League of Legends patch 26.21 went live on October 21, 2026, with balance changes for 25 Summoner’s Rift champions, four item updates, five True Damage Know My Name skins and a major expansion of ARAM Mayhem. It also adds four champions to League Classic, adjusts Arena, limits replay downloads and prepares the Mythic Shop for new features.
The biggest solo queue changes affect Caitlyn, Jinx, Lee Sin, Nidalee, Rammus and Viktor, while Azir, Darius, Orianna, Ryze, Sion and Taliyah receive help. Riot followed the release with a Varus hotfix on October 22, so this guide includes the live hotfix values, not just the original patch-day numbers.
Outside ranked Summoner’s Rift, Journey to Stardom introduces match-wide music Headliners and dozens of new Augments. League Classic brings back original Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim and Lucian. Here are the exact balance changes, the abilities and items they affect, and the new skin artwork and chromas.
League of Legends patch 26.21 at a glance
| Category | Highlights | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Release | October 21, 2026 | Official notes published October 20, Varus hotfixed October 22. |
| Summoner’s Rift | 25 champions adjusted | Popular marksmen and junglers are nerfed; several mages and tanks get buffs. |
| Items | Bastion Breaker, Dawncore, Gluttonous Greaves, Hubris | Ranged item power reduced, more value for enchanter AP builds. |
| ARAM Mayhem | Journey to Stardom, eight Headliners, 35 new Augments | Unique match rules, new rewards and build options. |
| League Classic | Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim, Lucian | Four historical kits return. |
| Arena | 25 champion changes, five items, 13 Augments | More alternative builds, less dominant crowd-control and scaling. |
| Replays | 10 downloads per hour | Own and other players’ replays remain available within the limit. |
| Cosmetics | Five True Damage Know My Name skins | Prestige Ekko joins Akali, Qiyana, Senna and Yasuo. |
The values below follow Riot’s official patch 26.21 announcement, including its October 22 changes. For previous updates, see RiftDaily’s League of Legends patch notes archive, or follow the latest League of Legends news.
What changes in the patch 26.21 meta?
Bot lane loses some of its most reliable damage
Caitlyn loses late-game Headshot scaling while gaining Piltover Peacemaker damage. Jinx loses starting Health and AD growth, and Tristana gets less Attack Speed from her early Q ranks. These changes make previously dominant bot lane picks less comfortable in early trades without removing their core strengths.
Miss Fortune receives stronger Make It Rain and Bullet Time values as compensation for Hubris becoming weaker for ranged champions. Varus receives a more involved Q-and-W redistribution, followed by the October 22 hotfix.
Jungle priorities could shift
Lee Sin has less access to Safeguard and deals less ultimate damage. Nidalee’s cougar damage and Primal Surge Attack Speed fall, and Rammus gets less resistance scaling. By contrast, Taliyah’s Unraveled Earth gains damage and monster effectiveness, while Xin Zhao gains scaling for different build paths.
More breathing room for scaling mages
Azir gets more Mana per level, Orianna’s Q-W combination scales better with AP, and Ryze gains damage and movement speed later in the game. Viktor becomes easier to punish through reduced movement speed and shielding. These changes should create more variety in regular play while Worlds continues on the earlier competitive patch.
All Summoner’s Rift champion buffs and nerfs
The main champion balance pass covers 25 picks. Each entry below includes the changed ability icon where an ability is affected, alongside the exact old and new values.
Azir
Azir has run short on Mana for too long, particularly now that leveling his soldiers rewards spending additional spells. The growth buff gives him more room to contest lanes.
Base stats
- Mana per level: 40 ⇒ 50.
That means 170 additional Mana from growth by level 18, helping him participate in extended fights without changing his level-one ability costs.
Caitlyn
Caitlyn has stayed popular and powerful despite adjustments to other marksmen. Riot is moving some of her extreme late-game Headshot damage into her Q.
Passive - Headshot
- Damage: 60-100% AD ⇒ 60-80% AD.
- Crit Chance scaling: 1% AD per 1% Crit Chance ⇒ 0.8% AD.
- Bonus Crit Damage scaling: 1% AD per 1% bonus Crit Damage ⇒ 0.8% AD.
Q - Piltover Peacemaker
- Base damage: 50 / 90 / 130 / 170 / 210 ⇒ 50 / 95 / 140 / 185 / 230.
Her Q is stronger at higher ranks, but critical-strike Headshots are less overwhelming when she finishes multiple damage items.
Darius
Darius has moved toward short burst combos instead of sustained frontline fighting. Riot is shortening his maximum-rank Q cooldown.
Q - Decimate
- Cooldown: 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 / 5 ⇒ 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 / 4 seconds.
The one-second reduction only applies at rank five, giving Darius more frequent damage and healing opportunities in longer fights.
Jinx
Jinx remained strong even after the Runaan’s Hurricane nerf. She is now easier to pressure in lane and gains less AD through leveling.
Base stats
- Attack Damage: 59 + 3.25 per level ⇒ 59 + 3 per level.
- Health: 630 + 105 per level ⇒ 610 + 105 per level.
Jinx has 20 less Health throughout the game and 4.25 less AD from growth by level 18. Her reset mechanics remain unchanged.
Lee Sin
Safeguard has made Lee Sin particularly flexible. The cooldown nerf reduces repeat mobility, while Dragon’s Rage loses damage and Tempest receives a reveal correction.
W - Safeguard
- Cooldown: 7 ⇒ 8 seconds.
E - Tempest
- Bug fix: No longer reveals enemies who become invisible after being struck.
R - Dragon’s Rage
- Kick damage: 175 / 400 / 625 (+200% bonus AD) ⇒ 150 / 350 / 550 (+200% bonus AD).
- Collision damage: Same base reduction; the bonus AD and kicked champion’s Health ratios remain unchanged.
