LoL Patch 26.15 Preview: Big Bel’Veth Rework, Locke and Riven Nerfs

League of Legends’ next patch will completely rework Bel’Veth, nerf Locke, Riven and other Champs, and change some key items. Here’s everything to know.

League of Legends Patch 26.15 is Almost Here

On July 22, 2026, League of Legends Lead Gameplay Designer Matt ‘RiotPhroxzon’ Leung-Harrison released a preview for the Patch 26.15 update. This will bring big reworks to Bel’Veth, alongside significant changes to Locke, Mordekaiser, Riven, and other Champions.

Let’s explore a summary of what’s about to switch up on the Rift, and how it could affect your upcoming games.

League of Legends Patch 26.15: All Changes in the Bel’Veth Rework

One of League’s most important Patch 26.15 updates is a major Bel’Veth rework. This is “aimed at making her gameplay pattern around her early levels weaker […] to allow her to fulfil her fantasy as a late game scaling champion.“

Bel’Veth’s entire kit is getting changed. Certain aspects are being removed completely, while other stats are just swapping around numbers. To summarize:

• Bel’Veth’s Q is more of a “regular dueling ability.”
• It will be harder for Bel’Veth to invade in the early game.
• Bel’Veth’s base stats are significantly lower, but she has higher scaling potential for late-game play.
• At level 16, Bel’Veth’s empowered form will gain infinite duration.

Base Stats

• Level 1 AS: .85 > .67
• AS ratio: .85 > .67
• AD: 60 > 55
• AA Damage mod: 75% > 100%
• Attack cast time: .25 > .22
• AA total time/animation adjusted to feel better at lower Attack Speeds
• Armor: 32 +4.7 > 28 + 5
• HP: 610 +105/lvl > 580 +110/lvl
• Model size reduced by 5%

P

• AS after spell cast: 20-40% for 2 attacks > 20% for 3s
• AS per stack: .28-1.1% > .1-2% (gains more at later levels)

Q

• Speed: 800-1000 > 850
• Between cast CD: 1 > 4-1
• Monster mod: 55-95 > 70
• Minion mod: 60-100% > removed
• Damage:0-20 (+100% AD) > 12-20 (+105% AD)
• AS to AH conversion: .25 > .2

W

• Damage: 70-230 (+100% BAD)(+125% AP) > 80-320(+150% AP)
• Slow duration: 1.25-2.25 (50% slow) > 2 (30% slow)
• Knockup duration: .75 > .6-1s

E

• Damage: 6-10 (+8% AD)(+8% on-hits, increased up to 300% based on missing health) > 10-18(+12% AD) (+12% on-hits, increased up to 100% based on missing health)
• Number of strikes: 6 + 1 per 33% bonus AS > 6 +1 per 40% bonus AS
• DR: 35-55% > 20-60%
• Lifesteal: 20% > 20-40%
• Lifesteal scaler: 100% > [removed]
• CD: 20-16 > 24-12
• Monster mod: 150% > 200%

R

• Passive on hit now applies every attack instead of every other attack
• Passive no longer removed when swapping targets
• Passive true damage: 6-14 (+12% BAD) > 2-6 (+3% BAD)
• Max stacks on Epic monster: 10 > 8
• Passive now applications on E and Q no longer require Bel’veth to have attacked the target first
• Explosion damage: 150-250(+100% AP)(+25% missing hp) > 150-250(150% AP)(+20% missing HP)
• Heal/bonus health: 100-200 (+120% BAD)(+90% AP) > 100-400(150% BAD)(+150% AP)
• AA range bonus: 75 > 25/75/125
• Total AS: 10/15/20% > 5/15/25%
• Size: 10% > 10/15/20%
• Unempowered Buff duration: 60 > 45/90/infinite @ 0/40/80 stacks
• Empowered buff duration: 180 > 45/90/infinite @ 0/40/80 stacks
• Post cast lockout: .5s > .25s

Champion Buffs

Kai’Sa, who was one of the poorer botlaners in the past few patches, is receiving a bit more AP juice. Maokai will experience the same. Volibear will notably see some cooldown reduction, and Zac is getting a massive armor growth increase (nearly double).

