2016 Best Champions Tier List - Ranked Ladder Climbing - Patch 6.19 Update

Preface Chatter

Hi everyone! I know I said we would get this list up on Sunday or Monday, but the stat sites were a bit slow to update this patch and I ran into some timing issues. Thanks for being patient!

In this patch, Corki is making a strong comeback, but the Godyr does not seem like it is in full bloom just yet. Maybe we just need to find the right build. Meanwhile, the Kog'Maw tweak looks like a nerf from the initial numbers flowing in, but that might be because of sub-optimal builds now.

There are a bunch of other changes, so be sure to 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, Annie, Anivia
Jungle Gods:Vi, Zac, Amumu, Sejuani
Marksman Gods: Jinx, Jhin, Miss Fortune
Top Lane Gods:Yasuo, Malphite, Irelia
Support Gods:Janna, Sona, Blitzcrank, Soraka

Tier 1 [Strong/Preferred Choices]:

Mid-Lane:Vel'Koz, Brand, Twisted Fate, Morgana, Yasuo, Kayle, Zilean, Katarina, Kennen, Corki, Viktor, Lux,
Jungle:Jarvan IV, Graves, Wukong, Hecarim, Kha'Zix, Skarner, Shaco, Nidalee, Rammus, Xin Zhao, Volibear, Nocturne, Dr. Mundo, Olaf, Fiddlesticks
Marksman: Caitlyn, Twitch, Ashe, Sivir, Tristana, Kog'Maw
Top Lane: Riven, Darius, Kayle, Wukong, Illaoi, Swain, Renekton, Teemo, Quinn, Jarvan IV, Jax, Tryndamere, Graves, Kennen, Rumble, Pantheon, Sion, Singed, Gangplank, Jayce, Olaf, Yorick
Support: Nami, Zyra, Leona, Vel'Koz, Braum, Zilean

Tier 2 [Viable/Balanced Choices]:

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

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

Mid-Lane:Sona, Vladimir, Taliyah, 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: Galio, Aatrox, Vladimir, Cassiopeia, Warwick, Udyr, Rek'Sai, Morgana, Zed, Blitzcrank, Karthus, Viktor, Ryze, Karma, Lee Sin, 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.

• Corki [Tier 1 Mid/Tier 2 Marksman] - After the latest buffs to Corki, he is back in a viable state both as a mid laner and as a marksman. However, he does work much better as a mid-laner as a result of his high wave clear and poke abilities. As a marksman, he lacks good synergy with popular items like Youmuu's and Duskblade, which reduces his potentially greatly. 
• Janna [God Tier Support] - After the nerfs to Soraka, Janna is back on top as the best passive support in the game. Although she can still be countered by a variety of champions and via good 2v2 synergy, her ability to safely get her marksman through lane phase through favorable trades makes her the best support in the game.
• Kennen [Tier 1 Mid] - Combined with Hextech Protobelt, Kennen's initiation and burst damage are through the roof. Typically, Kennen players had a major issue being effective without flash, as they would quickly get knocked away by champions like Alistar. Now with Alistar falling out of favor and a Protobelt under his well...belt, Kennen is stronger than ever before and his ability to both 1v1 and 1v5 are incredible.
• Kled [Tier 2 Top] - After Kled receives his ultimate, he becomes an extremely powerful initiator. However, he still works much better in organized team play. In solo queue, his ultimate can potentially result in suicidal tendencies as teams refuse to follow up. That being said, his potential is still very high and is certainly worth testing out and practicing if you like him.
• Malphite [God Tier Top] - The top five most popular top laners right now other than Malphite are Riven, Darius, Irelia, and Gnar. As a massive armor stacker, Malphite performs well against all of them as long as he does not go aggressive early on. Meanwhile, all the top marksmen are extremely auto-attack based except for Jhin, resulting in a large indirect boost to Malphite. A champion that works in every composition, he is certainly an excellent pick for ranked ladder climbing now.
• Miss Fortune [God Tier Marksman] - While Youmuu's Lucian was extremely popular, people continuously looked for similar champions to counter him, resulting in Jhin and Miss Fortune with similar builds. However, now that Jhin was nerfed a couple times, it looks like Miss Fortune is the last man (woman) standing with the same level of absurd burst damage...play her while you can! Since the meta shifted back to low mobility marksmen, she also has a much easier time landing the full duration of her ultimate. 
• Nocturne [Tier 1 Jungle] - Attack damage based items like Duskblade and Youmuus are extremely good right now, and many teams enjoy employing a dive-based composition. This places Nocturne in an excellent meta spot coupled with strongly synergizing item builds.
• Soraka [God Tier Support] - Despite the large nerf to Soraka's heal, early game, it is completely unaffected at max rank. As a result, she remains an extremely strong pick, but can no longer make up for an excessively aggressive marksman early game.

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