage ratio falls from 60–180% to 55–165%. Last patch, her win rate was 54%.
Naafiri
Naafiri's ability to snowball through repeated Ultimate casts has become too effective, so Call of the Pack (R) is receiving a damage reduction from 150–300 to 125–275, while the damage from each Packmate falls from 15–30 to 12.5–27.5. Naafiri's win rate was 52% in Patch 26.14.
Sylas
Sylas has been putting too much pressure on opponents during the laning phase, with Chain Lash (Q) being a key part of that strength. In this patch, the first lash's Base Damage decreases from 40–140 to 40–120, and its Ability Power ratio falls from 45% to 40%. Last patch, his win rate was 51.79%.
Item and System Changes
Bastionbreaker
Bastionbreaker has never really found its place outside of a few specific users. Most champions that buy it are closer to bruisers who value the extra structure damage, rather than Lethality champions looking for another damage option. This change gives Assassins more reason to consider the item.
Terminus
Terminus was meant to be the late-game reward for champions that commit to On-Hit builds, but its Shadow Passive never really scaled into that role. Instead, the item often felt stronger as a mid-game spike, where the flat damage mattered more than its scaling. This patch adjusts the passive to better match that late-game identity.
Yun Tal Wildarrows
Compared to other early crit options, Yun Tal Wildarrows became harder to justify because of its higher cost for the stats it provided. Lowering the cost and increasing its Attack Speed makes it a more attractive option for champions looking to reach their crit spike earlier.
Jack of All Trades
Jack of All Trades rewards players who build around multiple stats, but the current item system makes activating its breakpoints much easier than intended. The adjustment brings the rune closer to its original niche.
What Else Is Happening in Patch 26.15?
Aegis of Valor is receiving changes that shift its rewards entirely towards winning. Losing a game will no longer reduce LP losses, while victories will award double LP without requiring a minimum Mastery score.
For Arena, certain Augments are getting their Level Cap reduced to make them less frustrating to play against. In ARAM: Mayhem, Champion Damage Modifiers now apply to spell, attack, item, and Augment damage.
Duo queue returns to Master tier, although only between players who are close in rank. Grandmaster, Challenger, and players with either GM or Challenger MMR won't be able to duo.
The much-anticipated League Classic is finally coming to live servers, offering players a chance to experience a version of League built around older strategies and higher consequences.
Lastly, Prestige Magma Chamber Jax and Prestige Magma Chamber Veigar are arriving during this patch, with Divine God-King Darius and Fallen God-King Garen returning to The Sanctum and staying until Patch 26.19.