Solo Queue Tier List Archive: Patch 6.22 (November 14, 2016)

Despite being released as an assassin update, this path ended up benefiting the natural counter to assassins instead, tanks. The new mastery Courage of the Colossus is absolutely incredible on any tank with hard crowd-control, and allows them to easily out-trade top lane against the old favorites like Yasuo.

Meanwhile, the assassins rework seems to be falling short, especially on Katarina. In an effort to make sure they were not super broken on release, Riot purposefully loaded their kits softly. However, since this is the preseason, the balance team will likely revise their numbers upwards on the upcoming patch. Check out the full details below!

SEASON 6 - PATCH 6.22 FASTEST RANKED LP GAIN TIER LIST

"What Are the Best Champions to Climb With"

This List has been updated, and new versions are available via this link

Preface Chatter

Despite being released as an assassin update, this path ended up benefiting the natural counter to assassins instead, tanks. The new mastery Courage of the Colossus is absolutely incredible on any tank with hard crowd-control, and allows them to easily out-trade top lane against the old favorites like Yasuo.

Meanwhile, the assassins rework seems to be falling short, especially on Katarina. In an effort to make sure they were not super broken on release, Riot purposefully loaded their kits softly. However, since this is the preseason, the balance team will likely revise their numbers upwards on the upcoming patch. Check out the full details below!

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

The purpose of this list is to pick out the champions that when played, will allow you to climb divisions the fastest by winning more games. This list contains more off-meta and counter-meta placements that do well against popular picks.

If you're looking for a more meta based tier list based on popularity, be sure to check out the FOTM list as well!

For a list of champions with the highest *potential* in the game without regard to difficulty or team synergies, check out the list of strongest potential champions in each position!

Be sure to check out our new Optimal Champion Bans by Division Listing!

Patch 6.22 Summary

Buffs: Ivern

Nerfs: Kled
Tweaks: Alistar, Evelynn, Teemo, Twitch, Vayne, Wukong

Reworks: Katarina, Leblanc, Rengar, Akali, Ekko, Fizz, Kha'Zix, Shaco, Talon, Zed

Updates

• Revamped the formatting. Let me know what you guys think in the comments section!
• Added Talon Jungle [Tier 2]
• 11/14: Updated based on stats released
• 11/19:
• Lee Sin moved up
• Syndra moved up
• Sejuani moved down
• Kog'Maw (AP) moved up
• Rengar moved up
• Dr. Mundo jungle moved down
• Poppy top moved up (new Colossus op)
• Karma support moved up
• FOTM Tier List updated for 6.23

Toolkit and Options

Click to toggle champion movement history

Search for a champion:

The Tier List

God Tier List

[Highest Influence | Good In Almost Every Situation | Easiest to Gain LP With]

Mid Lane	Ahri, Annie, Jayce, Syndra
Jungle	Hecarim, Vi, Nunu, Zac
Top Lane	Kennen, Nautilus, Malphite, Jayce, Wukong
Marksman	Vayne, Caitlyn, Twitch, Jhin
Support	Janna, Sona, Soraka, Zyra

God Tier Rising: Caitlyn (Marksman), Hecarim (Jungle), Jayce (Mid), Nautilus (Top), Twitch (Marksman), Vayne (Marksman), Wukong (Top), Zyra (Support)
God Tier Falling: Jhin (Marksman)

Tier 1

[Strong/Preferred Choices | Faster to Learn and Win | Works Well In Solo Queue]

Mid-Lane: Brand, Twisted Fate, Anivia, Morgana, Kennen, Kog'Maw (AP), Kayle, Corki, Viktor, Cassiopeia, Xerath, Malzahar, Lux, Orianna, Vel'Koz, Karthus, Zilean, Yasuo, Ziggs

Jungle: Ivern, Rammus, Skarner, Maokai, Sejuani, Jarvan IV, Rengar, Amumu, Graves, Lee Sin, Shaco, Kha'Zix, Nocturne, Wukong, Xin Zhao, Volibear, Olaf, Kindred, Elise

Top: Poppy, Kayle, Jarvan IV, Irelia, Riven, Sion, Darius, Illaoi, Maokai, Yasuo, Quinn, Swain, Nasus, Yorick, Renekton, Teemo, Tryndamere, Pantheon, Singed, Rumble, Fiora, Trundle, Zac, Akali

