Patch 25.24 Breakdown: Ranked Season 3 Ends, WASD Beta Expands, & Braum Buffs

The final patch of 2025 has arrived, and Patch 25.24 is more than just a routine update—it's the closing chapter for the current competitive year. While the balance changes are relatively light this cycle, the patch delivers crucial system updates that affect everything from your end-of-season climb to how you control your champion. Whether you're grinding for that last bit of LP or eager to test the evolving WASD controls, there's plenty to unpack before we ring in the new ranked season.

**The Ranked Season 3 Countdown is On**

The most time-sensitive news is clear: the Summoner’s Rift Ranked Season for Season 3, 2025 will officially end on **January 7, 2026, at 23:59:59 local server time**. This date marks the final day of the 15.24 patch cycle. As in previous years, ranked queues will go offline for approximately 12 hours for maintenance before Season 1, 2026 kicks off on **January 8, 2026, at 12:00:00 (noon)** local time. This reset means your LP and rank will refresh for the new competitive year. More importantly, it's your last chance to secure your 2025 ranked rewards, which are headlined by the Victorious Draven skin and chromas. The full reward slate, which will be distributed in Patch 26.1, includes a special Victorious Skin Border (requiring ownership of all three 2025 Victorious skins), a Season 2025 Ranked Emote, and a Season 2025 Ranked Icon. If you've been sitting on a promo series or are close to a new tier, now's the time to lock in.

**WASD Controls Enter Wider Beta Testing**

One of the most anticipated experimental features is taking a big step forward. Starting with Patch 25.24, the WASD movement control scheme is launching in most unranked queues across all regions. Riot is rolling it out gradually, beginning on OCE before scaling to all servers. It's important to note that **Draft Pick and all Ranked queues will NOT support WASD at this time**, as the feature remains in an active beta state. Riot has stated they may disable it for specific queues or champions if issues arise; for this patch, both **Briar and Taliyah will have WASD disabled**. If you're playing a disabled champ or mode, your controls will automatically revert to the standard point-and-click scheme. The beta is available in Normals (Customs, Swiftplay, ARAM) and Game Modes (Arena, ARAM: Mayhem, ARURF). The update also introduces new WASD features: a **Dynamic Camera** that follows your mouse (with adjustable speed), a **Scout Ahead Button** (middle mouse click) for free camera movement, and full **WASD Remapping** for custom keybinds. Player feedback during this beta phase will be critical for Riot as they consider eventually enabling WASD in ranked play.

**Champion Select Improvements Go Global & Balance Tweaks**

Following positive feedback from a pilot program, two quality-of-life improvements for champion select are being fully released worldwide. First, **you can no longer ban a champion that an ally has hovered**, a simple change that should reduce lobby friction and accidental griefing. Second, the speed optimizations for Summoner’s Rift champ select (for Solo/Duo, Flex, and Normal Draft) that were tested in NA and OCE are now rolling out to all regions, making the pre-game process snappier for everyone.

As for balance, the changes are minimal but targeted. **Braum** receives some much-needed love to help the Freljordian brawler feel more impactful. His base health is increased from 610 to 630, and the damage from his passive, Concussive Blows, on follow-up attacks is doubled from 20% to 40%. This should give him better early-game durability and more threat in extended trades. Meanwhile, **Dr. Mundo** is seeing adjustments after a previous bugfix and compensation buff overshot the mark, though specific nerf details from the source are pending.

Patch 25.24 serves as a pivotal transition patch. It wraps up the 2025 competitive season, expands a potentially game-changing control scheme, and polishes the core player experience. As the ranked ladder freezes next month, all eyes will turn to the Patch 26.1 notes for details on the 2026 season. For now, good luck with your final climbs, and have fun experimenting with the new ways to play in the unranked queues!