League of Legends Patch 26.9 is shaping up to be one of the bigger Season 2 updates, not because it is stacked with champion nerfs, but because Riot is clearly using this patch to shake up systems, lane choices, and rune identity. The preview highlights new starting items, returning keystones, a Statikk Shiv rework, and targeted champion changes across several roles.
According to the latest Patch 26.9 preview shared by Riot’s Matt “Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison, the goal is to give players more strategic choice and more “dreaming” space when it comes to builds and lane setups. The early preview also confirms that Patch 26.9 will include champion buffs for Gragas, Tahm Kench, Taliyah, and Warwick, while Ambessa and Briar are currently lined up for nerfs.
League of Legends Patch 26.9 Release Preview
Patch 26.9 is tied to League of Legends Season 2, and Riot appears to be focusing heavily on satisfaction and build diversity. Instead of only adjusting raw champion numbers, the update targets the systems around champions. That means runes, starting items, boots, and on-hit itemization are all getting attention.
The biggest headline here is that League is getting new starting items after a long gap. Doran’s Bow and Doran’s Helm are being introduced as fresh lane options, while Gluttonous Greaves joins the boot lineup. Riot is also bringing back Deathfire Touch and Stormraider’s Surge, two older names that longtime players will instantly recognize.
All Champion Buffs in LoL Patch 26.9
Gragas, Tahm Kench, Taliyah, and Warwick are listed under champion buffs in the Patch 26.9 preview.
This is a pretty interesting mix because it touches multiple roles at once. Gragas can appear in top, jungle, mid, and support depending on the meta, so even small buffs can have a wide impact. Tahm Kench getting help could make him more reliable again as a durable top lane or support pick. Taliyah buffs may give her more room in mid and jungle, while Warwick buffs could improve his consistency in solo queue, especially for players who like early skirmishing and objective pressure.
All Champion Nerfs in LoL Patch 26.9
Ambessa and Briar are the two champions currently listed for nerfs.
Ambessa has remained one of those champions Riot needs to keep a close eye on because of how oppressive she can feel when her mobility, durability, and damage all line up. Briar is another solo queue-heavy champion who can quickly take over games when her numbers are too generous. Riot has not shared the exact nerf values yet, so for now, this should be treated as a preview rather than the final patch notes.
All Champion Adjustments in LoL Patch 26.9
The champion adjustment list is much longer. Ezreal, Kennen, Shyvana, Teemo, Udyr, Xin Zhao, Zeri, and Zoe are all marked for adjustments in Patch 26.9.
This is where the patch could get really interesting. Adjustments usually mean Riot is not simply buffing or nerfing a champion. Instead, the team may be shifting power around, changing build incentives, or pushing a champion toward a healthier play pattern.
Ezreal and Kennen are especially worth watching because earlier PBE testing pointed toward off-meta build support, including AP Ezreal and AD Kennen angles. Shyvana and Udyr being on the list also suggests Riot is still trying to clean up champions with flexible builds and sometimes awkward scaling profiles. Zeri is another major name here, since any meaningful adjustment to her speed, lane power, or damage curve can quickly affect both solo queue and pro play.
New Starting Items: Doran’s Bow and Doran’s Helm
Doran’s Bow and Doran’s Helm are the most eye-catching system additions in Patch 26.9.
Doran’s Bow is being positioned as a greedy laning option. Based on Riot’s preview, it is meant for lanes where players are willing to trade away some safety for stronger uptime on opponents. In simple terms, it should appeal to champions who want to keep hitting, keep trading, and squeeze out early advantages, but the trade-off is that they may be easier to burst down.
Doran’s Helm is more situational. Riot describes it as an option for champions who do not need the sustain from Doran’s Shield but still want a different defensive or lane-focused starter. That could make it attractive for tanks, bruisers, and possibly some niche mage matchups, depending on the final stats.
Doran’s Bow, Doran’s Helm, and Gluttonous Greaves are being added to widen itemization choices, while warning that PBE values may still change before Patch 26.9 goes live.