Marksman: Jinx, Miss Fortune, Ashe, Sivir

Support: Nami, Brand, Blitzcrank, Karma, Leona, Braum, Zilean, Taric

Tier 1 Rising: Akali (Top), Cassiopeia (Mid), Darius (Top), Karma (Support), Kog'Maw (AP), Lee Sin (Jungle), Maokai (Top/Jungle), Poppy (Top), Quinn (Top), Rammus (Jungle), Rengar (Jungle), Skarner (Jungle), Vayne (Marksman), Xerath (Mid), Yorick (Top), Zac (Top), Ziggs (Mid)
Tier 1 Falling: Blitzcrank (Support), Irelia (Top), Jinx (Marksman), Miss Fortune (Marksman), Sejuani (Jungle), Sion (Top), Vel'Koz (Mid), Yasuo (Top)

Tier 2

[Viable/Balanced Choices | Common In Solo Queue | Needs Practice To Get Good]

Mid-Lane: Karma, Fizz, Zed, Galio, Aurelion Sol, Akali, Zyra, Gangplank, Swain, Veigar, Diana, Cho'Gath, Lulu, Leblanc, Wukong, Quinn, Lissandra, Ryze, Taliyah, Talon, Varus, Kassadin, Ekko, Vladimir

Jungle: Gragas, Fiddlesticks, Warwick, Trundle, Dr. Mundo, Udyr, Rumble, Jax, Nidalee, Malzahar, Quinn, Evelynn, Shyvana, Master Yi, Diana, Kayle, Malphite, Sion, Fizz, Nautilus, Pantheon, Talon, Ekko, Mordekaiser

Top: Olaf, Gangplank, Jax, Ekko, Graves, Gnar, Rengar, Kled, Lissandra, Vladimir, Ryze, Vayne, Volibear, Mordekaiser, Garen, Cho'gath, Dr. Mundo, Urgot, Fizz, Gragas, Tahm Kench, Shen, Diana, Hecarim, Heimerdinger, Kassadin, Nidalee, Aurelion Sol

Marksman: Tristana, Lucian, Ezreal, Draven, Corki, Kog'Maw, Varus, Quinn, Graves

Support: Morgana, Thresh, Alistar, Sion, Vel'Koz, Ivern, Bard, Nautilus, Tahm Kench

Tier 2 Rising: Ivern (Support/Jungle), Karma (Support), Lee Sin (Jungle), Mordekaiser (Top), Ryze (Top), Taliyah (Mid), Varus (Mid), Vladimir (Mid/Top)
Tier 2 Falling: Dr. Mundo (Top), Fiddlesticks (Jungle), Gangplank (Top), Gnar (Top), Graves (Marksman), Jax (Top), Nidalee (Jungle), Olaf (Top), Poppy (Top), Sion (Support), Vel'Koz (Support)

Tier 3

[Needs Higher Skill or Knowledge Than Usual | Counterpicks]

Mid-Lane: Sona, Katarina, Heimerdinger, Pantheon, Urgot, Ezreal (AP), Azir, Nidalee, Teemo, Gragas, Jarvan IV, Ezreal (AD), Jhin, Mordekaiser, Riven, Fiddlesticks, Malphite, Kha'Zix

Jungle: Rek'Sai, Aurelion Sol, Poppy, Tryndamere, Kled, Aatrox, Kog'Maw, Irelia, Tahm Kench, Cho'Gath, Nasus, Gangplank, Taliyah, Fiora, Zed, Karthus, Leona, Riven, Darius, Shen

Top: Rammus, Galio, Cassiopeia, Lulu, Xin Zhao, Malzahar, Aatrox, Warwick, Udyr, Rek'Sai, Morgana, Zed, Blitzcrank, Karthus, Viktor, Karma, Lee Sin, Master Yi, Kha'Zix, Vi, Talon, Shyvana, Taliyah, Azir

Marksman: Urgot, Kalista, Kindred

Support: Trundle, Lulu, Miss Fortune, Annie, Poppy, Volibear, Malphite, Shaco, Shen, Xerath, Veigar, Lux, Gragas, Maokai, Kayle, Kennen, Taliyah, Fiddlesticks, Nunu

Tier 3 Rising: Ryze (Top)
Tier 3 Falling: Aatrox (Top), Annie (Support), Aurelion Sol (Jungle), Heimerdinger (Mid), Irelia (Jungle), Katarina (Mid), Kha'Zix (Mid), Lulu (Top/Support), Malzahar (Top), Pantheon (Mid), Rammus (Top), Trundle (Support), Xin Zhao (Top)

Tier 4

[Low Benefits for Effort Used]

Mid-Lane: Master Yi, Soraka, Leona, Elise, Tristana (AP), Evelynn, Tahm Kench, Janna

