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Riot Games has published the first preview for League of Legends Patch 26.18, scheduled for Thursday, September 10, 2026. Lead balance designer Matt “Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison confirmed seven buffs, five nerfs, a Cassiopeia adjustment and a Guinsoo's Rageblade fix. Exact numbers have not been shared yet, so everything below is provisional and will be confirmed in the official patch notes on release day.
Patch 26.18 at a glance
This is the last balance patch before the competitive home stretch. The 2026 World Championship runs from October 15 to November 14 across the United States (Los Angeles, Allen in Texas, and New York City), and the Worlds patch will be 26.20. In other words, the meta that comes out of 26.18 is the one you will grind ranked on for the rest of the season. Riot is targeting both solo queue pain points (Seraphine, Zeri) and high-elo outliers (Cassiopeia).
The 7 champion buffs
- Aurelion Sol — buff (numbers not yet revealed)
- Ekko — buff (numbers not yet revealed)
- Kassadin — buff (numbers not yet revealed)
- Master Yi — buff, tied to the Guinsoo's Rageblade fix
- Renekton — buff (numbers not yet revealed)
- Viego — buff (numbers not yet revealed)
- Zaahen — buff (numbers not yet revealed)
Master Yi: the buff that actually comes from an item
Master Yi is the most interesting case. According to Phroxzon, the Guinsoo's Rageblade re-script in Patch 26.14 unintentionally changed how fast Phantom Hit activates: Phantom Hit trigger — 6 ⇒ 7 attacks. Champions that stack fastest were hit hardest, with Master Yi at the top of that list. Patch 26.18 gives him some of that lost power back on top of the item fix itself. If you play carry jungle, this is the pick to watch.
The 5 champion nerfs
- Bard — nerf (numbers not yet revealed)
- Nautilus — nerf (numbers not yet revealed)
- Seraphine — nerf (numbers not yet revealed)
- Syndra — nerf (numbers not yet revealed)
- Zeri — nerf (numbers not yet revealed)
Seraphine: why Riot keeps pulling power
Seraphine has ranked in the top 3 most frustrating champions in Riot's recurring frustration surveys for several patches, and she has become one of the strongest pairings with Ashe in pro play. Riot acknowledges the balancing problem: she is played as support, mid and bot at the same time. The team says it will keep prioritising her support audience while trying to keep the farming roles satisfying. Phroxzon also addressed backlash over the earlier Q AP ratio cut, arguing AP ratios are one of the few levers that rein in farming Seraphine without over-buffing the support build.
Cassiopeia: a power-neutral adjustment
Cassiopeia is the only champion listed as an adjustment rather than a buff or a nerf. Riot says she has become very strong at high levels of play since the return of Deathfire Touch, brought back in Patch 26.9 as an option for sustained and damage-over-time champions. Patch 26.18 shifts power out of her lane phase and into her scaling. The stated goal is specific: make it harder for her to win lanes without landing Noxious Blast, while preserving her identity as a strong laner.
Guinsoo's Rageblade: the only system change so far
- Phantom Hit (trigger) : 6 ⇒ 7 attacks since the 26.14 re-script — unintended side effect
- Patch 26.18: Riot gives power back to the item (stats, Phantom Hit mechanics or something else — not specified)
- Direct consequence: Master Yi buff, and a likely meta return for fast-attacking champions
Timeline: from 26.18 to the Worlds patch
Patch 26.18 ships on Thursday, September 10, 2026 rather than the usual Wednesday. It will be followed by 26.19, then 26.20, the official Worlds 2026 patch. The World Championship runs October 15 to November 14, 2026 in the United States. Riot said more information on the remaining champions is coming, so exact values should land on the PBE in the next few days.
What to play before September 10
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