16.3|Jan 21, 2026
View on League of Legends↗Teamfight Tactics patch 16.3
4/5 Significant
Patch 16.3 introduces a massive Aurelion Sol rework, significant Bilgewater nerfs, and increased XP requirements for Level 9 to slow down late-game pacing.
Key Changes
- 1Aurelion Sol Stardust mechanic reworked to scale with damage dealt
- 2Level 9 XP requirement increased from 68 to 76
- 3Bilgewater trait nerfed: Takedown serpents reduced from 2 to 1
- 4Kindred ability reworked to provide shields instead of death prevention
- 5Taric ability reworked to provide healing instead of 90% durability
- 6Ixtal trait significantly buffed with easier quests and better cashouts
- 7Jhin reworked with a fixed 1.0 Attack Speed
- 8New synergy: Leona now grants Diana Ability Power over time
- 9Unlockable 4 and 5-costs are now harder to hit if uncontested
- 10Multiple Emblems (Invoker, Bruiser, Demacia) nerfed to balance power
All Changes
⚙️Systems(9)
- changeLeveling: XP required to go from Level 8 to 9 increased from 68 to 76
- changeUnlock Rules: Unlockable 4 and 5-costs are now harder to hit if uncontested
- changeUnlock Rules: When contested, it is easier to two-star an Unlockable unit but still harder to three-star them
- buffKai’Sa: Kai’Sa level requirement reduced from 8 to 7
- buffOrianna: Orianna unlock condition changed from 3 Piltover to 2 items on a Piltover Champion
- buffTryndamere: Tryndamere item requirement reduced from 2 to 1
- buffYorick: Yorick item requirement reduced from 2 to 1
- buffWarwick: Warwick unlock condition changed from 2-star Vi and 1-star Jinx to 1 item on Vi AND Jinx
- buffAuras: Auras for Shyvana, Skarner, and Taric now persist even if the champion dies
🧬Traits(22)
- nerfBilgewater: Bilgewater free AD/AP reduced from 20% to 15%
- nerfBilgewater: Bilgewater 2-Cost Serpent cost increased from 30 to 35
- nerfBilgewater: Bilgewater Serpents per takedown reduced from 2 to 1
- nerfBilgewater: Bilgewater (10) Cannon damage reduced from 500 to 300
- nerfBilgewater: Bilgewater (10) Gold per kill reduced from 5 to 2
- buffDarkin: Darkin (3) piece damage increased from 100 to 333
- buffIxtal: Ixtal Quest reroll requirements reduced across Small, Medium, and Hard tiers
- buffIxtal: Ixtal Earn Interest quest requirements reduced
- buffIxtal: Ixtal Qiyana takedown Sunshards increased from 20-50 to 30-80
- buffIxtal: Ixtal Alternate Win/Loss Sunshards increased from 200-600 to 200-700
- buffIxtal: Ixtal 700 Sunshard cashout improved to include Completed Item Anvil and Greater Duplicators
- buffIxtal: Ixtal 800 Sunshard cashout improved to include Brocks and more gold/duplicators
- buffIxtal: Ixtal 900 Sunshard cashout improved with more Greater Duplicators
- buffPiltover: Piltover (2) Continuum Cogs AP increased from 12 to 15
- buffPiltover: Piltover (4) Acceleration Gate Mana restore increased from 35% to 40%
- nerfPiltover: Piltover (4) Magnetron Coil base amp reduced from 18% to 16%
- buffPiltover: Piltover (6) Armor Nullifier tank amp increased from 35% to 45%
- buffPiltover: Piltover (6) Upgrade! Attack Speed increased from 15% to 25%
- changeVoid: Void will now always offer an offensive mutation first
- nerfVoid: Void Spitter Spines damage reduced from 111 to 100
- buffVoid: Void Royal Husk summon HP increased from 25% to 30%
- buffVoid: Void summon base resists increased from 30 to 40
🏆Champions(24)
- changeAurelion Sol: Aurelion Sol Stardust Rework: Now gains 1 Stardust per 250 Ability damage dealt instead of per enemy hit
- buffAurelion Sol: Aurelion Sol Mana adjusted from 20/90 to 25/75; Shockwave damage increased
- nerfAurelion Sol: Aurelion Sol Meteor damage reduced from 1000/1500 to 500/750
- nerfAurelion Sol: Aurelion Sol upgrade breakpoints and knockup duration (2s to 1.5s) nerfed
- changeKindred: Kindred Rework: Spell no longer prevents death; now shields allies for 350/750/10000% AP
