Riot Games has introduced patch 25.08 for League of Legends, featuring balance adjustments for champions and items. Items Crypt and Opportunity have been strengthened, while Dead Man’s Plate has been adjusted to reduce its movement speed increase. Ahri has been weakened due to an overly effective but uncharacteristic build, and Mel will receive buffs. The update aims to improve balance and gameplay.

Item Changes

The patch has reworked items that have long been weak or were previously over-nerfed, particularly Crypt and Opportunity. Dead Man’s Plate has also been adjusted due to excessive movement speed growth.

Riot plans to revamp the mage item system to enhance build specialization. Burst builds should deal better instant damage, health-burning builds should work more effectively against HP, and haste builds should provide more speed. Special attention will be given to versatile items like Liandry’s, which stand out from the general system.

This is a major change affecting many champions and items, so implementation will take time. Simultaneously, there may be targeted adjustments to individual elements.

• Cryptobloom: Speed: 15 ➝ 20
• Opportunity: Damage to out-of-combat targets: 11 / 7 ➝ 11 / 5
• Overlord's Bloodmail: Bonus to HP: +2% ➝ +2.5%, max bonus to AD from missing health: 10% ➝ 12%
• Dead Man's Plate: Slow resistance: 25% ➝ 15%

Champion Balance Changes

Ahri

Riot is revisiting one of Ahri's popular builds through Rod of Ages and Liandry’s, as it has become too strong. Despite the variety of builds, this option deviates from the champion's concept as a mobile but vulnerable mage. The changes aim to bring the build back in line with her identity.

• Armor growth 4.7➝4.2, W damage 45–145➝40–120, AP W 30%➝40%, W cooldown 9.5➝10–6, AP E 75%➝85%.

Mel

Developers are satisfied with the current version of the champion and better understand her strengths and weaknesses. After previous nerfs, players adapted to the changes and learned to use W and Q skills more effectively.

• Health: 600 ➝ 620, Passive damage per stack: 5–20 ➝ 8–25

Champion Buffs:

• Blitzcrank: P mana ratio: 30% ➝ 35%, Q damage: 105–285 ➝ 110–310
• Brand: Passive damage to monsters: 215% ➝ 240%
• Hway: Q base damage: 35–180 ➝ 35–230, R explosion damage: 200/300/400 ➝ 200/325/450
• Renekton: R damage: 90–330 ➝ 90–360
• Shen: E dash slow: 15–35% ➝ 25–45%, W cooldown: 18–12 sec ➝ 16–10 sec
• Singed: Passive cooldown on a single target: 10 sec ➝ 8 sec
• Sona: Pre-lock Q damage: 250–750 ➝ 250–850
• Zeri: Chain lightning damage (Q): 25% of total AD ➝ 30% of total AD
• Zoe: Q damage to non-primary target: 20% ➝ 0% (removed)
• Xerath: Passive recovery per kill: 2.5 sec ➝ 3.5 sec, Q damage: 70–230 ➝ 75–235

Champion Nerfs:

• Gwen: E hit damage: 12–20 ➝ 8–20
• Lulu: Health: 595 ➝ 565
• Tristana: R cooldown: 100–120 ➝ 100–120 sec, R damage: 275–375 ➝ 225–325
• Yone: W damage based on target's max health: 10%➝14% ➝ 8%➝12%
• Yorick
• Yuumi: P base heal: 25–110 ➝ 20–110, E shield: 80–180 ➝ 65–165

Champion Adjustments:

• Annie: Health growth: reduced from 102 to 96 per level, AP ratio increased from 85% to 90%. More details on changes can be found here.
• Syndra: W slow: 25–45% ➝ 25%, E base damage: 75–235 ➝ 60–200, E scale: 45% ➝ 60%, R base damage per sphere: 100–180 ➝ 90–170, AP per sphere: 17% ➝ 20%.

Changes in patch 25.8 continue the balance work started in the previous update. Developers note that they are pleased with how previous adjustments affected the distribution of power in champion skill sets. Previously, changes affected characters like Singed, Gwen, Xerath, Yone, and Yorick. Earlier, developers nerfed Yorick, and changes can be found here.