2016 Best Champions Tier List - Ranked Ladder Climbing - Patch 6.18 Update

Preface Chatter

Hi everyone! This list took longer than expected as a result of some life commitments, but we are back with the latest in the tier list series, featuring Patch 6.18's gut of professional play champions and a surprise buff to the world's favorite jungler, Lee Sin.

The plan is also to put together a few more updates later today, so stay tuned for more updates and check out the full list below!

As always, don't forget to like the site on Facebook if you haven't already!

The Tier List

God Tier [Highest Influence]:

Mid-Lane Gods:Ahri, Anivia, Annie
Jungle Gods: Vi, Zac, Amumu, Sejuani
Marksman Gods: Jinx, Jhin, Ashe
Top Lane Gods: Yasuo, Irelia, Darius
Support Gods: Soraka, Sona, Janna

Tier 1 [Strong/Preferred Choices]:

Mid-Lane:Vel'Koz, Malzahar, Aurelion Sol, Brand, Twisted Fate, Morgana, Yasuo, Kayle, Zilean, Katarina, Talon, Viktor, Lux, Karthus, Galio, Swain, Cassiopeia
Jungle: Fiddlesticks, Jarvan IV, Graves, Wukong, Kha'Zix, Skarner, Shaco, Gragas, Nidalee, Rammus, Xin Zhao, Volibear
Marksman: Miss Fortune, Caitlyn, Twitch, Sivir, Tristana, Kog'Maw
Top Lane: Kayle, Wukong, Illaoi, Malphite, Gangplank, Riven, Renekton, Teemo, Quinn, Jarvan IV, Jax, Tryndamere, Graves, Kennen, Akali, Rumble, Swain, Pantheon, Sion, Singed, Lissandra, Nautilus, Jayce, Kled
Support: Blitzcrank, Nami, Taric, Leona, Vel'Koz, Zyra, Braum, Zilean

Tier 2 [Viable/Balanced Choices]:

Mid-Lane: Xerath, Zyra, Gangplank, Karma, Fizz, Akali, Orianna, Zed, Veigar, Syndra, Jayce, Kennen, Diana, Cho'Gath, Lulu, Wukong, Leblanc, Pantheon, Ziggs, Heimerdinger, Lissandra, Kassadin, Quinn, Ekko, Taliyah, Corki, Urgot
Jungle: Olaf, Hecarim, Warwick, Trundle, Kindred, Rengar, Nocturne, Rumble, Jax, Elise, Lee Sin, Malzahar, Irelia, Udyr, Quinn, Evelynn, Shyvana, Master Yi, Diana, Dr. Mundo, Nunu, Maokai, Kayle, Malphite, Sion, Fizz, Nautilus, Aurelion Sol, Pantheon, Ekko, Mordekaiser,
Marksman: Lucian, Ezreal, Vayne, Graves, Draven, Varus, Corki, Quinn
Top Lane: Poppy, Fiora, Olaf, Volibear, Ekko, Zac, Maokai, Garen, Nasus, Trundle, Cho'gath, Malzahar, Dr. Mundo, Urgot, Rammus, Gnar, Fizz, Mordekaiser, Gragas, Tahm Kench, Shen, Diana, Galio, Hecarim, Aatrox, Lulu, Xin Zhao, Heimerdinger, Karma, Rengar, Kassadin, Nidalee, Aurelion Sol
Support: Alistar, Brand, Karma, Bard, Morgana, Nautilus, Trundle, Sion, Thresh, Lulu, Annie

Tier 3 [Needs Higher Skill/Knowledge Than Usual]:

Mid-Lane: Sona, Vladimir, Varus, Ezreal (AP), Azir, Ryze, Nidalee, Kog'Maw (AP), Teemo, Master Yi, Gragas, Jarvan IV, Ezreal (AD), Jhin, Mordekaiser, Riven, Fiddlesticks, Kha'Zix, Malphite, Leona, Elise
Jungle: Rek'Sai, Poppy, Tryndamere, Kled, Aatrox, Kog'Maw, Tahm Kench, Cho'Gath, Nasus, Gangplank, Taliyah, Fiora, Zed, Taric, Karthus, Leona, Riven, Darius, Shen
Marksman: Kalista, Urgot, Kindred, Kennen, Twisted Fate
Top Lane: Vladimir, Cassiopeia, Warwick, Udyr, Rek'Sai, Morgana, Zed, Blitzcrank, Karthus, Viktor, Ryze, Lee Sin, Yorick, Master Yi, Kha'Zix, Vi, Talon, Shyvana, Taliyah, Azir, Leblanc, Vayne, Nunu, Elise, Taric
Support: Tahm Kench, Shen, Poppy, Volibear, Malphite, Shaco, Veigar, Lux, Xerath, Gragas, Maokai, Kayle, Kennen, Taliyah, Fiddlesticks, Nunu, Pantheon, Elise, Teemo

