LoL Patch 25.05 Notes dropped on March 5, 2025, and is designed for the First Stand 2025, the first global esports tournament for the year.
This LoL Patch 25.05 Notes targets balance changes that will be affecting professional competition but also see a few modifications coming to solo queue play.
A number of champion buffs and nerfs have been included, together with other gameplay changes directed at anti-swap lane strategy.
LoL Patch 25.05 Notes adds buffs to a number of champions in the hopes of making them more viable in both pro and solo queue games. Aphelios is given a bump in attack speed ratio from 0.640 to 0.658, which will give him an overall boost to damage.
Dr. Mundo has his health bumped from 613 to 640. Seraphine’s maximum champion bonus damage for her Q ability increases from 60% to 75%, and her damage-dealing ability is boosted.
Finally, Zed receives a boost in damage on his E ability, Shadow Slash, where the damage is increased from 65/90/115/140/165 (+65% bonus AD) to 70/95/120/145/170 (+80% bonus AD).
Multiple champions are being nerfed to take away some of their dominance within the current meta. Ambessa, Aurora, K’Sante, and Skarner are among the bigger nerfs aimed at promoting a wider pick pool.
Ashe and Elise are also being tuned following recent buffs that mildly overpowered them. The mid-lane power of Cho’Gath is being addressed, though his top-lane play should be affected relatively minimally. Yorick’s jungle clear speed is also being slowed down.
Perhaps the most big change in patch LoL Patch 25.05 is the attempt to remove lane swapping as a strategy during early games. Lane swapping permitted bot laners to skip the early laning phase, shunting gold into the ADC at little risk.
To counteract this, Riot Games has bumped up the mid-penalty time to make early-game exploits more difficult, so that lane matchups are still effective and take coordination between the team.
Aside from champion balance changes, LoL Patch 25.05 Notes also features system buffs to Sixth Sense and Unflinching, intended to promote creativity and tenacity in play.
On the other hand, Axiom Arcanist is being nerfed following its dominance of high-level play, with the goal of lessening its overperformance and fostering a more balanced meta.
Hextech Chests are also returning, which should be greeted by players who appreciate cosmetic rewards.
(Image Credit: League of Legends)
Top 5 Updates Released in LoL Patch 25.05 Notes
1. Lane Swapping Changes
Lane swapping has been a tactic in professional League of Legends play, where the teams would usually avoid conventional lane matchups by having two champions go into the top or mid lane, so the bot laner could dedicate himself to gold funneling with little risk.
It diminished the significance of the early-game laning phase interactions and made some champions borderline unplayable if they were unable to survive the swap. In turn, Riot Games has added major changes to patch 25.05 that discourage this trend and bring the value of historic lane matchups back.
Riot has set up a system that imposes penalties when two non-junglers are in top or mid lane between 1:30 to 3:30 minutes. These penalties are:
- Turret Buffs: Outer towers become 95% damage resistant, making them almost invulnerable to attacks.
- Tower Shots: Turrets have charged shots, boosting their damage.
- Minion Damage: Towers inflict 1000% damage on minions, essentially killing them.
- Gold and XP Reduction: Minions give 50% less gold and XP to enemy champions.
- Gold Redistribution: Gold from slain minions or turrets is redistributed automatically to the closest allied champion.
- Defending Champion Protection: The top lane tower provides a 50% damage mitigation to defending champions below it.
These penalties are intended to dissuade teams from staying in lane swaps by making the strategy unfeasible and unrewarding. Detection ensures teams can’t abuse the early game through avoiding conventional lane matchups.
The changes are meant to incentivize more interactive and skill-based early-game play. By making lane trading less feasible, Riot is incentivizing teams to emphasize conventional 1v1 top lane and 2v2 bot lane matchups that are seen as too exciting for both players and watchers alike.
There are worries, though, that these adjustments may bring about unforeseen strategies, like sitting out until the debuff wears off before trying to get objectives. Also, there is a possibility of players exploiting these mechanics to grief games, something that Riot said will be taken care of with penalties for willful exploitation.
2. Champion Buffs in LoL Patch 25.05 Notes
LoL Patch 25.05 Notes contains some champion buffs with the purpose of increasing their viability in professional matches and solo queue. The main buffs added by this patch are listed below:
Aphelios:
Attack Speed Ratio boosted from 0.640 to 0.658. With this adjustment, Aphelios’s attack speed overall should increase, enabling him to deal damage over time more efficiently.
Dr. Mundo:
Base Health has gone up from 613 to 640. This buff makes Dr. Mundo a bit more resilient, which will prove useful in top lane as well as the jungle.
