LoL Patch 26.18 Preview Details Champion Buffs, Nerfs, and Cassiopeia Adjustments

Riot Games has released a full preview of League of Legends Patch 26.18, confirming a broad slate of planned champion balance changes. As developers prepare for LoL Worlds 2026—which kicks off next month on patch 26.20—the current focus is on settling the meta and addressing major balance concerns. Alongside champion adjustments, dataminers and reports have uncovered voice filters pointing toward the eventual release of official in-game voice chat.

Lead gameplay designer Matt 'Phroxzon' Leung-Harrison provided additional context regarding the specific changes heading to the Rift. Cassiopeia is receiving a comprehensive six-part adjustment aimed at rectifying her polarized performance state. According to Phroxzon, Cassiopeia currently sits around a 47 percent win rate for average players while remaining overly strong in Pro Play and Elite tiers. The adjustments shift power around to preserve her early-game identity while recovering utility for regular players. Meanwhile, Zeri is facing direct nerfs following benefits gained from Hurricane changes, with developers prioritizing item balance before addressing individual champion stats.

The patch also introduces a series of targeted buffs and nerfs across multiple champions. Ekko receives mana and waveclear enhancements to help him roam and snowball more effectively, while Kassadin, Master Yi, and Zaahen also secure buffs. Viego gains a new passive healing scaling feature intended specifically to support Bruiser Viego builds over squishier setups. On the opposing side, champions including Seraphine, Syndra, Bard, and Nautilus face various cooldown, damage, and stat adjustments. Additionally, the item Rageblade is receiving a minor system buff that extends its Seething Strike stack duration from three seconds to four seconds.