Dropped on September 17, 2025, Patch 2.1.18 kicks off Ranked Season 38 with a fresh face in Obsidia, a full Alice overhaul, buffs hitting Angela and Bane hard, Floryn getting toned down, wild map randomizations, and roaming gear that finally stands on its own. The meta's tilting toward Alice in S-tier glory and Obsidia owning S+ status, all while sustain-heavy teams get a real edge. Jump into 1v1 practice starting October 9, tweak those emblems, and lock in picks like Alice during drafts to rocket up the ladder faster.
Quick Patch 2.1.18 Rundown: Key Tweaks and Why They Hit Your Games Hard
Rollout Details and Server Lowdown
This patch hit the ground running on September 17, 2025, firing up Ranked Season 38 on both Advanced and Original servers—version 2.1.18.11201 rolling out worldwide. Epic to Mythic ranks got the full Obsidia treatment, including her Bone Shards, by the end of the day. Grab the update right after it drops, hop into a classic match to make sure everything's smooth, and keep an eye on those notifications for any 24-hour hotfixes. Oh, and don't forget, the last patch (2.1.17) locked in those September rewards, like Valentina's slick Grand Gala skin.
Moonton's Balance Approach This Time Around
They're all about shaking things up to reward smart, adaptive plays—think hero tweaks, unpredictable maps, and roaming perks that actually pay off. Early-game changes keep fights dragging on longer, especially with sustain heroes stepping up. Alice's rework? It catapults her from B-tier mediocrity to S-tier powerhouse, using stack mechanics to shut down burst-heavy setups. Angela's ult cooldown got a trim for more reliable peels, while Floryn's crowd control takes a hit to even out her global healing spam. Take a hard look at your hero pool against a buffed-up Bane (now SS-tier beast), run some practice tests, and tweak your drafts to slot in Phoveus on those randomized maps.
Breaking Down the Changes: Big Swings, Solid Tweaks, and Little Nudges
The game-changers? Obsidia's S+ marksman kit shreds tanks with Bone Shards, and Alice's revamp throws in teleport sustains that change everything. Adjustments hit the maps—like Broken Walls messing with pathing—and roaming now feels independent, complete with vision bonuses. Minor stuff includes Fanny's Skill 2 getting interrupted by Suppress effects, plus Thamuz animation cleanups. Obsidia lets you own Gold Lane by maxing Bone Energy for multi-hit basics that carry over item effects. Grind her to level 30 in classics, ping out those map quirks, and cash in your Season 38 Style Points for the Abyss Reborn border.
Hero Buffs That Are Rewriting the Meta—Your New Go-To Picks
Big Leaps to S-Tier: Heroes Suddenly Crushing It
Angela's ult cooldown is shorter now, targeting feels snappier, though shields took a tiny dip—perfect for constant heals in duo queues, pushing her to SS-tier support status. Bane? Early damage ramps up, shark ults spawn quicker, and jungle clears zip along for those nasty ganks, landing him at SS-tier fighter. Pair Angela with Hayabusa, and you're looking at 25% more sustain uptime. Bane hits level 4 ganks 10 seconds faster. Slap Support Emblem's Magic Worship on Angela for that lifesteal kick; go Fighter Emblem penetration on jungle Bane; and starting October 9, drill those 1v1 duels.
Solid Buffs: Gains That Shine in the Right Spots
Thamuz builds rage 15% faster, animations got a speed boost, and his ult now scales with max HP—ideal for EXP lane tank-smashing. Saber climbs from D to B-tier with damage fine-tunes; Minsitthar and Roger hit B-tier too. Cecilion edges into A-tier mage territory with better sustain. Core Thamuz with Demon Hunter Sword to amp that HP scaling; draft Saber against zippy heroes like Fanny; and in customs, nail down rage management against those nerfed supports.