• Alistar: Base move speed 330 > 335
• Kai’Sa: P damage on-hit 4-24 (+12% AP), +1-6 (+3% AP) per stack > 4-30 (+12% AP), +1-8 (+3% AP) per stack
• Maokai: Q Monster Mod: 140 / 150 / 160 / 170 /180 > 150 / 160 / 170 / 180 / 190, Damage: +40% AP > +50% AP
• Volibear: Q Cooldown: 14/13/12/11/10 > 12/11.5/11/10.5/10
• Zac: Armor Growth: 4.7 > 9.2 E Cooldown: 22-10 > 21-9

Big Locke Nerf in Patch 26.15

Locke has terrorized the Rift since his launch, but he is now receiving a significant nerf. The changes will reduce his damage, tone down his move speed, and lower his base health.

• Base HP: 655 > 620
• Q Nail Damage: 50-82 (+20% AP) > 40-72 (+20% AP)
• W MS: 40-60% (+2% per 100 AP) > 40% (+2% per 100 AP)
• W Grey Health Base: 40-160 (+120% AP) > 40-120 (+120% AP)

Other Nerfs: Mordekaiser, Naafiri, Riven, Sylas

After Locke’s reworks, a few common toplaners and midlaners are seeing additional power balances. The Morde updates aim to mend last Patch’s Ultimate adjustment, which “overshot in magnitude.” Naafiri’s changes will heavily reduce her Ultimate damage.

The devs note that Riven is in an unhealthily powerful spot (you’ve definitely heard teammates yell “this Champ is so broken” after button-mashing their Q combos into a kill). Much of her strength increase stems from Gluttonous Greaves’ popularity and high healing potential. Riot Phroxzon explains the studio’s decision to nerf her:

“As a light fighter broadly, she’s having the shape that we think is reasonably healthy.” However, “giving her more choices in the first slot other than Axiom (eg. more durable paths as well) would be broadly desirable […] that would allow her to have other modes of success that aren’t just one-shotting her target.”

• Mordekaiser: R Stat Steal: 13% > 10% E cooldown: 18/10 > 16/8
• Naafiri: R Damage: 150 / 225 / 300 (+120% AD) > 125 / 200 / 275 (+100% Bonus AD) ((Per Packmate 25 / 22.5 / 30 (+12%AD) > 12.5 / 20 / 27.5 (+10% Bonus AD))
• Riven: R AD Bonus: 25% > 20% R2 min damage bonus AD ratio: 60% (88% max) > 55% (65%)
• Sylas: Q1 Damage: 40-140 (+45% AP) > 40-120 (+40% AP)

Item and System Changes

The Patch Preview shows just a few Item and System changes, but it seems like more unreleased ones are in the works. So far, Bastionbreaker, Terminus, Yun Tal Wildarrows, and Jack of All Trades are seeing updates.

Buffs

• Bastionbreaker: Gold Cost 3200 > 3000, Shaped Charge Base Damage: 30 > 50
• Terminus: On Hit Damage: 30 > 30 (+10% bonus AD) (+10% AP)
• Yun Tal Wildarrows: Total Cost: 3100 > 3000 AS: 40% > 45%

Nerfs

• Jack of All Trades: Adaptive at 5 and 10 Jack Stacks: 10, 25 > 8, 20

League of Legends Patch 26.15 Release Date

League of Legends Patch 26.15 is set to release on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. It’s important to note that patch dates are subject to change if unforeseen circumstances arise. In addition, the Patch’s release time may vary depending on the player’s location.

Once the patch officially drops, more information will pop up on Riot Games’ official Patch Notes page.

Stay tuned for more League of Legends esports and in-game news.