League of Legends Patch 26.06: Updated Tier List

Patch 26.06: Top Lane and Jungle Changes

The latest League of Legends patch 26.06 has introduced several significant shifts in the top lane and jungle roles, notably following Shyvana's rework. Although Shyvana debuted with an impressive 56% win rate, she faced substantial nerfs which affected her viability. In this section, we'll dissect the patch changes and their impact on solo queue tier lists.

Top Lane Highlights

One of the biggest top lane winners this patch is Tryndamere. A subtle base attack speed buff has bolstered his auto attack-based damage, amplifying his threat in duels. Tryndamere's optimal build this season involves a combination that emphasizes early burst rather than sustained attacks:

Hail of Blades as the keystone rune
Essence Reaver as the first item
Infinity Edge as the second item
Serylda's Grudge as the third item
This build moves Tryndamere up to the S tier due to its effectiveness. Meanwhile, Olaf also inches closer to the OP tier with sneaky buffs to his Q damage, generating an approximately 1% win rate boost.

Top Lane Tier List for 26.06

OP Tier: Singed, Ornn, Garen
S Tier: Tryndamere, Olaf
A Tier: Various popular picks

Shyvana, after her rework, struggled in the top lane with a win rate plummeting to around 40%. Furthermore, Skarner's buffs fell short of making him a viable top laner, despite an uptick in his play rate.

Jungle Changes and Shyvana's Roller Coaster

In the jungle, Shyvana initially took the limelight with her rapid clearing capabilities post-rework. However, immediate hotfixes aimed to balance her overpowering presence. Here's an overview of Shyvana's adjustments:

Passive armor and magic resist per stack reduced.
Reductions in Q on-hit cooldown and passive max health damage bonus AD/AP scaling.
W heal in dragon form and E's base damage per rank decreased.
E slow and fear duration nerfed.

Post-hotfix, Shyvana's win rate saw a steep decline, especially in higher ELOs. In ranks diamond and above, her win rate hovers at around 42%, contrasting with over 50% in bronze, silver, and gold, making her a viable option solely in lower ELOs.

Shyvana Jungle Tier

Overall Rating: B Tier
High ELO: C Tier

For those invested in playing Shyvana, two main builds are showing promise:

AD Build: Kraken Slayer as the rush item, followed by Dusk and Dawn, using 'Press the Attack' as the keystone.
AP Bruiser Build: Utilizing Dusk and Dawn, paired with Riftmaker and Liandry's, complemented by 'Conqueror' as the keystone.

In summary, while some champions like Tryndamere and Olaf have found greater viability in patch 26.06, Shyvana's journey has been less smooth due to her hotly adjusted rework. Players should approach Shyvana with caution unless specific buffs in patch 26.07 spotlights her again.

Jungle and Midlane Updates

In Patch 26.06, certain champions have experienced significant changes in their rankings. Skarner, for example, moved up from B Tier to A Tier in the jungle due to impactful buffs. His win rate has increased by around 2%, making him a more viable choice for solo queue play.

In the midlane, Ahri has been restored to the OP tier as her recent nerf didn’t severely affect her performance. LeBlanc’s adjustments have resulted in a minor win rate boost, upgrading her to the S Tier. Her ability to counter melee champions effectively and poke consistently thanks to a reduced Q cooldown makes her formidable. Conversely, Azir, although improved from past patches, remains a weaker C Tier pick with a win rate rising to just 46%.

ADC Itemization Shift

The ADC landscape received no direct changes this patch, leaving Jinx and Xayah comfortably in the OP tier. However, the item Hubris, post-buff, is gaining traction. Hubris shines with champions like Draven and provides massive snowball potential, amplifying lethality strategies for champions such as Jhin and Miss Fortune. By rushing Hubris, players who secure early kills can escalate their power significantly, making it a strategic choice for closing out games efficiently.

Support Dynamics

For support players, changes in Patch 26.06 brought both challenges and opportunities. Pyke's base armor nerf has led to a slight win rate drop, repositioning him into the B Tier as predicted. Yet, the enhanced gold penalty timeline for killing minions has benefited mage supports, allowing them to contribute more effectively to wave management and farm during the late game.

Mage supports, particularly those like Nami, have seen a surge in popularity. Her play rate in ranked games (plat and above) climbed to 18%, surpassing some ADC play rates. Despite this dominance, Riot has yet to address her power extensively, though persistent high play rates might demand future adjustments to diversify the support meta.

In conclusion, despite Patch 26.06 being relatively minor, the shifts it prompted in champion viability and itemization strategies demand players' attention. Adjustments to both play style and champion selection can influence success in the current meta.