Riot Games is set to release Patch 25.10 for League of Legends on May 14, and the preview from Lead Gameplay Designer Matt “Riot Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison makes it clear this won't be a minor update. The mid-season patch focuses heavily on reworking AP items, dialing back some of the strongest champs in the jungle, and giving underperforming picks like Senna a much-needed boost in the bot lane.
AP Item Rework Aims To Break The Meta Monotony
If you’ve been watching the mid-tier and pro play metas, Liandry’s Anguish has become almost unavoidable in AP builds. Riot isn’t just nerfing the item — they’re reshaping the entire AP ecosystem to give mages and burst casters more meaningful choices. That means most AP items are getting buffed, while Liandry’s and Seraph’s Embrace are taking hits to their stats.
Cryptbloom is one of the standout buffs. It now offers more ability haste but trades off some damage. The goal is to position it as a utility-focused counterpart to Void Staff, giving control mages a new path instead of just stacking penetration. Hextech Rocketbelt’s health is being lowered to 300, making it more viable for fragile assassin types who need that early engage tool without the extra tankiness.
Stormsurge is also getting a role clarify — cheaper with a movement speed boost but less damage. It’s a shift toward making it feel more like a snowball item for mobile mages rather than a one-size-fits-all damage tool. These tweaks should spread out the AP power curves and give players more reason to experiment beyond the old Liandry’s + Rylai’s combo.
Vi’s Jungle Dominance Is Getting Checked With Targeted Nerfs
Vi has steadily climbed into a dominant position in the jungle meta. Riot is okay with her crowd control staying in place — it helps manage the game's growing champion mobility — but her damage output is being scaled back. The balance team wants to keep her playmaking potential without letting her one-shot the enemy team after a single knockup.
These changes aren’t about removing Vi from the jungle but about opening up space for other champions to compete. With Naafiri also taking a hit to her jungle clear efficiency, and Fiddlesticks’ kit being adjusted to better fit his role, the jungle meta may see a lot more variety in the coming weeks.
Senna Gets A Buff To Help Her Shine In The Bot Lane
Senna’s AD carry builds have been underperforming compared to her enchanter support roles. Riot is bringing back the minion soul drop mechanic to give her more lane sustain and scaling potential. This change is aimed at making her a more viable and rewarding pick in bot lane, rather than forcing players into her support kit just because it works better.
It’s a smart move that could shake up the bottom lane dynamics, especially when paired with other patch changes like the buffs to Smolder, whose Q now synergizes better with Senna’s soul harvesting.
Fiddlesticks, Cho’Gath, And More Champion Tweaks That Matter
Fiddlesticks is getting a tweak to his W to balance his role between jungle and support. Riot wants to keep him a strong jungle threat without nerfing his playstyle as a support, where he’s also popular. This change should help stabilize his presence across both roles.
Cho’Gath’s top lane kit is getting some love, with better scaling on his E and attack speed. His mid-lane power remains untouched, keeping him flexible but more threatening in the solo lane. Meanwhile, Naafiri’s jungle nerf won’t affect her mid-lane play, which keeps her options open but curbs her monster farming potential in the jungle.
What This Patch Means For The Meta And Player Agency
Patch 25.10 isn’t just about balancing numbers — it’s about reshaping how players build and play in League of Legends. The AP item overhaul creates room for more creative mage builds. The champion adjustments to Vi, Naafiri, and Fiddlesticks aim to diversify the jungle role. And the Senna buff gives bot lane players a stronger option without forcing her into support roles.
Riot is clearly trying to create more distinct power curves and role identities. AD carries are designed to peak around three items. Control mages get stronger with two. Assassins get earlier but riskier power spikes. It’s a layered approach to balance that, if it works, could keep the meta fresh for much longer than usual.
With Patch 25.10 going live next week, expect the first wave of pro-level testing and solo queue theory crafting to hit the servers fast. This might not be the biggest patch of the year, but it could be one of the most impactful for how League is played in 2025.