His playmaking tools still work, but Safeguard is available less often and Dragon’s Rage is less punishing at every rank.
Locke
Locke is too comfortable managing early Mana and surviving harassment. Riot weakens that safety while improving the AP payoff of his E later in the game.
Base stats
- Mana per level: 70 ⇒ 60.
Q - Ritual Nails
- Unused charge Mana and cooldown refund: 20-35% ⇒ 10-40%.
W - Soul Ignition
- Mana cost: 50 / 55 / 60 / 65 / 70 ⇒ 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80.
- Grey Health storage based on current Health: 40-200 ⇒ 20-200.
- Current Health storage: 150-450 ⇒ 100-500 (+60% AP).
E - Ashen Pursuit
- Blink damage: 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 / 80 (+40% AP) ⇒ 40 / 55 / 70 / 85 / 100 (+50% AP).
This is a power redistribution: lower early resources and better scaling rewards if Locke survives long enough to finish Ability Power items.
Miss Fortune
Ranged Hubris is losing value, so Riot is giving Miss Fortune additional damage through Make It Rain and Bullet Time.
E - Make It Rain
- Damage: 70 / 100 / 130 / 160 / 190 (+120% AP) ⇒ 90 / 120 / 150 / 180 / 210 (+120% AP).
R - Bullet Time
- Critical-strike damage: 130% (+0.3% per 1% bonus Crit Damage) ⇒ 145% (+0.45% per 1% bonus Crit Damage).
Her E gains 20 base damage at every rank, and ultimate damage now benefits more from critical-damage investment.
Nidalee
Nidalee is unusually strong in high-skill games. Riot reduces the damage of Pounce and the Attack Speed granted by Primal Surge.
W - Pounce
- Damage: 55 / 88.75 / 122.5 / 156.25 / 190 ⇒ 50 / 80 / 110 / 140 / 170; bonus AD and AP ratios unchanged.
E - Primal Surge
- Attack Speed: 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 / 70% ⇒ 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60%.
Both reductions affect her ability to convert successful attacks into fast clears and strong skirmishes.
Nunu & Willump
Riot is restoring some of the damage Nunu & Willump lost after previous Hextech Rocketbelt changes.
R - Absolute Zero
- Maximum damage: 625 / 925 / 1275 (+300% AP) ⇒ 750 / 1100 / 1450 (+300% AP).
Fully channeled Absolute Zero deals up to 125-175 more base damage depending on rank, making successful stationary channels more rewarding.
Orianna
Orianna gets better scaling on her standard Q-W combination without stronger early base damage.
Q - Command: Attack
- AP ratio: 55% ⇒ 60%; base damage unchanged.
W - Command: Dissonance
- AP ratio: 80% ⇒ 85%; base damage unchanged.
Landing both abilities adds 10% AP worth of combined pre-mitigation damage compared with the previous patch.
Qiyana
A previous Qiyana buff overshot the intended power increase, so Riot is partially reverting it.
Q - Elemental Wrath / Edge of Ixtal
- Damage: 80 / 110 / 140 / 170 / 200 (+90% bonus AD) ⇒ 70 / 100 / 130 / 160 / 190 (+90% bonus AD).
The change removes 10 base damage at every rank while preserving Qiyana’s bonus AD scaling.
Rammus
Rammus has been dominating broad sections of solo queue. Defensive Ball Curl now provides slightly less resistance.
W - Defensive Ball Curl
- Bonus Armor: 27 / 32 / 37 / 42 / 47 (+30-60% Armor) ⇒ 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 (+30-50% Armor).
- Bonus Magic Resistance: 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 (+30-60% MR) ⇒ 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 (+30-50% MR).
The flat Armor reduction and lower scaling ceiling make him a little easier to bring down while W is active.
Ryze
After early-game nerfs, Ryze has not been sufficiently rewarded for successful scaling. Riot improves later Q damage, movement speed and W scaling.
Q - Overload
- Flux bonus damage: 15 / 40 / 65 / 90% ⇒ 10 / 40 / 70 / 100%.
- Bonus movement speed: 28 / 32 / 36 / 40 / 44% ⇒ 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50%.
W - Rune Prison
- AP ratio: 60% ⇒ 70%; base damage and bonus Mana ratio unchanged.
The rank-one Flux bonus is lower, but higher ranks become stronger. Movement speed is increased throughout the progression, helping Ryze kite after spell combinations.
Sion
Sion gains more Health with levels and a higher maximum damage increase for a successfully charged ultimate.
Base stats
- Health per level: 87 ⇒ 95; starting Health remains 655.
R - Unstoppable Onslaught
- Damage increase over first three seconds: Up to +166.67% base and +100% ratio damage ⇒ up to +200% damage.
- Tooltip fix: Bonus AD ratio range correctly shows 40-120%.
At level 18, Sion gains 136 additional Health from growth, and charging the ultimate into enemies is more rewarding.
Taliyah
Taliyah gets more damage on her key crowd-control combination and more effectiveness against jungle monsters.
E - Unraveled Earth
- Initial damage: 60 / 105 / 150 / 195 / 240 (+60% AP) ⇒ 70 / 115 / 160 / 205 / 250 (+70% AP).
- Detonation damage: 25 / 40 / 55 / 70 / 85 ⇒ 30 / 45 / 60 / 75 / 90.
- Monster damage: 225%.
The buff rewards accurate control combinations while supporting her identity as one of the few viable mage junglers.
Taric
Older anti-funneling rules caused Taric’s linked abilities to fizzle when allies became untargetable. Riot is removing some of those restrictions.
Q - Starlight’s Touch
- Cast reliability: Now casts successfully when a linked ally becomes untargetable.
E - Dazzle
- Cast reliability: Now casts when linked allies are untargetable, except while they are Vanished.
