Ezreal is buffed and Ashe is nerfed. Does that mean you should change your main comp?
Read Patch 18.4’s unit changes alongside the traits and Emblems those units use. A stronger carry can still feel different when the surrounding frontline or trait changes.
Elderwood Ezreal, Solar reroll, and Riftbeast are worth reassessing in this patch snapshot. A buff does not automatically establish a top-tier comp. Likewise, judge Ashe by your items and completed board rather than removing her from every comp because she was nerfed.
This archived article reflects October 11, 2026, including the 18.4 base patch and the mid-patch update dated October 8 in the Korean notes (October 7 in the English notes). Comp outlooks below are interpretations of those changes.
Patch 18.4: The Main Changes
| Target | Change | Scope or Decision Point |
|---|---|---|
| Ezreal | Small-cast AD ratio: 250/375 → 270/405 | 1- and 2-star values |
| Ashe | Starting mana: 20 → 0; percent-health damage: 2/3% → 1.5% | 1- and 2-star values |
| Ashe and Draven | Refund 70% / 50% mana if the ability hits no enemies | Ashe 70%, Draven 50%; only on a complete miss |
| Draven | Bleed AD ratio: 140/210 → 150/225 | 1- and 2-star values |
| Elderwood | Stronger protector at 7; lower plant health scaling at 9 | Different breakpoints move in different directions |
| Elderwood Emblem | Armor and magic resist: 35 → 25 | The Emblem itself is nerfed |
| Juggernaut | Durability at 4/6: 33/45% → 30/42% | Both breakpoints are nerfed |
| Crownguard | AP after the shield expires: 25 → 20 | Consider how the tank uses AP |
| Spirit Visage | Durability: 8% → 10% | Compare the effects your frontline needs to survive |
Ezreal’s Buff: What Changes for Elderwood?
Ezreal gives you a reason to revisit Elderwood. Xayah’s damage and Hecarim’s starting mana also improve, so evaluate the units that carry you toward the final carry, not only Ezreal himself.
Keep two questions separate: a stronger Ezreal does not mean a stronger Elderwood Emblem.
Unit buffs do not automatically make the Emblem holder tougher. An old Emblem setup may now lose its frontline earlier than you expect.
Check your odds of finding Ezreal, usable items, and frontline completion.
A buff expands your options; it does not require forcing that comp every game.
After the Ashe Nerf, Should You Switch to Draven?
Ashe now needs more mana before her first cast and deals less percent-health damage. Reevaluate how much a single late-game Ashe adds to the board.
There is another change alongside the nerf: mana is refunded when the ability hits no enemies. Separate a normal hit from a total miss when judging the impact; the change is not an identical power loss in every fight.
Draven becomes a more interesting physical carry comparison. Finding one in the shop still does not mean you should immediately sell Ashe.
If Ashe already has the items and traits supporting her, first check whether the swap preserves key traits and improves star levels and item allocation.
Your completed board may be stronger than the newly found unit. Compare the full composition before and after the change, not just the champion names.
Solar Reroll and Riftbeast: Entry Conditions Before Buff Hype
For Solar-related reroll lines, consider the buffs to Xayah, Rakan, Kayle, and Shen together. Reroll means spending on shop refreshes to upgrade core units. Changes to both damage and frontline give these lines a reason to be reassessed.
Spending everything before you hold many core copies can leave too little flexibility to level or pivot if the hits do not arrive.
Count your early core copies and scout players chasing the same units before committing more gold to rerolls.
Riftbeast’s 7 breakpoint and Omega Riftbeast Augment are buffed together. Finding the units and relevant Augment supports the route, but a stronger high breakpoint does not improve every early Riftbeast board equally.
Both lines still need an opener. A game with natural Solar pieces should not necessarily take the same route as one offering Riftbeast support.
Nidalee and Tank Items: Separate Forms and Roles
Read Nidalee’s AP and AD forms separately. The AP form’s small spear improves, while the AD form’s ability damage falls. The relevant change depends on how you itemize her.
Tank items need similar context. Crownguard loses AP after its shield expires, while Spirit Visage gains Durability. Those numbers alone do not make one item best on every tank.
First watch how your frontline dies:
does it die before casting, or fail to survive after the cast? The answer changes which effect you need. Also check how the tank’s ability scales with AP before changing its build.
Why the Mid-Patch Update Matters
The update buffs Alistar, Gromp, Murkwolf, and Warwick, and temporarily disables Heart of Steel. Nidalee’s armor penetration is also corrected to match the tooltip.
Do not treat every preview nerf or claim that armor ignore was removed as the final state. Planning around only Heart of Steel’s initial buff would miss the later disablement. This describes the update at the article’s original patch snapshot.
After reading the notes, return to your board and check three things:
- Can you finish the carry at the star level you need?
- Does frontline buy enough time for that carry to attack?
- Do traits and items support the same plan?
Patch numbers inform these decisions. Focus on making a better board from your resources rather than following every buffed name.
Patch 18.4 Comp Selection FAQ
Should I Always Play Ezreal?
Prioritize the route when units and items line up and contesting is manageable. The ability to finish the comp matters as much as the buff.
Should I Stop Using Ashe?
A nerf does not require dismantling a completed board. Check whether the replacement actually improves strength and keeps the traits you need.
What Is the Guaranteed S-Tier Comp This Patch?
Changes alone cannot establish that. Elderwood Ezreal, Solar reroll, and Riftbeast are clear candidates to reassess, but rankings also require performance data and realistic completion conditions.
After asking what the patch buffed, ask whether you can finish that board in this game. Let that answer guide your choices, and patch headlines become less likely to pull you into an unsupported pivot.
Regional and version notes
This article preserves the October 11 Patch 18.4 snapshot. The Korean October 8 mid-patch update is dated October 7 in the English notes. Historical disablements do not establish current availability. Some illustrations are retained from the Korean edition and may include Korean labels. Use the English article text for instructions.
Localization sources checked October 22, 2026 (Korea time):