Skills vs. Stats: What's Actually Shifting Under the Hood
Alice's Skill 1 flips between Crimson Gleam poke and Scarlet Shadow teleport, dodging obstacles like a ghost. Obsidia hits 500% movement speed in Phantom Shadowmeld; her ult, Hunt of Bone, yanks and locks enemies, ignoring terrain for objective steals. Bane's ult spawn rate jumps for straight power; Alice's Passive, Crimson Banquet, stacks up for AoE lifesteal. Run Alice teleport chains in 1v1s; swap Thamuz emblems to Bargain Hunter for gold perks; and dig into replays with the Highlight System to spot those Perfect Shot moments.
By Role: Who's Winning Big in Their Lane
Supports lead with Angela's cooldown cut, making her SS-tier for roam sustains. Fighters like Bane and Thamuz get early-game juice for jungle and EXP lane control. Mages? Alice surges to S+ with stack AoE and teleports that mesh perfectly with Floryn for mid rotations—mages overall jumping to A/S+ tiers. In Epic V drafts, snag Angela first; build Bane with attack speed to spam sharks; roam solo to peek bushes on Dangerous Grass maps.
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Hero Nerfs: The Fall of Patch 2.1.18's Former Kings
Hard Hits: Dominators Getting Reined In
Floryn's CC lasts shorter, shields drop 20% in strength, and Flower of Hope spreads easier—sliding her to S-tier support, so tweak emblems to keep those global heals flowing. Fanny's Skill 2 now breaks on Suppress, tanking her to D-tier amid randomized maps. Her shields fizzle faster in teamfights, curbing heal overload; Fanny's jungle ambushes? Ruined. Flip Floryn to Encourage builds for buffs; ban Fanny outright; team her with vision roamers to snag those cables.
Pinpoint Tweaks: Fixing Overpowered Tricks
Chip sees minor portal curbs, falling to A-tier support. Wanwan keeps her zip but dips to S-tier overall; Granger to A-tier. Freya slides from SS to S-tier fighter. Chip's more situational now. Tune Chip emblems to Impure Rage for damage sharing; steer clear of Granger in Gold Lane with his range issues; test these nerfs in classics for turret dive timings.
Ditch Your Nerfed Main? (A Straight-Talk Assessment)
Floryn loyalists: She's still S-tier viable—track health, lean on global ults, just adapt to the CC drop; pre-patch, she dished 40% more sustain. Fanny fans: Switch to Hayabusa's S-tier assassin vibes for risk-free ganks; or grab Mathilda at S+ for engages. Hit 1v1s for counters; branch into Alice; watch Season 38 leaderboards for win rate trends.
Mixed Bags: Heroes Tuned Up and Down
Silvanna, Kimmy, Cici get light balances for tank/support roles—Kimmy holds S-tier marksman with better wave clear. Angela's shields dip but cooldown buffs keep her SS-strong. Core Kimmy with Haas's Claws for lifesteal; draft Cici as a bruiser against Freya; check adjusted animations in the Highlight System during ranked.
Item and Gear Shifts: How Builds Are Evolving Fast
Key Stat Tweaks and Price Shifts on Core Items
Roaming gear now earns gold and EXP independently—no more leeching off allies—with vision rewards for spotting enemies. Dire Hit, Conceal, Favor, and Encourage got sustain and buff optimizations; Favor bumps ally speed by 15%. After this, roaming nets 10% more EXP, flipping the economy on its head. Snag Roaming Boots first for roamers; weave Favor into support kits; skip it on non-roamers to dodge restrictions.
What Builds Look Like Now: Rush Priorities
For Obsidia, start with Demon Hunter Sword and Haas's Claws to pump Bone Shards—early Skill 1 for farm; lifesteal passes to multi-hits, spiking late DPS by 30%. Alice? Magic pen like Genius Wand to juice teleports. Farm EXP lane with her Skill 1 for Bone; rush attack speed after core; test in customs against tanks.
Role Breakdown: Item Shifts by Position (Tanks, Mages, Marksmen, Assassins, Fighters)
Tanks like Uranus grab sustain for map spins, hitting A-tier clears quick—Bloodlust Axe leads. Mages (Alice): Lifesteal from Magic Worship; Clock of Destiny for stacks. Marksmen (Obsidia): Tank-melters; Scarlet Phantom for speed. Assassins (Yi Sun-shin): Area reveals; Blade of Despair. Fighters (Thamuz): Blade Armor to fuel rage.
