Jungle champion pool expansion, overperforming champion nerfs, and a toxic ping penalty system — here's a summary of the major changes.
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Key Directions of Patch 26.4
Patch 26.4 focuses on early Season 2026 meta stabilization. Champions that were too strong after season start (Kassadin, Gwen, Syndra, Rengar, etc.) have been nerfed, while underperforming champions received buffs.
Notably, jungle champion pool diversification stands out. Brand, Fizz, Darius, Teemo, and Maokai all received monster damage buffs, expanding AP jungler options.
Additionally, a toxic ping abuse penalty system has been introduced, punishing malicious repeated pinging toward teammates.
14 champions have been buffed · Click cards for details
Q damage up, E cooldown fixed
Monster damage increased
E2 wall leap grants attack speed
Monster damage multiplier up
W monster damage increased
E armor/MR increased
WW shield up, ult cooldown down
Passive late-game scaling up
Q/W cooldown down, mana regen up
Q monster damage increased
Q/R lifesteal restored
E monster damage increased
Q max rank bonus damage up
Q/E mana cost down, W cooldown down
16 champions have been nerfed
Q monster bonus damage reduced
Base bonus AD reduced
R damage/cooldown adjusted
Q/R damage reduced
Armor growth reduced
HP growth down, E slow adjusted
Q base damage reduced
R cooldown fixed 120s
HP regen↓, Q/E mana↑
HP growth reduced
Q 2nd activation damage down
Base HP↓, R damage↓
W slow fixed, R AP ratio↓
W/R base damage reduced
HP/armor growth reduced
Q/R damage reduced
Directional changes rather than simple buffs/nerfs
Removed unpredictable ultimate teleport behavior. Improved skill reliability and predictability.
Q/W base damage reduced, AD ratios increased. Encourages AD builds while maintaining enchanter viability.
Item adjustments and summoner spell changes
Introduction of a penalty system for malicious repeated ping abuse. Intentional ping spamming will now be penalized.
Meta analysis by TEAMGAP.GG editors
The biggest winner this patch is Xayah. With buffs to Q/E/W, her bot lane competitiveness has significantly increased. The 2s W cooldown reduction particularly means higher DPS in lane trades.
Conversely, Kassadin's overperforming Manamune build is expected to be weakened. HP growth reduction and E slow adjustment significantly reduce his mid-game stability.
Five champions — Brand, Fizz, Darius, Teemo, and Maokai — received jungle monster damage buffs. Brand and Fizz already had jungle pick rates, so meaningful tier increases are expected.
Ambessa's jungle nerf aims to reduce the gap between her jungle and lane performance. However, the nerf isn't drastic, so jungle Ambessa should remain strong.
Patch 26.5 and upcoming meta predictions
Patch 26.5 is expected around early March. Win rate changes of buffed champions will be closely monitored, and excessive buffs may be reverted.
💡 Editor's Note: This season involves balancing after major system changes including position quests and Fairy Light vision. The meta is stabilizing after 3 balance patches through 26.4, but hasn't fully settled. In solo queue, quickly mastering buffed champions is the shortcut to climbing. Xayah, Graves, and Camille are clear winners — we recommend practicing them!
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