LoL Patch 26.21 Preview: Locke and Varus Adjustments, Caitlyn Nerfs, and More

The League of Legends Patch 26.21 arrives on October 21, bringing another round of balance changes. Riot Games’ preview includes changes to Locke, Varus, and Bastionbreaker. As for Caitlyn, Yone, and Lee Sin, they are set to receive nerfs, while Azir, Ryze, and other champions will benefit from buffs.

Bastionbreaker Adjusted for Utility

Riot Games is changing Bastionbreaker to shift some of its power from combat stats to its strategic utility.

While the item's Lethality will be reduced, its Sabotage passive will gain infinite duration, giving players more flexibility when planning objective takes. The change aims to make Bastionbreaker a more balanced option for AD assassins without making it overly powerful in direct combat.

Riot Phroxzon explained that strategic effects like Sabotage are hard to balance, as they need to provide enough value to feel worthwhile without making an item too strong overall.

Bastionbreaker Changes:

• Lethality: 22 → 18
• Sharped Charge Damage: 50 Melee + 1.5/Lethality | 25 Ranged + 0.75/Lethality → 40 Melee + 1.5/Lethality | 20 Ranged + 0.75/Lethality
• Sabotage Duration: 90s → 25000s (QoL)

Locke is Strong, but Still Needs Tuning

Locke will be adjusted on Patch 20.21 (Photo by Riot Games)

While the champion has performed well overall, Riot wants players to take greater risks when using his spells inefficiently, particularly his [W] Soul Ignition. 

The changes are intended to be relatively power-neutral, preserving Locke’s ability to deliver high burst damage when he meets the conditions for success. However, mistakes should become more punishing, adding a greater resource-management element to his gameplay.

Riot also wants to encourage players to prioritize [E] Ashen Pursuit as their second maxed ability, increasing the value of landing E1 successfully. This should make choosing between leveling E or W second more meaningful, as W currently offers greater power in many situations.

Locke's Adjustments:

• [Q] Ritual Nails Refund on Unused Charges: 20-30% → 10-40%
• [Q] Ritual Nails Mana Growth: 70 → 60
• [W] Soul Ignition Mana: 50-70 → 60-80
• [W] Soul Ignition Grey Health Store: 40-200 → 20-200, Current Health: 150-450 → 100-500 (+60% AP)
• [E]  Ashen Pursuit Blink Damage: 40/50/60/70/80 (+40% AP) → 40/55/70/85/100 (+50% AP)

Varus Top vs. Varus Bot

Varus changes aim to narrow the gap between top and bot lane (Photo by Riot Games)

Varus is receiving changes in Patch 26.21 to shift power away from W-max builds and toward Q-max alternatives.

Since opponents can dodge his [Q] Piercing Arrow, this adjustment should create more opportunities for counterplay instead of allowing Varus to deal consistent damage with fewer risks.

The changes also target Varus Top, aiming to make the matchup less frustrating for top laners. By encouraging builds that rely more on landing skillshots, Riot hopes to preserve Varus's damage potential while giving opponents a fairer chance to respond.

Varus' Changes:

• [Q] Piercing Arrow Damage (Min to Max): 53.33-40 (+80% bonus AD) to 80-360 (+120% bonus AD) → 55-235 (+80% bonus AD) to 93.5-399.5 (+136% bonus AD)
• [Q] Piercing Arrow Damage Increase Over Channel: up to 50% → up to 70%
• [W] Blighted Quiver On-Hit Damage: 4-40 (+15% bonus AD)(+25% bonus AP) → 4-28 (+20% bonus AD)(+30% bonus AP) 
• [W] Blighted Quiver Per Stack Damage: 3-5% (+1.3% per 100 AP) → 3-4.6% (1.4% per 100 AP)
• [W] Blighted Quiver CD Refund: 13% per stack, increased by up to 50% based on Q Channel → 11%, increased by up to 70% based on Q Channel
• [W] Blighted Quiver Active % Missing HP: 6-14%, increased by up to 50% based on Q Channel → 6-10%, increased by up to 70% based on Q Channel

Caitlyn Nerfs Aim to Ease Casual Players' Frustrations

Caitlyn nerfs target her strength in casual play (Photo by Riot Games)

Caitlyn is set to receive changes in Patch 26.21 to address her high burst damage, which can feel frustrating for average players when it comes with little warning.

Riot wants to shift some of her power away from [Passive] Headshot damage and into her [Q] Piltover Peacemaker, giving opponents a better chance to understand and respond to her damage.

The adjustment should also make Q more worthwhile to cast later in the game, encouraging Caitlyn players to rely more on the ability rather than heavily depending on empowered basic attacks.

This aims to preserve her ability to punish opponents while making her damage profile more balanced and predictable.

Caitlyn's Nerfs:

• [P] Headshot Damage: 60-100% AD (+1% AD per 1% Crit Change)(+1% AD per 1% Bonus Crit Damage) → 60-80% (0.8% AD per 1% Crit Chance)(0.8% AD per 1% Bonus Crit Damage)
• [Q] Piltover Peacemaker Base Damage: 50-210 → 50-230

Lee Sin's Ultimate Damage Takes a Hit

Lee Sin will be nerfed on Patch 20.21 (Photo by Riot Games)

Lee Sin has been on the stronger side since his adjustments in Patch 26.10, prompting Riot to reduce some of his power in Patch 26.21. The changes will target his mobility, which has contributed to his strength, although Riot believes it does not need a major reduction.