Roaming Gear Overhaul
It's independent now, with vision perks—huge for solo queue. Non-roamers can't touch Roaming Boots. Boosts scouting on Dangerous Grass; calls for smart vision plays. Encourage for tank dives; link with Angela heals; emblem tweaks for EXP gains.
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Gameplay and System Tweaks: Under-the-Hood Changes
Jungle Timing and Gold/EXP Flow
Bane's buffs shave clear times for quicker ganks; roaming independence pumps support EXP. He hits level 4 10% faster. Jungle with penetration emblems; swing via Flying Clouds for objectives.
Minion Waves and Turret Updates
Randomized maps bring Expanding Rivers currents that speed rotations near Lord pits; Broken Walls simplify turret paths. Currents amp Lapu-Lapu's engage speed by 20%. Map your routes around rivers; ping waves for team sync.
Objective Tweaks (Lord, Turtle, Crab)
Obsidia's ult skips terrain for Turtle grabs; Alice teleports snag steals; random effects tweak spawns. Hunt of Bone locks down for Lord fights. Scout with roam vision; ult with Thamuz for HP-scaled chaos; draft around Turtle priority.
Vision and Map Plays
Dangerous Grass sprouts ambush bushes for Natalia shines; roaming vision rewards push wards; Quick Communication adds ping options. Clouds let you teleport split-pushes. Ward those bushes; ping alerts; team with Harith to clear hidden threats.
Meta Shake-Up: The Fresh Tier List Vibe
Stars on the Rise: Heroes Jumping 2+ Tiers
Alice blasts from B to S+ mage—stack sustains and teleports dominate mid in 60% of comps. Obsidia debuts S+ marksman for tank shreds. Saber, Minsitthar, Cecilion, Roger climb to B/A-tier. Draft Alice early; farm Obsidia's Bone max; 1v1 those combos.
Top Dogs Taking a Hit: S-Tier Drops
Fanny crashes to D-tier from mobility guts; Freya SS to S; Chip S to A; Wanwan/Granger to S/A; Floryn nerfed to S support. Fanny: B jungle pre-patch, D post-interrupts. Chip: S support before, A after tweaks. Ban the fallers; swap to Hayabusa S-tier assassin.
Steady Eddies: Picks Holding Strong
SS-tier holds Natan, Yi Sun-shin, Phoveus at the top—Yi ult reveals for stun setups. Tanks like Uranus, Baxia stay S with sustain bumps. Jungle Yi skips Gold Lane; draft Phoveus for map flex.
How It Plays Out by Rank (Epic vs. Mythic)
Epic ranks love Angela's sustain in messy brawls, Bane ganks lifting win rates 15%. Mythic? It's all Alice/Obsidia team plays. Lower ELO clings to Floryn post-nerf. Epic leans global heals; Mythic tunes emblems for Alice pen.
Draft Smarts After Patch 2.1.18
Top First-Picks Now
Alice locks mid S+ with burst sustains; Obsidia claims Gold; Angela anchors support. Epic V packs 10 bans. Scout foes; grab Alice quick; counter with Thamuz in EXP.
Bans That Matter Most
Fanny for her mobility—Hayabusa if they counter it. Hit nerfed threats hard; Fanny's interrupts are fixed. Use those 10 bans wisely; factor in map rolls.
Counter-Pick Goldmines from the Balances
Phoveus eats mobile mages; Lapu-Lapu thrives in river scraps; Alice shreds tanky groups. Arlott for burst squads. Draft Lapu on Expanding Rivers; shield Obsidia with Hylos.
Team Synergies Getting a Lift
Sustain stacks Alice + Floryn; tank-bust with Obsidia + Thamuz. Roam freedom helps solo Q; Angela + Bane early dives. Build around S+ cores; custom test those links.
Emblem Tweaks and Fine-Tuning
Any Emblem Overhauls in 2.1.18?
Nothing massive—just optimizations like Alice's Magic Worship for lifesteal, trimming teleport cooldowns. Update in the menu; test live in ranked.
