Solo Queue Tier List Archive: Patch 6.23 (November 28, 2016)

After the massive changes from Patch 6.22 soaked in, it's apparent that the meta shifts are allowing some old favorites to jump back into the fray. The major changes in this list lie in the Jungle and Top lane, where Courage of the Colossus and the jungle changes created a massive power flux.

Meanwhile, mid-lane is starting to see some bubbling in the Tier 1 arena, but the marksman and support dominance remains stable as far as solo queue is concerned. Check out the full list below!

SEASON 7 PRESEASON - PATCH 6.23
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

After the massive changes from Patch 6.22 soaked in, it's apparent that the meta shifts are allowing some old favorites to jump back into the fray. The major changes in this list lie in the Jungle and Top lane, where Courage of the Colossus and the jungle changes created a massive power flux.

Meanwhile, mid-lane is starting to see some bubbling in the Tier 1 arena, but the marksman and support dominance remains stable as far as solo queue is concerned. Check out the full list 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 6.23 Summary

Buffs: Akali, Shyvana, Katarina, Shen
Nerfs: Anivia, Orianna
Tweaks: Malzahar
Item Buffs: Guinsoo's Rageblade, Sterak's Gage, Lord Van Damm's Pillager

Updates

• Added explanation on Ivern Jungle
• Updated ban list for Patch 6.23
• 12/3: Added Shaco top

Toolkit and Options

Click to toggle champion movement history

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The Tier List

God Tier List

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

Mid Lane	Ahri, Annie, Malzahar
Jungle	Ivern, Shyvana, Vi, Shaco, Hecarim
Top Lane	Poppy, Nautilus, Malphite, Jayce, Kennen
Marksman	Vayne, Twitch, Jhin, Caitlyn
Support	Janna, Blitzcrank, Brand, Soraka

God Tier Rising: Blitzcrank (Support), Brand (Support), Ivern (Jungle), Malzahar (Mid), Poppy (Top), Shaco (Jungle), Shyvana (Jungle), Vi (Jungle),
God Tier Falling: Caitlyn (Marksman), Kennen (Top)

Tier 1

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

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

Jungle: Rammus, Skarner, Nocturne, Jarvan IV, Zac, Lee Sin, Rengar, Amumu, Graves, Kha'Zix, Wukong, Xin Zhao, Volibear, Olaf, Evelynn, Elise

Top: Darius, Yasuo, Wukong, Kayle, Jarvan IV, Renekton, Shaco, Irelia, Riven, Sion, Illaoi, Maokai, Quinn, Swain, Nasus, Yorick, Pantheon, Singed, Rumble, Fiora, Zac

Marksman: Jinx, Miss Fortune, Sivir, Ezreal

Support: Zyra, Sona, Nami, Karma, Leona, Zilean, Thresh, Taric

Tier 1 Rising: Darius (Top), Evelynn (Jungle), Ezreal (Marksman), Leblanc (Mid), Lee Sin (Jungle), Nocturne (Jungle), Renekton (Top), Syndra (Mid), Viktor (Mid), Yasuo (Top)
Tier 1 Falling: Jayce (Mid), Kennen (Mid), Morgana (Mid), Sona (Support), Thresh (Support), Wukong (Top), Yasuo (Mid), Zac (Jungle), Zyra (Support)

Tier 2

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

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

Jungle: Sejuani, Nunu, Kindred, Maokai, Gragas, Poppy, Warwick, Trundle, Dr. Mundo, Udyr, Rumble, Jax, Twitch, Malzahar, Quinn, Master Yi, Diana, Kayle, Malphite, Sion, Fizz, Nautilus, Pantheon, Ekko, Mordekaiser

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

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

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

Tier 2 Rising: Kled (Top), Poppy (Jungle), Rammus (Top)
Tier 2 Falling: Akali (Top), Anivia (Mid), Ashe (Marksman), Braum (Support), Kindred (Jungle), Maokai (Jungle), Nunu (Jungle), Sejuani (Jungle), Teemo (Top), Trundle (Top), Tryndamere (Top)

