League of Legends Classic is preparing for its second major update, with Riot Games planning substantial balance changes, a more authentic version of Summoner’s Rift and the first community vote through The Council.
Patch 26.17 is scheduled for August 26 and will represent another important step in Riot’s attempt to develop Classic as an ongoing version of League rather than a temporary nostalgia mode.
Unlike the previous update, Patch 2 will not introduce any additional champions. Instead, Riot is focusing on progression, balance, visual authenticity and feedback from the players spending the most time in Classic.
Summoner’s Rift moves closer to its 2013 appearance
One of the most visible changes will affect the map itself.
Riot has been working to make Classic’s Summoner’s Rift more accurately resemble the version players experienced around 2013. Patch 1 already adjusted lighting, but Patch 2 goes further with changes to textures, environmental details, decals and props.
The aim is not simply to apply an old visual filter over the modern game.
League Classic operates on Riot’s current technology, meaning developers have had to recreate older systems and visuals within a newer engine. That makes maintaining an authentic presentation more complicated than simply restoring historical game files.
Patch 2 will include:
- Updated textures and environmental details across Summoner’s Rift
- Lighting and visual adjustments designed to better match the 2013 era
- Continued work on champion visuals and other Classic-specific presentation
The changes reinforce Riot’s stated goal of preserving the identity of early League while still maintaining the mode as a supported live product.
The Council gives players a direct vote
The biggest long-term addition may be The Council.
Riot originally announced the system as a way for League Classic players to influence how the mode develops. The first round of voting is now expected with Patch 2.
The Council will contain around eight questions covering different areas of Classic.
Topics are expected to include whether trinkets improve the experience and how players feel about the current pace of matches.
The Council represents Riot’s attempt to let the most active Classic players influence the direction of the mode without handing over responsibility for fundamental balance and game health.
Voting power will not necessarily be identical for every account. Riot previously explained that access is connected to Classic progression, with more active players receiving greater influence.
| Patch 2 feature | Main purpose |
|---|---|
| The Council | Community input on Classic’s future |
| Map update | Move Rift closer to 2013 visuals |
| Progression buffs | Reduce grind for Classic systems |
| Balance changes | Address early meta problems |
Riot will still make final decisions on areas such as competitive integrity and balance.
Rune and progression grind is being reduced
Riot is also addressing complaints about how long it takes to unlock parts of the Classic experience.
Players will receive increased IP and Classic XP gains, while several Rune costs are being reduced.
The planned progression changes include:
- Classic XP gains doubled
- IP earnings increased significantly
- Minor Runes and Quintessences made cheaper
- Two additional Rune pages becoming available
These changes should make experimentation easier, particularly for players who joined Classic without large stores of progression resources.
Riot also plans to introduce recommended Runes in the shop, making the older Rune system easier to understand for players who never experienced League during that period.
Several Classic systems are being rebalanced
Patch 2 is not only about presentation and quality-of-life improvements.
Riot is preparing another significant balance pass.
Innervating Locket is expected to receive stronger stats and a lower cost, while Wriggle’s Lantern and Feral Flare are being reworked. The latter changes shift the build toward attack speed while reducing some of its attack damage.
Riot is also reconsidering how restrictive mana should be.
Classic was originally designed around older League’s more punishing resource management. However, Riot is now open to increasing mana pools or reducing certain mana costs where champions feel unnecessarily limited.
That direction has already generated debate within the Classic community, with some players concerned that making resource management easier could gradually push the mode toward modern League.
No new champions until Patch 3
Players waiting for another roster expansion will need to wait longer.
Patch 1 introduced Akali, Kennen and Shen as a themed group of ninja champions. Patch 2 will add no new characters.
Riot’s David “Phreak” Turley has indicated that expanding the roster remains one of the development team’s priorities.
Future batches may include champions whose Classic versions require fewer visual or mechanical changes compared with their modern counterparts, allowing Riot to release additions more quickly.
Patch 3 is currently expected to provide the next champion group.
Assessment
Patch 2 could be more important to League Classic’s future than another simple content update.
The map improvements strengthen the nostalgic presentation, while faster progression addresses one of the practical barriers preventing players from experimenting with older Rune and item systems.
The Council is the more interesting long-term development.
League Classic exists because players wanted an older style of League, but those players do not necessarily agree on exactly which era or mechanics should define it. Riot now needs to balance historical accuracy, game health and community expectations.
Allowing experienced Classic players to vote gives the studio another source of direction, but Riot will still need to decide where nostalgia ends and active game development begins.
Patch 26.17 arrives on August 26. With no new champions this time, Riot is using the update to strengthen the foundation of Classic before expanding its roster again.
