Patch 26.9, released on April 28, 2026, kicks off Season 2: Pandemonium with one of the largest systemic shakeups of the year. On top of champion balance changes — a Shyvana overhaul, an Ambessa nerf, and buffs to Gragas, Tahm Kench, and Taliyah — this patch introduces three brand-new items and a full +40 AD, +45 AP, +30% Attack Speed. Energized attacks chain lightning that applies on-hit effects.
Statikk Shiv Statikk Shiv 2900 gold
This guide breaks down every new item added in patch 26.9, who benefits most, and how these changes shift the meta heading into Season 2.
Doran’s Bow — The Aggressive ADC Starter
Stats: 8 Attack Damage · 15% Attack Speed · 1.5% Omnivamp (buffed to 8 AD in patch 26.10)
+8 AD, +15% Attack Speed. Omnivamp: 1.5%. No bonus HP. +80 HP, +8 AD. Omnivamp: 2.5%.
Doran's Bow Doran's Bow 400 gold 
Doran's Blade Doran's Blade 450 gold
The 15% attack speed bonus is the headline stat here. Champions whose damage output scales directly with how fast they auto-attack — Vayne, Kog’Maw, and Kalista in particular — turn Doran’s Bow into a genuine lane bully opener.
The 1.5% omnivamp keeps you healthy as long as you’re winning trades — it rewards good mechanics, not bad positioning. If you’re behind, the lack of health makes it very difficult to recover.
When to pick Doran’s Bow:
- You’re playing a champion with strong on-hit scaling (Vayne, Kog’Maw, Kalista, Varus on-hit)
- You expect to win lane through continuous auto-attack pressure
- You’re comfortable playing without the HP safety net of Doran’s Blade
When to stick with Doran’s Blade:
- You’re in a difficult matchup where getting poked or caught out early is likely
- Your champion benefits more from the AD burst than from attack speed
- You’re learning the champion and want more room for error
Doran’s Helm — The Defensive Starting Item
Stats: 110 HP · 10 Armor · 10 Magic Resist · Passive: +5 physical damage to minions
+110 HP, +10 Armor, +10 Magic Resist. Passive: +5 physical damage to minions.
Doran's Helm Doran's Helm 450 gold
Best users:
- Tanks (Top, Support): Malphite, Garen, Darius, Nautilus — champions who want to be durable from minute one
- Flex picks in mixed-threat lanes: When the enemy team has both physical and magical damage in lane
- Junglers with early skirmish paths: Amumu or Sejuani who need to survive early duels
Doran’s Helm vs. Doran’s Shield
+80 HP. Regenerate health after taking damage from a champion.
Doran's Shield Doran's Shield 450 gold
Gluttonous Greaves — Omnivamp Boots That Scale With Takedowns
Stats: 45 Movement Speed · 4% Omnivamp · Passive: Gain permanent Omnivamp stacks on takedowns
+45 Movement Speed, +4% Omnivamp. Passive: permanent Omnivamp stacks on takedowns.
Gluttonous Greaves Gluttonous Greaves 1000 gold
Who benefits most:
- Bruisers and dive carries: Darius, Irelia, and Fiora
- ADC snowballers: Carries who expect to be ahead and want to press their advantage
- Supports with kill threat: Pyke and Lux Support
Boot tier comparison in Patch 26.9:
-
Plated Steelcaps Plated Steelcaps 1100 gold +20 Armor. Reduces damage from basic attacks by 8%.
: Still the gold standard against AD-heavy teams -
Mercury's Treads Mercury's Treads 1100 gold +25 Magic Resistance. Reduces duration of CC by 30%.
: Best when CC is the primary threat - Gluttonous Greaves: Best when you’re ahead and expect takedowns in skirmishes
Statikk Shiv Rework — From Waveclearer to On-Hit Powerhouse
Of all the patch 26.9 changes, the Statikk Shiv rework has the biggest downstream impact on how ADCs build in Season 2. The old Statikk Shiv was a waveclear tool. The new +40 AD, +45 AP, +30% Attack Speed. Energized attacks chain lightning that applies on-hit effects. Statikk Shiv Statikk Shiv 2900 gold
Best Champions for the New Statikk Shiv
| Champion | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Kog’Maw | Lightning procs stack Bio-Arcane Barrage; the 45 AP amplifies his W damage |
| Kalista | On-hit stacking with Rend + Statikk lightning is a new power spike |
| Kai’Sa | Passive stacks from lightning can accelerate ability evolution |
| Varus (on-hit) | Blighted Quiver stacks on Statikk procs |
Who Should Stop Building Old Statikk Shiv
Champions who bought Statikk Shiv purely for waveclear — Jinx, Miss Fortune, Tristana — will likely find better early options now. Check our Jinx ADC build guide for updated recommendations.