R - Cosmic Radiance
- Cast reliability: Now fires when linked allies are untargetable.
These are functionality and clarity improvements rather than numerical buffs, especially relevant to quick ally interactions.
Tristana
Tristana’s early lane pressure depends too heavily on simply activating Q and attacking. Her Attack Speed bonus is being reduced at early ranks.
Q - Rapid Fire
- Bonus Attack Speed: 60 / 75 / 90 / 105 / 120% ⇒ 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 / 120%.
The rank-one reduction is 20 percentage points, but maximum-rank Rapid Fire remains unchanged.
Twisted Fate
Twisted Fate can now reveal enemies who are untargetable when Destiny activates.
R - Destiny
- Vision: Now reveals untargetable units.
The global reveal is more consistent, especially against champions using brief untargetable states.
Varus
Riot is shifting Varus away from passive W-max top lane builds and toward charged Piercing Arrow gameplay. An October 22 hotfix corrected an accidental Q interaction.
Base stats
- October 22 passive hotfix: Bonus AD and AP after takedowns: 1.1 per 10% Attack Speed ⇒ 1.4 per 10% Attack Speed.
Q - Piercing Arrow
- Damage calculation: Maximum-damage progression changed to minimum damage of 50-230 (+80% bonus AD) through 85-391 (+136% bonus AD) over the charge.
- Charging increase: Up to 50% ⇒ up to 70%.
- October 22 hotfix: Minimum base damage 50-230 ⇒ 50-250. Subsequent targets once again take reduced Q damage.
W - Blighted Quiver
- On-hit: 4 / 13 / 22 / 31 / 40 (+15% bonus AD)(+25% AP) ⇒ 4 / 10 / 16 / 22 / 28 (+20% bonus AD)(+30% AP).
- Blight per stack: 3-5% maximum Health (+1.3% per 100 AP) ⇒ 2.5-4.5% (+1.4% per 100 AP).
- Active missing-Health damage: 6-14% with up to 50% charge bonus ⇒ 6-10% with up to 70%.
- Basic cooldown refund: 13% per stack with charge bonus ⇒ 11% per stack with charge bonus.
The intent is more interaction around timing and aiming Q, with less reliable W-max pressure. Use the hotfixed values when evaluating current Varus builds.
Vel’Koz
Vel’Koz is rarely shaping mid or support metas. Riot is rewarding successful multi-spell hits with additional passive true damage.
Passive - Organic Deconstruction
- Damage: 35-180 (+60% AP) ⇒ 35-205 (+65% AP).
The late-level base damage and AP ratio both rise, making precise combinations more rewarding.
Viktor
Viktor has become too difficult to punish. He is losing some movement speed and Siphon Power shielding.
Base stats
- Movement Speed: 335 ⇒ 330.
Q - Siphon Power
- Shield: 40-140 (+25% AP) ⇒ 30-130 (+20% AP).
These changes target safety rather than raw burst damage, creating more opportunities to punish Viktor in skirmishes.
Wukong
Wukong is strong in jungle, so Riot is reducing his early passive Armor while compensating lane Wukong with higher base regeneration.
Base stats
- Health regeneration: 3.5 + 0.65 per level ⇒ 5.5 + 0.65 per level.
Passive - Stone Skin
- Armor per stack: 6-10 (based on level) ⇒ 4.5-10.
The passive loses early Armor, but the late-game ceiling remains. Base regeneration improves the sustain of lane Wukong.
Xin Zhao
Following Sundered Sky’s earlier nerfs, Riot wants Xin Zhao to benefit from both bruiser AD and Attack Speed investments.
Q - Three Talon Strike
- Bonus AD ratio per strike: 40% ⇒ 45%.
E - Audacious Charge
- Attack Speed scaling: 1% for every 5% permanent bonus Attack Speed ⇒ 1% for every 4%.
Both upgrades reward scaling builds without changing Xin Zhao’s early skill functionality.
Yone
Yone became too strong after earlier changes improved the appeal of critical-strike first items.
Q - Mortal Steel
- Damage: 25 / 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 (+110% AD) ⇒ 25 / 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 (+105% AD).
Repeated Q attacks deal less AD-based damage, but Yone’s base ability damage is unchanged.
Zyra
Zyra needs more consistent seed access in lanes where tanks and enchanters dominate.
W - Rampant Growth
- Seed recharge: 18 / 16 / 14 / 12 / 10 ⇒ 16 / 14.5 / 13 / 11.5 / 10 seconds.
Seed generation improves at the first four ranks, offering more frequent lane pressure while maximum-rank W stays the same.
Item changes in League of Legends patch 26.21
Four Summoner’s Rift items are being retuned. The biggest theme is reducing the value ranged champions get from snowball items while improving the incentive to build Dawncore on enchanters.
| Item | Main change | Players affected |
|---|---|---|
| Bastion Breaker | 22 ⇒ 18 Lethality, lower Shaped Charge damage, permanent Sabotage effect | AD casters and objective-focused play. |
| Dawncore | 10 ⇒ 15 AP per additional 100% base Mana regeneration | Enchanters stacking support items. |
| Gluttonous Greaves | 1,000 ⇒ 1,100 gold | Early omnivamp boot buyers. |
| Hubris | Split melee and ranged bonus AD and stack ratios | Ranged snowball builds and melee assassins. |
Bastion Breaker
Bastion Breaker became too useful as a generic combat purchase. Riot lowers its baseline damage while making its objective effect less awkward to manage.
- Lethality: 22 ⇒ 18.
- Shaped Charge damage: 50 melee + 1.5 per Lethality / 25 ranged + 0.75 per Lethality ⇒ 40 melee / 20 ranged, with the same per-Lethality ratios.
- Sabotage duration: 90 seconds ⇒ No duration limit.
