If you have not played Mobile Legends: Bang Bang for a while, Mid Lane may look familiar—but Mages have changed significantly underneath the surface.
During 2026, MLBB adjusted the basic attributes and Mana Costs of many Mid Lane Mages, changed important Magic items, modified Mid Lane minions, buffed and nerfed individual heroes, and continued shifting the role toward faster wave clear, rotation, zoning, crowd control, and objective pressure.
This guide explains what actually changed and, more importantly, what those changes mean when you are playing Ranked.
The 30-Second Answer
The biggest Mage story of 2026 is not one overpowered hero. It is the way MLBB has been normalizing the Mage role.
1. The Biggest Change: MLBB Standardized Many Mages
One of the most important changes arrived with Original Server Patch 2.1.61 on March 11, 2026. The developers adjusted the basic attributes and Mana Costs of many Mid Lane Mages to bring them closer to a common baseline.
Do not judge a Mage only by raw Magic Power or damage numbers. The hero's actual kit—range, control, mobility, wave clear, zoning and reliability—is increasingly important.
This helps explain why two Mages with similar damage can perform completely differently in Ranked. One may offer reliable crowd control, another vision, another choke-point control, and another single-target burst.
2. Mid Lane Became More About Tempo
Patch 2.1.61 also reduced the HP of the Mid Lane ranged minion, making Mid waves easier to clear. That small battlefield adjustment creates more opportunities to rotate.
3. Mage Items Also Changed
Patch 2.1.61 redistributed power across several Magic items.
| Item | Important Change | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Enchanted Talisman | Magic Power 50→75; CDR 20%→15%; HP 250→300; price increased. | More offense, but less built-in cooldown reduction. |
| Holy Crystal | Magic Power 185→165. | Still a major damage item, but less dominant as a raw-power purchase. |
| Ice Queen Wand | Magic Power 75→60; slow-stack internal cooldown 1s→0.4s. | Better suited to heroes that repeatedly apply skills and slows. |
| Concentrated Energy | Magic Power 70→75. | Slightly stronger offensive contribution. |
| Glowing Wand | Magic Power 50→60; HP 400→300; price 2150→2050. | More offensively focused. |
Burst, poke, sustained damage, anti-heal, penetration and utility builds solve different problems.
4. Eudora: Much More Than a Beginner Mage
Patch 2.1.88 extended Superconductor from 3 seconds to 5 seconds and changed Forked Lightning's delayed-damage cooldown reduction from 1.5 seconds to half of the skill's cooldown. Patch 2.1.90 later slightly reduced Eudora's Mana Costs.
Pick Eudora when...
The enemy has vulnerable Marksmen, Assassins or Mages that must enter your effective range and your team needs reliable instant crowd control followed by burst.
Be careful when...
The enemy is very tanky, significantly outranges you, or has multiple ways to dive and punish your positioning.
5. Zhuxin: Strong Control, More Commitment
Patch 2.1.88 increased Lantern Flare's Mana Cost from 45 to 75, while increasing Mana restored by each Crimson Butterfly from 3% to 5%. Patch 2.1.90 then slightly reduced Skill 2's cast range.
Zhuxin must manage resources and positioning more carefully. She remains effective at zoning and disruption, especially around objectives and narrow jungle paths.
6. Gord: Nerfed, But Not Automatically Weak
Patch 2.1.95 reduced Gord's early-to-mid-game damage. Mystic Favor's base damage was reduced from 140 to 120, while Mystic Gush's base damage was reduced from 110–210 to 90–160.
Gord remains useful when...
- Your team can protect the backline.
- The enemy must enter narrow areas.
- You need sustained area Magic damage.
- You want strong zoning around Turtle and Lord.
7. Novaria: Easier to Use Effectively
Patch 2.1.95 increased Astral Recall's base damage from 230–380 to 260–410, Magic Power scaling from 90% to 95%, and target-Max-HP damage from 4% to 5%. Its Movement Speed behavior was also improved, while maximum extra damage was reduced from 150% to 120% as compensation.
Do not judge Novaria only by kills.
Her value includes long-range pressure, vision, objective scouting, forcing recalls, checking bushes, softening targets and making enemies reposition.
