League of Legends Patch 26.21 is one of the major updates of the 2026 season, bringing significant champion balance changes, item adjustments, new League Classic champions, and a completely refreshed ARAM: Mayhem experience. With Worlds underway, Riot Games is adjusting several champions that have been dominating their roles while giving other picks more opportunities to compete.
Champions such as Caitlyn, Jinx, Lee Sin, Nidalee, Rammus, Viktor, and Yone receive nerfs or power adjustments. Meanwhile, Azir, Darius, Miss Fortune, Nunu & Willump, Orianna, Ryze, Sion, Taliyah, Vel’Koz, and Zyra receive buffs or improvements.
League Classic also receives four new champions: Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim, and Lucian. Kassadin gets his previous nerfs reverted, and Atma’s Impaler receives another adjustment. One of the biggest attractions is the new ARAM: Mayhem update, titled Journey to Stardom. It introduces music-themed Headliners, a new progression system, and numerous new Augments inspired by League’s iconic music groups.
Here is everything you need to know about League of Legends Patch 26.21.
League of Legends Patch 26.21 Release Date
League of Legends Patch 26.21 was released on October 20, 2026. Riot describes the update as a substantial patch with changes across Summoner’s Rift, ARAM: Mayhem, League Classic, and Arena.
An additional mid-patch update was published on October 22, introducing a Varus adjustment after Riot discovered a bug affecting his Q ability.
League of Legends Patch 26.21 Highlights
The biggest additions and changes include:
- Champion balance updates for Azir, Caitlyn, Darius, Jinx, Lee Sin, Nidalee, Nunu & Willump, Orianna, Qiyana, Rammus, Ryze, Sion, Taliyah, Tristana, Varus, Vel’Koz, Viktor, Wukong, Xin Zhao, Yone, and Zyra.
- Mid-patch Varus adjustments.
- Nerfs to Bastion Breaker, Gluttonous Greaves, and ranged Hubris users.
- A buff to Dawncore.
- Four new League Classic champions: Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim, and Lucian.
- Kassadin nerfs reverted in League Classic.
- Atma’s Impaler changes in Classic.
- A new ARAM: Mayhem experience called Journey to Stardom.
- New Mayhem Headliners based on K/DA, HEARTSTEEL, True Damage, Pentakill, and other themes.
- A large collection of new Mayhem Augments.
- Extensive Arena champion, item, and Augment adjustments.
- True Damage Know My Name skins.
- Replay download limit of 10 per hour.
Summoner’s Rift Champion Changes in Patch 26.21
Patch 26.21 contains numerous champion adjustments. Riot is reducing the power of several frequently selected champions while improving scaling, damage, and utility for other picks.
Azir Buff
Azir receives a mana growth increase to make his laning phase less restrictive.
Base Stats
- Mana growth: 40 per level → 50 per level
Riot wants Azir to have more freedom to use his abilities while contesting the lane. The increased mana growth should make it easier to use Q and other abilities without sacrificing as much mana management.
Caitlyn Nerf
Caitlyn has maintained a high pick and ban rate for an extended period. Riot is reducing her late-game Headshot damage while improving the base damage of her Q.
Passive – Headshot
- Damage: 60–100% AD → 60–80% AD
- Critical strike chance scaling: 1% AD per 1% crit chance → 0.8% AD per 1% crit chance
- Bonus critical damage scaling: 1% AD per 1% bonus crit damage → 0.8% AD per 1% bonus crit damage
Q – Piltover Peacemaker
- Base damage: 50/90/130/170/210 → 50/95/140/185/230
The changes shift some of Caitlyn’s power away from full-build Headshot damage and toward her early-game Q.
Darius Buff
Darius receives a cooldown improvement to his Q at maximum rank.
Q – Decimate
- Cooldown: 9/8/7/6/5 seconds → 9/8/7/6/4 seconds
The shorter cooldown at rank five gives Darius more opportunities to use Decimate during extended fights. It also supports his sustained damage identity rather than relying entirely on quick burst combinations.
Jinx Nerf
Jinx has remained a dominant bot-lane champion, even after the previous Runaan’s Hurricane adjustment. Riot is reducing her early-game snowball potential through base-stat nerfs.
Base Stats
- Attack damage: 59 + 3.25 per level → 59 + 3 per level
- Health: 630 + 105 per level → 610 + 105 per level
The lower starting health makes Jinx more vulnerable during early trades, while the reduced attack damage growth slightly lowers her scaling.
Lee Sin Nerf
Lee Sin receives a cooldown and damage reduction.