You lose direct combat efficiency, but can hold Sabotage’s bonus objective damage without worrying about a 90-second expiration.
Dawncore
Dawncore is intended to be a capstone purchase for enchanters, yet too few supports have found space for it. The AP conversion is increased.
- AP per 100% base Mana regeneration: 10 ⇒ 15.
The AP contribution from this conversion rises by 50%, improving the value of other Mana-regeneration items in a completed enchanter build.
Gluttonous Greaves
Gluttonous Greaves provides too much early efficiency for marksmen. Its item effects remain the same, but finishing the boots costs more.
- Total cost: 1,000 ⇒ 1,100 gold.
The extra 100 gold slows down early acquisition and makes alternative boots more competitive.
Hubris
Hubris has been weak for some melee users but overperforming on ranged champions. It now grants different bonus AD values based on attack type.
- Base bonus AD: 12 ⇒ 15 melee / 10 ranged.
- Bonus AD per stack: 3 ⇒ 3 melee / 2 ranged.
Melee champions gain more base AD and maintain existing stack rewards, while ranged champions receive less immediate and snowballing power.
Replay download limits and other system changes
Replay downloads are limited to 10 per hour
Starting during League of Legends patch 26.21, you can download up to 10 replays per hour. Your own matches, friends’ matches and other players’ matches remain available within that rate limit. The measure targets bulk scraping and automated abuse rather than ordinary match review.
| Replay activity | New rule |
|---|---|
| Review or download your own match | Allowed within the hourly limit. |
| Download a friend’s replay | Allowed within the hourly limit. |
| Download another player’s replay | Allowed within the hourly limit. |
| Automated bulk replay collection | Restricted by the 10-per-hour limit. |
This is different from the participant-only replay restriction discussed in the previous patch. Riot is allowing broader access while limiting download volume. For troubleshooting replay access, consult the League of Legends support center.
Mythic Shop changes are coming
Riot Games is preparing personalized Mythic Shop offerings for patch 26.22. In 26.21, the daily, weekly and biweekly rotation timing is being adjusted to prepare for that system. Check each shop section before a desired cosmetic rotates away.
Higher system requirements for some AMD processors
The updated patch launcher depends on SSE 4.2 support, increasing the minimum supported AMD CPU requirement. Anyone using older hardware should check the official minimum and recommended PC specifications if the client no longer launches correctly.
ARAM Mayhem: Journey to Stardom
Journey to Stardom is a music-inspired ARAM Mayhem expansion. Each match features a Headliner that changes the rules, new Augments expand build possibilities, and missions involving K/DA, True Damage, HEARTSTEEL and Pentakill advance Superstar Ranks. Rewards include Augments, emotes and Orange Essence.
Butcher’s Bridge and Koeshin’s Crossing are temporarily excluded from Mayhem queues during this patch while their concert stages are prepared. Riot expects both maps to return in a later update.
All Headliners and what they do
| Headliner | Match-wide effect |
|---|---|
| K/DA | Collect four K/DA Cards to gain an extra Augment. |
| HEARTSTEEL | Augments can roll special, stronger modifiers. |
| True Damage | Takedowns and destroyed towers may drop Anvils for your team. |
| Pentakill | One ability becomes stronger at the start and again at level 18. |
| Disco | Dance under the disco ball to earn Gold for everyone. |
| Cafe Cuties | Health relics become much more powerful. |
| Bees | Collect honey pots while avoiding flying bees. |
| Command Line | Reroll one Augment into a higher tier at each choice. |
The best decision depends on the Headliner. In a K/DA match, collecting cards improves your Augment economy; in True Damage matches, objectives and takedowns have additional value. Players should read the opening modifier rather than assume each Mayhem game follows the same priorities.
Every new Silver Augment
| Silver Augment | Effect |
|---|---|
| Blue Barrier | Casting an ability creates a shield based on its Mana cost. |
| Flow of Spirit | Using a chosen ability grants stacking Attack Speed. |
| Fruitify | Enemy takedowns drop healing fruit for your team. |
| Gift of the Drowned | Bonus Health from items is converted into Lethality. |
| Hands Off The Talent | Basic attacks from maximum range deal extra damage. |
| Lich Brain | Gain Ability Power based on bonus Health. |
| Lonely Warrior | Gain Armor, Magic Resistance and Attack Speed for nearby enemy champions. |
| No Mana, No Problem | Mana gained from items is converted into Ability Power. |
| Sound Barrier | Shields you apply grant movement speed. |
| Ultimate Recursion | Gain 50 Ultimate Ability Haste. |
Every new Gold Augment
| Gold Augment | Effect |
|---|---|
| Arcane Axiom | Takedowns refund a portion of your ultimate cooldown. |
| Armored Impact | After an ability, your next attack deals bonus damage based on Armor. |
| BEES!!! | Abilities sometimes throw exploding beehives that slow and apply on-hit effects. |
| Brass Blast | Gain a summoner spell that charges a knockback horn. |
| CRIMSON COBALT | One ability marks opponents; consuming the mark deals damage and reduces cooldown. |
| Double Time | Quickly hitting with two different abilities grants permanent Mana and bonus damage. |
| Enchanting Butterflies | Healing or shielding allies builds butterflies that attack enemies. |
| Get Jinxed | Gain a summoner spell that rides a destructive rocket. |
| Heavy Is The Crown | Gain AD, AP and Attack Speed but lose Move Speed; takedowns strengthen the effect. |
| Jeweled Bracelet | Your ultimate can critically strike. |
| Recoil | One selected ability pushes you backward when fired. |
| Salvation | At low Health, knock back enemies and heal allies. |
| Sap Magic | Every 10 seconds, the next attack deals bonus damage and heals. |
| Still Here | Gain AD, AP and Lifesteal from missing Health. |
| Take’em Down Down Down | Five attacks or ability hits trigger healing and extra damage. |
| The Boom and the Bass | The first attack after an ability deals bonus damage and grants Move Speed. |
| Tickle Monster | All item Attack Damage becomes Attack Speed. |
| Upgrade: Stormsurge | Squall explodes in an area and marks enemies with a second Squall. |
| Weapon Of Destiny | Your first Legendary item grows stronger with each takedown. |
Every new Prismatic Augment
| Prismatic Augment | Effect |
|---|---|
| Big Shot | Converts a large amount of Attack Speed into critical-strike damage. |
| Bouncing Bees | After casting, the next attack bounces between nearby enemies; complete its quest for more bounces and AD. |
| Group Hug | An ability that heals or shields also affects nearby allies. |
| Mosh Monster | Ultimate casts grant Health and a slowing zone; takedowns improve both. |
| Third Times The Harm | Three attacks on an enemy champion trigger bonus damage and Attack Speed. |
| Totentanz | Gain five seconds of immortality, but must secure a takedown to survive afterward. |
There are 35 new Augments in total: 10 Silver, 19 Gold and six Prismatic. Conversion effects such as Gift of the Drowned, Lich Brain and Tickle Monster open up build paths that would normally be inefficient. Totentanz offers perhaps the most dramatic risk-reward choice because missing a takedown carries a severe penalty.
