Overview
After a whole bunch of small patches and a relatively small one to start the 2026 year, Patch 16.3 is the largest patch yet for Set 16. It features system changes and tons of champion adjustments and reworks. Here's the TLDR:
Bilgewater finally not king
Aurelion Sol should be playable finally
T-Hex getting enough love to not being in the dumpster
Ixtal Reroll, Aphelios Reroll
Reroll in general may feel extra strong this patch
As always, be sure to check out our TFT hub for the latest data and comps!
System
XP from Level 8-9 increased: 68XP to 76XP
Encounter Changes
Gwen's Gift
Crafted Crafting disabled
Emblem Ensemble
Coronation, Cursed Crown, Flexible, Legion of Three's, Tactician's Kitchen, and U.R.F. disabled
Auras
Shyvana (damage reduction), Skarner (armor), and Taric (magic resist) auras will persist even through death
Unlock Rules Update
4 and 5-costs are now harder to hit if uncontested
When contested, easier to two-star but harder to three-star
Champion specific unlocks updated
Kai'Sa level requirement: 8 -> 7
Orianna: 3 piltover -> 2 items on a Piltover champion
Tryndamere item requirement: 2 -> 1
Yorick item requirement: 2 -> 1
Warwick: 2-star Vi and 1-star Jinx -> 1 item on Vi AND on Jinx (no 2-star requirement)
Buffs
Traits
Darkin (3) damage increasd from 100 to 333
Ixtal
Small quests easier to complete now
700+ cash outs adjusted
Piltover Modules
Contiuum Cogs, Acceleration Gate, Magentron, Armor Nullifier, and Upgrade all buffed
Champions
1-costs
Anivia
AS increased
Blitzcrank
Mana decreased
Briar
AS increased at 3-stars
Qiyana
Damage increased at 3-stars
2-costs
Ashe
Damage increased
Orianna
Mana decreased
Tryndamere
Damage increased
3-costs
Draven
Base AD increased
Leona
New effect: While surviving, your strongest Leona grants your strongest Diana more AP each second
Malzahar
Damage increased
Sejuani
Shield amount increased
Zoe
Damage increased
4-costs
Braum
Mana cost decreased
Diana
Shield duration 2S with no mana lock -> shield and lock end upon Diana dashes ending
Shield amount increased
Target damage decreased
Secondary damage increased
5-costs
Aatrox
Spell damage increased
Annie
Mana cost decreased
Aurelion Sol
Mana cost decreased
Spell damage increased
Shockwave damage increased
Meteor damage decreased
Stardust is granted for AP damage done to enemies now
Breakpoints updated
Kindred
Spell damage increased
Zone duration increased
Mel
Damage increased
Sylas
Resists increased
T-Hex
Resists increased
Base AD increased
Spell damage increased
Missile damage decreased
Thresh
Passive damage increased
Passive healing increased
Xerath
Charms adjusted -- mostly buffs
Nerfs
Traits
Bilgewater
Free AD and AP 20 -> 15
2-cost Serpent Costs 30 -> 35
Serpents per takedown 2 -> 1
Bilgewater (10) damage and gold decreased
Void
Always offers offensive mutation first
They make think this is a buff, but it's better to have tank mutations early and offensive ones for later
Spines damage decreased
Husk summon buffed
Champions
1-costs
Jhin
AS fixed at 1.0
Base AD decreased
Spell damage increased
2-costs
Ekko
Resists decreased
4-costs
Fizz
Fixed targetting inconsistency
Splash damage decreased
Empowered attack damage decreased
Spell AS increased
Garen
Heal decreased
Kai'Sa
Damage decreased at 1-star to compensate for being able to unlock her earlier now
Taric
No longer gains 90% durability at 35% HP -> instead heals for 300 or 700 over 2 seconds depending on star level
5-costs
Galio
Crash damage now scales with MR
Generally a nerf because you don't typically itemize Galio
Lucian & Senna
No longer applies Black Mist
Spell damage increased to compensate, but does less damage for each target hit (up to 40% reduction)
Ziggs
Passive damage decreased
Items
Edge of Night now heals for 30% of missing HP at end of invulernability
Nashor's Tooth AP increased
Same with Radiant
Multiple artifacts buffed:
Darkin Scythe
Dawncore
Flickerblades
Gambler's Blade
Indomitable
Sniper's Focus
Notable Augment Changes
Aura Farming champion now holds one recommend item, unlock round changed to 4-5
Exiles shield nerfed
Going Long XP reduced from 5 -> 4, but initial gold gain is higher
Hustler no longer grants 2 XP per round, but gives 3 g instead (net loss of 1g value)
Slice of Life nerfed
World Runes temporarily removed
Full list of augment changes here
Conclusion
Bilgewater was the clear strongest comp in the game prior to this patch, even after nerfs every patch before this. This patch, though, it may finally be too much. The biggest nerf is reducing the amount of serpents you farm per kill + Fizz being hit, which means your early game is weaker and you don't scam rounds with Fizz as easily. The strongest variant will probably be buying up Illaois and trying to push for level 9 Ryze and Bilgewater comps now!
Aurelion Sol should be playable again, as should T-Hex (tempo variant without rolling for a 3-star). Otherwise, Ixtal reroll comps, Aphelios reroll, and even Ekko reroll should still all be strong. Ziggs nerf was needed but won't be enough to kill him. Draven Fast9 should make a slight comeback as well. Otherwise, the meta shouldn't change too much, though it will be more prudent to have a strong board on level 8 with level 9 being slightly harder to reach now.