Best Talents for the Buffed Crew
Alice: Mage Emblem Magic Worship amps stacks 20%. Thamuz: Fighter Bargain Hunter. Obsidia: Marksman Weakness Finder. Pick talents; point to pen; 1v1 practice.
Salvaging Nerfed Heroes with Emblem Shifts
Floryn: Support Impure Rage boosts heals; global ults stay gold. Fanny: Assassin High and Dry, but yeah, pivot. Adjust for CC cuts; track win rates.
Busting Patch Myths and Misreads
That Hero's Toast Now—Let's Get Real
Obsidia: Mobility's low, so hug frontline with Hylos; farm to peak Bone Energy. Floryn's S-tier solid despite nerfs. Go tanky support builds; don't overpush in Grass.
Changes Folks Overhype That Barely Move the Needle
Silvanna/Kimmy tweaks? Meta shrugs—Kimmy's still S marksman. Roaming independence is the real deal. Skip the buzz; grind Alice.
Sneaky Changes the Notes Skipped
Nana's Molina pops camo for CC; Thamuz visuals fixed for fair hits; Fanny's Suppress interrupt evens duels. Update to 2.1.18.11201; practice test.
Your Post-Patch Action List: 5 Must-Dos Today
Run These 3 Buffed Heroes in Classic First
Drill Alice combos, Bane ganks, Angela ults in classics; 1v1 from October 9. Aim for 3 kills or a turret smash. Queue with bans; time skills sharp; review highlights.
Refresh Your Pool and Bans
Slot in Alice/Obsidia; ban Fanny/Floryn if they're hot; mix for map chaos. Chase S+ picks. Scout teams; tweak Epic V drafts.
Overhaul Core Builds
Embrace independent roaming; Obsidia lifesteal via Haas's Claws on Shards; Alice magic pen. Rush cores early; test tanks; add Favor for roams.
Staying on Top of Hotfixes and Next Patches
Eye in-game news, Season 38 stuff like MLBB Rising Open after September 17; Project NEXT vibes. Bugs get hotfixed in 72 hours. Check daily; hit communities; sub for pings.
Nail this meta! Pin our Patch 2.1.18 tier list and hero guides to outpace the pack. Sub up for hotfix and shift alerts.
FAQ
What are the biggest hero changes in Mobile Legends patch 2.1.18?
New hero Obsidia S+ marksman with Bone Shard passives for late DPS; Alice rework to S+ mage with stack AoE sustains, teleports, lifesteal. Obsidia ultimate pulls enemies for objective locks; Alice Skill 1 ignores obstacles for repositions, favoring prolonged engages in ranked.
Which heroes got buffed in MLBB patch 2.1.18?
Angela: Shorter ultimate cooldown for frequent shields. Bane: Enhanced early damage, faster ultimates for ganks. Thamuz: 15% quicker rage, HP-scaling ultimate. Saber D to B, Cecilion to A, Roger to B; boosts sustain comps in Season 38.
Which heroes got nerfed in patch 2.1.18 Mobile Legends?
Floryn: Reduced CC duration, 20% weaker shields to balance heals. Fanny to D-tier via Skill 2 Suppress interruptions. Chip to A, Wanwan to S, Granger to A. Shifts drafts to Hayabusa; Floryn holds S-tier global heals.
How does patch 2.1.18 affect the Mobile Legends meta?
Sustain comps rise with Alice/Obsidia S+/S-tier; Fanny nerfed to D, burst reduced. Randomized maps like Expanding Rivers speed objectives; roaming independence elevates Angela SS-tier supports. Promotes adaptive play with Thamuz + Obsidia tank-busting.
What item changes are in ML patch 2.1.18?
Roaming: Independent gold/EXP, vision rewards, no ally drains for solo roams. Favor/Encourage tweaks for 15% ally speed/heals. Roaming Boots support-only; optimizes sustain on randomized maps without economy penalties.
What are the best heroes for ranked after patch 2.1.18?
SS-tier: Angela support, Bane jungle. S+: Obsidia marksman, Alice mage. S-tier tanks: Uranus, Gatotkaca. Draft for meta; Obsidia farms Bone Shards vs. tanks; Alice stacks with Magic Worship emblems in Season 38.