Removed Mayhem Augments
- Combusting Interest
- Crit ’n Cast
- Critical Missile
- Dimension Shift
- DropBear
- Dropkick
- Fan the Hammer
- Hide on Bush
- High Roller
- Our Healing
- Poro Stampede
- Spiritual Purification
- Ult Bot
Riot has not ruled out the return of removed Augments in a future Mayhem update. For now, old combinations involving these effects cannot be relied upon.
Four returning champions in League Classic
League Classic adds historical versions of Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim and Lucian. Their kits are inspired by League’s earlier years, so familiar names do not always mean familiar mechanics. Riot says more old champions will arrive in patches 26.22 and 26.23 before Classic rotates out in January.
Mordekaiser
Classic version: 2010-2015. Original Mordekaiser spends Health on abilities and creates a shield from damage dealt. His ultimate can turn a fallen opponent into a controllable ghost.
- Passive - Iron Man: Converts ability damage dealt into a decaying shield.
- Q - Mace of Spades: Empowers the next attack, damaging multiple targets or dealing extra damage to an isolated enemy.
- W - Creeping Death: Grants an ally Armor and Magic Resistance while dealing nearby damage over time.
- E - Siphon of Destruction: Deals magic damage in a cone.
- R - Children of the Grave: Curses an enemy, steals stats and creates a controllable ghost if the target dies during the effect.
Yorick
Classic version: 2011-2016. Original Yorick summons different ghouls with his basic abilities and can temporarily revive a teammate through his ultimate.
- Passive - Unholy Covenant: Each active summon reduces damage taken and increases Yorick’s attack damage.
- Q - Omen of War: Empowers an attack and summons a Spectral Ghoul that increases movement speed.
- W - Omen of Pestilence: Summons a Decaying Ghoul that damages and slows nearby opponents.
- E - Omen of Famine: Summons a Ravenous Ghoul that damages enemies and heals Yorick through its attacks.
- R - Omen of Death: Creates a revenant of an ally and can temporarily revive that ally if they die while it is active.
Hecarim
Classic version: 2012. Hecarim’s classic kit is relatively close to his modern fighter identity, emphasizing movement speed, frequent Q casts and aggressive engagements.
- Passive - Warpath: Converts bonus Move Speed into Attack Damage and grants ghosting.
- Q - Rampage: Hits nearby enemies and reduces the next Q cooldown on successful hits.
- W - Spirit of Dread: Damages nearby enemies over time and heals from damage dealt in the area.
- E - Devastating Charge: Gains speed and empowers the next attack with knockback.
- R - Onslaught of Shadows: Charges forward with spectral riders and fears nearby enemies on arrival.
Lucian
Classic version: 2013. Classic Lucian has a 550-unit attack range and an older dash mechanic that changes his lane strength and combos.
- Passive - Lightslinger: Fires two attacks after an ability cast.
- Q - Piercing Light: Damages enemies in a straight line.
- W - Ardent Blaze: Marks enemies with a cross-shaped projectile that enables a movement-speed bonus.
- E - Relentless Pursuit: Dashes and removes slows; its cooldown refreshes only from champion kills during The Culling.
- R - The Culling: Fires a barrage of shots while Lucian can move and use E.
League Classic champion buffs, nerfs and the Atma’s Impaler change
| Champion | Change | Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Aatrox | Passive - Blood Well cooldown | 225s at all ranks ⇒ 225 / 200 / 175 / 150s at levels 1 / 6 / 11 / 16. |
| Irelia | Base Health | 546 ⇒ 515. |
| Irelia | Health regeneration | 8.15 ⇒ 6.5. |
| Irelia | Ionian Fervor Tenacity stacking | Additive ⇒ multiplicative with item Tenacity. |
| Karma | Q - Heavenly Wave damage | 70 / 110 / 150 / 190 / 230 / 270 ⇒ 85 / 125 / 165 / 205 / 245 / 285. |
| Karma | Q - Base Mantra heal | 35 / 55 / 75 / 95 / 115 / 135 ⇒ 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 / 130 / 150. |
| Karma | W - Spirit Bond damage | 80 / 125 / 170 / 215 / 260 / 305 ⇒ 100 / 140 / 180 / 220 / 260 / 300. |
| Karma | W - Movement Speed | 10 / 12 / 14 / 16 / 18 / 20% ⇒ 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20%. |
| Kassadin | Q - Null Sphere damage | 60 / 105 / 150 / 195 / 240 ⇒ 80 / 130 / 180 / 230 / 280. |
| Kassadin | Q - Silence | 1 / 1.25 / 1.5 / 1.75 / 2s ⇒ 1 / 1.4 / 1.8 / 2.2 / 2.6s. |
| Kassadin | R - Riftwalk AP scaling | 70% ⇒ 80%. |
These changes target noticeably different problems. Aatrox gets more frequent resurrections later, Irelia loses early sustain and defensive reliability, Karma gets help in lower-income builds, and Kassadin has his pre-release Classic nerfs fully reversed.
