Playrent.gg-LOL 26.17 Solo Q Meta: Champions Rising and Falling

Chunzliu

Summary：LOL Patch 26.17 brings major Solo Q adjustments, with Trundle, Zeri, LeBlanc and Kiana gaining value while Vayne, Nocturne and Sundered Sky-dependent champions take significant hits.

LOL Patch 26.17: A New Solo Q Meta Takes Shape

LOL Patch 26.17 is shaping up to be an important balance update for League of Legends Solo Q. Rather than completely rebuilding the meta, Riot is making targeted changes that could significantly alter the value of several champions and item-dependent builds.

Players who want faster access to champions and established content may also consider options such as buy League of Legends accounts, although understanding the current meta remains essential for actually succeeding in Solo Q.

The biggest winners include Trundle, Zeri, LeBlanc and Kiana, all of whom gain stronger tools or benefit from changes elsewhere in the game. On the other side, Vayne faces substantial adjustments, while Nocturne and several champions relying on Sundered Sky lose some of their previous power.

For players trying to climb ranked, these changes make champion selection especially important. A pick that was merely average before Patch 26.17 could become a powerful counter or sleeper option once the new numbers settle.

LOL Patch 26.17 Top Lane Tier List

Top lane remains relatively stable, but several champions are changing position.

Nasus continues to be one of the strongest scaling choices despite a reduction to his passive lifesteal from 12% to 10%. The nerf hurts his sustain during certain stages of the game, but it doesn't remove his ability to become a major late-game threat.

Garen is another champion moving upward. Strong itemization and recent indirect improvements make him increasingly reliable for players looking for a straightforward Solo Q carry.

Meanwhile, Aatrox takes a hit indirectly because of the Sundered Sky nerf. The item's AD falls from 45 to 40, while its health drops from 450 to 400. Champions that rely heavily on the item's efficiency therefore lose some of their previous combat power.

Jax also falls in the rankings, while Cho'Gath becomes more attractive after improvements to his E damage.

For top lane players, the biggest lesson from Patch 26.17 is that item changes can matter almost as much as direct champion buffs and nerfs. Fighters built around Sundered Sky may need to reconsider their standard item paths.

Jungle: Trundle Emerges as the Sleeper Pick

The jungle could be one of the most interesting positions after the update.

Trundle is arguably the biggest winner. His W attack-speed bonus at maximum rank increases from 90% to 110%, giving him significantly more power when fighting around objectives and during extended engagements.

Combined with his Q's dueling strength and the broader changes affecting competing junglers, Trundle has the tools to become an S-tier or even OP-tier sleeper pick.

His biggest advantage may be how underplayed he is compared with more popular meta junglers. Players who understand his matchups and objective control can potentially exploit opponents who aren't familiar with his updated attack-speed windows.

Nocturne, meanwhile, drops from OP tier toward S tier after reductions to his health and armor. He remains highly effective thanks to his ultimate and strong ganking potential, but his overall durability is less impressive.

Graves also receives early-game Q adjustments but remains a viable A-tier option. Kiana gains additional value from her buffs but still needs more consistency before becoming a universally dominant jungle choice.

For Solo Q players, Trundle should be one of the first champions to test after the patch goes live.

Mid Lane: LeBlanc and Kiana Gain Momentum

Mid lane is receiving several changes that could shake up the established rankings.

LeBlanc gets a particularly important improvement. Her W AP ratio increases from 80% to 90%, giving her stronger damage potential as she builds ability power.

This could push her from a B-tier pick into the A-tier conversation. Her mobility, burst potential and ability to punish squishy targets already make her dangerous in skilled hands, and the additional scaling makes her more rewarding for aggressive players.

Kiana also benefits from meaningful Q improvements. Her ability gains 10 additional base damage at each rank, while the bonus AD ratio increases from 85% to 90%.

These changes give Kiana stronger trading and assassination potential, although her performance will still depend heavily on player execution.

Yasuo and Yone receive another notable benefit through changes to their critical-strike penalty, which drops from 10% to 5%. That adjustment could make their item builds feel more rewarding and improve their overall scaling.

Zerath remains an S-tier mid option despite losing five damage from Q across its scaling. The reduction isn't large enough to fundamentally change his Solo Q identity, especially for players capable of consistently landing long-range abilities.

Final Verdict

LOL Patch 26.17 is less about creating an entirely new meta and more about shifting power between existing choices.

Trundle is the biggest jungle sleeper, Zeri could become one of the strongest ADCs, and LeBlanc's improved AP scaling makes her a serious mid-lane option. Kiana also deserves attention after her Q buffs.

On the losing side, Vayne faces one of the more substantial adjustments, while Nocturne and Sundered Sky-dependent fighters lose some efficiency.

For ranked players, the best approach is to test the updated champions rather than blindly following previous tier lists. Small balance changes can have a surprisingly large impact on Solo Q once players discover new builds and matchups.

For anyone building a new LoL accounts, learning these matchup and item changes can be more valuable than simply copying the most popular champion list. The strongest Solo Q pick is often the champion that fits your mechanics, preferred playstyle and team composition.

TL;DR: LOL Patch 26.17 favors Trundle, Zeri, LeBlanc and Kiana, while Vayne, Nocturne and Sundered Sky users lose ground. Trundle is the standout sleeper pick, while Zeri could be one of the biggest bot-lane winners.

Which champion do you expect to dominate Solo Q after LOL Patch 26.17?