Many nerfs and changes are coming to Mel Medarda’s kit in League of Legends patch notes 26.03. Here’s the full analysis.
Riot Emizery, Mel’s designer, has revealed all the changes coming to her kit in the League of Legends (LoL) patch notes 26.03. Since her release, her unique kit has been widely considered overpowered and disruptive, resulting in high ban rates for weeks. But will these changes undermine the very purpose of Mel’s design? Let's take a look at them!
Mel kit changes
For many players, it was very frustrating to play against Mel, which motivated Riot to implement some changes to her kit. As Riot Emizery shared on Reddit, they increased your chances to dodge her abilities, while making her more of a burst mage instead of a poke-focused mid laner.
These updates will go live with LoL patch notes 26.03, set to be released on February 4, 2026. However, you can already try them out on the Public Beta Environment (PBE).
Base Stats
This buff will allow her to clear the waves faster and encourage more active lane trading.
- Remove outlier stat, reducing attack speed value
- [BUFF] Attack Speed Ratio: 0.4 >> 0.625
Passive
As for the passive, she was heavily nerfed in the damage. Mel won't feel as strong while poking and lane bullying you. The passive now works more as a supplement and not as a main damage source.
- Lower high-reliability damage output
- [NERF] Overwhelm Projectile Damage: 8-50 + 5% AP >> 8-25 + 3% AP
- Total per Cast: 24-150 + 15% AP >> 24-75 + 9% AP
- [CHANGE] Reduced visual clutter by no longer displaying a passive mark on non-champions for enemies
- [BUGFIX] Fixed certain champion-spawned units dying to Overwhelm from an unempowered basic attack
Q - Radiant Volley
A lot will be changing in Mel's Q. Her ability is now much easier to dodge at long range, and it will be incentivized to level it up first. There will be a slower cast time, the projectile will be smaller, and the radius will be smaller as well.
On the other side, the Q will be faster to channel, will cost less mana, give full damage to minions, be stronger in the first hit, and will have a better total damage if you land it properly. Successfully hitting minions or champions will now play a much more important role.
- [CHANGE] Stronger area telegraph visual
- [NERF] Cast Time: 0.25s >> 0.4s
- [NERF] Projectile Speed: 4500 >> 3800
- [NERF] Explosion Radius: 230 >> 200
- [NERF] Area Spread: 30 >> 25
- [NERF] Damage type is now DoT AoE (reduced effectiveness in resetting Arcane Comet)
- [BUFF] Channel Time: 0.75s >> 0.5s
- [BUFF] Mana Cost: 70/80/90/100/110 >> 70/75/80/85/90
- [BUFF] Minion Damage: 75% >> 100%
- [CHANGE] Now deals additional damage the first time an explosion hits; reduced subsequent hit damage
- Initial Hit: 55/80/105/130/155 + 50% AP
- Subsequent Hits: 5/6/7/8/9 + 5% AP
- Total Damage: 85/122/161/202/245 + 75-95% AP
W - Rebuttal
The ability that made many people want to Alt+F4 the game will also have a lot of changes coming in the LoL patch 26.03.
Previously, you could simply press W and ignore the damage. With these changes, you’ll now need to carefully consider when to use the ability. Mel’s W will lose its damage immunity, retain its scaling shield, and have the reflective component removed from her kit.
W will no longer reflect projectiles, but instead destroy them in an area of effect. Overall, her unique trait is being removed, effectively turning Mel into a more standard champion.
- Give enemies clearer counterplay options and remove some outsized interactions
- [NERF] No longer provides damage immunity
- Now provides 80/110/140/170/200 + 60% AP Shields
- [NERF] Physical damage reflected is reduced by 30% before magic damage conversion
- [CHANGE] Now destroys projectiles that target each unit in an area instead of reflecting them when those projectiles aren't targeting Mel. The affected abilities are:
- Ryze E
- Brand E
- Katarina R
- Samira R
- Yunara Q
- [BUFF] Decaying Move Speed: 30% >> 40%
- [BUFF] Decaying Move Speed now lasts 1.5s (up from 0.75s)
E - Solar Snare
As for her E, the hitbox will be smaller, with reduced linger time, range, and DoT area. However, it will be faster. The root duration is now 1.5 seconds at all ranks, and the ability will deal increased damage.
- Lower low clarity impact cases, move away from E max first
- [NERF] Root Missile Radius: 80 >> 70
- [NERF] End of Travel Linger Duration: 0.5s >> 0.25s
- [NERF] DoT Radius: 260 >> 230
- [NERF] Cast Range: 1050 >> 1000
- [BUFF] Projectile Speed: 1000 >> 1100
- [BUFF] Root Duration: 1.1/1.2/1.3/1.4/1.5s >> 1.5s
- [BUFF] Damage: 60/100/140/180/220 >> 60/105/150/195/240
- [BUFF] DoT Damage Per Second: 16/26/36/46/56 >> 16/28/40/52/64
- [BUGFIX] No longer visually pops at the end when descending terrain
Final thoughts on the updates
It looks like the mid laner will likely feel weaker when playing against her. Mel's kit changes should make laning much more manageable. Her poke has been nerfed, so she won’t be bullying you in lane anymore. These changes might make her appear less in solo queue, but it’s still too early to tell. On the other hand, in high elo, she could still surprise as a viable option.
Overall, Mel’s Q will be easier for enemies to dodge but more effective for waveclear, her W will be less oppressive, and her E will hit harder yet require greater precision. These changes shift Mel away from “autopilot” play, making her a champion that rewards skill, timing, and deliberate decision-making.
