AD Mordekaiser!? League of Legends Patch 25.16 Preview: Brand Buffs, Shaco Nerfs, and More

League of Legends is gearing up for the arrival of Patch 25.16, which looks set to shake up the meta once again. This update, however, will be far from insignificant, as it promises to deliver big shifts in the meta across the Jungle, as well as an all-new AD scaling for none other than Mordekaiser!

Let's take a look at some of the biggest changes coming our way when LoL Patch 25.16 hits the Rift on Wednesday, August 13th.

AD Mordekaiser Approaches?

Will this prove to be the start of yet another AD juggernaut in the Top Lane? (Credit: Riot Games)

Mordekaiser stands as one of the most polarizing champions in League of Legends. Among the lower ranks, Mordekaiser continues to be one of the very best Top Laners in the game when it comes to climbing the ranked ladder thanks to the oppressive nature of his kit. When it comes to the higher tiers, though, the champion simply doesn't have the mobility or gap-closing capabilities to truly shine.

Despite boasting one of the highest win rates in the role, however, Mordekaiser will be receiving a 120% Bonus AD scaling on his [Q] Obliterate on Patch 25.16. While it will remain to be seen whether AD Mordekaiser finds a way to outperform its AP counterpart, one thing is for sure: expect hordes of players to begin testing different AD Mordekaiser builds on Summoner's Rift as soon as the new patch arrives.

Bungle in the Jungle

Mordekaiser aside, one of the biggest changes to come with LoL Patch 25.16 is sure to be a considerable shift in the Jungle meta. The coming update will take several overperforming Junglers down a peg, while buffs arrive instead to some forgotten AP Junglers instead.

AD Junglers on a Freefall

Trundle has been long overdue for a nerf. (Credit: Riot Games)

Magic-damage champions haven't had much of a chance to shine in the Jungle role as of late. Now, LoL Patch 25.16 will look to change that as it delivers nerfs to not one, but five of the strongest AD Junglers in the game.

The new patch sets out to reduce the dueling power of Jarvan IV, Nocturne, Shaco, Trundle and Xin Zhao through several nerfs to their signature abilities or base stats, making room for other champions to begin rising through the ranks.

Are Brand and Zyra Back?

Jungle ganks are about to get a little hotter in LoL Patch 25.16. (Credit: Riot Games)

Brand and Zyra, two champions who dominated the Jungle role not too long ago, appear poised to make a return. First up, Patch 25.16 will increase the damage Brand deals to jungle monsters, increase the stun duration of his [Q] Sear, and reduce the cooldown of his [R] Pyroclasm.

Zyra, meanwhile, will also receive her fair share of buffs with a decreased cooldown on her [E] Grasping Roots as well as a damage increase to [R] Stranglethorns.

But that's not all! To complete the Jungle shake-up, LoL Patch 25.16 will also increase the jungle monster damage modifiers of Nautilus' [E] Riptide and Sylas' [P] Petricite Burst. This aims to allow both champions to clear the jungle faster in order to keep up with other meta picks in the role.

Viego Threatens to Take Over the Solo Lanes

Will a new King be crowned in the solo lanes? (Credit: Riot Games)

The Ruined King looks set for a change in roles. The coming update to League of Legends aims to nerf Viego's damage to, and healing from, jungle monsters a tad, specifically through his [Q] Blade of the Ruined King.

To compensate, Viego will now heal considerably more from consuming a [Q] mark on lane minions or enemy champions, buffing his Top and Mid Lane strength considerably. Enough to see Viego take over the solo lanes? Only time will tell.

A New Shake-up!

It seems clear that Patch 25.16 will bring considerable change to League of Legends. While this may be particularly true for the Jungle, there's little doubt that such a shake-up will have ramifications across all of Summoner's Rift. For this reason, it is important to keep up to date with all of the latest changes coming to the game.

All information about LoL Patch 25.16 was taken from an X (Twitter) post made by Matt "Phroxzon" Leung-Harrison, Lead Gameplay Designer for League of Legends. If you'd like to have a look at the complete list of changes, make sure to check out the post!

Follow Strafe Esports for all the latest 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

Read more:

Best Champions to Climb League of Legends Ranked in Patch 25.15

Rek'Sai Misses the Mark! Winners and Losers of League of Legends Patch 25.15

Riftbound Is Releasing in English: Dates, Where to Buy, Pack Contents, and More