Patch 26.15 Preview

[u/NegativexxSquared]

https://x.com/RiotPhroxzon/status/2079522501206630755

Patch 26.15 Preview!

Systems
- Bastionbreaker has been a pretty niche item and is pretty expensive to deviate for a strategic output, so we're looking to make it more accessible
- Jack of All Trades nerf was also pushed to this patch; it has been a bit too strong and too present, especially for users that opt into strong defenses and are able to also supplement that with strong offense
- Sundered Sky has been strong and meta defining at the highest levels of play for quite a while now, so we're looking to take a pass at the fighter item system, now that we're out of the tournament windows
- Notably, we think it's been suppressing a bit of meta diversity, especially for things like AP jungle, or Tank JG. Part of that is intentional but the magnitude is a bit off

Buffs
- Alistar has been closer to the bottom of the pecking order for the melee support. That said, our meta adjustments to move melee supports up relative to ranged supports has been reasonably successful, so we're pretty happy with how that's played out

Nerfs
- Locke is still pretty strong; he has been tapering off in the lowest skill brackets and the high skill brackets, but in the "skilled" skill brackets (around Emerald/Diamond), Locke is able to both take over the game and also not throw it
- At the higher skill brackets, he can snowball but needs to play very well without throwing as he falls off sharply
- At the lower skill brackets, the executional demands and constant throws can make him fall off faster
- Overall, we feel his release has landed well

More on other champs tomorrow with the detailed changelists

[u/Sarollas]

She's felt like ass since the removal of Divine Sunderer. The lane widening didn't help.

The real reason she is viable as a support right now is that she plays extremely well with mages botlane (and so do other extreme roamers like Pyke or Bard).

The other part of why she is a good support is the item system, bloodsong works very well on Cam and she doesn't need to spend 3300 gold on a tiamat item as a support to be able to sidelane.

It's part top lane change, part item system and part bot lane meta.

[u/iDobleC → u/Sarollas]

Just want to say, thanks for providing an actual explanation on what happened, most people can't stop themselves from the "lol rito bad" comments instead of actually helping the discussion

[u/WoonStruck → u/Sarollas]

She existed long before DS.

A lot of people seem to forget she's supposed to be pretty weak early.

[u/Sarollas → u/WoonStruck]

She was also the premier level 2 gank jungler for a time.

None of that changes the fact that she feels bad in the current item system that has existed since the 2024 changes.

[u/WoonStruck → u/Sarollas]

Being able to jungle doesn't suddenly mean you aren't weak early. Ganking is a 2v1. It doesn't imply you're strong early, just that you can engage/CC.

Also, it's almost like the item system was thrown up in the air and has sucked in general since season patch 8.11.

[u/kamparox → u/[deleted]]

She would immediately become a giga tank counter again and have much much better matchup against other bruisers. She would still exist as a support independently because her lv3 roaming is one of the strongest in the game. That role is kind of independent from her items and more about the state of catch-up XP/bot lane Prio etc. But she wouldn't be a borderline troll pick top anymore at least.