W – Safeguard
- Cooldown: 7 seconds → 8 seconds
E – Tempest
- Bug fix: E no longer reveals invisible enemies if they enter stealth after being hit by Tempest.
R – Dragon’s Rage
- Kick damage: 175/400/625 (+200% bonus AD) → 150/350/550 (+200% bonus AD)
- Collision damage: 175/400/625 (+200% bonus AD) → 150/350/550 (+200% bonus AD)
The changes reduce Lee Sin’s damage and defensive flexibility. The additional bug fix also makes his interaction with invisible enemies more consistent.
Locke Adjustment
Riot has a better understanding of Locke’s performance after his release and is adjusting his mana management, defensive strength, and scaling.
Q – Ritual Nails
- Unused charge refund: 20–35% mana and cooldown refund → 10–40% mana and cooldown refund
Base Stats
- Mana growth: 70 → 60
W – Soul Ignition
- Mana cost: 50/55/60/65/70 → 60/65/70/75/80
- Grey health store based on current health: 40–200 → 20–200
- Current health store: 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)
These adjustments make Locke spend more mana while giving him stronger scaling damage through E.
Miss Fortune Buff
Miss Fortune receives compensation for the Hubris changes.
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)
The changes improve her ability damage and increase the potential damage from critical-strike-focused ultimate builds.
Nidalee Nerf
Nidalee has maintained a high win rate in higher skill brackets. Riot is reducing the damage and attack-speed benefits of two abilities.
W – Pounce
- Damage: 55/88.75/122.5/156.25/190 (+50% bonus AD) (+30% AP) → 50/80/110/140/170 (+50% bonus AD) (+30% AP)
E – Primal Surge
- Attack speed: 30/40/50/60/70% → 20/30/40/50/60%
These changes reduce her damage and attack-speed contribution, particularly in situations where experienced players can maximize her abilities.
Nunu & Willump Buff
Nunu & Willump receive a damage increase to their ultimate.
R – Absolute Zero
- Maximum damage: 625/925/1275 (+300% AP) → 750/1100/1450 (+300% AP)
Riot is restoring some of the damage lost after earlier Hextech Rocketbelt changes. The stronger ultimate gives Nunu more potential to punish enemies who remain inside its charging area.
Orianna Buff
Orianna receives improved ability power scaling on her Q and W.
Q – Command: Attack
- AP ratio: 55% → 60%
W – Command: Dissonance
- AP ratio: 80% → 85%
The changes primarily benefit Orianna in the later stages of a match, allowing her standard ability combinations to deal more damage without heavily increasing her early laning power.
Qiyana Nerf
Riot is partially reverting the Qiyana buff introduced in Patch 26.17.
Q – Elemental Wrath / Edge of Ixtal
- Damage: 80/110/140/170/200 (+90% bonus AD) → 70/100/130/160/190 (+90% bonus AD)
This reduces Qiyana’s direct damage while keeping the bonus AD ratio unchanged.
Rammus Nerf
Rammus receives reductions to the defensive scaling of W.
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 change reduces how much additional durability Rammus gains from building armor and magic resistance.
Ryze Buff
Ryze receives improvements to Q damage scaling, movement speed, and W damage.
Q – Overload
- Flux bonus damage: 15/40/65/90% increased damage → 10/40/70/100% increased damage
- Bonus movement speed: 28/32/36/40/44% → 30/35/40/45/50%
W – Rune Prison
- AP ratio: 60% → 70%
Riot is rewarding Ryze for reaching the later stages of the game after the early-game nerfs introduced in Patch 26.19.
Sion Buff
Sion receives improved health growth and ultimate damage scaling.
Base Stats
- Health growth: 87 per level → 95 per level
R – Unstoppable Onslaught
- Damage increase over the first three seconds of channeling: maximum 166.67% base damage and 100% ratio damage → maximum 200%
The additional health improves Sion’s baseline durability, while the ultimate change rewards players who successfully commit to longer ultimate charges.
Taliyah Buff
Taliyah receives additional damage on E, including its detonation.
E – Unraveled Earth
- Base damage: 60/105/150/195/240 (+60% AP) → 70/115/160/205/250 (+70% AP)
- Detonation damage: 25/40/55/70/85 (+30% AP) → 30/45/60/75/90 (+30% AP)
- Monster damage: 225% damage to monsters
The higher damage makes her crowd-control combinations more rewarding and improves her jungle clear potential.
Taric Quality-of-Life Changes
Taric receives changes to how his abilities interact with untargetable allies.
Q – Starlight’s Touch
- Q can now successfully cast when allies are untargetable.