Jungle: Taric, Garen, Alistar, Yorick

Top: Alistar, Nunu, Leblanc, Elise, Taric, Braum, Soraka

Marksman: Kennen, Twisted Fate, Mordekaiser, Thresh

Support: Elise, Pantheon, Teemo, Ashe, Anivia, Nidalee, Lee Sin, Gangplank, Orianna, Galio, Syndra, Yorick, Lissandra, Leblanc

Tier 4 Rising:
Tier 4 Falling: Braum (Top), Elise (Mid/Top/Support), Kennen (Marksman), Leblanc (Top), Leona (Mid), Master Yi (Mid), Nunu (Top), Pantheon (Support), Taric (Top/Jungle), Teemo (Support), Twisted Fate (Marksman)

Instructions and Caveats:

• 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 judgment.
• 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.
• This tier list takes data from ALL players; however, since the majority of players fall in the first three tiers, the majority of data points will come from there.
• Win Rates are important in analyzing each champion's strength but are not the end-all criteria for any champion's position.
• The creator of this list is diamond, so there may be some personal bias towards higher tier play on certain champions.

Click Here for a description of the tiers

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.

Champion Explanations

Post-Patch Explanations:

• Hecarim [God Tier Jungle] - Courage of the Colossus changes the meta drastically, allowing tanks to freely dive back lines with ease. One of the strongest backline divers at a single item (Trinity Force), Hecarim is more powerful than ever before.
• Jayce [God Tier Mid] - After the lethality changes on armor penetration, some people were concerned that champions like Jayce would find some difficulty acclimating. However, by starting off with a Maw, Jayce is able to duel down mid-laners with ease, snowballing to victory.
• Katarina [Tier 3 Mid] - The new Katarina is a bit more complicated than the old one, resulting in some unclear power around how to use her kit that ends up as a handicap for the Katarina player. 
• Kog'Maw (AP) [Tier 1 Mid] - Kog'Maw continues to do surprisingly well in the current meta, dealing the second most damage per game compared to other mid-lane champions. His damage has always been good, but by building Rylai he ends up with a long range engage, similar to Jhin ulting.
• Nautilus [God Tier Top] - In the same line as Hecarim, this beefy crowd-control machine is doing extremely well as a top laner as a result of the new masteries. By stacking the mastery with his shield, it becomes essentially impossible to out-trade him.
• Rammus [Tier 1 Jungle] - Rammus has always been an excellent ganker. However, the new masteries allow him to tower dive even easier than before.
• Vayne [God Tier Marksman] - Even before this latest patch, Vayne was starting to draw a lot of attention for her Statikk Shiv + Infinity Edge build. Now that the tank meta is drawing into place, she is now stronger than ever before because of her percentage based true damage.
• Yasuo [Tier 1 Top] - Yasuo players excel in cheesing early game kills against unsuspecting melee at levels 1 and 2. However, with tanks as dominant as they are, he has difficulty out-trading them during that crucial early stage of the game.

Pre-Patch Explanations:

• Gnar [Tier 2 Top] - Gnar is a premiere competitive play pick. However, he does not do well in solo queue. Most of his influence lies in the small window of opportunity when he transforms into Mega Gnar, but because of the solo queue mentality, it is difficult to always have your teammates follow up. Additionaly, players often pick non-teamfight oriented champions, resulting in lacklust performance from Gnar.
• Ivern [Tier 2 Jungle/Support] - After the latest changes to Ivern in Patch 6.22 coupled with a better understand of his kit amongst players, I think that he is actually in a decent spot right now. He's by no means broken, but with good synergy his Rootcaller (Q) may actually need a distance nerf in the future (similar to what happened with Lee Sin's (Q)).
• Talon [Tier 2 Jungle] - From the looks of things, Talon may end up as a decent jungler as a result of his new wall jump mechanic. You should expect to see a lot more of him after the rework in a variety of new positions. 
• Wukong [God Tier Top/Tier 2 Mid] - The latest changes to the new lethality mechanic on Duskblade of Draktharr combined with invisibility gives him a MASSIVE amount of damage via his combo, This means that it is more difficult than ever before to out-trade him during the mid-game, his strongest point. As a mid-laner, he's always been very underrated. However, after the latest assassin changes he will be quite good, even if the general population doesn't realize it right away.
• [Additional explanations to come between November 9th ~ 12th]

Credits:

• For more details on PBE changes, check out Surrender at 20's listing!

Disclaimer:

• The purpose of this list is for discussion and to provide a starting point for champion selection.

Agree? Disagree? Comment below!

If you're looking for a more meta based tier list based on popularity, be sure to check out the FOTM list as well!

For a list of champions with the highest *potential* in the game without regard to difficulty or team synergies, check out the list of strongest potential champions in each position!

Be sure to check out our new Optimal Champion Bans by Division Listing!