Tier 4 [Low Benefits for Effort Used]:

Mid-Lane: Soraka, Tristana (AP), Evelynn, Tahm Kench, Janna
Jungle: Garen, Alistar, Yorick
Marksman: Mordekaiser, Thresh
Top Lane: Alistar, Braum, Soraka
Support:Ashe, Anivia, Nidalee, Lee Sin, Gangplank, Orianna, Galio, Syndra, Yorick, Lissandra, Leblanc

God Tier: These champions are almost impossible to keep down. If your team doesn't make it a priority to shut down these champions and shut them down hard, even if they lose their lane, lose in CS, and it's their first time playing the champion, they can be a massive nuisance for your team. On the other hand, if they're actually good at the champion...that's when it's time to throw in the towel.

Tier 1: These champions generally do very well regardless, and have some sort of advantage over most other champions. When they do well, their team does well. Even when they don't do well, their team still has a good chance of a comeback victory by utilizing one or more aspects of their late game utility.

Tier 2: This is the Tier of balanced champions where Riot shoots to place their designs. These champions generally do well in their own right, and are very strong picks with a good chance of winning. However, they're not overpowered by any means and do have their weaknesses.

Tier 3: These champions can still do very well, but tend to need a little more snowballing to get rolling. Even if they get an early lead, it's still very possible to turn the tides on them with just a mistake or two. They may also have some weaknesses that can be capitalized on.

Tier 4: These champions are either underpowered or offer less reward than other champions for the same amount of effort. These champions basically start winning from the get-go or get made fun of for the rest of the game. They need gold to do their job correctly, and if they don't get enough of it, they become sandbags for the enemy team to punch. Chances of a comeback with one of these champions feeding on your team is almost none.

• Caitlyn [Tier 1 Marksman] - After Riot initiated the first tower gold bonus initiative, Caitlyn quickly rose back up in the ranks. As a result of her long range she can quickly bully down bot laners and safely take out the turret. Additionally, with most junglers opting for level three ganks top, level two games bot are so rare that marksmen can be aggressive without fear. Her traps are also still extremely good for zoning out enemies in lane, and a good Caitlyn is very difficult to deal with.
• Fiddlesticks [Tier 1 Jungle] - In his current state, Fiddlesticks is extremely strong. Post level six, his ability to camp bot lane for easy kills is immense. As a result of the return of low mobility marksmen like Ashe and Jinx combined with squishy heal-based supports like Soraka and Sona, Fiddlesticks can easily net double kills with his ultimate at will.
• Kled [Tier 1 Top] - Although Kled is clearly not a good jungler compared to the rest of the potential picks, as a top laner he is doing quite well. An extremely tanky champion, Kled is a dominant lane bully who can quickly snowball to an unkillable state late game. 
• Lee Sin [Tier 2 Jungle] - Lee Sin's buffs place him in a balanced state in the current meta with improved jungle sustain and better scaling through mid-game. Although playing him at a high level still requires a good amount of skill, his healthier jungle clears give him a larger margin for error.
• Lucian [Tier 2 Marksman] - Placing the most popular marksman in the game in Tier 2 won't earn me many friends, but the fact of the matter is, a large number of markmen do extremely well against Lucian, especially popular ones like Jinx, Jhin, and Caitlyn. As a result of his short range and relatively low waveclear, he has trouble keeping a clear advantage in lane without an aggressive support and/or jungle assistance. Since the most popular supports are now passive heal/shield based supports, Lucian has trouble playing to his strengths in disorganized ranked play.
• Rek'Sai [Tier 3 Jungle] - Poor Rek'Sai. Because of her popularity on the professional gaming scene, she continuously receives nerfs, resulting in a less than stellar ranked ladder performance. 
• Shen [Tier 2 Top] - Although his nerfs do not make him unplayable by any means, he is definitely much weaker than before and his late game impact is not as high. 
• Vladimir [Tier 3 Top/Mid] - After repeatedly bashing Vladimir with nerfs, Riot has left him in state similar to Rek'Sai, still playable, but you need to know your match-ups to prevent getting stomped.
• Yasuo [God Tier Top/Tier 1 Mid] - Yasuo's top lane tank build is still extremely strong. However, his offensive nerfs reduced his mid lane burst damage, resulting in some difficulties bursting down targets before dying in his glass cannon build.
• Yorick [Tier 3 Top] - The new Yorick seems pretty average in all aspects, we will have to wait and see if his performance improves after people get used to his kit. 

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