E – Dazzle
- E can now successfully cast when allies are untargetable.
- Tooltip updated to explain that Dazzle will not cast from vanished allies.
R – Cosmic Radiance
- R can now successfully cast when allies are untargetable.
These changes remove an old restriction that caused Taric’s abilities to fail in certain situations involving his linked ally.
Tristana Nerf
Tristana’s level-one Q attack speed is reduced.
Q – Rapid Fire
- Attack speed: 60/75/90/105/120% → 40/60/80/100/120%
The change makes her early laning less oppressive while keeping the maximum-rank value unchanged.
Twisted Fate Adjustment
R – Destiny
- Reveal: Now reveals untargetable units.
This is a quality-of-life improvement that allows Twisted Fate to reveal enemies even when they are untargetable at the time of activation.
Varus Changes
Varus receives a substantial ability adjustment intended to reduce the difference between his top-lane and bot-lane performance.
Q – Piercing Arrow
- Maximum damage scaling is adjusted to provide more power through Q charging.
- Damage increase over channel time: up to 50% → up to 70%
W – Blighted Quiver
- On-hit damage: 4/13/22/31/40 (+15% bonus AD) (+25% AP) → 4/10/16/22/28 (+20% bonus AD) (+30% AP)
- Per-stack maximum-health damage: 3–5% (+1.3% per 100 AP) → 2.5–4.5% (+1.4% per 100 AP)
- Active missing-health damage: 6–14% → 6–10%, increased by up to 70% based on Q channel
- Basic ability cooldown refund: 13% per stack, increased by up to 50% based on Q channel → 11%, increased by up to 70% based on Q channel
The goal is to shift more of Varus’s damage toward an interactive Q charging pattern and away from passive W damage.
Varus Mid-Patch Update – October 22
Riot subsequently fixed a bug affecting Varus Q. The bug caused Piercing Arrow to stop reducing its damage against subsequent targets.
The mid-patch update also included compensation:
Passive – Living Vengeance
- Bonus AD and AP on kill/takedown: 1.1 per 10% attack speed → 1.4 per 10% attack speed
Q – Piercing Arrow
- Minimum damage: 50–230 → 50–250
This is an important addition to the original Patch 26.21 notes for players following the latest version of the update.
Vel’Koz Buff
Vel’Koz receives a passive damage and AP scaling increase.
Passive – Organic Deconstruction
- Damage: 35–180 (+60% AP) → 35–205 (+65% AP)
The change rewards players who successfully land his ability combinations and helps improve his damage in mid lane and support.
Viktor Nerf
Viktor becomes slightly more vulnerable during early skirmishes.
Base Stats
- Movement speed: 335 → 330
Q – Siphon Power
- Shield: 40–140 (+25% AP) → 30–130 (+20% AP)
The reduced movement speed and shield strength make it easier for opponents to punish Viktor when he is caught out.
Wukong Adjustment
Wukong receives compensation for lane play while losing some jungle durability.
Base Stats
- Health regeneration: 3.5 + 0.65 per level → 5.5 + 0.65 per level
Passive – Stone Skin
- Armor per stack: 6–10 → 4.5–10
The higher health regeneration helps Wukong in lane, while the lower armor at earlier levels reduces some of his jungle and early-fight durability.
Xin Zhao Buff
Xin Zhao receives improvements to his AD bruiser and attack-speed builds.
Q – Three Talon Strike
- Bonus AD ratio per strike: 40% → 45%
E – Audacious Charge
- Attack-speed scaling: 1% per 5% bonus attack speed → 1% per 4% bonus attack speed
These changes increase the value of bonus AD and permanent attack-speed sources.
Yone Nerf
Yone receives a small reduction to his Q damage scaling.
Q – Mortal Steel
- AD ratio: 110% → 105%
The adjustment reduces some of his damage after previous changes made critical-strike item purchases more attractive.
Zyra Buff
Zyra receives a lower seed ammunition cooldown at early ranks.
W – Rampant Growth
- Seed ammunition cooldown: 18/16/14/12/10 seconds → 16/14.5/13/11.5/10 seconds
The improvement allows Zyra to access her plants more frequently in the early and middle stages of the game.
Patch 26.21 Item Changes
Riot adjusts four major items in Patch 26.21. The changes target items that have become too effective on certain champion classes while improving an underused support item.
