League of Legends Patch 26.9 is bringing another targeted balance update, with Riot Games focusing on key champions during the ongoing domestic splits leading to MSI 2026.
While not a massive overhaul, the patch zeroes in on specific pressure points, pushing Shyvana toward a bruiser identity, tweaking Zeri’s playstyle, and adding counterplay to Ambessa’s ultimate, changes that could subtly influence drafts and priorities across multiple roles.
When does LoL Patch 26.9 release?
League updates are usually released on Wednesdays. These updates are released to the PBE servers with new changes before being deployed to the live servers. This patch for this year is scheduled for April. 29, 2026. While the official release times across all regions are different, here are the usual timings for the update:
- 3pm CT (NA)
- 5am GMT (EU West)
- 3am CET (EU North East)
- 8am KR (Korea)
What’s in LoL Patch 26.9?
League’s Patch 26.9 is a champion-focused update with the developer skipping item changes this cycle in favor of direct balance work across the roster. Shyvana headlines the patch with major adjustments aimed at pushing her toward a bruiser identity, while Zeri is getting changes designed to restore more of her speed-focused playstyle.
The developer is also launching the new Pandemonium skin line, featuring Demoncursed Vayne as a Legendary skin, plus Pandemonium Annie and Kindred as Epic skins coming with this patch. Players can also unlock Prestige Pandemonium Shaco by purchasing the Season 2 Act 1 Battle Pass.
Champion Buffs
The following champions are receiving buffs in League Patch 26.9:
Gragas
[W] Drunken Rage
- Damage reduction has been increased from 10/12/14/16/18 percent to 10/14/18/22/26 percent.
Tahm Kench
- Grey Health to HP Conversion
- Grey Health conversion has been increased from 45-100 percent to 60-100 percent.
[R] Devour Ally
Move speed has been increased from 40 percent to 60 percent.
Taliyah
[Q] Threaded Volley
- Per-rock base damage has changed from 55-125 to 50-120.
- Bonus monster damage per rock has changed from 23-43 to 20-40.
Warwick
[P] Eternal Hunger
On-hit damage has been increased from 6-46 to 6-55.
Champion Nerfs
The following champions are receiving nerfs in League Patch 26.9:
Ambessa
[R] Public Execution
Cast time has been increased from 0.55 seconds to 0.70 seconds.
Briar
- Health growth has been reduced from 100 to 95.
Champion Adjustments
The following champions are receiving adjustments in League Patch 26.9:
Ezreal
The changes are intended to create more incentives to build AP.
Kennen
The changes are intended to create more incentives to build on-hit.
Shyvana
Base Stats
- Base attack speed has been increased from 0.625 to 0.638.
- Attack speed ratio has changed from 0.69 to 0.638.
- AD growth has been increased from 3 to 4.
[Q] Twin Bite
- Passive damage has changed from 1 percent (+1.1 percent per 100 bonus AD) (+1.1 percent per 100 AP) of target max health to 1 percent (+1.1 percent per 100 bonus AD).
- Hit reduction has been reduced from 1 second to 0.5 seconds.
- Active damage has changed from 10/15/20/25/30 (+110 percent AD) (+25 percent AP) to 10/15/20/25/30 (+110 percent AD) (+30 percent AP).
- Cooldown now ticks in the background if you do not finish the sequence. Cooldown starts ticking at the last activated input in that sequence.
[W] Burnout
- Cooldown has changed from 14-12 seconds to 13-9 seconds.
- Shield has changed from 60/80/100/120/140 (+5 percent max health) to 75/95/115/135/155 (+12 percent bonus health).
- Damage has changed from 80-160 (+40 percent bonus AD) (+20 percent AP) to 80-160 (+65 percent AP).
- Dragon Form heal has changed from 75-214.71 (based on level) (+10 percent bonus AD) (+5 percent AP), increased by 0 to 100 percent based on missing health, max heal 150-429.41 (based on level) (+20 percent bonus AD) (+10 percent AP), to 60-100 (+4.8 percent missing health based on level).
- Move speed has been separated from shield.
[E] Flame Breath
- Cooldown has changed from 12/11.5/11/10.5/10 seconds to 12/11/10/9/8 seconds.
- Damage has changed from 80-200 (+35 percent AD) (+70 percent AP) to 50/65/80/95/110 (+60/65/70/75/80 percent AP) +5 percent target max health.
- Subsequent damage against a single target has been reduced from 50 percent to 40 percent.
- Slow has changed from 20-40 percent to 30 percent.
Teemo
Riot says these changes are intended to support on-hit Teemo builds.
Udyr
Riot says these changes shift power from Q burst into a bruiser-focused Q pattern.
Xin Zhao
Riot says these changes are intended to add more AP incentives.
Zeri
[P] Living Battery
- Right-click range has been increased from 500 to 550.
- Execute threshold has changed from 60-150 (+18 percent AP) to 70-160 (+20 percent AP).
[Q] Burst Fire
- Damage has changed from 15-23 (+1.04-1.2 AD) to 21-33 (+1.02-1.1 AD).
- Excess attack speed to AD conversion has been reduced from 70 percent to 50 percent.
[W] Ultrashock Laser
- Wall crit multiplier has been reduced from 1.75 to 1.5.
- AP ratio has been increased from 0.25 to 0.5.
[E] Spark Surge
- Magic damage on-hit has changed from 17-25 (+10 percent bonus AD) (+20 percent AP) to 22-30 (+20 percent AP).
- Cooldown has changed from 22-18 seconds to 24-18 seconds.
- Cooldown refresh now applies to attacks versus everything instead of attacks and abilities versus champions.
[R] Lightning Crash
- Burst AD ratio has been reduced from 100 percent to 60 percent.
- Move speed per stack has been increased from 1 percent to 1.5 percent.
- Stack duration has been increased from 1.5 seconds to 2.5 seconds.
Zoe
[E] Sleepy Trouble Bubble
- Hit refund has changed from 16-30 percent of cooldown when hitting an enemy champion.
- Cooldown has changed from 16-12 seconds to 18-14 seconds.
[W] Spell Thief
- Total bolt damage has changed from 60-180 (+45 percent AP) to 45-165 (+30 percent AP).