Atma’s Impaler
Atma’s Impaler moves closer to its historical strength, giving high-Health fighters more offensive value.
- Critical Strike Chance: 15% ⇒ 18%.
- Maximum Health converted to bonus AD: 1.5% ⇒ 2%.
At 4,000 maximum Health, this conversion contributes 80 bonus AD instead of 60, before other modifiers.
League Classic bug fixes
- Rammus’ Powerball trail effects no longer linger after the ability ends.
- Force of Nature uses the correct League Classic item icon.
- Quinn’s Valor form is correctly tagged as a champion.
- Aatrox’s model outline covers his entire model.
- Buying multiple copies of The Brutalizer no longer stacks Onslaught cooldown reduction incorrectly.
- Zilean’s Chronoshift no longer removes Hand of Baron on resurrection.
- Sivir’s Spell Shield properly blocks Ezreal’s Mystic Shot.
Arena champion balance changes in patch 26.21
Arena is receiving a large set of champion-specific changes intended to reduce extreme high-roll combinations and make unconventional builds worth trying. The most noticeable examples include increased AP scaling for Briar, Gangplank, Gnar, Skarner and Lee Sin.
Bel'Veth
Q - Void Surge
- AD ratio: 105% ⇒ 95%.
R - Endless Banquet
- Bonus AD ratio per stack: 1% ⇒ 0.5%.
Reduced burst and scaling in Arena.
Briar
Q - Head Rush
- Stun: 0.85 ⇒ 0.5 seconds.
E - Chilling Scream
- Full-charge AP ratio: 100% ⇒ 150%.
- Wall-hit AP ratio: 240% ⇒ 350%.
- Total maximum AP ratio: 340% ⇒ 500%.
Less reliable crowd control, but much greater reward from full-charge AP combinations.
Elise
E - Cocoon
- Cooldown: 8 / 7.5 / 7 / 6.5 / 6 ⇒ 10 seconds.
W - Skittering Frenzy
- Spiderlings: 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 ⇒ 4 / 6 / 8 / 10.
- Old spider damage buff: Removed.
More spiderlings but less frequent Cocoon.
Ezreal
R - Trueshot Barrage
- Bonus AD ratio: 100% ⇒ 150%.
- Cooldown: 50 / 40 / 30 ⇒ 40 / 30 / 20 seconds.
The global ultimate becomes a more rewarding part of AD builds.
Fiora
Passive - Duelist’s Dance
- Bonus AD scaling: 3% per 100 bonus AD ⇒ 2%.
Q - Lunge
- AP ratio: 0 ⇒ 25%.
Less passive AD scaling, but experimentation with AP gains a new hook.
Galio
W - Shield of Durand
- Passive shield Health ratio: 7.5-15% ⇒ 6-10%.
- Fully charged taunt: 1.5 ⇒ 1 second.
R - Hero’s Entrance
- Knockup: 1.5 ⇒ 1 second.
Significantly reduced frontline control and shielding.
Gangplank
W - Remove Scurvy
- AP ratio: 90% ⇒ 135%.
- Cooldown: 22 / 20 / 18 / 16 / 14 ⇒ 18 / 16 / 14 / 12 / 10 seconds.
R - Cannon Barrage
- Cooldown: 130 / 110 / 90 ⇒ 100 / 80 / 60 seconds.
AP healing and repeated global cannon fire become more viable.
Gnar
W - Hyper
- Duration: 4 ⇒ 2 seconds.
- Movement Speed: 20 / 40 / 60 / 80 ⇒ 40 / 80 / 120 / 160.
R - GNAR!
- AP ratio: 100% ⇒ 150%.
Higher movement peaks and AP ultimate damage.
Kayn
Passive - The Darkin Scythe
- Transformation progress: Gain progress faster.
Forms become available earlier in Arena.
Katarina
R - Death Lotus
- On-hit effectiveness: 20 / 25 / 30% ⇒ 25% at all ranks.
- AP ratio per dagger: 26% ⇒ 35%.
Greater spell AP damage, with adjusted on-hit value at later ranks.
Lee Sin
E - Tempest
- AP ratio: 0 ⇒ 75%.
AP builds gain an additional source of damage.
Malzahar
W - Void Swarm
- Maximum Voidling charges: Can now hold six.
More flexible Voidling timing and preparation.
Milio
Q - Ultra Mega Fire Kick
- Cooldown: 8 ⇒ 10 seconds.
- AP ratio: 120% ⇒ 200%.
R - Breath of Life
- Cooldown: 160 / 145 / 130 ⇒ 180 / 150 / 130 seconds.
A larger Q AP payoff but less frequent utility spells.
Miss Fortune
Q - Double Up
- AP ratio: 55% ⇒ 70%.
R - Bullet Time
- AP ratio: 35% ⇒ 40%.
AP Miss Fortune receives another incentive in Arena.
Morgana
Q - Dark Binding
- Cooldown: 12 ⇒ 14 seconds.
E - Black Shield
- Cooldown: 26 / 23.5 / 21 / 18.5 / 16 ⇒ 30 / 27.5 / 25 / 22.5 / 20 seconds.
Both protection and root frequency are reduced.
Nidalee
W - Bushwhack
- Trap cooldown: 14 / 13 / 12 / 11 / 10 ⇒ 8 seconds.