8. Which Mages Are Strong Right Now?
There is no official Moonton Mage tier list, so third-party rankings should be treated as performance snapshots rather than absolute truth.
A September 2026 ranked-data snapshot from MLBBHub lists Valir (52.5%), Eudora (52.4%) and Gord (52.3%) as its top three Mages, with Kadita and Zetian following. That dataset places no Mage in S-tier.
9. Which Mage Should You Pick?
Instead of asking only, “Who is the strongest Mage?”, ask what your team is missing.
| Your Team Needs... | Look For... | Example Mage |
|---|---|---|
| Reliable pick-off | Instant CC + burst | Eudora |
| Anti-dive | Knockback, slow, zoning | Valir |
| Long-range pressure | Poke + vision | Novaria |
| Area damage | Sustained AoE | Gord |
| Backline access | Mobility + burst | Kadita |
| Continuous control | Zoning + disruption | Zhuxin |
| Mechanical flexibility | Mobility + outplay tools | Kagura |
10. How to Play Mid Lane Better After the Mage Changes
Clear before rotating
Leaving Mid before clearing can give the opposing Mage free gold, experience and turret pressure.
Rotate with a purpose
Look for an objective, vulnerable enemy, jungle fight or numerical advantage.
Respect missing enemies
Fast wave clear also means the enemy Mage can disappear quickly. Ping and avoid following blindly through unscouted bushes.
Fight for space, not just kills
Forcing the enemy Jungler away from Turtle can be more valuable than chasing a low-HP enemy.
Position according to your Mage
Eudora should not position like Novaria, Gord should not position like Kadita, and Zhuxin should not approach fights exactly like Kagura.
11. Stop Using One Build for Every Match
Prioritize suitable anti-heal utility.
Consider Magic Penetration instead of blindly adding raw power.
Fix resource management or use an appropriate Mana-oriented item.
A defensive or utility item may create more real damage uptime.
Items rewarding repeated application can become more valuable.
Prioritize stats that improve that specific damage pattern.
12. Common Mage Mistakes in 2026
You waste the rotation window you created.
Enemy durability, healing and dive pressure should affect item decisions.
Turtle, Lord and turret control usually create more permanent value.
Most Mages are too valuable and vulnerable to serve as the team's face-checker.
Think about the next objective and whether you will need the cooldown soon.
Your Mage pick should solve a draft problem, not just maximize damage.
Are Mages Better Now?
Not necessarily stronger across the board. They are becoming more standardized and more specialized.
The better question is not “Which Mage deals the most damage?” but “What does my team need from Mid Lane in this match?”
Sources and Verification
Balance values were cross-checked against published Original Server patch records. Current meta rankings are treated as third-party statistical snapshots rather than official Moonton rankings.
- MLBB Original Server Patch 2.1.61 — March 11, 2026. Mage normalization, Magic-item adjustments and Mid Lane changes.
- MLBB Original Server Patch 2.1.88 — Eudora Superconductor changes and Zhuxin resource adjustment.
- MLBB Original Server Patch 2.1.90 — July 2, 2026. Eudora Mana reduction and Zhuxin Skill 2 range reduction.
- MLBB Patch 2.1.95 — August 4, 2026. Gord nerf and Novaria Skill 2 buff.
- MLBBHub September 2026 Tier List — Used only as a current third-party performance snapshot.
Editorial note: Hero strength can change after balance updates, hotfixes and battlefield adjustments. Rank, server, team composition and player proficiency can produce different results from global statistical rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best Mage in MLBB right now?
There is no single best Mage for every match. A September 2026 third-party ranked snapshot places Valir, Eudora and Gord among the strongest-performing Mage choices, but matchup, rank and team composition still matter.
Was Eudora buffed in 2026?
Yes. Patch 2.1.88 extended Superconductor and improved Forked Lightning's cooldown interaction. Patch 2.1.90 then slightly reduced her Mana Costs.
Was Gord nerfed?
Yes. Patch 2.1.95 reduced his passive base damage and Mystic Gush's base damage.
Was Novaria buffed?
Yes. Patch 2.1.95 improved Astral Recall's baseline damage, scaling and movement-speed behavior, with a lower maximum extra-damage multiplier as compensation.