Bastion Breaker Nerf
- Lethality: 22 → 18
- Shaped Charge damage – Melee: 50 + 1.5 per Lethality → 40 + 1.5 per Lethality
- Shaped Charge damage – Ranged: 25 + 0.75 per Lethality → 20 + 0.75 per Lethality
- Sabotage duration: 90 seconds → Infinite
Although the item’s general damage and Lethality are reduced, the sabotage effect no longer expires. This makes the item more convenient to use in its intended objective-focused role.
Dawncore Buff
- Ability power per 100% base mana regeneration: 10 → 15
Dawncore receives additional AP scaling to make it more attractive to enchanter champions beyond its healing and shielding benefits.
Gluttonous Greaves Nerf
- Total cost: 1,000 gold → 1,100 gold
The higher price delays early purchases and reduces the item’s immediate value for marksmen.
Hubris Adjustment
Hubris now has separate values for melee and ranged champions.
| Stat | Previous | Melee | Ranged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base bonus AD | 12 | 15 | 10 |
| Bonus AD per stack | 3 | 3 | 2 |
This change makes Hubris more attractive for melee champions while reducing its effectiveness for ranged users.
Replay Download Limit Changes
Patch 26.21 introduces a limit on replay downloads.
- Maximum downloads: 10 replays per hour
Players can still download their own replays and replays belonging to friends or other players.
Riot says this restriction is intended to prevent large-scale abuse of replay downloads by third-party applications. The time-based limit is designed to preserve access for content creators while making mass downloading more difficult.
ARAM: Mayhem Patch 26.21 – Journey to Stardom
One of the biggest additions in Patch 26.21 is the new ARAM: Mayhem experience called Journey to Stardom.
The update introduces music-themed Headliners, new Augments, a progression system, and missions inspired by League’s music groups. Each Mayhem match can feature a Headliner that introduces a special gameplay twist.
New Mayhem Headliners
K/DA
- Collect four K/DA cards to earn an additional Augment.
HEARTSTEEL
- Augments can receive unique modifiers that make them especially powerful.
True Damage
- Champion takedowns and destroying towers can drop Anvils for your team.
Pentakill
- Increase the power of one ability at the beginning of the game and again at level 18.
Disco
- Dance beneath the disco ball to earn gold for everyone.
Cafe Cuties
- Health relics become especially powerful.
Bees
- Collect honey pots while avoiding bees flying across the map.
Command Line
- Reroll one Augment to receive a higher tier during each selection.
Riot also mentions additional Headliner themes that may arrive later.
New ARAM: Mayhem Augments
Patch 26.21 introduces a large collection of Augments with different mechanics and build possibilities.
| Augment | Effect |
|---|---|
| Silver Blue Barrier | Gain a shield whenever you cast an ability, based on its mana cost. |
| Flow of Spirit | Using a specific ability grants stacking attack speed. |
| Fruitify | Enemy takedowns create fruit that allies can collect for healing. |
| Gift of the Drowned | Bonus health from items is converted into Lethality. |
| Hands Off The Talent | Attacks deal extra damage when fired from maximum range. |
| Lich Brain | Gain AP based on bonus health. |
| Lonely Warrior | Gain armor, MR, and attack speed for nearby enemy champions. |
| No Mana, No Problem | Mana from items is converted into AP. |
| Sound Barrier | Shields grant movement speed. |
| Ultimate Recursion | Gain 50 Ultimate Ability Haste. |
| Gold Arcane Axiom | Takedowns refund part of your ultimate cooldown. |
| Armored Impact | Using an ability empowers your next attack based on armor. |
| BEES!!! | Abilities can launch exploding beehives that damage and slow enemies. |
| Brass Blast | Gain a Summoner Spell that charges a horn blast to damage and knock back enemies. |
| CRIMSON COBALT | Mark enemies with an ability; consuming the mark deals damage and reduces its cooldown. |
| Double Time | Quickly hitting enemies with two different abilities grants permanent mana and bonus damage. |
| Enchanting Butterflies | Healing and shielding allies creates butterflies that damage enemies. |
| Get Jinxed | Gain a Summoner Spell that launches you on a destructive rocket. |
| Heavy Is The Crown | Gain AD, AP, and attack speed at the cost of movement speed. Takedowns increase the effect, while deaths reduce it. |
| Jeweled Bracelet | Your ultimate can critically strike. |
| Recoil | One of your abilities launches you backward when cast. |
| Salvation | Falling to low health pushes enemies away and heals allies. |
| Sap Magic | Every 10 seconds, your next attack deals bonus damage and heals you. |
| Still Here | Gain AD, AP, and Lifesteal based on missing health. |
| Take’em Down Down Down | Hitting an enemy five times with attacks and abilities grants healing and extra damage. |
| The Boom and the Bass | Your next attack after casting an ability deals bonus damage and grants movement speed. |
| Tickle Monster | Item attack damage is converted into attack speed. |
| Upgrade: Stormsurge | Stormsurge’s Squall effect detonates in an area and marks enemies with another Squall. |
| Weapon Of Destiny | Your first Legendary item gains stronger stats with takedowns. |
| Prismatic Big Shot | Converts a large percentage of attack speed into critical-strike damage. |
| Bouncing Bees | Attacks bounce to nearby enemies and can gain additional bounces through a quest. |
| Group Hug | An ability that heals or shields you can also affect nearby allies. |
| Mosh Monster | Using your ultimate grants health and creates a slow zone that grows with takedowns. |
| Third Times The Harm | Attacking an enemy three times deals bonus damage and grants attack speed. |
| Totentanz | Gain a Summoner Spell that provides five seconds of immortality, but failing to secure a takedown has a penalty. |
These Augments introduce several unusual build combinations, including converting health into Lethality, transforming item mana into AP, and turning attack speed into critical-strike damage.