R - Aspect of the Cougar
- Cougar ability cooldowns: 6 ⇒ 4 seconds.
More traps and faster cougar ability rotations.
Rengar
W - Battle Roar
- AP ratio: 95% ⇒ 120%.
- Empowered AP ratio: 105% ⇒ 120%.
More room for AP bruiser and assassin combinations.
Renata Glasc
R - Hostile Takeover
- Cooldown: 150 / 130 / 110 ⇒ 170 / 150 / 130 seconds.
W - Bailout
- Cooldown: 28 / 27 / 26 / 25 / 24 ⇒ 32 / 31 / 30 / 29 / 28 seconds.
Two powerful teamfight abilities become less frequently available.
Skarner
Q - Shattered Earth
- Bonus AD ratio: 90% ⇒ 150%.
W - Seismic Bastion
- Cooldown: 10 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 ⇒ 8 / 7 / 6 / 5 / 4 seconds.
- AP ratio: 80% ⇒ 120%.
Both AD-focused Q and AP-focused W builds get help.
Teemo
E - Toxic Shot
- Initial hit AD ratio: 5% ⇒ 10%.
- Damage-over-time AD ratio: 10% ⇒ 20%.
Attack Damage purchases gain more value with Toxic Shot.
Urgot
W - Purge
- On-hit effectiveness: 50% ⇒ 75%.
On-hit builds become substantially more potent.
Varus
E - Hail of Arrows
- Cooldown: 18 / 16 / 14 / 12 / 10 ⇒ 14 / 12 / 10 / 8 / 6 seconds.
- AP ratio: 0 ⇒ 50%.
More frequent E casts and new AP scaling.
Yone
R - Fate Sealed
- Bonus AD ratio: 80% ⇒ 100%.
- Cooldown: 70 / 60 / 50 ⇒ 60 / 50 / 40 seconds.
Fate Sealed gains damage and availability.
Yuumi
W - You and Me!
- Heal and Shield Power: 10-25% ⇒ 4-8%.
Her defensive amplification is significantly weaker.
Zaahen
Passive - Cultivation of War
- Bonus AD per stack: 1-2% ⇒ 1%.
Passive damage scaling is lower.
Arena item balance changes
Five Arena items change, with buffs to several underused mobility and frontline options and adjustments to cooldown-refund items. Each item is illustrated below so players can identify it at a glance.
Turbo Chemtank
The defensive recovery from Turbo Chemtank has been too small to matter in many Arena fights.
- Maximum Health restored: 4% ⇒ 20%.
The much higher restoration rewards surviving the first immobilizing effect and retrieving the canister.
Galeforce
Galeforce gains reach, offering marksmen more flexibility when chasing or repositioning.
- Maximum dash range: 600 ⇒ 900.
The dash’s maximum range increases by 50%, giving it more practical room to escape dangerous situations.
Night Harvester
Night Harvester’s movement bonus gets stronger but briefer, and it is available more often.
- Cooldown: 10 ⇒ 8 seconds.
- Bonus Move Speed: 40% ⇒ 60%.
- Duration: 1.5 ⇒ 1 second.
This favors sharp engage-and-disengage patterns over lengthy chases.
Mirage Blade
Mirage Blade loses a portion of its cooldown refund.
- Cooldown refund: 20% ⇒ 15%.
Champions who rely on repeatedly refreshing dashes may notice slower spell cycles.
Moonflair Spellblade
Moonflair Spellblade now grants three enhanced attacks after abilities rather than two, but reduces cooldowns by less per hit.
- Cooldown refund per attack: 0.5 ⇒ 0.3.
- Number of enhanced attacks: 2 ⇒ 3.
The change rewards weaving more attacks into each sequence instead of receiving a larger refund from fewer attacks.
Arena Augment changes
| Arena Augment | Balance change |
|---|---|
| Big Brain | Out-of-combat timer: 3 ⇒ 5 seconds. |
| Castle | Cooldown: 12 ⇒ 10 seconds. |
| Chroma Flux | Cooldown: 10 ⇒ 8 seconds. |
| Courage of the Colossus | Cooldown: 5 ⇒ 6 seconds. |
| Dawnbringer’s Resolve | Healing: 25 / 30 ⇒ 35 / 40. |
| Dual Wield | On-hit effectiveness: 40 / 50 / 60% ⇒ 40 / 45 / 50%. |
| Flashy | Charges: 2 / 3 ⇒ 4 / 6. |
| Hive Mind | Starting bees: 2 / 4 / 6 ⇒ 3 / 6 / 9. |
| Minionmancer | Minion power: 40 / 55 ⇒ 55 / 70. |
| Nesting Doll | Maximum revives: 1 / 2 / 3 ⇒ 0 / 1 / 2. |
| Rite of the Forge God | Item stat amplification: 40% ⇒ 60%. |
| Spin to Win | Damage amplification: 25 / 35% ⇒ 35 / 45%. |
| Trueshot Prodigy | Base damage: 175 / 350 / 525 ⇒ 175 / 275 / 375. AD ratio 100% ⇒ 50%. Cooldown 10 / 8 / 6 ⇒ 12 / 10 / 8 seconds. |
Flashy, Hive Mind, Rite of the Forge God and Spin to Win become more appealing. Trueshot Prodigy loses damage and cooldown efficiency, while Nesting Doll grants fewer revives, reducing how far certain Augment combinations can exceed ordinary champion power.
Mythic Shop and League of Legends bug fixes
In addition to the upcoming personalized Mythic Shop preparations, Riot fixed issues affecting Zaahen’s Q during revival, Teleport visuals in brush, Titanic Hydra’s cooldown display, Zoe’s unusually early 1,000-damage Smite drops, Hail of Blades interactions with canceled attacks and Nidalee spear damage bypassing spell shields at maximum range.
