LoL Patch 26.21: All Champion Buffs, Nerfs & Item Changes
League of Legends Patch 26.21 is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21, 2026 (Pacific time). It is the first balance patch after the Worlds 2026 tournament build (26.20), shifting the focus back to Ranked and the end-of-season climb.
Riot designer Matt \"Phroxzon\" Leung-Harrison previewed 11 champion buffs, 10 nerfs, 5 champion adjustments and 4 item changes.
Important: these are preview values from Riot's full preview, not final patch notes. Patch 26.21 is not live yet, and the numbers below can still change before release.
Patch 26.21 at a glance
Patch 26.21 is Riot's first balance patch after the Worlds 2026 build. The preview touches 26 champions in total: 11 receive buffs, 10 are nerfed and 5 more are adjusted without a clear power direction. Four items are also changing.
- •Champion buffs (11): Azir, Darius, Miss Fortune, Nunu & Willump, Orianna, Ryze, Sion, Taliyah, Vel'Koz, Xin Zhao and Zyra.
- •Champion nerfs (10): Caitlyn, Jinx, Lee Sin, Nidalee, Qiyana, Rammus, Tristana, Viktor, Wukong and Yone.
- •Item changes (4): Dawncore (buff), Bastionbreaker (nerf / adjustment), Gluttonous Greaves (nerf) and Hubris (melee buff, ranged nerf).
- •Release: Wednesday, October 21, 2026 (Pacific time). The date can still change.
| Category | Count | Champions / items |
|---|---|---|
| Champion buffs | 11 | Azir, Darius, Miss Fortune, Nunu & Willump, Orianna, Ryze, Sion, Taliyah, Vel'Koz, Xin Zhao, Zyra |
| Champion nerfs | 10 | Caitlyn, Jinx, Lee Sin, Nidalee, Qiyana, Rammus, Tristana, Viktor, Wukong, Yone |
| Champion adjustments | 5 | Locke, Varus, Taric, Twisted Fate, Zaahen |
| Item changes | 4 | Dawncore, Bastionbreaker, Gluttonous Greaves, Hubris |
Verification status
All numbers below are preview values from Riot designer Matt \"Phroxzon\" Leung-Harrison's full patch preview (reported by AussyElo and corroborated by Hotspawn). Riot's official Patch 26.21 patch notes are not yet published because the patch is not live. Exact final values not yet confirmed against Riot's official patch notes.
All Champion Buffs in Patch 26.21
Eleven champions are receiving direct buffs in the Patch 26.21 preview. Changes are shown before → after as reported in the preview.
| Champion | Ability / stat | Before | After | Change | In-game impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | AzirMana growth per level | 40 per level | 50 per level | +10 per level | More mana for leveling up without committing to a mana item; little effect on level 1 lane. | |
 | DariusQ (Decimate) cooldown | 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 / 5 s | 9 / 7.75 / 6.5 / 5.25 / 4 s | -1 s at max rank (-20%) | Slightly shorter outer-edge Q cooldowns reward sustained trading over a single all-in. | |
 | Miss FortuneE (Make It Rain) damage | 70-190 (+120% AP) | 90-210 (+120% AP) | +20 at each end | More poke damage in lane and better wave clear. | |
| Miss FortuneR (Bullet Time) critical damage | 130% (+0.3% per 1% bonus crit) | 145% (+0.45% per 1% bonus crit) | +15 percentage points | Harder late-game critical damage on full crit builds. | |
 | Nunu & WillumpR (Absolute Zero) maximum damage | 625 / 925 / 1,275 (+300% AP) | 750 / 1,100 / 1,450 (+300% AP) | +125 / +175 / +175 | Higher full-channel ultimate damage; the channel must still be completed. | |
 | OriannaQ (Command: Attack) AP ratio | 55% | 60% | +5 percentage points | More damage on AP Orianna builds. | |
| OriannaW (Command: Dissonance) AP ratio | 80% | 85% | +5 percentage points | More damage on AP Orianna builds. | |
 | RyzeQ bonus damage vs. Flux-marked targets | 15 / 40 / 65 / 90% | 10 / 40 / 70 / 100% | -5% early, +10% late | Trades early burst for stronger late-game Flux damage. | |
| RyzeQ bonus movement speed | 28 / 32 / 36 / 40 / 44% | 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50% | +2 to +6 percentage points | Slightly more mobility after casting Q. | |
| RyzeW (Spell Flux) AP ratio | 60% | 70% | +10 percentage points | More damage on AP-heavy Ryze builds. | |
 | SionHealth growth per level | 87 | 95 | +8 per level | More health every level; improves late-game durability. | |
| SionR (Unstoppable Onslaught) full charge | Up to +166.67% base / +100% ratio | Up to +200% base and ratio | Up to +200% (both) | Harder-hitting fully charged ultimate. Preview value; exact framing may change in final notes. | |