His reliable point-and-click damage is also being toned down, with more value shifted toward using his abilities to reposition enemies. This should reward players who make better use of Lee Sin’s utility rather than relying too heavily on guaranteed damage.

Lee Sin Nerfs:

• [W] Safeguard CD: 7s → 8s
• [E] Tempest BUGFIX: No longer reveals invisible enemies if they stealth after being hit by Tempest
• [R] Dragon's Rage Kick Damage: 175-625 (+200% AD) → 150-550 (+200% AD)
• [R] Dragon's Rage Collision Damage: 175-625 (+200% bonus AD)(+12-18% Kicked Champ's HP) → 150-550 (+200% bonus AD)

Azir and Ryze Get More Power

Azir gets better mana management in Patch 26.21 (Photo by Riot Games)

Riot is looking to make Azir’s mana management more accessible to average players, who often struggle with resource management since he does not typically build mana items.

More experienced players already handle this aspect of his kit well, so the changes aim to address this gap without necessarily affecting his performance at higher skill levels.

Azir Buffs:

• Mana Growth: 40/level → 50/level

As for Ryze, the adjustments aim to shift some of his power toward the late game, giving him greater scaling potential if he can get through the early laning phase.

His current early-game damage from repeated E-Q combos is considered too strong, so the goal is to reduce that power in favor of a more rewarding late game.

Ryze Buffs:

• [Q] Overload Flux Bonus: 15/40/65/90% → 10/40/70/100%
• Bonus MS: 28/32/36/40/44% → 30/35/40/45/50%
• [W] Rune Prison AP Ratio: 60% → 70%

Other Changes in LoL Patch 26.21

Here are other changes currently planned for the patch:

Champion Buffs:

Darius:

• [Q] Decimate CD: 9-5 → 9-4

Miss Fortune:

• [E] Make It Rain Damage: 70-190 (+120%) → 90-210 (+120 AP)
• [R] Bullet Time Crit Stake: 130% (+0.3% per 1% Bonus Crit Damage) → 145% (+0.45% per 1% Bonus Crit Damage)

Nunu:

• [R] Absolute Zero Max Damage: 635/925/1275 (+300% AP) → 750/1100/1450 (+300% AP)

Orianna:

• [Q] Command: Attack AP Ratio: 55% → 60% 
• [W] Command: Dissonance AP Ratio: 80% → 85%

Sion:

• HP/Level: 87→ 95
• [R] Unstoppable Onslaught % Damage Increase Over 3s Channel: +0-166.67% Base / 0-100% Ratio → +0-200%

Taliyah:

• [E] Unraveled Earth Damage: 60-240 (+60% AP) → 70-250 (+70% AP)
• [E] Unraveled Earth Detonation Damage: 25-85 (+30% AP) → 30-90 (+30%)

Vel'Koz:

• [P] Organic Deconstruction Damage: 35-180 (+60% AP) → 35-205 (+65% AP)

Xin Zhao:

• [Q] Three Talon Strike Damage Per Strike: 15-75 (+40% bonus AD) → 15-75 (+45% bonus AD)
• [E] Audacious Charge AS Scaling: 1% per 5% bonus AS → 1% per 4% bonus AS

Zyra:

• [W] Rampant Growth Seed Ammo CD: 18-10 → 16-10

Champion Nerfs:

Jinx:

• AD Growth: 3.25/Level → 3/Level
• Base HP: 630 → 610

Nidalee:

• [W] Pounce Damage: 55-190 (+50% bonus AD)(+30% AP) → 50-170 (+50% bonus AD)(+30% AP)

Qiyana:

• [Q] Edge of Ixtal/Elemental Wrath Damage: 80-200 (+90% bonus AD) → 70-190 (+90% bonus AD)

Rammus:

• [W] Defensive Ball Curl Bonus Armor: 27-47 (+30-60% AR) → 25-45 (+30-50% AR)
• [W] Defensive Ball Curl Bonus MR: 20-40 (+30-60% MR) → 20-40 (+30-50% MR)

Tristana:

• [Q] Rapid Fire AS: 60-120% → 40-120%

Viktor:

• [Q] Siphon Power Shield: 40-140 (+25% AP) → 30-130 (+20% AP)
• Base MS: 335 → 330

Wukong:

• HP5: 3.5 +0.65/Level → 5.5 +0.65/Level
• [P] Stone Skin Armor Per Stack: 6-10 → 4.5-10

Yone:

• [Q] Mortal Steel Damage: 25-125 (+110% AD) → 25-125 (+105% AD)

Champions' Adjustments

Taric:

• [Q] Starlight's Touch / [R] Cosmic Radiance casts when allies are untargetable now successfully fire

Twisted Fate

• [R] Destiny now reveals untargetable units

Zaahen:

• BUGFIX: [Q] Darkin Glaive / [Q] Darkin Glaive recast damage now applies if Zaahen goes into revive mid-strike

System Buffs

Dawncore:

• AP per 100% Base Mana Regen: 10 → 15

System Nerfs

Gluttonous Greaves:

• Total Cost: 1000g → 1100g

System Adjustments

Hubris:

• Base Bonus AD: 12 → [15 Melee | 10 Ranged]
• Bonus AD Per Stack: 3 → [3 Melee | 2 Ranged]

All changes are part of Riot Games' current preview and may still be adjusted before the patch officially goes live.

When Does LoL Patch 20.21 Release?

LoL Patch 26.21 is scheduled to go live on October 21, 2026.

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Featured Image Credit: Riot Games

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