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Dot Esports

Elizbar Ramazashvili

LoL Patch 26.16 notes: ADCs are almost back, Azir and Gwen buffed

Riot Games Riot Camille

League of Legends has had a mage invasion on bot lane, with even pro players preferring to select mages over marksmen in their designated roles. This was caused by their ability to clear waves while the support roams, and bully potential against low magic resist marksmen.

Riot decided to step in and finally fix this, while also bringing some of the non-meta champions up. You can read more about the mages and how Riot fights them here: LoL Patch 26.16 buffs ADCs as devs move to curb rising mage bot meta.

Here, we have everything that’s coming with the League patch 26.16.

Quick Summary

ADC are getting buffed base magic resist across the board to better withstand the mage invasion.
Azir is getting some love after being absent from meta for some time.
T3 boots are getting better, except for the Mercury’s Treads.
Several runes are rebalanced.

When does LoL Patch 26.16 release?

Faerie Court Bel'Veth skin art — Bel’Veth in her floral glory. Image via Riot Games

As always, League of Legends is following a bi-weekly patch cadence, and this means that LoL patch 26.16 is scheduled to come out on August 12, 2026.

Release time zones usually differ somewhat, but you can expect the patch to be released around these times:

3 pm CT (NA)
5 am GMT (EU West)
3 am CET (EU North East)
8 am KR (Korea)

What’s in LoL Patch 26.16?

Riot Games finally recognized that mages are a problem, so most of the ADC roster is getting increased base magic resist. This should definitely help, but it’s unclear if it’s enough to drive mages back to mid, considering how safe they are, how easily they clear waves, and how valuable free boots are to them.

Champion buffs

Kennen

R AR and MR: 20-60 → 25-75
R Damage: 40-110 (+22.5% AP) → 40-120 (+25% AP)

Kennen has always been a lane bully, so he has no problems here, but his teamfight presence has been lacking. Riot Games is giving his ult some love.

Gwen

P Healing against Champions: 50% of Post Mitigation, up to 10-25 (+6.5% AP) → 66% of Post Mitigation, up to 12-04 (+7% AP)

Gwen is going to be a menace against melees and tanks once again. Have fun.

Azir

Q Damage: 60-140 (+35-55% AP) → 70-150 (+35-55% AP)

Players are shifting the builds towards the Press the Attack rune, and Riot is giving them a nudge of help.

Champion nerfs

Poppy

Base AD: 60 → 56
Base Mana: 280 +40/Level → 300 +45/Level’
Base HP5: 8 → 9
Q Damage: 30-130 (+100% bonus AD) (+9% Target Max HP) → 30-130 (+75% bonus AD) (+7-9% Target Max HP)
Q Slow: 20-40% → 20-32% (+8% per 1000 bonus HP)
W % Total AR/MR: 12%, doubled when below 40% Max HP → 16%, doubled when below 40% Max HP

Poppy is getting his across the board because she’s very strong in 3 roles, and is easily flexible even in pro. Her Base AD and Q damage nerfs will be very painful.

Poppy base splash art — She’s just a Yordle with a hammer. Image via Riot Games

Camille

Base Mana: 339 → 375
P Shield: 20% Max HP every 18-6s (Levels 1-19) → 10-25% (Levels 1-19) Max HP every 14-8s (Levels 1-13)
W Outer Damage Bonus: 7-9% (+2.5% per 100 bonus AD) Target Max HP → 6-8% (+2.5% per 100 bonus AD) Target Max HP
W CD: 15-11s → 12-10s

Someone at Riot is tired of Camille support.

Bel’Veth

HP growth: 110 → 105
R Buff total AS: 5/15/25% → 6/13/20%

Bel’Veth had a massive rework in the previous patch, and it ended up overshooting on her power level. She’s being dialed back a bit.

Champion adjustments

Nasus

3 stacks, increased to 12 on Champ/large minion/monster → 4 stacks, increased to 10 on Champ/large minion/monster

A slight adjustment for the stackmaster, which is aimed at putting him back on top from the jungle.

System buffs

Sunfire

Immolate Damage: 20 (+1% bonus HP), increased by 160% against Minions and 200% against Monsters → 20 (+1.5% bonus HP), increased by 150% against Minions and 180% against Monsters
Item Cost: 2700g → 2800g

Eclipse

Ever Rising Moon Damage: [6% Melee || 4% Ranged] Target Max HP → [8% Melee || 5% Ranged] Target Max HP
Ever Rising Moon Shield: [160 +40% bonus AD Melee || 80 +20% bonus AD Ranged] → [150 +40% bonus AD Melee || 75 +20% bonus AD Ranged]

Tiamat

AD: 20 → 25

T3 Sorcerer’s Shoes

MPen: 18 → 20

T3 Berserker’s Greaves

AS: 40% → 45%

Berserker’s Greaves

AS: 25% → 30%

Jungle Pet

Damage To Monsters: 20-150 (+10% bonus AD) (+12% AP) (+20% bonus AR) (+20% bonus MR) (+3% bonus HP) → 20-150 (+10% bonus AD) (+16% AP) (+25% bonus AR) (+25% bonus MR) (+4% bonus HP)

Fleet Footwork

Healing: 10-130 (+10% bonus AD Melee || 6% bonus AD Ranged) ([5% AP Melee || 3% AP Ranged]) → 15-160 (+10% bonus AD Melee || 6% bonus AD Ranged) ([5% AP Melee || 3% AP Ranged])

Runaan’s Hurricane

MS: 4% → 5%
Wind’s Fury Damage: 55% AD → 65% AD

Sterak’s Gage

The Claws That Catch AD: 45% base AD as bonus AD → 50% base AD as bonus AD

System nerfs

Sundered Sky

Recipe: Tunneler (1150g) + Caulfield’s (1050g) + Ruby Crystal (400g) + 500g → Tunneler (1150g) + Caulfield’s (1050g) + 900g
Healing: [100% Melee || 50% Ranged] base AD + 6% Missing HP → [90% Melee || 45% Ranged] base AD + 4% Missing HP
HP: 400 → 450

T3 Mercury’s Treads

MR: 30 → 25

Support Role Quest

World Atlas Gold/Quest Progress On Champ/Turret Dmg: 22 Melee || 20 Ranged → 18
World Atlas Gold/Quest Progress On CS: 15 → 18
Runic Compass Gold/Quest Progress On Champ/Turret Dmg: 24 Melee || 22 Ranged → 21
Runic Compass Gold/Quest Progress On CS: 20 → 21

System adjustments

Hail of Blades

AS: 120% / 60% → 90% / 60%
True Damage: 4-20 (+8% bonus AD) (+6% AP) → 2-20 (+12% bonus AD) (+10% AP)

ADC MR

All Marksman Champions Base MR: +3, -.2/Level
Affected: Akshan, Aphel, Ashe, Cait, Corki, Draven, Ez, Graves, Jhin, Jinx, Kai’Sa, Kalista, Kindred, Kog’Maw, Lucian, MF, Quinn, Samira, Senna, Sivir, Smolder, Tristana, Twitch, Varus, Vayne, Xayah, Yunara, and Zeri.