League of Legends Patch 26.18 went live on September 10, 2026. Riot’s official 26.18 patch notes buff five champions, nerf five, rework Cassiopeia’s damage split, extend Guinsoo’s Rageblade stacks, add five champions to League Classic, and launch the Hall of Legends event for Rasmus “Caps” Winther.
Which Champions Were Buffed in LoL Patch 26.18?
Five champions were buffed: Ekko, Kassadin, Master Yi, Viego, and Zaahen.
| Champion | Change | Riot’s reason |
|---|---|---|
| Ekko | Q mana cost 50/60/70/80/90 → 40/50/60/70/80; Q return damage AP ratio 60% → 70% | Weak since the mid-year Dusk & Dawn update, especially in mid, without buffing his Hail of Blades build |
| Kassadin | Q AP ratio 70% → 80%; R base damage 70/90/110 → 80/95/110 | More early agency through Riftwalk without touching his late game |
| Master Yi | Armor growth 4.5 → 5 per level; R move speed 35/45/55% → 40/50/60% | Hit harder than other users by this year’s Rageblade bugfix because of his double strike |
| Viego | AD growth 3.5 → 4; passive heal now also scales +2% per 500 bonus HP | Falling win rate, and support for his bruiser build |
| Zaahen | Active Q goes on cooldown immediately when he enters Resurrection; Q2 base damage 25–125 → 30–150 | He always left Resurrection (and Guardian Angel or Zilean R) with Q still on cooldown |
Which Champions Were Nerfed in LoL Patch 26.18?
Five champions were nerfed: Bard, Nautilus, Seraphine, Syndra, and Zeri.
| Champion | Change | Riot’s reason |
|---|---|---|
| Bard | Armor 34 + 5/level → 32 + 4.7/level | Durability too high for his mobility and ultimate range; his damage was already cut earlier this year |
| Nautilus | Base AD 61 → 58; Q damage 85/130/175/220/265 → 85/125/165/205/245 | Near the top of the meta all year; his lockdown is left intact |
| Seraphine | E cooldown 11/10.5/10/9.5/9s → 11s at every rank | Targets bot-lane Seraphine; supports max E last and barely feel it |
| Syndra | Passive splinter mana 20–255 → 20–199; W cooldown 12–8s → 13–9s | Too strong in specific solo queue tiers where W is a larger share of her damage; pushes builds back toward Lost Chapter |
| Zeri | W total AD ratio 120% → 100%; W wall damage ratio 180% → 150% | Win rate climbed with the Runaan’s Hurricane and Yun Tal Wildarrows buffs, and she is appearing in pro play |
What Changed on Cassiopeia in LoL Patch 26.18?
Cassiopeia loses early lane damage and gains AP scaling. Riot says she has reached pro-play dominance while staying weaker for average players, and pro players value defensive items over raw AP, so shifting her damage into ratios lowers her pro laning power.
- Passive (Serpentine Grace): move speed bonus 6%–40% → 5%–36%.
- Q (Noxious Blast): damage 75/110/145/180/215 → 65/100/135/170/205; AP ratio 65% → 75%.
- E (Twin Fang): mana cost 40 → 45; base AP ratio 10% → 20%; enhanced AP ratio 55% → 45% (total still 65%); damage 52–120 → 50–120.
- R (Petrifying Gaze): damage 150/250/350 → 125/225/325; AP ratio 50% → 75%.
Was Guinsoo’s Rageblade Buffed in LoL Patch 26.18?
Yes. Seething Strike stacks now last 4 seconds instead of 3. Riot calls it a small quality-of-life buff to offset this year’s Rageblade bugfix, which delayed the first double hit. Master Yi, the champion that bugfix hurt most, also got champion buffs. Rageblade is the only Summoner’s Rift item changed in 26.18.
What Else Changed in LoL Patch 26.18?
- League Classic: Fiora, Galio, Poppy, Shyvana, and Xin Zhao join with older kits. Anivia, Gangplank, Heimerdinger, Kayle, Malzahar, Nasus, and Warwick are rebalanced. The first Council vote brings back Zz’Rot Portal, Cloak and Dagger, and Moonflair Spellblade and adds always-visible jungle timers.
- ARAM: Mayhem: Clown College is re-enabled, Spin to Win raises R damage by 50% (was 30%), and Hydra items can no longer be sold while holding Ultra Hydra. Several Hydra augment bugs are fixed.
- Bug fixes: Teemo traps last the full 10 minutes again; Nidalee’s Cougar E hit range (350) and Human E cast range (600) are corrected; Akali’s Q and R range indicators are fixed.
What Are the Caps Hall of Legends Skins in League of Legends?
Caps is the third Hall of Legends inductee and the first Western pro to receive it. Three skins went on sale with 26.18 on September 10, 2026:
- Immortalized Legend Tristana
- Risen Legend Tristana
- Risen Legend Orianna
If you sell a League of Legends account that owns any of these, list them by name in the skin inventory.
What Should You Play to Climb on LoL Patch 26.18?
- Mid Ekko: cheaper Q and higher return damage help waveclear and roaming.
- Kassadin: stronger Q scaling and early R damage.
- Bruiser Viego: the new bonus-HP heal ratio does nothing on glass-cannon builds.
- Master Yi and other Rageblade users: 4-second Seething Strike stacks plus Yi’s armor and ultimate speed.
- Zaahen: Q is ready again when he comes back from Resurrection.
Is Worlds 2026 Played on LoL Patch 26.18?
No. Worlds 2026 runs from October 15 to November 14 in the United States and is played on Patch 26.20. Patch 26.19 is the last balance pass before the tournament patch, so any champion that rises on 26.18 can still be tuned before Worlds.
Frequently Asked Questions About League of Legends Patch 26.18
When did League of Legends Patch 26.18 release? Patch 26.18 went live on September 10, 2026. Riot published the official notes on September 9.
Which champions were buffed in LoL Patch 26.18? Ekko, Kassadin, Master Yi, Viego, and Zaahen.
Were Aurelion Sol and Renekton buffed in Patch 26.18? No. Both appeared in Riot’s pre-release preview, but neither is changed in the final 26.18 patch notes.
Which champions were nerfed in LoL Patch 26.18? Bard (armor), Nautilus (base AD and Q damage), Seraphine (E cooldown fixed at 11 seconds), Syndra (passive mana and W cooldown), and Zeri (W AD ratios).
Is Guinsoo’s Rageblade buffed in Patch 26.18? Yes. Seething Strike stack duration increased from 3 seconds to 4 seconds.
What skins were released with LoL Patch 26.18? The Caps Hall of Legends skins: Immortalized Legend Tristana, Risen Legend Tristana, and Risen Legend Orianna, available from September 10, 2026, alongside the Hall of Legends event pass.
Which champions were added to League Classic in Patch 26.18? Fiora, Galio, Poppy, Shyvana, and Xin Zhao.
Which patch is Worlds 2026 played on? Patch 26.20.
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