League of Legends Patch 26.10 Preview: Ambessa Buffs, Naafiri Nerfs, and More

With a few champions getting out of control in Solo Queue as of late, LoL Patch 26.10 will aim to bring some semblance of balance back onto the Rift. Here's everything you need to know about Patch 26.10 of League of Legends before it goes live on Wednesday, May 13.

Two Solo Queue Menaces Take a Hit

Among the list of champions that have been terrorizing Solo Queue as of late, two are being singled out for meaningful nerfs in the new patch. These are Naafiri and Shyvana.

Hard as it may be to believe, Naafiri currently holds the highest win rate in the entire game in the Mid Lane, while also coming in second in the Top Lane. Simply put, she is out of control. To reel in this rabid dog, Patch 26.10 nerfing the monster damage modifier of her [P] We Are More, which should not only see her clear speed slow down a bit, but also her objective control. 

Outside of that, she is only receiving mana cost nerfs. This means no straight damage nerfs are coming to Naafiri in the new update, an aspect of the champion that is perhaps the biggest issue right now.

As for Shyvana, the newly reworked champion has become the best Jungler in the game after her latest numbers tweaks. In order raw strength a bit, LoL Patch 26.10 will nerf Shyvana's durability by reducing her HP per level and increasing the cooldown on her [W] Inferno Aegis shield.

Given how strong these two champions are right now, it's hard to tell whether these nerfs will prove big enough to truly leave Naafiri and Shyvana in a balanced stage.

Ambessa and Galio Land Big Buffs

Ever since the cast time of Ambessa's [R] Public Execution was increased a few weeks ago, the champion has been having a hard time impacting the game quite like she used to. To fix this, Riot is delivering important buffs to other parts of Ambessa's kit.

For starters, both instances of Ambessa's [Q] Cunning Sweep will deal increased damage now and will be particularly effective at shredding beefier targets. What's more, the passive lifesteal the champion receives with each rank of her ultimate is being increased by a whopping 5% per point. Though Ambessa's jungling capabilities are also being slightly nerfed, the champion's dueling power should be through the roof in Patch 26.10.

And then there's Galio. The Colossus has been living in the shadows for some time now, and Riot has decided it was finally time he got some love. The new LoL update will deliver damage buffs to Galio's [Q] Winds of War, [E] Justice Punch, and [R] Hero's Entrance, ensuring this AP bruiser packs a stronger punch moving forward. Right on time for Faker to secure his spot at MSI 2026, perhaps?

QoL Changes Coming for Lee Sin

Lee Sin will be receiving a set of changes with LoL Patch 26.10 that may seem small at first glance, but should largely impact the way the champion feels. Most of the changes are centered around Lee's [W] Safeguard, which will have a slightly longer cooldown when cast on a champion, but a much shorter one when used on wards and minions. 

What's more, using the ability on a ward or a minion will now grant Lee Sin the shield as if cast on a champion (something which didn't use to happen). On top of this, Lee Sin's [R] Dragon Rage kick will now launch the enemy champion in the target direction even if the champion dies to the ability, allowing for exciting knock-up combos even when executing an enemy.

Overall, these changes might not prove to be particularly impactful in terms of win rate, but they will allow Lee Sin to feel a lot better to play, particularly at higher tiers.

Item Changes Continue to Arrive

Along with the coming champion buffs and nerfs, Patch 26.10 will also deliver changes to several items and runes. Lich Bane and the two new starter items (Doran's Bow and Doran's Helm) are receiving straight-up buffs, while the new Gluttonous Greaves boots will be priced a little higher while scaling more slowly than they used to after overperforming in the current patch.

To cap off the new patch, we head over to the runes department, where both the duration and strength of the movement speed buff on Stormraider's Surge are being increased, while Deathfire Touch will receive a small damage nerf in the early game instead.

All information about LoL Patch 26.10 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!

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Featured image credit: Riot Games

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