{"id":57701,"date":"2026-06-23T00:19:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T04:19:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/?p=57701"},"modified":"2026-06-23T00:19:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T04:19:31","slug":"locke-launch-patch-26-13-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/locke-launch-patch-26-13-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Locke Launches June 24 in League of Legends Patch 26.13"},"content":{"rendered":"

The newest League of Legends<\/a> champion, Locke, is set to arrive on Summoner’s Rift on June<\/a> 24 with Patch 26.13, bringing a high-skill, self-damaging AP assassin to the mid lane. Unlike many recent champion releases, Locke demands deliberate setup and mechanical precision to unlock his full potential \u2014 and his ultimate offers an infinitely scaling execute threshold that rewards persistent playmaking. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about Locke’s abilities, optimal builds, runes, and the key matchups that will define his early days in solo queue.<\/p>\n

Who Is Locke and How Does He Play?<\/h2>\n

Locke is an AP assassin designed primarily for the mid lane, though his mobility and dueling potential may also see him flex into the top lane or jungle. His kit revolves around stacking marks, auto-attack synergy, and a high-risk, high-reward self-damage mechanic that rewards careful timing. What sets Locke apart from other assassins is his ultimate, Purgatory, which not only executes marked champions below a certain threshold but also permanently increases that threshold every time he picks up the artifact left behind after a successful execution. This means Locke scales in a unique way: the more kills he secures with his ultimate, the easier it becomes to execute targets later in the game<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Locke Abilities: Full Kit Breakdown<\/h2>\n

Passive \u2014 Silver Stakes<\/h3>\n

Locke’s basic attacks deal bonus magic damage on hit, with the damage increasing based on the target’s missing health. This passive makes auto-attacking a core part of his damage rotation and directly informs his itemization choices, particularly the value of Lich Bane.<\/p>\n

Q \u2014 Ritual Nails<\/h3>\n

Locke throws up to three nails in a direction, dealing magic damage to enemies hit and applying a stacking mark called Soul Nails that also slows targets. Attacking a marked enemy consumes the stacks to deal additional magic damage per stack. Crucially, unspent nails refund a portion of the ability’s cooldown and mana, encouraging precise, measured usage rather than spamming all charges. This ability is Locke’s primary wave-clear tool and his main method for setting up kill pressure in lane.<\/p>\n

W \u2014 Soul Ignition<\/h3>\n

For six seconds, Locke damages himself to gain bonus movement speed and attack speed while storing grey health. Reactivating the ability heals Locke for a portion of the damage he took during the duration. This self-damage mechanic introduces genuine risk-reward decision-making: you can<\/a> use Soul Ignition to chase down an opponent or duel aggressively, but the health cost means poor timing can leave you vulnerable. The heal can be activated even while crowd-controlled, providing a clutch survival tool.<\/p>\n

E \u2014 Ashen Pursuit<\/h3>\n

Locke blinks to a target location, dealing magic damage in an area around his arrival point. After this initial blink, his next basic attack causes him to dash a set distance toward his target, dealing magic damage to all enemies in his path. The dash resets on takedowns, meaning that if Locke secures a kill after using only the first dash, he still gets the follow-up dash and then an entirely new pair of dashes. This makes him extraordinarily slippery in clean-up scenarios and teamfights where he can chain takedowns.<\/p>\n

R \u2014 Purgatory<\/h3>\n

Locke kicks a binding artifact to a target location. When it lands, the artifact opens and fires chained Soul Nails at all enemies in the area, dealing magic damage and applying a slow. Any marked champions brought below a certain health threshold are pulled inside and executed. If a champion is executed, the artifact remains on the ground, and Locke can pick it up to permanently increase the execution threshold for the rest of the game while also refunding a portion of his ultimate’s cooldown for each champion sealed. This infinite stacking mechanic is what truly differentiates Locke from other assassins \u2014 a well-played Locke becomes progressively more terrifying as the game goes on.<\/p>\n

How Does Locke’s Ultimate Execution Threshold Scale?<\/h2>\n

Locke’s ultimate, Purgatory, starts with a base execution threshold. Every time Locke successfully executes a champion and retrieves the artifact, that threshold is permanently increased for the remainder of the match. There is no stated cap on this scaling, meaning Locke can theoretically reach a point where he executes targets from very high health percentages. This design incentivizes aggressive early roams and clean execution sequences, rewarding players who can consistently find picks throughout the game. The cooldown refund component also means that a Locke who executes multiple champions in a single ultimate use can have his ultimate available again much sooner, creating a snowball loop that skilled players can exploit.<\/p>\n

Best Locke Build and Runes<\/h2>\n

Locke Runes<\/h3>\n

Electrocute is the clear keystone choice for Locke, given his ability to proc it quickly with multiple nail hits from his Q or by combining abilities. It amplifies his burst pattern exactly where he needs it most. In the Domination tree, Sudden Impact synergizes naturally with the two dashes on his E, providing bonus magic penetration after each blink or dash. Ultimate Hunter is almost mandatory given that Locke’s ultimate starts on a 120-second cooldown \u2014 reducing that timer is critical to his scaling and map pressure. For the secondary tree, Precision offers excellent utility: Triumph for sustain in skirmishes and Coup de Grace for additional damage against low-health targets, which pairs beautifully with his execute mechanic. Attack speed shards are recommended to improve his auto-attack trading and passive procs in lane.<\/p>\n

Locke Skill Order<\/h3>\n

Q \u2192 E \u2192 W. Maxing Q first is non-negotiable \u2014 it is Locke’s primary wave-clear, his stacking mechanic enabler, and his main source of consistent damage. E is maxed second to reduce its cooldown and increase its damage, improving his mobility and skirmishing power in the mid-game. W is maxed last because its value comes from the utility of the movespeed and heal rather than raw damage. As with all champions, rank up Purgatory (R) at levels 6, 11, and 16.<\/p>\n

Locke Items<\/h3>\n

Locke’s build path centers on exploiting his on-hit magic damage passive. Start with Doran’s Ring for standard lanes, but consider Doran’s Shield against heavy ranged poke. Lich Bane is the essential first item \u2014 its unique passive, Spellblade, delivers an enhanced auto-attack after casting an ability, which directly amplifies Locke’s passive damage and aligns with his dash-reset playstyle. After finishing boots \u2014 Sorcerer’s Shoes for maximum damage, or Plated Steelcaps or Mercury’s Treads for defensive needs \u2014 the core build continues with Shadowflame for its critical strike potential against low-health targets and Stormsurge for additional burst and movement speed. Situational items include Zhonya’s Hourglass (activating stasis after using W allows Locke to heal up and let cooldowns tick down safely), Rabadon’s Deathcap for raw AP scaling, Void Staff or Cryptbloom for magic penetration against tanks, and Hextech Rocketbelt for gap-closing flexibility.<\/p>\n

Locke Tips and Tricks for Maximizing His Kit<\/h2>\n