Riot Games readies League of Legends update 26.13 for June 24 release
Riot Games is set to release League of Legends Patch 26.13 on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, introducing the new champion Locke, the Ashen Exorcist, alongside significant balance adjustments for Senna and LeBlanc. This update serves as the definitive competitive foundation for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2026, which is scheduled to begin in Daejeon, South Korea, with play-in matches starting on June 28.
The patch target represents Riot’s final opportunity to calibrate the professional meta before the year’s second major international tournament. By nerfing high-performing picks like Senna and Bard while providing buffs to fringe champions like LeBlanc and Kai’Sa, developers are attempting to diversify the strategic options available to professional teams on the global stage.
Riot Games introduces Locke the Ashen Exorcist
Players can expect the update to hit live servers according to the following regional schedule:
- North America (NA): 3 PM CT
- EU West: 5 AM GMT
- EU North East: 3 AM CET
- Korea (KR): 8 AM KR
The headline of Patch 26.13 is the arrival of Locke, the Ashen Exorcist, a brand-new mid-lane AP assassin. Locke is designed to offer high-mobility gameplay, providing a fresh mastering challenge for both solo queue enthusiasts and professional mid-laners arriving in Daejeon. His debut is accompanied by a High Noon skin, which launches alongside a new skin for Akshan as part of the update’s cosmetic rollout.
Locke’s entry into the roster coincides with a broader push for MSI-themed content. Riot Games has designated Broken Covenant Jhin as the official revenue-share skin for MSI 2026, allowing fans to support participating teams directly through their purchases. This system mirrors previous esports initiatives seen in other major titles, such as when Valve updated sticker pricing to support professional Counter-Strike organisations during major tournaments.
Senna nerfs and system adjustments target current dominance
Riot Games is implementing heavy nerfs for Senna in Patch 26.13 to curb her current dominance in the bot lane. The champion is losing raw damage and soul generation efficiency, specifically targeting her effectiveness when paired with Statikk Shiv and Doran’s Helm.
These soul-scaling adjustments are intended to bring her power curve back in line with other marksmen who have struggled to compete with her recent utility-heavy builds.
Impact on Bard and Brand
Bard is receiving significant reductions to his Passive, Traveler’s Call. His Meep damage is being lowered from 35 (+10 per 5 Chimes) to 30 (+6 per 5 Chimes), a move designed to reduce the oppressive nature of his tank-focused roaming builds. These builds have recently allowed Bard to output higher-than-expected damage while maintaining significant durability in both solo queue and professional play.
Brand is also facing adjustments focused primarily on his performance as a bot-lane carry. While his base mana regeneration is increasing to 11 per 5 seconds, the mana cost for Conflagration (E) is being hiked to 90 at all ranks. Furthermore, the maximum health detonation damage from his Blaze (Passive) is being scaled down from 8-12 percent to 6-12 percent, limiting his late-game tank-shredding potential.
LeBlanc buffs and marksman power shifts
While the patch delivers several high-profile nerfs, LeBlanc is the primary beneficiary of a series of damage buffs. Riot Games is increasing the damage of her Mimic (R) across nearly all variations. The damage for Mimic Mirror Image (Q/E) is rising to 70/150/230, while the root and mark damage is increasing to 140/300/460.
These changes aim to improve her scaling into the mid and late game, where she has recently faltered against sturdier compositions.
Traditional marksmen like Kai’Sa and Aphelios are also seeing performance increases. Kai’Sa is receiving a cooldown reduction on her Void Seeker (W) and an increased base shield for her Killer Instinct (R), which now scales up to 200.
Key details
Aphelios is seeing damage increases across his entire arsenal, including Calibrum mark damage and Crescendum sentry damage, to reward players who manage his rotations precisely. Such technical refinements are common in competitive gaming, similar to how Star Fox on Switch 2 received day-one balance updates to refine its online battle modes.
Jungle clear speed buffs for Poppy and Olaf
Riot Games is continuing to push for jungle diversity by buffing the clear speeds of Poppy and Olaf. Poppy’s Hammer Shock (Q) monster damage cap is seeing a significant increase, rising from 170 to 195 at maximum rank. Olaf is receiving a similar boost, with Undertow (Q) monster bonus damage jumping from 80 to 120.
These changes are intended to help these champions compete with the current high-tempo junglers who define the fast-clearing meta.
Upcoming MSI 2026 meta expectations
With Patch 26.13 serving as the final balance pass before the second international tournament of the year, the professional meta is expected to shift away from the high-durability picks that have defined the spring.
K’Sante is seeing a reduction in his Footwork (E) shield strength, and Rek’Sai’s Furious Bite (E) physical and true damage are both being toned down. These changes, combined with the buffs to burst-heavy picks like Qiyana and LeBlanc, suggest a more aggressive environment for the Daejeon stage.
Beyond the competitive arena, the patch introduces the “Arena Event: Bravery” and a new “What We Face” motion comic for general players.
As teams prepare for the MSI 2026 play-ins, the focus will remain on how quickly the world’s best players can adapt to the Locke release and the reworked Imperial Mandate, which has been adjusted to better serve traditional support champions.
Just as Tekken 8 crossover news generates buzz in the fighting game community, the arrival of a new champion often defines the narrative of League’s biggest mid-year event.