Kassadin Rises! Winners and Losers of League of Legends Patch 25.17

League of Legends Patch 25.17 has shaken up the Rift once more. Riot’s latest round of buffs, nerfs, and adjustments has created clear winners who are thriving in the new meta, as well as losers struggling to find their footing. From champions skyrocketing in priority to old reliable picks falling out of favor, here’s a breakdown of the biggest winners and losers of Patch 25.17.

Biggest Winners of the Patch

Morgana

After receiving buffs to her [W] Tormented Shadow back in the previous patch, Morgana quickly grew in strength and popularity across both the Support and Jungle roles. Now, Riot is doubling down with yet another buff to the same ability, this time targeted at its early minimum damage dealt.

Following her latest buffs, Morgana currently stands among the top 10 champions with the highest win rates in both the Jungle and Support roles.

Senna

Senna has been struggling to stamp her mark in the bottom lane in recent patches. In the latest update to League of Legends, Senna received buffs to her Attack Speed Growth as well as the healing strength of her [Q] Piercing Darkness.

Like Morgana, Senna has risen in popularity and strength across both the ADC and the Support roles in Patch 25.17. Now the question remains: will the buffs prove enough to see Senna be picked in pro play in the buildup to Worlds?

Kassadin

Without a doubt, Kassadin is one of the biggest winners of Patch 25.17. The latest update delivered AP scaling buffs to both his [Q] Null Sphere and [E] Force Pulse, effectively turning the champion from late-game menace into an absolute tyrant.

After such attractive buffs, both Kassadin's win rate and pick rate have risen by 1% just days after the arrival of the new patch, demonstrating just how impactful the changes were. If you can make it through his notoriously unimpressive laning phase, then you're in for a field day later in into the game.

Biggest Losers of the Patch

Gwen

Gwen was by no means a particularly strong champion in the previous patch when it came to Solo Queue. And yet, The Hallowed Seamstress was hit with the nerf hammer all the same due to her prominence in pro play.

The new patch delivered a blow to Gwen's Base Armor, causing her to have a much tougher time into AD matchups in the Top Lane. Meanwhile, nerfs to the slowing power of her [R] Needlework have seen Gwen's chase and catch-up potential drastically reduced. All of this has served to drastically reduce Gwen's power in 1v1 scenarios.

Master Yi

Between buffs to items such as Kraken Slayer or Blade of the Ruined King, and the latest quality of life changes to the champion's [Q] Alpha Strike, Master Yi has shot up in strength in recent patches. Now, Riot Games has taken The Wuju Bladesman down a peg with a couple of nerfs aimed at his ability to take over games from very early on.

Make no mistake, Master Yi is still a very strong Jungler, particularly in lower ranks; he's just not quite as busted as he used to be before Patch 25.17 hit League of Legends.

Rumble

When Riot fixed a long-standing issue with Rumble which affected his Red Side win rate compared to that of Blue Side, the champion's overall win rate shot up overnight. To bring Rumble back down to the land of the living, Patch 25.17 reduced the damage of Rumble's [P] Junkyard Titan and [Q] Flamespitter, resulting in a big loss for The Mechanized Menace.

The champion's Top Lane domination may have been short-lived as far as Solo Queue is concerned, but expect Rumble to continue to terrorize pro play all the same as we move closer to Worlds 2025.

Follow the Meta!

Patch 25.17 proves once again that no champion in League of Legends is safe from the shifting tides of balance. While some picks have risen to the top as must-play threats, others will need to wait for future updates to bring them back into relevance.

As the meta continues to evolve, one thing is certain: every change opens the door for new strategies, surprising champion choices, and plenty of room for experimentation. Whether you’re climbing solo queue or following the pro scene, keeping an eye on these winners and losers will be key to staying one step ahead.

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Featured image credit: Image exclusive to Strafe Esports

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