Removed ARAM: Mayhem Augments
The following Augments are removed in Patch 26.21:
- 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
New Mayhem Progression System
Journey to Stardom also introduces a progression system built around missions from K/DA, Pentakill, and other music groups.
Players can complete missions and earn rewards such as:
- Augments
- Emotes
- Orange Essence
- Additional progression rewards
Playing matches and completing missions increases Superstar Ranks. Higher ranks unlock additional music groups and missions.
Mayhem Map Availability
Butcher’s Bridge and Koeshin’s Crossing are temporarily unavailable in Mayhem queues during Patch 26.21 while Riot prepares their concert stages. Riot says these maps are expected to return in the following patch.
League Classic Patch 26.21: Four New Champions
League Classic continues receiving historical champion versions before its planned rotation out in January.
Patch 26.21 introduces four champions:
- Mordekaiser
- Yorick
- Hecarim
- Lucian
These versions bring back older champion abilities and gameplay mechanics, giving players an opportunity to experience earlier versions of League.
Classic Mordekaiser
Classic Mordekaiser returns with his 2010–2015 kit.
His abilities include:
- Passive – Iron Man: Mordekaiser converts damage dealt by his abilities into a decaying shield.
- Q – Mace of Spades: His next attack damages multiple nearby enemies. If the target is isolated, it takes additional damage.
- W – Creeping Death: Mordekaiser grants an ally bonus armor and magic resistance while dealing damage to nearby enemies over time.
- E – Siphon of Destruction: Deals magic damage to enemies in a cone.
- R – Children of the Grave: Mordekaiser curses an enemy champion, dealing damage over time and stealing their stats. If the target dies while cursed, he raises their spirit as a controllable ghost.
This ultimate is one of the defining features of the old Mordekaiser design.
Classic Yorick
Classic Yorick returns with his original 2011–2016 design. His gameplay revolves around summoning ghouls through his abilities.
- Passive – Unholy Covenant: Yorick takes reduced damage and gains bonus attack damage based on his active summons.
- Q – Omen of War: His next attack deals bonus damage and summons a Spectral Ghoul. The ghoul provides bonus attack damage and movement speed.
- W – Omen of Pestilence: Summons a Decaying Ghoul that damages and slows nearby enemies.
- E – Omen of Famine: Summons a Ravenous Ghoul that damages enemies and heals Yorick.
- R – Omen of Death: Summons the revenant of an allied champion. The revenant attacks for part of the ally’s total attack damage and can temporarily revive the ally if they die while it is active.
The old Yorick kit is especially distinctive because it focuses heavily on summons and sustained lane pressure.
Classic Hecarim
Classic Hecarim returns with his 2012-era gameplay.
- Passive – Warpath: Hecarim is ghosted and gains attack damage based on bonus movement speed.
- Q – Rampage: Deals damage to nearby enemies. Hitting an enemy reduces the cooldown of the next cast.
- W – Spirit of Dread: Damages nearby enemies over time and heals Hecarim based on damage dealt.
- E – Devastating Charge: Grants movement speed and empowers his next attack with bonus damage and knockback.
- R – Onslaught of Shadows: Hecarim charges forward with spectral riders, damaging enemies and fearing nearby opponents when the charge ends.
Classic Lucian
Classic Lucian is based on his original release-era design from 2013. One notable difference is his 550 attack range, which makes him a strong laning champion.
- Passive – Lightslinger: After casting an ability, Lucian’s next attack fires twice.
- Q – Piercing Light: Fires a piercing shot that damages enemies in a line.
