League of Legends Patch 26.18 Preview: Big Changes Coming to Seraphine and Cassiopeia

Patch 26.18 is coming to League of Legends on Thursday, September 10, with another set of changes as the meta continues to evolve. Let's take a closer look at what Riot Games has in store for the upcoming patch.

Cassiopeia Gets a Balance Pass

Cassiopeia has been a consistent presence in professional play, with her exceptional damage output and team-fight impact making her a great pick. However, with her win rate now sitting at 47%, Riot is looking to make a few adjustments to bring her back into a healthier balance. 

The changes essentially aim to do the following:

• Reduce Cassiopeia's early game power
• Shift power toward scaling
• Shift damage from base values to AP ratios
• Adjust her Deathfire Touch synergy
• Focus on power-neutral adjustments to improve her performance for average players without significantly affecting her pro-play strength

The goal isn't to remove Cassiopeia from the meta, but to make her less oppressive, particularly in the hands of professional players. Her reliable early-game pressure can be especially powerful in coordinated play, making her a difficult champion to play against.

Her identity will remain intact. They still want her to be a strong laner, just with more of her overall power tied to play investment, farming, and scaling. 

Rethinking Seraphine's AP Build

Once again, Riot Games is targeting Seraphine AP, rather than the champion's traditional enchanter playstyle. According to Riot, Seraphine has consistently ranked among the most frustrating champions in player surveys, prompting the team to take another look at her kit.

One of the bigger concerns is Seraphine's presence in professional play, particularly her synergy with Ashe in the bot lane. With the [E] Beat Drop nerf, Riot's goal is to keep Support as her primary role without completely abandoning her viability as a mid laner or AP carry.

However, balancing all three roles simultaneously is a big risk, and Riot acknowledges that these changes may leave some Seraphine players unhappy.

Ekko, Viego, and Zaahen Receive Much Needed Buffs

Ekko has struggled to remain viable in the mid lane for some time, so Riot is looking to bring him back with improved waveclear, mana sustain, and stronger AP ratios. These changes should support his roaming and tempo-based playstyle, allowing him to clear waves more efficiently before looking for opportunities on the map.

Viego's bruiser build has fallen behind his squisher setup following the removal of Divine Sunderer and nerfs to Sundered Sky. While Riot believes the squishy build is stronger, they feel the bruiser option has become weaker than intended. As a result, these changes give players more incentive to build Viego as a Bruiser.

Zaahen is also receiving buffs, alongside a quality-of-life adjustment to make his [Q] The Darkin Glave interaction after reviving more consistent. Previously, the timing of Q2 could become desynchronized after he revived, leaving players with a very short window to use the ability. 

One Step Closer to LoL Worlds

Overall, Patch 26.18 takes a more targeted approach to balance, with Riot focusing on specific champions and adjusting their power across different roles and skill levels.

With the League of Legends Worlds Championship approaching, Riot appears to be taking a measured approach, addressing champions that are either overperforming at the highest levels or struggling in regular play without making drastic changes.

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Featured image credit: Riot Games

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