Need Tokens for a new skin or Pass level after you lab these picks? BitTopup Honor of Kings top-up ships by Player ID with no password.
Honor of Kings S15.a Hero Changes (August 2026)
Updated on 2026-08-06: Mid-season mechanics upgrades for Zilong, Ao'yin, Arthur, Li Bai, and Yang Jian, plus the Cai Yan / Wuyan / Lian Po / Dun / Zhuangzi numbers pass.
Hero | Type | Core change | Ranked impact |
|---|
Zilong | Mechanics upgrade | Extra Skill 1 charge on tier switch; Skill 2 hits 5 times; Ult mark lasts 5s | Sharper gank loops and burst windows |
Ao'yin | Mechanics upgrade | Cast speed scales with Attack Speed; Dragon Form move speed scales with Ult level | Crit Farm Lane builds feel less clunky late |
Arthur | Mechanics upgrade | Skill 1 dashes with no target; aimed short dash | Wall hops, escapes, and chase angles open up |
Li Bai | Mechanics upgrade | Skill 2 circle adds dodge chance (higher vs outside attacks) | Safer all-ins and bait trades |
Yang Jian | Mechanics upgrade | Long-range hits beyond 1250 no longer waste Heaven-Earth Form at full Energy | Form timing stays under your control |
Cai Yan | Buff | Ult cooldown drops 6s per skill level | More fight heals per match |
Wuyan | Buff | Ult AD scaling and shield per stack up | Stronger spin engages |
Lian Po | Nerf | Skill 2 shield and HP scaling cut | Softer early frontline |
Dun | Nerf | Skill 1 and Ult base damage down | Less early lane bully power |
Zhuangzi | Nerf | Ult CC immunity / shield duration 2s → 1.5s | Shorter unstoppable windows |
Zilong mechanics upgrade
Zilong takes the deepest combat rework in this Honor of Kings S15.a patch notes pass.
Skill 1: Base cooldown moves from 7s to 8s. Move-speed boost scales from 0% to 100% by level. Switching tiers grants one extra Skill 1 cast.
Skill 2: Thrust count rises from 4 to 5. Base damage sits at 200 (+40/lvl) (+65% extra Physical Attack), with higher base healing. Damage and recovery diminish by 8% down to 4% on consecutive hits.
Ultimate: Marks last 5 seconds. Hitting a marked target adds 30-60 (+10% extra Physical Attack) magic damage.
Weave the free Skill 1 reset into every gank. Clear speed and dive tempo jump once the extra charge is online.
Ao'yin mechanics upgrade
Ao'yin shifts toward Attack Speed and crit-friendly Farm Lane builds.
Passive: Secondary-sword physical scaling rises from 30%-60% to 35%-70%.
Skills 1 / 2 / 3: Cast speed scales with Attack Speed. Cooldowns rise from 12s to 12.5s while more power sits in AD ratios.
Ultimate: Both Dragon Form move-speed values scale with Ult level.
Stack Attack Speed earlier. Late-game casts fire faster once the AS breakpoints land.
Arthur Skill 1 dash
Arthur's Skill 1 (Valiant Charge) now dashes a short distance when no enemy sits in range, and you can aim the path. Wall hops and panic escapes get a real answer.
You pay for that dash here:
Piece | Before | After |
|---|
Passive Holy Vanguard recovery | 120-240 (+2.5% extra Health) | 100-200 (+2.5% extra Health) |
Skill 1 damage | 350 (+70/lvl) (+120% Physical Attack) | 325 (+65/lvl) (+100% extra Physical Attack) |
Clash Lane players get pathing they lacked for years, at the cost of early recovery and Skill 1 damage.
Li Bai Skill 2 dodge
Inside Stroke of Genius, Li Bai gains a 10%-20% chance to dodge attacks. Attacks that start outside the sword circle double that chance to 20%-40%.
Use the circle as a bait zone. Step in, eat the auto, then punish the overcommit.
Yang Jian Heaven-Earth Form fix
Hits from beyond 1250 range no longer trigger Heaven-Earth Form when Energy is full. Long-range poke no longer burns the transform. Save it for real fights.
How to adapt your ranked draft after S15.a
Step 1: Lab Zilong and Arthur in practice first. Learn the extra Skill 1 charge and the no-target dash before you risk stars.
Step 2: If you Farm Lane with Ao'yin, rebuild around Attack Speed and crit. Check skill timings against the new cast-speed curve. Cross-check kits on the Honor of Kings heroes wiki.
Step 3: Expect Cai Yan and Wuyan more often in mid-rank lobbies. Track Lian Po, Dun, and Zhuangzi windows. Their shields and CC lengths are shorter.
Step 4: For solo-queue priorities and lane jobs, keep the Honor of Kings ranked climb guide next to this page.
How to prep skins, Pass, and Tokens for the new meta
Finish the free mid-season missions first, then spend Tokens on the skin or Pass level you will use for 20+ games.
DAN DA DAN collab rewards (Daji / Lam / Mozi lines and event shops) run through late August. Plan Token spend before you pull.
First-time and repeat Token bonuses stack better on larger packs. Read the Honor of Kings top-up guide if you need the UID path.
Want Tokens without touching your password? Use BitTopup HOK Tokens. Enter Player ID, pay, and the Tokens land on your account.
FAQ
When did the Honor of Kings S15.a update go live?
Global servers shipped the mid-season package on July 30, 2026 (client line around 11.4.1.11). Mechanics upgrades hit Zilong, Arthur, Ao'yin, Yang Jian, and Li Bai the same day.
Which heroes got full mechanics upgrades in S15.a?
Five heroes: Zilong, Ao'yin, Arthur, Li Bai, and Yang Jian. Cai Yan and Wuyan received number buffs. Lian Po, Dun, and Zhuangzi took targeted nerfs.
Is Zilong overpowered after the rework?
His burst and mobility loops got sharper. Ban him more in ranks where jungle snowball decides games. Lab the extra Skill 1 charge for a few customs before you stake a full ranked session on him.
Does Arthur's new dash work through walls?
Skill 1 now fires a short aimed dash when no target is in range, which helps wall hops and escapes. Practice the angle in custom matches. Range is still short.
Where can I buy Honor of Kings Tokens safely?
Use a verified partner that only asks for Player ID. BitTopup is a Midasbuy partner with instant delivery. Full steps sit in the top-up guide.
Conclusion
Keep this Honor of Kings S15.a patch notes page open while you climb: Zilong and Ao'yin change how Farm and Jungle drafts feel, Arthur and Li Bai gain outplay tools, and the tank/support numbers pass reshapes early fights. Check back when the next balance list drops, and top up Tokens on BitTopup when you lock a skin or Pass for the new picks.