 | TaliyahE (Threaded Volley) damage | 60-240 (+60% AP) | 70-250 (+70% AP) | +10 at each end, +10% AP scaling | More damage on both the initial hit and the detonation. | |
| TaliyahE detonation damage | 25-85 (+30% AP) | 30-90 (+30% AP) | +5 base at every rank | Slightly stronger delayed burst. | |
 | Vel'KozPassive (Organic Deconstruction) damage | 35-180 (+60% AP) | 35-205 (+65% AP) | +25 at level 18; +5% AP scaling | More true damage after three hits, strongest late game. | |
 | Xin ZhaoQ (Three Talon Strike) bonus AD per strike | +40% bonus AD | +45% bonus AD | +5 percentage points | More sustained damage in duels and skirmishes. | |
| Xin ZhaoE (Audacious Charge) attack-speed scaling | 1% per 5% bonus AS | 1% per 4% bonus AS | Faster scaling | Attack-speed bonus stacks more quickly. | |
 | ZyraW (Rampant Growth) seed recharge | 18 / 16 / 14 / 12 / 10 s | 16 / 14.5 / 13 / 11.5 / 10 s | -2 to -1.5 s early ranks | Seeds recharge faster early, improving poke and zoning. |
All Champion Nerfs in Patch 26.21
Ten champions are receiving nerfs in the Patch 26.21 preview. Some also keep compensating buffs - for example, Caitlyn's Q damage rises while her Headshot scaling falls - so a nerf does not make a champion unplayable.
| Champion | Ability / stat | Before | After | Change | In-game impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | CaitlynPassive (Headshot) damage | 60-100% AD | 60-80% AD | -20% AD at max levels | Less explosive late-game Headshot damage. | |
| CaitlynHeadshot critical scaling | 1% per 1% crit | 0.8% per 1% crit | -0.2 percentage points | Reduced critical synergy on Headshots. | |
| CaitlynQ (Piltover Peacemaker) base damage | 50-210 | 50-230 | +20 at max rank (buff) | Partially offsets the passive nerf; matters at max rank only. | |
 | JinxAD growth per level | 3.25 | 3.0 | -0.25 per level | Less attack damage as she levels; more punishable before the reset fight. | |
| JinxBase health | 630 | 610 | -20 | Slightly lower durability at every level. | |
 | Lee SinW (Safeguard) cooldown | 7 s | 8 s | +1 s (+14%) | Slower jungle clears and less frequent shields and dashes. | |
| Lee SinR (Dragon's Kick) kick damage | 175-625 (+200% bonus AD) | 150-550 (+200% bonus AD) | -25 at each rank | Less ultimate damage on the kick. | |
| Lee SinR collision damage | +12-18% of kicked target's health | Removed | -12-18% of target max health | Kicking tanks into their team deals much less extra damage. | |
 | NidaleeCougar W (Pounce) damage | 55-190 (+50% bonus AD, +30% AP) | 50-170 (+50% bonus AD, +30% AP) | -5 to -20 | Lower cougar-form damage at every rank. | |
| NidaleeHuman E (Primal Surge) attack speed | 30-70% | 20-60% | -10 percentage points | Weaker attack-speed buff for herself and allies. | |
 | QiyanaQ (Edge of Ixtal) damage | 80-200 (+90% bonus AD) | 70-190 (+90% bonus AD) | -10 at each rank | Slightly less early damage, compounded by the Bastionbreaker item nerf. | |
 | RammusW (Defensive Ball Curl) bonus armor | 27-47 (+30-60% armor) | 25-45 (+30-50% armor) | -2 flat; scaling down to 50% | Less armor while curled up. | |
| RammusW bonus magic resist | 20-40 (+30-60% MR) | 20-40 (+30-50% MR) | Scaling down to 50% | Less magic resist while curled up. | |
 | TristanaQ (Rapid Fire) attack speed | 60-120% | 40-120% | -20% at early ranks | Slower attack speed early; max rank is unchanged. | |
 | ViktorQ (Siphon Power) shield | 40-140 (+25% AP) | 30-130 (+20% AP) | -10 base, -5% AP ratio | Weaker shield and less AP scaling. | |
| ViktorBase movement speed | 335 | 330 | -5 | Slightly slower base movement. | |
 | WukongPassive armor per stack | 6-10 | 4.5-10 | -1.5 at low stacks | Lower starting armor; later stacks are close to before. | |
| WukongHealth regeneration per 5 s | 3.5 (+0.65 per level) | 5.5 (+0.65 per level) | +2 (buff, offsetting) | More sustain; partially offsets the armor loss. | |
 | YoneQ (Mortal Steel) AD ratio | 110% AD | 105% AD | -5 percentage points | Slightly less Q damage, mostly on crit builds. |
Patch 26.21 Item Changes
Four items are changing in Patch 26.21. Dawncore is a straight buff; Gluttonous Greaves and Bastionbreaker lose combat power; Hubris shifts power from ranged buyers toward melee buyers.
