League of Legends Patch 26.22 is bringing buffs for ten champions, nerfs for Locke, Thresh, and Yasuo, and a mini-update for Mel. Riot is also taking another look at Overlord’s Bloodmail and the balance between Doran’s Bow and Doran’s Blade.
The biggest talking point is Mel’s W. Riot plans to move away from its projectile reflect mechanic while keeping the ability’s projectile-destroying identity, giving opponents fewer frustrating matchups.
In brief:
- LoL Patch 26.22 is scheduled for November 4, 2026.
- Ten champions are listed for buffs, while Locke, Thresh, and Yasuo are getting nerfs.
- Aurora, Mel, and Renekton are receiving adjustments, with Mel’s mini-update changing her W.
- Overlord’s Bloodmail is getting buffed, alongside adjustments to Doran’s Bow versus Doran’s Blade.
LoL Patch 26.22 Release Date
League of Legends Patch 26.22 is scheduled to release on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, according to Riot’s official patch schedule. Riot lists its dates in Pacific Time and notes that the schedule can change.
All LoL Patch 26.22 Preview Changes
Riot Phroxzon’s preview outlines the following Summoner’s Rift changes. The table below includes every champion and system listed in the preview image.
Exact numerical changes aren’t included in this initial preview, so the entries show the planned direction of each change.
| Category | Champion or system | Planned change |
|---|---|---|
| Champion buffs | Aurelion Sol | Buff |
| Champion buffs | Corki | Buff |
| Champion buffs | Kayle | Buff |
| Champion buffs | Maokai | Buff |
| Champion buffs | Naafiri | Buff |
| Champion buffs | Rumble | Buff |
| Champion buffs | Shen | Buff |
| Champion buffs | Smolder | Buff |
| Champion buffs | Viktor | Buff |
| Champion buffs | Zaahen | Buff |
| Champion nerfs | Locke | Nerf |
| Champion nerfs | Thresh | Nerf |
| Champion nerfs | Yasuo | Nerf |
| Champion adjustments | Aurora | Adjustment |
| Champion adjustments | Mel | Mini-update, including W rework |
| Champion adjustments | Renekton | Adjustment |
| System buffs | Overlord’s Bloodmail | Buff |
| System adjustments | Doran’s Bow vs. Doran’s Blade | Balance adjustments |
There’s a broad spread of buffs here, with Aurelion Sol, Kayle, and Smolder all appearing on the list. However, the preview doesn’t specify which abilities or stats Riot intends to change. Aurora and Renekton’s adjustments also remain unspecified.
Mel’s Mini-Update Reworks Her W
Mel’s mini-update is set to arrive in Patch 26.22, and Riot has explained why it’s changing one of her defining mechanics.
According to Phroxzon, Mel’s reflect ability was an ambitious attempt to give players a new mechanic to learn and play around. After seeing it on live servers, though, the team concluded that it created too much frustration for opponents.
Riot tested multiple versions that retained the reflect, but couldn’t find an approach that worked for both Mel players and the champions facing her. The new direction keeps the feeling of destroying incoming projectiles while reducing how heavily the ability counters certain members of the roster.
Phroxzon also acknowledged that losing reflect will disappoint Mel mains. Riot’s hope is that the rework will give the team room to balance her at a higher overall power level, making her more effective without those difficult matchup interactions.
The preview doesn’t include the full replacement W details or its numbers yet.
Overlord’s Bloodmail Buffs Target More Users
Overlord’s Bloodmail is also getting attention in Patch 26.22. Phroxzon says the item has been weak overall and is currently too closely tied to Sett.
Riot wants it to appeal to more champions who should benefit from converting health into damage, including Dr. Mundo and Sion. The missing-health portion is one aspect the team identifies as favoring Sett too heavily.
The exact changes haven’t been shared, but the goal is to broaden the item’s appeal across its potential users.
Doran’s Bow and Doran’s Blade Balance Changes
Riot believes Doran’s Bow has been too strong compared with Doran’s Blade, particularly at higher levels of play.
The team is happy with the general tradeoffs between the two starting items, but wants to adjust their relative strength. The preview lists this as a system adjustment, without specifying whether Bow will receive nerfs, Blade will receive buffs, or both items will change.
As of writing, these are the announced targets for Patch 26.22. Exact values and final implementation details will need to come from the full preview or patch notes.
