The League of Legends patch 26.5 preview is now out. Lead Gameplay Designer Matt Leung-Harrison (@RiotPhroxzon on X) showcased the upcoming champion and item adjustments. Because this patch will be used in LoL First Stand 2026, several changes will be more geared toward the pro meta.

Here are all of the upcoming changes shared on the official League of Legends patch 26.5 preview notes.

Note: More information about the LoL patch 26.5 preview will be added after it is available.

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Champion adjustments in League of Legends patch 26.5 preview

Here are all the buffs, nerfs, and adjustments to the champions in LoL patch 26.5 preview, as revealed by RiotPhroxzon:

“Champion buffs

• Garen
• Lee Sein
• Lilia
• Mel
• Nocturne
• Volibear

Champion nerfs

• Kha’Zix
• Neeko
• Varus
• Orianna
• Azir”

While patch 26.4 adjusted numerous elements to bring more balance to the title, 26.5 will be fully pro-focused. That’s because the First Stand 2026 event starts on March 16 and will use the upcoming patch. As a result, prominent outliers such as Orianna, Neeko, Varus (Lethality), and Azir are getting nerfed.

On the other hand, Mel was nerfed significantly in earlier patches. Regarding her upcoming buffs, RiotPhroxzon mentioned that,

“We’re looking to see what Mel looks like at a higher power level after making some of the frustration-lowering changes in 26.3.”

Also read: All Role Quests in League of Legends Season 16 and their rewards

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System adjustments in League of Legends patch 26.5 preview

Here are the system adjustments mentioned in LoL patch 26.5 preview notes:

“System buffs

Hubris is looking underpowered overall, with few players using it consistently. The item also lacks the properties of other snowball items like Mejais. As for Locket, it’s being buffed to compete with Bandlepipes, which is looking extremely powerful as the second item right now.

The full League of Legends patch 26.5 will hit the live server on March 4, 2026.

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