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

Top: Galio, Cassiopeia, Lulu, Xin Zhao, Malzahar, Nidalee, 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:
Tier 3 Falling: Fiddlesticks (Jungle), Nidalee (Jungle/Top), Talon (Jungle)

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: 

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

• Anivia [Tier 2 Mid] - After changing Anivia's Frostbite mechanic, she is no longer the unstoppable burst damage carry she used to be. As a result, she is now considerably weaker than before with more counterplay. Although Anivia is still a viable champion, she is no longer the powerhouse she was prior to Patch 6.23.
• Brand [God Tier Support] - In a world full of colossus-wielding tank champions, Brand works wonders as a result of his passive percentage damage. 
• Caitlyn [God Tier Marksman] - Caitlyn is certainly still very strong as a lane bully, but bot lane is turning into more of a duel-fest with champions like Vayne and Twitch controlling the scene. As a result, she is losing strength compared to true hypercarries. She still has an excellent laning phase, but needs to be abused for maximum effect.
• Fiddlesticks [Tier 3 Jungle] - The new jungle is an absolute nightmare for Fiddlesticks. The new golem and raptor camps completely delete the speed of his clear via Dark Wind, and he is continuously getting counter-jungled by everyone, including tanks.
• Ivern [God Tier Jungle] - Be sure to check out the FOTM Report for more extensive details, but in a nutshell jungle Ivern is incredibly strong right now after the Patch 6.22 changes and players now understand his kit better. The new jungle also does not slow down his clear speed at all, meaning that while it's more difficult for some junglers, it's exactly the same for him. 
• Janna [God Tier Support] - Janna was always an extremely powerful pick as a result of her simultaneous offense/defense abilities. However, after the release of Redemption in 6.22, her overall power is even higher than before. The new Locket of the Iron Solari also synergizes incredibly well with her kit, and gives her even more powerful death-defying tools at her disposal.
• Kog'Maw (AP) [Tier 1 Mid] - Kog'Maw mid is still very underplayed, and I'm not sure why. he does the second highest amount of average damage per game just behind Karthus, and is incredibly easy to snipe with from a distance. His waveclear is also incredibly good, making it very difficult to get anywhere near him without diving his turret.
• Lee Sin [Tier 1 Jungle] - Lee Sin is absolutely loving the new jungle right now. As a result of everyone's slower jungle clears, Lee Sin is comparably much stronger during the early to mid game, allowing him to snowball very hard. Additionally, the jungle paths and XP changes give him a great deal of flexibility in terms of where he wants to gank, and can now easily rush his level three gank bot or top with near equal effectiveness.
• Malzahar [God Tier Mid] - Similar to Brand, in a world of tanks Malzahar works extremely well as a result of his percentage-based damage. His latest buffs also give him more kill power in lane than before, especially since enemy players tend to ignore the insane amount of damage his voidlings can put out.
• Nunu [Tier 2 Jungle] - Unfortunately for Nunu, his jungle dominance was short-lived. Without the ability to take advantage of the Colossus keystone and an explosion of units at Golems and Raptors, his comparative power dropped drastically.
• Rammus [Tier 1 Jungle] - If there's one jungler was recieved nothing but benefits from the new jungle, it's probably Rammus. The courage of the Colossus works on two of his core the moment he engages, and the increased jungle camp sizes are no problem since his jungle relies on his AOE defensive curl anyway.
• Shaco [God Tier Jungle] - Shaco jungle players are still having trouble giving up the old AD Shaco ways. However, AP and Hybrid Shaco are absolutely terrifying to play against right now, and can easily scale into late game burst mages.
• Shyvana [God Tier Jungle] - Shyvana is a jungler that is purely numbers reliant. If she can deal enough damage before enemies can get away, she's incredibly good. If she can't, then she gets kited and killed. Right now, she's more of the first category, and the latest buffs from Riot allow her to dominate the Dragon objective.

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!