Seraphine:
Q (High Note) Max Champion Bonus Damage has been raised from 60% to 75%. This adjustment improves Seraphine’s champion damage-dealing capability.
Zed:
E (Shadow Slash) Damage changed from 65/90/115/140/165 (+65% bonus AD) to 70/95/120/145/170 (+80% bonus AD). The buff makes Zed deal more damage, especially at higher ranks.
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3. Champion Nerfs
LoL Patch 25.05 Notes has a number of nerfs to curb the overperformance of a number of champions in competitive play, and by extension, curbing the overperformance of these champions.
Specific Nerfs:
- Ambessa:
- E – Lacerate: Damage reduced from 40/65/90/115/140 (+60% bonus AD) to 40/60/80/100/120 (+60 bonus AD).
- Ashe:
- R (Enchanted Crystal Arrow): Damage decreased from 250/450/650 to 200/400/600.
- Aurora:
- E (The Weirding): Damage ratio reduced from 80% AP to 70% AP.
- R (Between Worlds): Border collision slow decreased from 75% to 50%.
- Cho’Gath:
- Q (Rupture): Damage reduced from 80/145/210/275/340 (+100% AP) to 80/140/200/260/320 (+100% AP).
- W (Feral Scream): Damage decreased from 80/135/190/245/300 (+70% AP) to 80/130/180/230/280 (+70% AP).
- E (Vorpal Spikes): Damage percentage of target’s max health reduced from 3% (+0.5% per stack) to 2.5/2.75/3/3.25/3.5% (+0.5% per stack).
- Elise
- K’Sante
- Skarner
- Yorick
- Jungle Yorick: Nerfs target his R spell’s monster damage cap to reduce his jungle strength.
(Image Credit: League of Legends)
4. System Changes
LoL Patch 25.05 Notes brings about a number of system changes meant to make the game better and support a more varied meta, especially ahead of the First Stand 2025 tournament.
Sixth Sense and Unflinching are being buffed to inspire creativity and determination in gameplay. These changes are meant to give players more options in terms of creating their champions, supporting more strategic playstyles.
Axiom Arcanist, meanwhile, is getting nerfed after controlling high-level play. This nerf will dial down its overperformance and allow a more balanced meta where other runes can also be options.
Economic and Cosmetic Updates:
- Hextech Chests are coming back, which should be a welcome addition for those who like cosmetic rewards. This change negates the free Battle Pass skin, providing players with an alternative means to obtain cosmetic items.
- Clash resumes a monthly rhythm, offering frequent competitive play beyond ranked matches.
- The paid Battle Pass now comes with 25 Mythic Essence that can be employed to buy or upgrade Mythic skins, reinforcing the cosmetic value of the game.
The LoL Patch 25.05 Notes also features changes to the whole game system, including the reduction of the Blue Essence cost of champions by 50%. This makes it less difficult for players to get new champions.
5. Economic Updates
LoL Patch 25.05 Notes contains various economic changes designed to improve player experience and convenience. One of the alterations is the decrease in the Blue Essence cost of all champions by 50%. This change simplifies the buying of champions by players, possibly boosting the variety of picks in both informal and competitive matches.
Also, the paid Battle Pass now comes with 25 Mythic Essence, which can be used to purchase cosmetic items, taking the place of one of the paid pass skins. This is a way of pushing players to play the cosmetic aspect of the game while offering more value for their money spent on the Battle Pass.
Cosmetic changes in LoL Patch 25.05 Notes are by the return of Hextech Chests. Hextech Chests were a favorite means by which players could acquire random cosmetic items, such as skins, chromas, and icons. Its return is expected to be welcomed by players who like collecting and personalizing the looks of their champions.
The addition of new skins and cosmetic items also enhances the game’s aesthetic appeal and offers players even more choices with which to personalize themselves in-game.
These cosmetic and economic changes are implemented to increase player satisfaction and engagement. Making champions more accessible and providing additional cosmetic rewards are intended to make the experience for all players a more welcoming and enjoyable one.
The return of Hextech Chests, specifically, introduces an aspect of surprise and unpredictability, as players can gain special items without directly buying them.
As we wrap up our detailed examination of LoL Patch 25.05 Notes, it’s evident that this patch introduces changes to the competitive industry of the game. From the removal of lane swapping tactics to the addition of new economic and cosmetic patches, there’s plenty for players to discover.
Whether you’re a pro player or a casual enthusiast, these changes are bound to affect your gameplay experience. For additional information and news on League of Legends and other games, make sure to check our website. We have top 5 lists and in-depth analysis of the latest gaming news on a regular basis, so you won’t want to miss it.
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