League of Legends Patch 26.10 Tier List Update

Patch 26.10 Updates

Patch 26.10 for League of Legends introduces a host of changes, particularly significant alterations to items and runes. Some champions previously considered dominant, like Zed and Neferi, are seeing nerfs, while underperformers like Zeri are getting substantial buffs. Let's explore these updates and their impact on gameplay, as well as the comprehensive tier list adjustments for every role.

Item Changes Overview

Lich Bane is receiving a notable buff, with its AP ratio on passive damage increased from 40% to 45%, and a movement speed boost from 4% to 6%. This change is particularly advantageous for Evelyn, as she often builds Lich Bane early and benefits from the increased AP due to her common second purchase of Rabadon’s Deathcap. Moreover, the increased movement speed assists her flanking abilities in jungling.

Champions expected to gain from the Lich Bane buffs include:

• Fizz
• Nidalee
• Twisted Fate
• Katarina
• Zoe
• Gragas

Moreover, Echo might see a shift back to Lich Bane as a core item, given Duskblade of Draktharr's recent nerf.

Two new items, Doran's Bow and Doran's Helm, are witnessing changes to enhance their viability:

1. Doran's Bow: Gains an additional 2 AD, making it more gold-efficient than Doran’s Blade, although it remains niche due to its lack of health.
2. Doran's Helm: Increases health from 110 to 130, enhancing its appeal, especially for champions like K'Sante who benefit from its defensive stats.

   Gluttonous Greaves Nerf The cost of Gluttonous Greaves has been raised from 950 to 1,000 gold. Additionally, omnivamp per stack decreases from 1% to 0.6%, while maximum stacks increase from 6 to 10. Despite needing more takedowns to reach maximum effectiveness, champions such as Aatrox, Samira, and Gwen may still find them beneficial.

Rune Changes

Stormraider’s Surge sees two buffs to address its previously weak state, with movement speed duration extending from 3 to 4 seconds, and speed increased from 40% to 48% for melee, and 30% to 36% for ranged champions. Champions like Hecarim and Darius, who previously used Stormraider’s, are expected to experience a resurgence in effectiveness.

Deathfire Touch receives a nerf, specifically in its early levels, with damage per second reduced from four (level 1) to twelve scaling. However, this adjustment is not expected to eliminate its powerful synergy with Black Cleaver on champions such as Smolder and Senna.

Top Lane Adjustments

The top lane remains largely unchanged in the new patch, with no specific modifications influencing the tier list. However, it continues to highlight the dominance of champions like Kayle and Teemo. Noteworthy changes include:

• Udyr: Predominantly a jungler, she sees top lane repercussions due to improvements in Q power and R healing.
• Wukong: Despite low play rates, Wukong remains effective against champions like Darius, and retains his place in the A tier.

These comprehensive adjustments for Patch 26.10 aim to balance gameplay across all roles, providing new dynamics for players to explore and master.

Jungle Adjustments

Recent patch updates present intriguing dynamics for several jungle champions, with some subtle and not-so-subtle tweaks set to redefine their tiers.

1. I'm A Best So: Despite a harsh reduction in her Q damage to monsters from 125 to 75, the increase in Q max health damage keeps her in the same tier due to balancing factors. This adjustment results in only a minor three-point damage reduction early on, justifying her placement in the C tier.
2. Wukong: With improvements to his clone's damage and duration, alongside a boost in E attack speed, Wukong moves from B to A tier. These adjustments bolster his gameplay without creating an overpowering experience.
3. Nidalee: A decrease in her passive monster damage and increased W mana costs have demoted her from S to A tier.
4. Shyvana: Despite nerfs to her health per level and W cooldown, Shyvana remains robust enough to stay in the OP tier. These changes might provoke a slight drop but aren’t impactful enough to significantly change her tier status.
5. Lee Sin: Lee Sin's changes include a reduced W shield value but a reduced cooldown when used on minions or wards, offering a quick-paced strategic advantage in jungle skirmishes. His E skill’s AD ratio reduction moderates his power, keeping him in the A tier.
6. Quinn: Her jungle potential is augmented with increased passive damage to monsters and a reduced R mana cost. However, without enough game data, she remains unrated for this patch.

Shifts in Jungle Meta

A few other champions are affected by item and patch changes:

• Evelynn: With Lich Bane buffs, Evelynn remains a strong contender, expected to solidify her position in the S tier.

• Echo and Hecarim: Both champions could benefit from item changes, with Hecarim finding Stormraider’s buffs particularly beneficial.

Here's a table summarizing the key adjustments for major jungle champions:

These changes collectively reflect Riot’s ongoing effort to maintain balance across the jungle roster, paving the way for strategic diversity and player adaptability.

Mid Lane Shifts

With the adjustments in Patch 26.10, significant changes have impacted the mid-lane tier list. Notably, Zed has dropped out of the OP tier, with Fizz stepping up due to buffs to the Lich Bane, his core item. This change positions Fizz as a top-tier choice moving forward.

Several indirect item changes have the potential to impact mid-laners significantly:

• Deathfire Touch nerfs
• Gluttonous Greaves nerfs
• Lich Bane buffs
• Stormraider's Surge buffs

The buff to Stormraider's Surge may particularly benefit champions like Vlad, Ryze, and Orianna, although it’s uncertain whether this will significantly raise their effectiveness given their underwhelming performance in previous patches. Galio, on the other hand, is likely to see substantial improvement due to his direct buffs combined with the Stormraider effects.

ADC Developments

Adjustments to champions like Zeri and Ashe highlight major shifts in the ADC tier. Zeri, who was heavily nerfed in the last patch, receives significant buffs in her Q damage and a bug fix for her R, which should enhance her performance considerably. Moreover, the misstep by 25% of Zeri players building Static Shiv highlights the importance of optimizing item builds, suggesting players focus on Youmuu's Ghostblade or Stormrazor instead.

Zeri's New Attributes:

1. Q Damage: Increased from 113 to 126 at level nine.
2. Attack Speed to AD Conversion: Increased from 50% to 60%.
3. R Duration: Fixed bug extending correct time from 1.5 to 2.5 seconds.

   Meanwhile, Ashe’s damage is slightly toned down, bringing her mid-game strength in check but not dropping her drastically in the tier list. Smolder and Brand continue to dominate as OP-tier champions due to the Black Cleaver and Deathfire synergy, unaffected by current nerfs until the subsequent patch.

Item Interactions

For ADCs like Kai'Sa and Zeri, the new Static Shiv has proven less effective compared to alternative items like Kraken. It is crucial for players to assess the tankiness of comps when selecting items. Meanwhile, champions such as Varus and Kalista benefit from the Shiv proc's synergy with their abilities, highlighting the importance of item selection according to champion kit.

Support Role Stability

The support tier list remains largely unchanged with no direct champion adjustments for this patch. Yet, the Deathfire Touch nerfs can marginally impact champions like Brand and Senna, though they maintain their tier positions due to other synergistic interactions. Despite Galio’s buffs enhancing his laning potential, particularly against hook supports, his position in the tier list remains unchanged. Similarly, Anivia sees limited impact from her armor nerf, maintaining her position as a niche yet viable support option.

In summary, Patch 26.10 brings intriguing shifts in the League of Legends meta, with strategic adaptations in champion selection and itemization proving key to maintaining competitive edge.