- W – Ardent Blaze: Fires a cross-shaped missile that damages and marks enemies. Attacking marked targets grants Lucian bonus movement speed.
- E – Relentless Pursuit: Lucian dashes and removes slows affecting him. Unlike the modern ability, it does not reset his attack timer.
- R – The Culling: Rapidly fires shots in a straight line. Lucian can move and cast E while firing.
League Classic Champion and Item Changes
Along with the four new champions, Patch 26.21 includes adjustments to Aatrox, Irelia, Karma, Kassadin, and Atma’s Impaler.
Aatrox Buff
Classic Aatrox receives an improvement to his passive cooldown.
Passive – Blood Well
- Cooldown: 225 seconds → 225/200/175/150 seconds
The cooldown now decreases at levels 6, 11, and 16. The change provides more frequent access to his resurrection-related passive at higher levels.
Irelia Nerf
Classic Irelia receives reductions to her durability.
Base Stats
- Base health: 546 → 515
- Health regeneration: 8.15 → 6.5
Passive – Ionian Fervor
- Tenacity stacking: Additive → Multiplicative
The changes reduce her early durability and make Tenacity items less effective when combined with her passive.
Karma Buff
Classic Karma receives improvements to her Q and W, particularly to support her lower-income support role.
Q – Heavenly Wave
- Damage: 70/110/150/190/230/270 → 85/125/165/205/245/285
- Base Mantra heal: 35/55/75/95/115/135 → 50/70/90/110/130/150
W – Spirit Bond
- Base damage: 80/125/170/215/260/305 → 100/140/180/220/260/300
- Movement speed: 10/12/14/16/18/20% → 15/16/17/18/19/20%
The improvements make Karma more effective in both mid lane and support.
Kassadin Buff
Riot reverts the nerfs previously applied to Classic Kassadin before his launch.
Q – Null Sphere
- Damage: 60/105/150/195/240 → 80/130/180/230/280
- Silence duration: 1/1.25/1.5/1.75/2 seconds → 1/1.4/1.8/2.2/2.6 seconds
R – Riftwalk
- AP ratio: 70% → 80%
The changes restore more of Kassadin’s historical power and are likely to make him a highly contested pick in Classic.
Atma’s Impaler Returns to Its Stronger Version
Atma’s Impaler receives another adjustment.
- Critical strike chance: 15% → 18%
- Maximum health converted into bonus attack damage: 1.5% → 2%
This improves the item’s synergy with health-stacking builds.
Arena Patch 26.21 Changes
Arena receives a broad balance update intended to reduce the power of overly strong Augments while improving weaker choices. Riot is also reducing the impact of combinations that allow certain champions to become extremely powerful from a single Augment.
Arena Champion Changes
Bel’Veth
- Q AD ratio: 105% → 95%
- R bonus AD ratio per stack: 1% → 0.5%
Briar
- Q stun duration: 0.85 → 0.5 seconds
- E full-charge AP ratio: 100% → 150%
- E full-charge wall-hit AP ratio: 240% → 350%
- Maximum AP ratio: 340% → 500%
Elise
- E cooldown: 8/7.5/7/6.5/6 seconds → 10 seconds
- W spiderlings: 2/3/4/5 → 4/6/8/10
- Old spider damage buff removed.