Opponent audio clarity was also improved: Briar, Kled and Sion now use recognizable base-skin ultimate sound effects when heard by enemies. The intention is to make vital combat information easier to identify regardless of equipped skin.
All new True Damage skins in League of Legends patch 26.21
Five True Damage Know My Name skins arrived on October 21, 2026: Prestige Ekko, Akali, Qiyana, Senna and Yasuo. The music-inspired collection pairs streetwear styling with neon colors, concert staging and futuristic accessories. Riot released five sets of chroma artwork alongside the skins.
| Skin | Champion | Release |
|---|---|---|
| Prestige True Damage Know My Name Ekko | Ekko | October 21, 2026 |
| True Damage Know My Name Akali | Akali | October 21, 2026 |
| True Damage Know My Name Qiyana | Qiyana | October 21, 2026 |
| True Damage Know My Name Senna | Senna | October 21, 2026 |
| True Damage Know My Name Yasuo | Yasuo | October 21, 2026 |
The skin and chroma previews below are the artwork published by Riot. You can also check the official League of Legends website for the latest event and cosmetic announcements.
Prestige True Damage Know My Name Ekko
Ekko’s premium visual design emphasizes a white-and-gold outfit and neon purple stage lighting.
True Damage Know My Name Akali
Akali’s rooftop artwork combines her assassin identity with the music group’s streetwear aesthetic.
True Damage Know My Name Qiyana, Senna and Yasuo
The shared group splash connects Qiyana, Senna and Yasuo to the same concert performance.
All True Damage Know My Name chromas
Riot’s cosmetic previews include a Vivid chroma for Prestige Ekko and alternate color variants for Akali, Qiyana, Senna and Yasuo. These panels show in-game model variants, not separate full skins.
Prestige True Damage Know My Name Ekko Vivid chroma
True Damage Know My Name Akali chromas
Available colors: Catseye, Obsidian, Pearl, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Sapphire.
True Damage Know My Name Qiyana and Senna chromas
Qiyana: Catseye, Obsidian, Pearl, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Sapphire, Tanzanite, Turquoise. Senna: Catseye, Obsidian, Pearl, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Sapphire, Tanzanite, Turquoise.
True Damage Know My Name Yasuo chromas
Available colors: Momentous, Obsidian, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Unlocked.
These cosmetics are confirmed content. For potential future releases, RiftDaily also tracks League of Legends leaks and early previews, with rumors kept distinct from official announcements.
Which changes should you act on first?
- Reassess bot lane picks. Jinx has less Health, Caitlyn loses late Headshot damage and Tristana’s early Attack Speed is lower.
- Recheck ranged Hubris builds. Its base AD and per-stack value are both lower for ranged users.
- Consider buffed jungle options. Taliyah gains additional monster damage and Xin Zhao gets better scaling.
- Give scaling mages another look. Azir, Orianna and Ryze are better at longer games, although early matchups still matter.
- Read your Mayhem Headliner. K/DA cards, True Damage Anvils and Command Line rerolls change the correct priorities each match.
- Do not assume Classic kits work like modern kits. Mordekaiser can command ghosts, Yorick can briefly revive allies and old Lucian has longer attack range.
- Test new Arena builds. AP Briar, AP Gangplank and AP Skarner gain significant ratios.
- Watch replay and PC compatibility. Downloads are rate-limited, and older AMD chips lacking SSE 4.2 may no longer be supported.
Because several of these adjustments are small but meaningful, changes to item purchase timing and individual matchups may matter more than immediate tier-list positions. Keep up with RiftDaily’s League of Legends updates to follow hotfixes and emerging trends.
Frequently asked questions about League of Legends patch 26.21
When did League of Legends patch 26.21 release?
League of Legends patch 26.21 released on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. The original notes appeared October 20, and Varus was hotfixed on October 22.
How many champions changed in LoL patch 26.21?
There are 25 Summoner’s Rift champion changes, plus separate champion adjustments in Arena and League Classic.
Who was nerfed in patch 26.21?
Notable nerfs include Caitlyn, Jinx, Lee Sin, Nidalee, Qiyana, Rammus, Tristana, Viktor and Yone. Varus, Locke and Wukong have mixed adjustments.
Who was buffed in League of Legends patch 26.21?
Azir, Darius, Miss Fortune, Nunu & Willump, Orianna, Ryze, Sion, Taliyah, Vel’Koz, Xin Zhao and Zyra receive buffs. Taric and Twisted Fate gain reliability improvements.
What is ARAM Mayhem: Journey to Stardom?
It is a music-themed update with eight Headliners, 35 new Augments, band missions and a Superstar Rank progression system.
What champions joined League Classic?
Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim and Lucian joined with historical kits. Their abilities differ from modern versions, particularly Mordekaiser’s ghost ultimate and Yorick’s ally revival.
What new skins arrived in patch 26.21?
Five True Damage Know My Name skins: Prestige Ekko, Akali, Qiyana, Senna and Yasuo. They launched October 21, 2026, along with chroma sets.
What is the replay download limit?
Players can download up to 10 replays per hour, including their own matches and other players’ matches.
What to watch as patch 26.21 settles
League of Legends patch 26.21 is a substantial update across modes, not just a handful of champion buffs and nerfs. Bot lane and jungle receive important adjustments, scaling mages gain room to breathe, and ranged item purchases become less automatic.
Journey to Stardom may be the standout addition for casual players because Headliners and new Augments change the rules from match to match. League Classic expands with four recognizable but historically distinct kits, while Arena offers new off-meta build experiments.
Follow the next changes through RiftDaily’s League of Legends patch notes archive, our latest League of Legends news, and our League of Legends updates. You can also explore League of Legends leaks and early previews for potential future releases, while keeping confirmed content separate from speculation.