Deathfire Touch and Stormraider’s Surge Return to the Rune Pool
Patch 26.9 doesn’t just add new items — it also brings back two beloved keystones from earlier seasons.
Deathfire Touch rewards dealing sustained, continuous damage to champions — a natural fit for DoT assassins, poke mages, and AP carries.
Stormraider’s Surge rewards burst trades with a burst of movement speed after dealing significant damage in a short window. Zed, LeBlanc, Syndra, Pantheon, and Renekton benefit most.
These additions come alongside rune changes to Comet and Phase Rush also included in patch 26.9.
How Patch 26.9 Items Shift the Meta
ADC Starting Items Have Real Diversity for the First Time
Until this patch, the starting item decision for ADC was largely binary: Doran’s Blade or Doran’s Shield. Doran’s Bow adds a genuine third option for auto-attack-heavy champions with on-hit builds.
The On-Hit Build Ecosystem Gets a Keystone
The Statikk Shiv rework creates a coherent on-hit mid-game spike. Paired with Doran’s Bow as a start, Riot has effectively built a new on-hit identity for Season 2 from first item to third item completion.
Boot Meta Shifts
Gluttonous Greaves are likely to become the default boot for winning ADCs in a snowballing game state and for certain bruisers who lack traditional sustain. Consult our full LoL patch 26.9 tier list for updated champion rankings.
How to Adapt Your Builds in Patch 26.9
ADC:
- Try Doran’s Bow on Vayne, Kog’Maw, Kalista, and Varus on-hit. For traditional crit carries or difficult matchups, Doran's Blade Doran's Blade 450 gold
+80 HP, +8 AD. Omnivamp: 2.5%.
remains safer. - Reassess Statikk Shiv Statikk Shiv 2900 gold
+40 AD, +45 AP, +30% Attack Speed. Energized attacks chain lightning that applies on-hit effects.
in your build — strong second or third item on on-hit champions. For waveclear-first picks, evaluate
Kraken Slayer Kraken Slayer 3400 gold Passive: Every 3rd attack deals bonus true damage.
instead. - Gluttonous Greaves are worth trying if you’re ahead. In CC-heavy matchups, Mercury’s Treads still take priority.
Top Lane:
- Pick up Doran’s Helm against mixed-threat lanes.
- Experiment with Gluttonous Greaves on bruisers like Darius and Irelia.
Jungle:
- Stormraider’s Surge makes it easier for burst junglers to close out escaping targets post-gank. See our best jungle champions in 2026 guide.
Tools like buildzcrank already factor in the new patch 26.9 item ecosystem and will auto-recommend whether Doran’s Bow, Blade, or another starting item is optimal for your champion in your specific matchup.
Frequently Asked Questions About Patch 26.9 Items
Is Doran's Bow better than Doran's Blade in patch 26.9?
For auto-attack-heavy ADCs like Vayne, Kog'Maw, and Kalista, Doran's Bow is the stronger lane start — but only if you plan to win through sustained auto-attack pressure. Doran's Blade is safer with its health buffer, making it the better choice in difficult matchups.
What exactly changed about Statikk Shiv in patch 26.9?
Statikk Shiv was reworked from a waveclear-first item into a scaling on-hit damage item. It now grants 45 Ability Power and its lightning triggers on-hit effects. Kog'Maw, Kalista, Kai'Sa, and Varus benefit most.
Who should build Gluttonous Greaves?
Gluttonous Greaves work best on champions who expect regular takedowns — bruisers like Darius and Irelia, snowballing ADC carries, and supports like Pyke. In CC-heavy compositions, Mercury's Treads or Plated Steelcaps are more reliable.
Are Deathfire Touch and Stormraider's Surge permanent additions?
Both are returning to the rune pool as part of the Season 2: Pandemonium systemic update. Whether Riot keeps them permanently depends on community response and balance data over the following patches.
How do these new items affect ranked climbing in patch 26.9?
The biggest opportunity is understanding the Statikk Shiv rework before your opponents do. For top laners, experimenting with Doran's Helm in mixed-threat matchups offers a tangible lane advantage. See the best ADC champions in 2026 guide for updated picks.
Patch 26.9 Summary: Three new items, a reworked Statikk Shiv, and two returning keystones make this one of the most impactful systemic patches of Season 1 2026. Whether you’re an ADC experimenting with Doran’s Bow, a top laner picking up Doran’s Helm, or an on-hit carry finding a coherent mid-game power spike in the new Statikk Shiv, adjust your approach before patch 26.10 arrives on May 13.