Ezreal
- R bonus AD ratio: 100% → 150%
- R cooldown: 50/40/30 seconds → 40/30/20 seconds
Fiora
- Passive bonus AD ratio: 3% per 100 bonus AD → 2% per 100 bonus AD
- Q AP ratio: 0% → 25%
Galio
- W passive shield health ratio: 7.5–15% → 6–10%
- Fully charged W taunt duration: 1.5 → 1 second
- R knockup duration: 1.5 → 1 second
Gangplank
- W AP ratio: 90% → 135%
- W cooldown: 22/20/18/16/14 seconds → 18/16/14/12/10 seconds
- R cooldown: 130/110/90 seconds → 100/80/60 seconds
Gnar
- W duration: 4 → 2 seconds
- W movement speed: 20/40/60/80 → 40/80/120/160
- R AP ratio: 100% → 150%
Kayn
- Passive transformation progress: Increased rate
Katarina
- R on-hit ratio: 20/25/30% → 25%
- R AP ratio per dagger: 26% → 35%
Lee Sin
- E AP ratio: 0% → 75%
Malzahar
- W maximum Voidling charges: Increased to 6
Milio
- Q cooldown: 8 → 10 seconds
- Q AP ratio: 120% → 200%
- R cooldown: 160/145/130 seconds → 180/150/130 seconds
Miss Fortune
- Q AP ratio: 55% → 70%
- R AP ratio: 35% → 40%
Morgana
- Q cooldown: 12 → 14 seconds
- E cooldown: 26/23.5/21/18.5/16 seconds → 30/27.5/25/22.5/20 seconds
Nidalee
- W trap cooldown: 14/13/12/11/10 seconds → 8 seconds
- R cougar ability cooldowns: 6 → 4 seconds
Rengar
- W AP ratio: 95% → 120%
- Empowered W AP ratio: 105% → 120%
Renata Glasc
- R cooldown: 150/130/110 seconds → 170/150/130 seconds
- W cooldown: 28/27/26/25/24 seconds → 32/31/30/29/28 seconds
Skarner
- Q bonus AD ratio: 90% → 150%
- W cooldown: 10/9/8/7/6 seconds → 8/7/6/5/4 seconds
- W AP ratio: 80% → 120%
Teemo
- E initial-hit AD ratio: 5% → 10%
- E damage-over-time AD ratio: 10% → 20%
Urgot
- W on-hit effectiveness: 50% → 75%
Varus
- E cooldown: 18/16/14/12/10 seconds → 14/12/10/8/6 seconds
- E AP ratio: 0% → 50%
Yone
- R bonus AD ratio: 80% → 100%
- R cooldown: 70/60/50 seconds → 60/50/40 seconds
Yuumi
- W healing and shielding power: 10–25% → 4–8%
Zaahen
- Passive bonus AD per stack: 1–2% → 1%
Arena Item Changes
| Item | Patch 26.21 Change |
|---|---|
| Turbo Chemtank | Restore effect: 4% → 20% maximum health |
| Galeforce | Maximum dash range: 600 → 900 |
| Night Harvester | Cooldown: 10 → 8 seconds; movement speed: 40% → 60%; duration: 1.5 → 1 second |
| Mirage Blade | Cooldown refund: 20% → 15% |
| Moonflair Spellblade | Cooldown refund per attack: 0.5 → 0.3; enhanced attacks: 2 → 3 |
Arena Augment Changes
Several Arena Augments receive balance updates.
| Augment | 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 | Increased 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 | Damage, AD ratio, and cooldown reduced. |
These changes aim to make more Augments viable and reduce the number of situations where one powerful combination determines the entire match.
Mythic Shop Changes
Riot announced an upcoming change to the Mythic Shop in Patch 26.22. The shop will begin showing individual players different offerings rather than giving everyone the same selection at the same time.
Patch 26.21 prepares for this transition by adjusting the rotation timing of the:
- Bi-weekly section
- Weekly section
- Daily section
Players should pay attention to the rotation schedule to avoid missing items they want to purchase.
Patch 26.21 Skins and Chromas
Patch 26.21 introduces the True Damage Know My Name skin collection.
The following skins are scheduled for release:
- Prestige True Damage Know My Name Ekko
- True Damage Know My Name Akali
- True Damage Know My Name Qiyana
- True Damage Know My Name Senna
- True Damage Know My Name Yasuo
The patch also includes corresponding chromas for the listed True Damage skins.
These releases bring a new visual direction to the True Damage collection, with Ekko receiving the Prestige version.
Patch 26.21 Bug Fixes and Quality-of-Life Changes
Riot also includes several bug fixes and gameplay improvements.
Notable fixes include:
- Fixed a bug where Zaahen’s Q could fail to complete if he entered revive during an attack.
- Fixed an issue where Summoner Teleport’s channel visual effect could be seen by enemies when cast in brush.
- Fixed a bug where Titanic Hydra’s cooldown timer was not displayed after use.
- Fixed an issue allowing Zoe to obtain a 1,000-damage Smite from a minion drop earlier than intended.
- Fixed a Hail of Blades interaction where the rune failed to trigger on attack resets if the first attack was cancelled.
- Fixed a Nidalee Q interaction where spear damage could pass through spell shields at maximum range.
- Updated Briar, Kled, and Sion ultimate sound effects to use their base-skin audio when those champions are played against you.
What Patch 26.21 Means for the League of Legends Meta
Patch 26.21 is a broad balance update that affects several positions and gameplay modes.
1. Bot Lane Faces Important Changes
Caitlyn and Jinx receive nerfs, while Miss Fortune receives compensation buffs. These changes could create more opportunities for alternative marksmen, although the actual bot-lane meta will depend on player performance and item choices.
