SEASON 4 - PATCH 4.2 SOLO QUEUE TIER LIST
SEASON 4 UPDATE
SEASON 4 UPDATE
Preface Chatter
With the release of patch 4.2, we saw a major change on Xerath along with a bunch of modifications all around to the more popular champions of the scene. I think that for the most part the nerfs weren't terribly harsh on anyone in particular, and the Xerath changes haven't exactly exploded him to the top of the ladder. However, I've moved several champions around based on win rate trends and the ever changing meta. Check out the list below and leave your comments at the bottom!
Patch 4.2 Summary
Buffs: Ashe, Maokai
Nerfs: Mundo, Teemo, Thresh, Yasuo, Yorick, Ziggs
Item/Spell Nerfs: Statikk Shiv, Perseverance
Tweaks: Xerath, Skarner, Evelynn, Kayle, Riven
Use CTRL + F to Search For Champions
God Tier [Very Strong]:
Mid-Lane Gods: Ziggs, Kassadin, Gragas, Kayle, Kha'Zix
Jungle Gods: Vi, Amumu, Kha'Zix, Elise, Wukong, Rammus
AD Gods: Jinx, Draven, Sivir, Lucian
Top Lane Gods: Wukong, Nasus, Renekton, Jax, Teemo
Support Gods:Leona, Thresh
Tier 1 [Really Strong]:
Mid-Lane: Katarina, Talon, Yasuo, Swain, Orianna, Lux, Morgana, Malzahar, Brand, Nidalee, Syndra, Ahri, Diana, Fizz, Wukong, Akali
Jungle: Fiddlesticks, Volibear, Jarvan IV, Udyr, Sejuani, Aatrox, Lee Sin, Nocturne, Hecarim, Nautilus, Zac, Dr. Mundo, Shyvana, Rengar
AD Carry: Caitlyn, Twitch, Varus, Tristana, Ezreal, Graves
Top Lane: Kayle, Yasuo, Shyvana, Dr. Mundo, Singed, Darius, Fiora, Olaf, Rengar, Tryndamere, Warwick, Aatrox, Yorick, Kennen, Jarvan IV, Elise, Malphite, Lee Sin, Udyr, Volibear, Karma, Nidalee
Support: Sona, Annie, Taric, Zyra, Blitzcrank, Janna, Nami,
Tier 2 [Balanced]:
Mid-Lane: Leblanc, Heimerdinger, Viktor, Cassiopeia, Pantheon, Annie, Anivia, Galio, Kennen, Mordekaiser, Zed, Vladimir, Xerath, Zyra, Elise, Lissandra, Sion, Karma
Jungle: Olaf, Shaco, Maokai, Nasus, Warwick, Pantheon, Xin Zhao, Leona, Trundle, Malphite, Skarner, Gragas, Diana, Zed
AD Carry: Kog'Maw, Ashe, Vayne, Miss Fortune, Quinn, Corki
Top Lane: Rumble, Zac, Riven, Pantheon, Shen, Poppy, Akali, Quinn, Vi, Swain, Kha'Zix, Vladimir, Cho'gath, Trundle, Garen, Jayce, Lissandra, Zed
Support: Lulu, Fiddlesticks, Karma, Alistar, Soraka
Tier 3 [Needs Higher Skill/Knowledge Than Usual]:
Mid-Lane: Karthus, Veigar, Riven, Twisted Fate, Jayce, Cho'Gath, Ryze, Evelynn, Fiddlesticks, Soraka
Jungle: Evelynn, Nunu, Jax, Cho'Gath, Malzahar, Yasuo, Fiora, Master Yi, Riven, Kayle, Poppy, Darius,
AD Carry: Twisted Fate, Kennen, Urgot
Top Lane: Irelia, Gangplank, Mordekaiser, Xin Zhao, Sion, Vayne, Master Yi, Talon, Ryze, Nunu, Galio
Support: Morgana, Teemo, Nunu, Volibear, Lux, Nautilus, Orianna, Nidalee, Zilean, Gangplank, Shen
Tier 4 [Difficult to Win]:
Mid-Lane: Lulu, Kog'maw, Zilean, Tristana, Janna, Ezreal (AP),
Jungle: Tryndamere, Gangplank, Blitzcrank, Alistar
AD Carry:
Top Lane: Urgot
Support: Kayle, Malphite, Poppy, Elise, Maokai, Yorick, Lissandra, Ashe, Leblanc, Caitlyn
- Champions in BOLD I will talk about shortly
- Champions UNDERLINED may be over/undervalued, but aren't/haven't played enough for me to make a better judgement.
- Within each tier the champions are strongest from left to right, but within a tier each champion's strength is relatively close. This is especially true for Tiers 2 and 3 where these champions are ALL highly playable and player dependent on how strong they are in-game.
Champion Explanations
- Alistar [Tier 2 Support]: Alistar's one of those champions that looks great on paper. His skill set is highly flexible, and he's tanky enough to be on the front lines initiating or on the back lines peeling. However, after repeated nerfs on his ranges, it takes strong knowledge of how to trade and position to be good at him. If you play him often he can be good, but if you're picking a support and usually don't, steer clear of this 44% win rate cow.
- Annie [Tier 2 Mid]: Annie's role as a mid laner has suffered slightly after nerfs to her supporting capabilities. She's still playable mid, just not overwhelming.
- Fiora [Tier 1 Top]: Fiora's one of those 1v1 champions that does well once her counters are all nerfed, and nerfed they have. She offers almost nothing in during a jungle gank, but her ability to trade coupled with the (in my opinon) overpowered Hydra at the moment makes her very good for solo queue, especially since she baits enemies very easily.
- Fizz [Tier 1 Mid]: Fizz isn't quite as strong as he used to be with more tanky/juke capable champions mid now, but I think he's still a decent pick.
- Jax [God Tier Top]: Moved Jax down slightly due to a more aggressive early/mid game meta. I think he still deserves a place at God tier though.
- Jinx [God Tier ADC]: Jinx is one of the most balanced, safe AD carries at the moment. While other champions like Lucian and Draven will be stronger early on, Jinx is definitely the strongest AD carry for solo queue for people who prefer a safe farming game. Draven is still better for stomping though.
- Kayle [Tier 1 Top/God Tier Mid]: Kayle top/mid still seems very strong despite nerfs to her ratios. However, I'll keep an eye on her win ratios to see if that changes.
- Leblanc [Tier 2 Mid]: Leblanc is certainly very strong and also annoying to play against, but honestly her skill cap makes her a little unwieldy for solo queue unless you happen to be a Leblanc main. Definitely not a pick up and play judging by her 44% win rate, but she has potential.
- Teemo [God Tier Top]: Teemo is by far the most annoying top laner to deal with and requires a high amount of coordination to stop, something not often found in solo queue. Simply by placing shrooms in good locations around Baron pit is usually enough to win a game by himself as long as he doesn't feed in lane.
- Vayne [Tier 2 ADC]: The top few AD carries simply outcarry her early and mid game right now, and although her late game can still be monstrous, it's getting harder and harder to get there.
- Vi [God Tier Jungle]: It's no surprise Vi's moving up a few steps, she just gets a lot of bonuses for relatively low amounts of effort.
- Wukong [God Tier Jungle]: The jungle item changes were very kind to him, and he's definitely stronger than ever in the jungle.
- Yasuo [Tier 1 Mid]: After the slight nerfs to Yasuo and Shiv, I think he's more in line now. He's still very strong, but requires a little more skill to execute correctly as he's still a squishy glass cannon.
- The purpose of this list is for discussion and to provide a starting point for hero selection.
Agree? Disagree? Comment below!