LoL Patch 26.12 Preview: Riot Targets AP Xin Zhao, Lee Sin, and Teleport

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Riot Games has shared the first preview for League of Legends Patch 26.12, and this update looks like another important balance patch before the game shifts toward the competitive MSI patch. According to Riot, League of Legends Patch 26.12 is expected to go live on June 10, 2026, while Patch 26.13 is scheduled for June 24.

Patch 26.12 mainly focuses on champion balance across Summoner’s Rift, with several mid lane picks receiving attention, a few high-performing champions getting toned down, and Teleport receiving a system adjustment. Riot is also still watching the impact of Patch 26.11, which already targeted the support meta after enchanters and ranged supports had been dominating bot lane for much of the year.

League of Legends Patch 26.12 Release Date

League of Legends Patch 26.12 is currently scheduled to release on June 10, 2026, based on Riot’s official patch calendar. As always, the exact launch time may vary depending on region and server maintenance, but players can expect the update to arrive during the usual midweek patch window.

LOL Patch 26.12 Preview At a Glance

Category	Champions / Changes
Champion Buffs	Yuumi
Champion Buffs	Jax
Champion Buffs	Gwen
Champion Buffs	Aatrox
Champion Buffs	Hwei
Champion Buffs	Syndra
Champion Buffs	Tristana
Champion Buffs	Sylas
Champion Nerfs	Xin Zhao
Champion Nerfs	Nocturne
Champion Nerfs	Lee Sin
Champion Nerfs	Orianna
Champion Nerfs	Ryze
Champion Nerfs	Cassiopeia
Champion Nerfs	Varus
System Adjustments	Teleport Adjust

League of Legends Patch 26.12 Champion Buffs

Patch 26.12 is bringing buffs to Yuumi, Jax, Gwen, Aatrox, Hwei, Syndra, Tristana, and Sylas. While the exact numbers have not been revealed yet, the preview already gives us a good idea of Riot’s direction.

Yuumi is one of the more notable champions on the buff list. Riot explained that a previous Moonstone change fixed an issue where the item was being doubly impacted by Grievous Wounds or Heal and Shield Power. Since Yuumi has Heal and Shield Power built into her kit, she was affected more heavily than most champions. As a result, Riot is giving her a compensation buff in Patch 26.12.

The mid lane pool is also getting some attention. Hwei, Syndra, and Sylas are all receiving buffs after Riot identified them as champions with room to grow in Solo Queue.

Tristana is also on the buff list, which could be interesting for both bot lane and mid lane, depending on the final numbers. Jax, Gwen, and Aatrox round out the buffed champions, giving top lane players several familiar carry picks to watch when the full patch notes arrive.

League of Legends Patch 26.12 Champion Nerfs

Riot is nerfing Xin Zhao, Nocturne, Lee Sin, Orianna, Ryze, Cassiopeia, and Varus in Patch 26.12. The nerf list targets several champions that have either been strong in Solo Queue, high-level play, or both.

Xin Zhao is one of the biggest names here because Riot specifically called out AP Xin Zhao as a problem in average play. According to RiotPhroxzon, AP Xin Zhao has been creating frustrating lane states due to the amount of healing packed into his early game. Patch 26.12 will tap down that healing, while also reducing some of his top-end healing later in the game.

Lee Sin is also being adjusted after changes in Patch 26.10 brought power back into some of the flashier parts of his kit. Riot likes the overall direction of those changes because they fit Lee Sin’s champion fantasy, but the current magnitude appears to be too high, especially in higher levels of play. Patch 26.12 will pull him back slightly while keeping the shape of the update intact.

Orianna, Ryze, and Cassiopeia are also being nerfed as part of Riot’s mid lane cleanup. Riot noted that Orianna and Ryze have been strong for most of the season, while Cassiopeia benefited heavily from Deathfire Touch being added back into the game. Patch 26.11 already made major support and rune-related adjustments, including changes connected to Deathfire Touch and the bot lane meta, so Patch 26.12 appears to be continuing that follow-up balance work.

Teleport Is Getting Adjusted in Patch 26.12

Teleport is the only system adjustment currently listed for League of Legends Patch 26.12. Riot is targeting a recent pattern, especially in pro play, where players have been using Teleport at very short ranges to prepare large shields before key fights.

Riot says this is a cool use of the spell, but also unintuitive. Teleport is meant to be stronger as a cross-map tool and a way to join fights, rather than a short-range shield setup before objectives. To push the spell back toward that identity, Riot is reducing the shield duration while slightly increasing the shield amount as compensation.

If the shorter shield duration makes short-range Teleport less reliable, players may have to return to using the spell more deliberately for map movement and side lane pressure.

Patch 26.12 Could Reshape the Mid Lane Meta

The mid lane section of Patch 26.12 is arguably the most interesting part of the preview. Riot is nerfing several high-performing picks while giving room to champions that have struggled to keep up.

Hwei, Syndra, and Sylas buffs could bring more playmaking and scaling options back into the lane. At the same time, nerfs to Orianna, Ryze, Cassiopeia, and AP Xin Zhao suggest Riot wants to cut down some of the strongest or most frustrating mid lane patterns before MSI.

The Cassiopeia nerf is especially notable because Riot directly connected her rise to Deathfire Touch. Since Patch 26.11 already made changes around ranged supports, enchanters, and the impact of Deathfire Touch, Patch 26.12 looks like another step in Riot’s effort to stabilize the meta before competitive play moves to Patch 26.13.

Bot Lane and Support Meta Are Still Being Monitored

Although Patch 26.12 does not currently list a huge number of bot lane-specific changes, Riot is still watching how the Patch 26.11 support changes affect the meta. Riot’s official Patch 26.11 notes described the update as a support shake-up after enchanters had dominated for much of the year, with mage supports also becoming more threatening after Deathfire Touch returned.

League’s lead gameplay designer, RiotPhroxzon, said the team is monitoring how those changes affect bot lane. The current preview suggests Riot may not be ready to make another major system pass just yet, but Varus and Tristana being included in the champion balance list means bot lane players will still have changes to watch.

The biggest things to watch are Yuumi’s compensation buff, the Teleport shield adjustment, AP Xin Zhao’s healing nerfs, and the wider mid lane balance pass. With Patch 26.13 set to be the MSI patch, Patch 26.12 could be one of Riot’s last chances to steer the meta before the competitive spotlight shifts to the international stage.

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