Everything coming to League of Legends patch 25.18

League of Legends ^[1] is slated to change a lot in the upcoming patches, and patch 25.18 will be bringing a lot of changes, from a complete visual refresh for Xin Zhao to the return of Doombots with tougher AI. 

This isn’t all, as players can expect new and returning skins, the introduction of WASD controls, and quality-of-life changes aimed at making the game smoother and more accessible. Riot is also stepping up its fight against smurfing, using Vanguard’s improved detection to target account sharing and boosting.

Here’s everything coming to League of Legends in patch 25.18.

What’s new in Xin Zhao’s visual update?

Xin Zhao is finally getting the visual rework fans have been asking for. While his gameplay remains the same, his base model, animations, and all skins have been refreshed. Even his vaulted skins will be making a return for a two-week window between patches 25.17 and 25.18.

Riot is polishing the Commando and Imperial skins enough to bump their price from 520 RP to 750 RP, but will keep them at the old price until the update drops. And yes, there is a brand-new Epic skin in the works, which will drop later in Act I.

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Which prestige skins are coming in patch 25.18?

Patch 25.18 also shakes up the skin release timeline. Riot is releasing Prestige skins for Sylas and Mel in the Mythic Shop, while Jarvan IV and Zoe will get theirs through the Battle Pass in Acts I and II.

Unfortunately, there is one delay: the highly anticipated Exalted Viego is pushed to next year for quality reasons. It might frustrate some collectors, but Riot usually delivers a better final product afterwards. 

Victor mains get a big win: Riot will release Machine Herald Viktor in 25.19, and will give it for free to anyone with Mastery 5 or higher by August 4. But in case you can't hit that in time, you can still get your hands on it in the Shop.

How has Riot made Doombots even deadlier in this update?

The beloved PvE mode Doombots is back, and Riot’s AI upgrades have upped the challenge. Expect an onslaught with much more aggressive bots, a new boss, difficulty scaling, and creative curses that alter gameplay, such as bots inheriting Veigar’s passive or stacking debuffs over time. 

The mode also introduces Trials of Doom, which are unique challenges that will rotate each patch. Blitzcrank’s bot AI even hooks minions out of the way now, which is just a small example of how tuned-up these enemies are.

Could WASD controls change how League is played?

One of the biggest experiments Riot is running is the introduction of WASD movement controls. Riot wants to make onboarding smoother for non-League players while keeping the game’s core identity.

Riot will roll it out slowly, starting on PBE for extended testing, then moving it to unranked queues, and eventually to ranked. Early feedback from pros, new players, and internal teams has helped smooth out bugs (like the instant 180° Nunu snowball glitch), but Riot is still watchful of how WASD impacts kiting or chase mechanics.

Alongside WASD, Riot is testing other flexible keybinds, including remapping left-click for the first time in League’s history and adding a Dynamic Locked Camera that shifts towards your mouse for better field awareness. These features will be WASD-only during testing, but could be rolled out globally if feedback is strong.

How will patch 25.18 reduce smurfing in ranked play?

Patch 25.18 also cracks down against smurfing, particularly two common forms: boosting (a higher-skilled player using someone else’s account) and hitchhiking (a higher-ranked player duoing on a purchased low-rank account). Riot has also made it clear that they will punish both the account owner and the helper.

All this is thanks to Vanguard’s improved detection, which helps crack down on account sharing and sales at the root of smurfing problems. However, as we’ve already explained in a dedicated article, some boosting websites, including Eloking, will be largely unaffected by this change, ensuring players can still boost their accounts to the rank they deserve.

What are the quality-of-life tweaks in patch 25.18?

Finally, Riot has also made a few targeted tweaks to make the learning curve easier for newcomers. The first change involves the Battle Pass levels dropping from 50 to 48. You can earn all the same rewards with less grind, which is always a win.

Riot is adding built-in timers to jungle camps so everyone can see them for better map awareness, and updating Death Recap to track enemy Summoner Spell cooldowns so you can plan plays more effectively. Lastly, Riot is bringing back emotes and icons from old TFT passes in the Mythic Shop, letting collectors grab them once again.

These updates might not reinvent League, but they actively polish its core mechanics. From testing WASD controls to quality-of-life tweaks, patch 25.18 is a small step towards making the game smoother, fairer, and friendlier for everyone.

References

1. [1] "League of Legends official website". www.leagueoflegends.com. Retrieved August 13, 2025