Patch 25.22 Rune Changes Overview

Patch 25.22 is absolutely filled with rune changes as there are ten different runes being adjusted. Skarner is finally getting buffed after being the weakest jungler for such a long time, and to everyone’s delight, Yone is buffed for a second patch in a row. Here is a complete breakdown of all the changes and an update to the solo Q tier list for every role as we get set for patch 25.22.

Hail of Blades Buff

The melee attack speed ratio for Hail of Blades is being increased from 140% to 160%. The champions that will benefit the most from this include Pyke and Shaco, while others like Tryndamere, AP Cho’Gath, Ekko mid, Vi, Master Yi, Poppy support, and Naafiri mid can also take advantage of the change.

Guardian Buff

Guardian’s base shield is going up from 45–150 to 45–180, and the AP ratio for the shield is increased from 15% to 25%. This makes Guardian slightly more viable on certain enchanters, but not enough to make it the top option. Braum, Renata, and Rakan will see only a small indirect boost.

Bloodline Buff

Many ADCs will see a small indirect buff this patch with the healing from Bloodline increasing from 5.25% to 6% at max stacks. Urgot and Yone have also used Bloodline recently, so they benefit as well.

Nimbus Cloak Buff

Nimbus Cloak’s movement speed is going up from 14–40% to 15–45%. While not massive, this will help champions like Hecarim, Vladimir, Rumble, Zoe, Singed, Ivern, Nunu, Blitzcrank, Galio, Riven, and Alistar.

Rune Shard Movement Speed Buff

Riot wants to add more variety to rune shard selections by buffing the movement speed shard from 2% to 2.5%. This likely becomes a solid choice for supports like Bard, Poppy, and Blitzcrank, where extra movement speed can make a huge difference in landing key spells or setting up plays.

Tenacity Rune Shard Buff

The tenacity and slow resist shard goes from 10% to 15%. Top lane champions who face tanks with lots of CC may prefer this over health, though health remains the better general option.

Cashback Rune Buff

The gold refund per legendary item for Cashback is increasing from 6% to 8%. Champions such as Sion, Ivern, Miss Fortune, Fiddlesticks, and Morgana stand to benefit the most.

Triple Tonic Buff

Triple Tonic’s elixir of avarice gold is up from 40 to 60, and elixir of force adaptive damage rises from 20 to 30. This makes it a much stronger early-game snowball option compared to biscuits, whose healing has been reduced from 2% to 1.5% max health.

Phase Rush Nerf

Phase Rush is the only keystone being nerfed this patch. Its slow resist drops from 75% to 50%. This affects champions like Ryze, Hecarim, Orianna, Taliyah, Nunu, Vladimir, Gragas, Galio, and Jayce.

Champion Changes Overview

This patch brings targeted adjustments to select champions across multiple roles, focusing mainly on Volibear, Skarner, and Yone, along with several rune-synergy impacts.

Volibear Buffs and Nerfs

Top lane Volibear receives increased base armor (31→35) and base AD (60→62), making Trinity Force builds more viable. His Q movement speed is slightly nerfed, and his E max damage to monsters is reduced, mainly affecting jungle Volibear.

Yone Buff

Yone’s Q damage increases by five at all ranks (20–120 to 25–125). While a small improvement, it won’t push him out of B tier yet but gives him more consistency in extended fights.

Skarner Buff

Skarner finally gets significant buffs. His Q bonus AD ratio increases from 80% to 90%, his AD growth goes from 3 to 4, and his E gains a new 120% bonus AD ratio. These bruiser stats make builds like Titanic Hydra and Sterak’s Gage much stronger, potentially pushing him up from C to B tier.

Top Lane Meta Update

The top lane changes are relatively light this patch, with Volibear and Yone being the only champions adjusted. Malphite remains the dominant S-tier champion, while Garen and Cassiopeia move down to S tier. The overall top lane meta continues to favor tanky, self-sustaining champions.

Jungle Meta Adjustments

Talon’s monster damage passive is reduced from 110% to 100%, slightly lowering his jungle power. Jungle Volibear drops in priority due to E damage nerfs, while Ivern benefits significantly from buffs to Nimbus Cloak, Cashback, and the movement speed shard, pushing him into S tier. Skarner also rises to B tier due to his new AD scaling potential.

Mid Lane Tier List Changes

Aurelion Sol receives a small movement speed and Q damage buff, keeping him in A tier. Yone’s buffs are modest, keeping him in B tier. Akshan receives slight nerfs but remains in A tier thanks to the Triple Tonic buff. LeBlanc drops from OP to S tier after minor durability nerfs, while Naafiri climbs into the OP tier thanks to Hail of Blades improvements and build synergies.

ADC Role Overview

There are no direct ADC changes, only rune-related ones. The Bloodline and Biscuits adjustments will slightly alter rune choices, but the top picks—Ashe and Jinx—remain dominant. Smart rune swaps like opting for Cosmic Insight instead of Biscuits will help sustain consistency across games.

Support Role Changes

Blitzcrank receives an E cooldown buff from 9 to 7 seconds at rank one, allowing for more frequent engages. With the movement speed shard and Nimbus Cloak buffs, Blitzcrank gains more early-game presence. Poppy and Pyke also benefit from Hail of Blades and movement speed changes, securing strong positions in the S and A tiers respectively.

Conclusion

Patch 25.22 brings significant shifts through rune adjustments, indirectly buffing champions reliant on mobility, speed, and scaling. Skarner and Ivern receive meaningful power increases, while Volibear and Yone see small improvements. The meta remains stable overall, but adaptability will be key as rune synergies evolve.