- buffKindred: Kindred Eternal passive damage increased from 300% to 325% AD
- changeTaric: Taric Rework: 90% Durability replaced with a heal of 300/700/2500 Health over 2 seconds
- changeJhin: Jhin Rework: Attack Speed is now fixed at 1.0; Spell damage increased but base AD reduced
- changeDiana: Diana Rework: Shield now only lasts during dashes; Shield amount increased but target damage adjusted
- newLeona: Leona now grants the strongest Diana 3/4/5/10 AP each second she survives
- changeGalio: Galio damage now scales with both Armor (150-1000%) and MR (350-5000%)
- nerfSenna: Senna no longer applies Black Mist; Lucian no longer consumes it
- changeSenna: Senna spell damage increased but now deals 8% less damage per target hit
- buffT-Hex: T-Hex resists, AD, and spell damage increased; missile damage reduced to 25%
- nerfFizz: Fizz splash and empowered attack damage reduced; spell Attack Speed increased to 100%
- buffAatrox: Aatrox health increased to 1000 and mana reduced to 0/20
- buffOrianna: Orianna shield and mana buffed in mid-patch and large changes
- changeMiss Fortune: Miss Fortune primary damage increased; wave damage percentage reduced
- buffThresh: Thresh passive damage souls requirement reduced to 15; healing increased to 75%
- buffChampions: Anivia, Blitzcrank, Briar, Qiyana, Ashe, Tryndamere, Draven, Malzahar, Sejuani, Zoe, and Braum received various buffs to stats or mana
- nerfEkko: Ekko resists reduced from 50 to 45
- nerfGaren: Garen heal reduced at 1 and 2 stars
- nerfKai'Sa: Kai'Sa 1-star damage reduced
- changeShyvana: Shyvana mana buffed but spell duration and passive damage reduction nerfed
⚔️Items(6)
- nerfBruiser Emblem: Bruiser Emblem health reduced from 250 to 150
- nerfDemacia Emblem: Demacia Emblem resists reduced from 25 to 15
- nerfDisruptor Emblem: Disruptor Emblem bonus magic damage reduced from 30% to 20%
- nerfInvoker Emblem: Invoker Emblem AP gain on cast reduced from 20% to 10%
- nerfJuggernaut Emblem: Juggernaut Emblem resists reduced from 30 to 25
- nerfQuickstriker Emblem: Quickstriker Emblem heal reduced from 15% to 10%
🤝Encounters(3)
- removeGwen’s Gifts: Crafted Crafting disabled for Gwen’s Gifts encounter
- removeEmblem Ensemble: Coronation, Cursed Crown, Flexible, Legion of Three’s, Tactician’s Kitchen, and U.R.F disabled for Emblem Ensemble encounter
- changeXerath Charms: Desert Golem renamed to Desert Golems and cost increased from 6 to 8 gold
🐛Bug Fixes(3)
- fixAugments: Poison Pals Augment correctly disabled
- fixNidalee: Fixed Nidalee causing enemies to switch targets inadvertently
- fixFizz: Fixed inconsistent Fizz targeting among backliners
Summary
System & Leveling Updates
This patch focuses on early learnings from the Lore & Legends set, specifically targeting the Unlock system and leveling pacing. Level 9 now requires 76 XP (up from 68), making it harder to reach the late game without significant investment. Additionally, the Unlock system has been adjusted to make three-star 4-costs harder to hit when uncontested, while easing the path to two-star units when contested.
Major Champion Reworks
Aurelion Sol has received a fundamental rework to his Stardust mechanic, which now scales based on damage dealt rather than units hit. Kindred and Taric have also seen major ability reworks to remove frustrating 'invulnerability' windows, replacing them with shields and healing. Jhin now operates with a fixed Attack Speed of 1.0, shifting his role as an item holder.
Trait & Item Balance
Bilgewater has been heavily nerfed to reduce its early-game dominance, specifically cutting takedown Serpents in half. Conversely, Ixtal and Piltover received significant buffs to their cashouts and modules. Several Emblems, including Invoker and Bruiser, were tuned down to ensure they don't exceed the power of three standard components.