AoV July 8 New Patch: Full Hero Balance Changes

The Arena of Valor 5v5 Festival update will arrive on July 8, 2026. It brings many hero balance changes. Some strong heroes will get nerfed. Meanwhile, several weaker picks will receive buffs.

Overall, this patch aims to make the meta more balanced. Garena does not fully rework these heroes. Instead, it changes damage, cooldowns, shields, and healing.

As a result, ranked matches may feel more open. More heroes could return to the battlefield.

Follow the latest Arena of Valor news and updates at: https://www.garena.sg/news

Flowborn Marksman Gets Nerfed

First of all, Flowborn Marksman is one of the biggest losers in this update. Specifically, Garena has reduced the power of Skill 2.

Skill 2 – Void Piercing Crossbow

Old damage: 620 +124 per level +1.56 bonus AD
New damage: 550 +110 per level +1.35 bonus AD

Because of this change, Flowborn’s poke damage will become weaker. In addition, his burst potential during the mid and late game will also decline. Therefore, players may need to adopt a more cautious playstyle.

Maloch Gets Stronger

Maloch reMeanwhile, Maloch continues to receive favorable adjustments. This time, Garena decided to strengthen his primary damage ability.

Skill 1 – Cleave

Old damage: 650 +130 per level +2.8 bonus AD
New damage: 700 +140 per level +3.0 bonus AD

As a result, Maloch will trade more effectively during the laning phase. Furthermore, his team fight impact should improve significantly. Consequently, he could become a popular Dark Slayer lane pick once again.

Lindis Can Use Her Ultimate More Often

In addition, Lindis receives a valuable quality-of-life buff.

Ultimate – Lunar Shadow

Old cooldown: 12 seconds, reduced by 1 second per level
New cooldown: 11 seconds, reduced by 1.5 seconds per level

Thanks to this adjustment, Lindis can use her ultimate more frequently. Moreover, she can chase enemies more efficiently. Besides that, her objective control and jungle clear speed should also improve.

Jinna Gets a Heavy Nerf

Jinna receives nerfs to his passive, Skill 1, and ultimate.

Passive – Seal of Enlightenment

Old damage: 280 +20 per level +0.7 AP
New damage: 250 +18 per level +0.6 AP

Skill 1 – Chaos Orbs

Old damage: 300 +60 per level +0.5 AP
New damage: 250 +50 per level +0.4 AP

Ultimate – Sacred Barrier

Damage reduction: 25% → 15%

As a result, Jinna’s damage output will decrease noticeably. Furthermore, his survivability during team fights will also suffer. Therefore, players may no longer be able to engage recklessly with this hero.

Flowborn Mage Also Gets Nerfed

Flowborn Mage is also weaker in this patch.

Skill 2 – Arcane Flow

Old damage: 275 +55 per level +0.55 AP
New damage: 240 +48 per level +0.5 AP

Skill 3 – Destruction Flow

Main damage: 600 +300 per level +1.2 AP → 560 +280 per level +1.1 AP
Initial damage: 280 +140 per level +0.55 AP → 230 +115 per level +0.45 AP

As a result, Flowborn Mage will not burst enemies as easily. Therefore, other mid lane mages may have more room to shine.

Zuka Receives a Big Buff

Zuka is one of the clear winners of this update.

Skill 2 – Skyfall Strike

Damage:

Old: 100 +20 per level +0.35 AD
New: 180 +36 per level +0.50 AD

Shield:

Old: 300 +60 per level +2.0 AD
New: 350 +70 per level +2.0 AD

This buff improves both damage and survival. So, Zuka can jump into fights with more confidence. In addition, he can pressure carries more often.

TeeMee Becomes More Dangerous

TeeMee also receives strong buffs.

Skill 1 – Bombastic Blast

Cooldown: 6 seconds → 5 seconds
Base damage: 326 +100 per level → 400 +80 per level
Maximum damage: 700 +200 per level → 800 +160 per level

This makes TeeMee stronger in lane. Moreover, he can start fights more often. His damage will also feel more threatening.

Lu Bu Gets Better Healing

Lu Bu receives a sustain buff.

Ultimate – God of War

Old healing: 120 +60 per level +0.3 bonus AD
New healing: 130 +65 per level +0.35 bonus AD

This helps Lu Bu survive longer in team fights. Also, he can make better use of damage items.

Ignis May Return to Mid Lane

Ignis receives a major buff to his ultimate.

Ultimate – Inferno Field

Old enhanced damage: 800 +225 per level +1.2 AP
New enhanced damage: 800 +400 per level +1.3 AP

The base damage stays the same. However, the scaling is much better. Therefore, Ignis could become a strong mid lane choice again.

Omega Becomes Tankier

Omega gets more durability from Skill 1.

Skill 1 – Assault Mode

Cooldown: 10 seconds → 10 seconds, reduced by 0.4 seconds per level
Shield: 250 +125 per level +10% max HP → 400 +120 per level +10% max HP

This change helps Omega start fights better. Also, he can dive towers and protect teammates more safely.

Meta After the July 8 Update

Overall, the July 8 update should make the meta more diverse. Maloch, Zuka, and Lu Bu may become more popular in the Dark Slayer lane. Meanwhile, TeeMee and Omega could return as strong support picks.

On the other hand, Flowborn and Jinna will likely lose some power. They can still be useful. However, they will no longer feel as safe or dominant.

In addition, Ignis may become a stronger mid lane option. Because of his improved ultimate, he can deal more damage in team fights.

Final Thoughts

The Arena of Valor 5v5 Festival update on July 8, 2026, is an important balance patch. It brings many buffs and nerfs across different roles.

As a result, players should update their hero choices soon. They should also adjust builds and playstyles. By doing this, they can climb ranked more effectively in the new meta.

Overall, Garena seems to be pushing Arena of Valor toward a healthier meta. More heroes may now have a chance to appear. Therefore, this patch could make ranked matches more exciting and less predictable.

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