| Item | Stat / effect | Before | After | Difference | Who it affects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | DawncoreAP per 100% base mana regeneration | 10 | 15 | +5 (+50%) | Enchanters and mana-regeneration mages gain more AP from First Light. | |
 | BastionbreakerLethality; Shaped Charge damage; Sabotage duration | 22 lethality; 50 melee / 25 ranged Shaped Charge; 90 s Sabotage | 18 lethality; 40 melee / 20 ranged Shaped Charge; 25,000 s Sabotage | -4 lethality; -10 melee / -5 ranged damage | Less killing power in combat, much more value against structures and objectives. Hits Qiyana and other Bastionbreaker users. | |
 | Gluttonous GreavesTotal cost | 1,000 gold | 1,100 gold | +100 gold | Delays the purchase by 100 gold; finished stats are unchanged. | |
 | HubrisBase bonus AD and per-stack AD (melee vs. ranged) | 12 base AD + 3 per stack (both) | Melee: 15 base + 3 per stack; Ranged: 10 base + 2 per stack | Melee +3 base AD; Ranged -2 base AD, -1 per stack | Melee buyers gain; ranged buyers (including Miss Fortune) lose power even as her own abilities are buffed. |
What the biggest changes mean in-game
Mid lane: Azir, Orianna, Ryze and Taliyah receive more AP scaling and damage, aimed at giving them more room outside of professional play. Vel'Koz gains late-game true damage.
Bot lane: Miss Fortune is buffed on E and R, while Caitlyn loses Headshot scaling (though her Q gains damage) and Jinx loses base stats. Expect a shifting bot-lane balance.
Jungle: Lee Sin, Nidalee and Qiyana are nerfed, while Xin Zhao is buffed. Lee Sin's ultimate loses both raw damage and its bonus-health collision component.
Items: Bastionbreaker trades lethality for objective value, Hubris now favors melee over ranged buyers, Dawncore gives more AP to mana-regeneration builds, and Gluttonous Greaves costs 100 gold more.
Which roles and playstyles could be affected
- •Mid-lane control mages (Azir, Orianna, Ryze, Taliyah, Vel'Koz): more damage, slightly stronger late game.
- •Bot-lane marksmen: Miss Fortune stronger with critical builds; Caitlyn and Jinx slightly weaker early.
- •Jungle: Lee Sin, Nidalee and Qiyana lose power; Xin Zhao gains sustained damage.
- •Tanks and engage: Sion becomes more durable; Rammus becomes less durable while curled up.
- •Item builds: melee Hubris buyers gain; ranged buyers lose, even where their own abilities are buffed.
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Win rates, preview values and what to watch
Announced balance changes do not guarantee post-patch win rates. A champion's actual strength depends on how players adapt, item builds and the wider patch context.
Check Riot's official patch notes on release day (October 21, 2026, Pacific time) to confirm the final numbers before building your ranked pool.
Frequently asked questions
Conclusion
Patch 26.21 is a Ranked-focused balance patch: mid-lane control mages gain damage, bot lane sees Miss Fortune rise while Caitlyn and Jinx fall, and the jungle is shuffled. Treat the numbers as preview values until Riot's official notes ship on October 21.
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Sources
- AussyElo - LoL Patch 26.21 Full Preview (Riot Phroxzon values, updated Oct 15-16, 2026)
- Hotspawn - League of Legends Patch 26.21 changes (Oct 13, 2026)
- Hexgate - 2026 LoL Patch Schedule (Patch 26.21 on Oct 21, 2026)
- League of Legends Wiki - Patch/2026 Annual Cycle
- Riot Games - League of Legends patch notes (final 26.21 notes publish on release day)
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