Statikk Shiv Rework Could Bring Back Wild On-Hit Builds
Statikk Shiv is one of the biggest system changes in the Patch 26.9 preview. Riot says AD on-hit builds have been struggling, and Shiv gives the team a chance to add some spark back into that space.
The major idea is that Statikk Shiv’s lightning can interact with on-hit effects, creating room for new build experiments. However, Riot has already pulled back some of the most extreme interactions by making sure the on-hit lightning does not also affect the primary target. That should reduce some of the more ridiculous burst cases while still allowing the item to feel exciting.
This is the kind of change that can create a lot of strange early patch builds. Expect players to test it on marksmen, hybrid damage champions, and anyone who can abuse on-hit chains. Riot itself seems aware that this may be risky, but the preview makes it clear the team wants to push item innovation a little further.
Deathfire Touch Returns in Patch 26.9
Deathfire Touch is coming back as a new keystone option in Patch 26.9.
Riot’s reasoning makes sense. Arcane Comet has been asked to do too much for too long. It has served long-range poke champions, DoT mages, and some Aery-adjacent playstyles, but not always cleanly. By bringing back Deathfire Touch, Riot can separate sustained damage poke from Comet’s long-range burst identity.
For DoT mages and champions who want repeated spell pressure, Deathfire Touch could become a natural home. It may also give players more meaningful choices in the Sorcery tree instead of defaulting to Comet just because nothing else fits.
Stormraider’s Surge Replaces Phase Rush Identity
Stormraider’s Surge is another returning keystone, and it appears to be Riot’s answer to long-standing Phase Rush balance problems.
Phase Rush has always been difficult to tune because certain champions can trigger it too easily with low-commitment spell patterns. Control mages, in particular, have often used it to create distance without taking much risk. Riot’s preview says Stormraider’s Surge has a better design because it asks for more commitment before giving powerful movement speed.
That change could matter a lot for mages, bruisers, and skirmishers. If Stormraider’s Surge lands well, it may give movement-speed champions a satisfying rune without making the safest control mages impossible to catch.
System Buffs, Nerfs, and Adjustments in Patch 26.9
The system buff list currently includes Endless Hunger, while Hubris is listed for a system nerf.
The larger system adjustment list includes Arcane Comet, Axiom Arc, Deathfire Touch, Doran’s Bow, Doran’s Helm, Dusk and Dawn, Gluttonous Greaves, Hail of Blades, Staff of Flowing Water, Statikk Shiv, Stormraider’s Surge, and Voltaic Cyclosword.
That is a huge amount of items and rune movement for one patch. It also suggests Riot wants Season 2 to feel noticeably different from Season 1, especially in lane openings, rune choices, and mid-game build paths.
Patch 26.9 Full Preview Summary
| Category | Changes |
|---|---|
| Champion Buffs | Gragas, Tahm Kench, Taliyah, Warwick |
| Champion Nerfs | Ambessa, Briar |
| Champion Adjustments | Ezreal, Kennen, Shyvana, Teemo, Udyr, Xin Zhao, Zeri, Zoe |
| System Buffs | Endless Hunger |
| System Nerfs | Hubris |
| System Adjustments | Arcane Comet, Axiom Arc, Deathfire Touch, Doran’s Bow, Doran’s Helm, Dusk and Dawn, Gluttonous Greaves, Hail of Blades, Staff of Flowing Water, Statikk Shiv, Stormraider’s Surge, Voltaic Cyclosword |
Patch 26.9 could be one of those updates where the numbers matter less than the experiments players discover during the first week. New starting items can change lane matchups. Reworked keystones can move champions into different rune pages. Statikk Shiv alone could open up builds that look silly at first but become real meta threats later.
The champion changes are important, but the systems are clearly the star of this patch. Doran’s Bow and Doran’s Helm should make early lane choices more interesting, Deathfire Touch and Stormraider’s Surge give rune pages more identity, and the Statikk Shiv update could finally breathe life into some forgotten on-hit setups.
