Read up on all the new PBE changes to get up to date on the upcoming Patch 25.18. Highlights include new T1 skins, and the introduction of the WASD movement control scheme!
These changes appeared on PBE on the 28th of August, but have been slowly shifting over the past week, and may continue to do so. As such, keep in mind that not all of these changes may make it to the live patch. If you’d like to check any of the following changes out before Wednesday, hop on PBE and queue up!
New Cosmetics - T1
Six new T1 skins were added to the PBE store, celebrating T1's fifth World Championship victory from 2024. Each champion was hand-picked by the respective T1 player—Gnar for Choi "Zeus" Woo-je, Pyke for Ryu "Keria" Min-seok, Varus for Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyeong , Vi for Mun "Oner" Hyeon-jun, and Yone and Sylas for Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok.
Each skin aside from T1 Sylas are Epic-tiered, and priced at 1350 RP. They will be available in the store for a limited time; but, like other esports skins, will return to the store during special events.
All five skins have an available Chroma variant called Elite, which will likely be bundle-exclusive, though the bundles are not available on PBE.
Faker’s Sylas skin is a step above. You can acquire Prestige T1 Sylas in the Mythic Store for 150 Mythic Essence. Mythic Essence cannot be purchased directly, but can be acquired through the Sanctum by expending Ancient Sparks (390 RP apiece).
New Movement Control Scheme - WASD
Since its inception, League of Legends has utilised the classic MOBA key-mapping scheme. But players will know that most games generally don't function this way. If you've ever come from a long break from League, during while you played pretty much any other video game, you've probably accidentally Flashed once or twice trying to move your character with the more standard WASD movement scheme.
Well, Riot is looking into making mistakes like those disappear; with WASD coming to League of Legends as an alternative control scheme. WASD has been tested behind the scenes for some time now (even by pros during this year's MSI) and became available to everyone with a PBE account just one week ago. WASD will remain on PBE for some time now; weeks, or possibly months, before coming to the live servers.
Riot has highlighted that WASD is not going to replace the standard League of Legends control scheme. The goal is for each player to be able to play in whatever way feels best for them—without getting any sort of clear advantage one way or the other. Ideally, down the line, WASD will be a viable option even in professional play. However, before we reach that future, a lot more testing will have to be done.
Total base damage increased to 450 / 687.5 / 925 from 450 / 625 / 800.
▼ Champion Nerfs
Annie
Incinerate (W)
Base damage reduced to 70 / 110 / 150 / 190 / 230 from 70 / 115 / 160 / 205 / 250.
Summon: Tibbers (R)
Magic penetration reduced to 10 / 15 / 20% from 15 / 17.5 / 20%.
Azir
STAT CHANGE Attack speed growth reduced to 5% from 5.5%.
Arise! (W)
AP ratio reduced to 40 / 45 / 50 / 55 / 60% AP from 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 / 65% AP.
Galio
Colossal Smash (Passive)
AP ratio reduced to 40% AP from 45% AP.
Winds of War (Q)
Tornado target health ratio per tick reduced to 2% of target's maximum health from 2.5%. Total health ratio reduced to 8% of target's maximum health from 10%.
Qiyana
STAT CHANGE Base attack damage reduced to 64 from 66.
STAT CHANGE Armor growth reduced to 4.5 from 4.7.
Royal Privilege (Passive)
Bonus AD ratio reduced to 25% bonus AD from 30%.
Sylas
Petricite Burst (Passive)
Monster damage reduced to 130% from 150%.
Volibear
The Relentless Storm (Passive)
- Attack speed AP ratio per stack reduced to 3% per 100 AP from 4% per 100 AP.
- Maximum stacks attack speed AP ratio reduced to 15% per 100 AP from 20% per 100 AP.
Yunara
STAT CHANGE Base health reduced to 575 from 600.
STAT CHANGE Base attack damage reduced to 53 from 56.
Kanmei’s Steps (E)
- Bonus movement speed reduced to 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50% from 50 / 55 / 60 / 65 / 70%.
- Duration reduced to 1.5 seconds at all ranks from 1.5 / 1.75 / 2 / 2.25 / 2.5.
▶ Champion Adjustments
Mixes of buffs and nerfs, or general changes and bug fixes.
Aurora
Spirit Abjuration (Passive)
- Mark target health ratio reduced to 1% of target's maximum health from 2.5%.
- Mark AP ratio increased to 2.7% per 100 AP from 2% per 100 AP.
Between Worlds
BUG FIX Tooltip now notes the proper Realm Hopper buff duration gained and no longer incorrectly notes that she gains it for the rift's duration only.
Briar
Head Rush (Q)
- Damage type changed to physical from magic.
- Base damage reduced to 60 / 85 / 110 / 135 / 160 from 60 / 90 / 120 / 150 / 180.
Certain Death (R)
-Explosion damage AP ratio increased to 130% AP from 120% AP.
- Missile range increased to 12000 units from 10000.
NEW EFFECT Global audio warning now plays after the cast time of the missile's cast instead of at its start.
REMOVED Explosion damage no longer scales off of 50% bonus AD.
Illaoi
Harsh Lesson (W)
AD ratio reduced to 3.5% per 100 AD from 4%.
Test of Spirit (E)
Vessel debuff duration increased to 4 seconds from 3.
REMOVED There is no longer a 5 / 4 / 3 (based on level) second lockout for the Vessel spawning a Tentacle nearby.
Taliyah
Threaded Volley (Q)
- Initial rock base damage reduced to 50 / 65 / 80 / 95 / 110 from 56 / 74.5 / 93 / 111.5 / 130.
- Subsequent rock base damage reduced to 20 / 26 / 32 / 38 / 44 from 22.4 / 29.8 / 37.2 / 44.6 / 52.
- Boulder base damage reduced to 90 / 117 / 144 / 171 / 198 from 100.8 / 134.1 / 167.4 / 200.7 / 234.
- Initial rock AP ratio increased to 55% AP from 50% AP.
- Subsequent rock AP ratio increased to 22% AP from 20% AP.
- Boulder AP ratio increased to 99% AP from 90% AP.
- Bonus monster damage increased to 20 from 10.
- Volley mana cost reduced to 55 / 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 from 65 / 70 / 75 / 80 / 85.
- Boulder mana cost reduced to 10 from 20.
Unraveled Earth (E)
- Detonation base damage reduced to 15 / 35 / 55 / 75 / 95 from 25 / 45 / 65 / 85 / 105.
- Detonation AP ratio increased to 35% AP from 30% AP.
- Monster damage increased to 190% from 175%.
Item Changes
▲ BUFF | ▼ NERF | ▶ ADJUSTMENT | ✶ NEW
▲ Bami’s Cinder
Immolate monster damage increased to 200% from 150%.
▶Mercurial Scimitar
- Attack damage increased to 50 from 40.
- Magic resistance reduced to 35 from 40.
- Quicksilver movement speed duration increased to 2 seconds from 1.5.
▲ Sunfire Aegis
- Immolate minion damage increased to 160% from 150%.
- Immolate monster damage increased to 160% from 150%.
✶Symbiotic Shoes
Now appears in shop searches when looking up its upgrade, Synchronized Souls.