2. Jungle Power Is Being Rebalanced
Lee Sin, Nidalee, and Rammus receive reductions, while Taliyah and Xin Zhao receive improvements. These adjustments could encourage players to experiment with different jungle champions.
3. Scaling Mages Receive More Support
Azir, Orianna, Ryze, and Vel’Koz receive improvements that help their ability usage or scaling. The changes give these champions more opportunities to influence fights as the game progresses.
4. League Classic Gets More Historical Content
The addition of Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim, and Lucian makes Classic more varied. The return of Kassadin’s old power and the Atma’s Impaler changes also add another layer of nostalgia for longtime players.
5. ARAM: Mayhem Gets a Major Refresh
Journey to Stardom is more than a small balance update. Its Headliners, missions, progression system, and new Augments give Mayhem a new way to structure matches and reward players.
League of Legends Patch 26.21 Changes at a Glance
| Category | Major Changes |
|---|---|
| Release date | October 20, 2026 |
| Mid-patch update | Varus adjustment on October 22 |
| Summoner’s Rift | Multiple champion buffs, nerfs, and adjustments |
| Item changes | Bastion Breaker, Dawncore, Gluttonous Greaves, Hubris |
| Replay downloads | 10 per hour |
| Classic champions | Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim, Lucian |
| Classic changes | Aatrox, Irelia, Karma, Kassadin |
| Classic item | Atma’s Impaler |
| ARAM: Mayhem | Journey to Stardom |
| Arena | Champion, item, and Augment balance changes |
| Skins | True Damage Know My Name collection |
| Mythic Shop | Individualized offerings planned for Patch 26.22 |
Frequently Asked Questions
When did League of Legends Patch 26.21 release?
League of Legends Patch 26.21 was released on October 20, 2026.
Which champions are buffed in Patch 26.21?
Notable Summoner’s Rift buffs include Azir, Darius, Miss Fortune, Nunu & Willump, Orianna, Ryze, Sion, Taliyah, Vel’Koz, Xin Zhao, and Zyra. Varus also received a mid-patch adjustment on October 22.
Which champions are nerfed in Patch 26.21?
Notable nerfs and power reductions affect Caitlyn, Jinx, Lee Sin, Nidalee, Qiyana, Rammus, Tristana, Viktor, and Yone. Locke and Varus also receive more complex adjustments.
What changed in Patch 26.21 for Varus?
Varus received changes to Q and W intended to reduce the power difference between his top-lane and bot-lane playstyles. On October 22, Riot also fixed a Q bug and increased his passive takedown scaling and Q minimum damage.
Which champions are new in League Classic Patch 26.21?
Four champions join League Classic: Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim, and Lucian.
What happened to Kassadin in League Classic?
Riot reverted all the nerfs previously applied to Classic Kassadin before launch. His Q damage, Q silence duration, and R AP ratio were restored to stronger values.
What is Journey to Stardom in ARAM: Mayhem?
Journey to Stardom is the new ARAM: Mayhem experience introduced in Patch 26.21. It features music-themed Headliners, new Augments, missions, Superstar Ranks, and rewards inspired by League music groups.
Which items changed in Patch 26.21?
Bastion Breaker, Dawncore, Gluttonous Greaves, and Hubris receive changes on Summoner’s Rift. Arena also receives adjustments to Turbo Chemtank, Galeforce, Night Harvester, Mirage Blade, and Moonflair Spellblade.
How many replays can players download per hour?
Starting with Patch 26.21, players can download a maximum of 10 replays per hour. Players can still download their own replays and those belonging to friends or other players.
Which skins are coming in Patch 26.21?
The True Damage Know My Name collection includes Prestige Ekko and skins for Akali, Qiyana, Senna, and Yasuo.
What is changing in the Mythic Shop?
Riot plans to introduce individualized Mythic Shop offerings in Patch 26.22. Instead of every player receiving the same selection at a given time, players will begin seeing personalized offerings.
Final Thoughts
League of Legends Patch 26.21 delivers a substantial update across the game’s major modes.
On Summoner’s Rift, Riot is reducing the power of several dominant champions while improving the damage, scaling, and utility of other picks. The item changes also aim to create a healthier balance between melee and ranged users.
League Classic continues its historical champion rotation with Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim, and Lucian. Meanwhile, ARAM: Mayhem receives one of its biggest content updates through Journey to Stardom, featuring music-themed Headliners, new Augments, and a progression system.
Arena also receives a large balance pass, with adjustments to champions, items, and Augments designed to create more viable builds.
For players following the latest League of Legends changes, Patch 26.21 is an important update that affects competitive play, casual modes, and the wider game experience.
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