Farewell Azir, Welcome back Lee Sin!! League of Legends Patch 25.12 Preview

League of Legends is loading up for the arrival of Patch 25.12, which looks set to bring back some old favorites into the meta. From sweeping nerfs to champions that have terrorized pro play for years to buffs to some long-forgotten picks, the latest updates coming to the game are set to pave the way before the meta settles in time for MSI 2025.

Let's have a look at some of the biggest changes poised to arrive to League of Legends when Patch 25.12 goes live on Wednesday, June 11th.

Is Lee Sin Back?!

Will Lee Sin become the early game jungle terror he was always meant to be. (Credit: Riot Games)

A champion that has historically grown synonymous with the jungle role, Lee Sin has fallen out of favor in recent years. The new patch, however, is set to deliver significant buffs to the Blind Monk.

Tweaks coming to Lee Sin's [E] Cripple will almost double the slow on the ability early on, making the champion's early ganks (which are already terrifying) all the deadlier. With the coming buffs, there will be very few junglers in the game that will be able to keep up with the pace Lee Sin can set in the early game.

Keep in mind, though, Lee Sin will still fall off in the late game all the same, so make sure you grab as much of an early lead as you can!

Saying Goodbye to Azir

This Emperor will be the ruler of Not-Much-At-All once Patch 25.12 is done with him. (Credit: Riot Games)

The Emperor of the Sands has been a staple of pro play for countless years. Now that may all be finally coming to an end as Patch 25.12 is set to hit Azir with the nerf hammer. Though he is receiving a nerf to his Attack Speed scaling, the biggest hit to Azir comes elsewhere.

The coming -5 Move Speed nerf to Azir will be one of the hardest hits to a mid lane champion in recent years. While it may not look like much at first glance, Move Speed changes can have large effects on a champion's early game, as it becomes much harder to dodge skillshots in lane or escape early ganks, all of which can have large ramifications on how a match plays out, particularly at the highest level of play.

Speedster Bard

This speedster is looking to take over the entire map when Patch 25.12 comes around. (Credit: Riot Games)

On the subject of the importance of Move Speed in League of Legends, Patch 25.12 will buff Bard with +5 Move Speed. As if the pesky roaming support wasn't enough of a nuisance already, expect the Wandering Caretaker to take wandering a whole lot more seriously now.

With the coming buffs, Bard is expected to almost never stay in lane with his ADC, as he will invariably find more value in roaming around the map collecting his Chimes while looking to set his other laners up for success. Between his Move Speed buff, the speed granted by his Chimes, and his [E] Magical Journey, expect Bard to show up anywhere on the map at a moment's notice in this coming patch.

Taking the ADC Meta for a Spin

Zeri is looking poised for a comeback. (Credit: Riot Games)

Patch 25.12 may well deliver a large shift to the meta, particularly in the ADC role. First off, we have Kalista, Varus, and Senna, all of which have been top priority picks in pro play as of late. The three ADCs will receive large nerfs in the new patch, with Kalista and Varus' early laning phase particularly targeted, while Senna's scaling slows down a tad instead.

Meanwhile, over on the other side we have Zeri and Aphelios, two AD carries who have fallen out of favor in the bottom lane. Now, they will both see some much needed buffs coming their way in what could well turn out to be the patch that throws the ADC meta in a whole new direction.

Shaping Up the Meta for MSI 2025

Keeping up with the latest League of Legends updates can go a long way in helping you climb the ranked ladder while also giving you a better understanding of the pro play meta moving forward. With MSI 2025 just around the corner, Patch 25.12 will give us a first glimpse of the champions we can expect to see at the second international tournament of the year.

All information about LoL Patch 25.12 was taken from an X (Twitter) post made by Matt "Phroxzon" Leung-Harrison, League of Legends' Lead Gameplay Designer. If you'd like to have a look at the complete list of changes, make sure to visit the post.

Follow Strafe Esports for all the latest League news and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured image credit: Riot Games

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