LoL Patch 26.22 Preview: Mel Rework, Buffs and Nerfs

The LoL Patch 26.22 preview is out, and Mel is the big one. Her reflect is being replaced, ten champions are on the buff list, and Locke, Thresh and Yasuo are getting nerfs. Riot is also revisiting Overlord's Bloodmail and the Doran starting items.

Release date: November 4, 2026, on Riot's Pacific Time patch schedule. This is the first target list, not the full numerical preview. The announced roster is reproduced in GameRiv's preview coverage, with Phroxzon's original post here. Mel's mechanics are detailed separately in Riot's developer article.

AUSSYELO / FIRST PREVIEW

LoL Patch 26.22 preview at a glance

10 buffs / 3 nerfs / 3 adjustments. Scheduled for November 4, Pacific Time.

Champion buffs (10)

Aurelion Sol

Corki

Kayle

Maokai

Naafiri

Rumble

Shen

Smolder

Viktor

Zaahen

Champion nerfs (3)

Locke

Thresh

Yasuo

Champion adjustments (3)

Aurora

Mel

Renekton

Overlord's BloodmailBuff planned.

Doran's Bow / Doran's BladeRelative strength being adjusted.

Initial preview: the target list is confirmed, but exact balance values are still pending. Planned changes can move before release.

Champion buffs in LoL Patch 26.22

Aurelion Sol, Kayle and Smolder jump off the list if you enjoy scaling picks. That does not tell us whether Riot is improving their late game, helping them survive lane, or changing something else. A buff to an early trading spell and a buff to a late-game payoff can produce very different matchups.

My read: wait for the ability changes before changing your champion pool. If your main is on this list, great. If you have never played them, a green arrow is not going to teach you their first ten minutes.

Corki, Maokai, Naafiri, Rumble, Shen, Viktor and Zaahen round out the planned buffs. The current tier list is useful for the patch you can actually play; this preview does not establish a new ranking for any of them.

Viktor is worth watching after his 26.21 nerf. A follow-up buff does not automatically mean a full revert. Check the eventual changelist before assuming the old movement speed, or any other specific value, is coming back.

Locke, Thresh and Yasuo nerfs

All three are named for nerfs. The first preview does not give their exact changes.

For ranked, the useful distinction is what a nerf actually touches. Less damage, a weaker first clear and a longer defensive cooldown ask for different responses from the player. Until that detail arrives, there is no solid basis for declaring a build dead or telling everyone to drop a champion.

If you already play one of these three well, keep that experience in the calculation. Learning a replacement from scratch can cost you more games than a modest balance change.

Mel's rework removes reflection

Riot's Mel midscope breakdown goes further than the preview graphic: W will stop reflecting enemy abilities. The replacement destroys projectiles, provides a team shield and movement speed, then retaliates against attacks with damage. You will no longer send an enemy spell back as that same spell.

The rest of her kit is shifting away from early lane power. Riot describes less early durability and passive damage, a slower Q with more damage in subsequent hits, distance-based E root duration, a Q cooldown refund for hitting champions and more ultimate cooldown reduction with rank.

My take: this deserves more attention than a normal numbers tweak. The W you save to deny an incoming spell and the W you use to protect several teammates can demand different positioning. Mel players should test the new timing and team coverage before carrying their old habits straight into ranked.

The developer article explains the design. It is not a substitute for the final release values.

Aurora and Renekton adjustments

Aurora and Renekton sit alongside Mel in the adjustment category. Riot has not detailed their changes in this first target list.

That label matters. An adjustment can redistribute power rather than simply add or remove it. Once the full preview arrives, compare the whole entry instead of reading the first positive number and stopping there.

Bloodmail and the Doran starting items

Overlord's Bloodmail

Phroxzon's stated aim is to make Bloodmail more useful beyond Sett, including potential users such as Mundo and Sion. The item is listed for a buff; the specific stat and passive changes are still pending.

For your build, the question will be what you give up to buy it. A stronger item can still be the wrong purchase if it delays a defensive answer you need for that particular game.

Doran's Bow versus Doran's Blade

Riot is adjusting the balance between these starts, with Bow considered too strong relative to Blade at higher levels of play. The first preview does not establish whether the final change will nerf Bow, buff Blade, or do both.

Starting-item changes are worth checking even when your champion is absent from the roster. They can affect the first few trades in a lane. Wait for the actual comparison before copying an old starting purchase by habit.

Release date, live servers and Worlds

Patch 26.22 is scheduled for November 4 in Pacific Time. Server maintenance determines your regional rollout; the schedule is not a promise of one simultaneous launch time for OCE, NA and EUW.

The current live update is 26.21. Worlds 2026 stays on 26.20, so this preview is not changing the tournament's rules halfway through Swiss. Our Worlds schedule and bracket covers the event separately.

What I would do before the patch

Keep playing your comfortable picks while the numbers are pending. When the detailed preview lands, check your own champion, their usual opponents and the items you buy in that order. For Mel, make time to try the new W rather than treating her entry as an ordinary buff or nerf.

If you want to track your ranked results, use the MMR checker. Planning a different champion pool? The Blue Essence calculator can help you work out the unlock cost. If you are starting on another server, compare our level 30 League accounts for OCE, NA and EUW and check the selected region's current stock.

LoL Patch 26.22 preview FAQ

When does LoL Patch 26.22 release?

Riot schedules Patch 26.22 for November 4, 2026, in Pacific Time. Regional maintenance determines when your server updates.

Which champions are getting buffed in Patch 26.22?

Aurelion Sol, Corki, Kayle, Maokai, Naafiri, Rumble, Shen, Smolder, Viktor and Zaahen are listed for buffs in the initial preview.

Who is getting nerfed in Patch 26.22?

Locke, Thresh and Yasuo are listed for nerfs. Aurora, Mel and Renekton are listed separately as adjustments.

Is Mel losing her reflect in Patch 26.22?

Yes. Riot plans to remove ability reflection from Mel's W while retaining projectile destruction and adding team protection. Her rework is planned for 26.22.

Are the full Patch 26.22 balance numbers available?

The initial preview announces targets and design goals. Exact numerical changes for the champion and item balance list have not been published in that preview.

Will Worlds 2026 move to Patch 26.22?

No. Worlds 2026 is played on Patch 26.20. Patch 26.22 is a separate live-server update.