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Ranked can be frustrating for many League of Legends players. Dealing with uncooperative teammates, skill level disparities, and smurfs can make you feel like you’re going backward. However, there are certain champions that, when mastered, can help you beat the system and climb to the next level.
Here are five champions—one for each role—that can help you climb the ranks. Although they may not be easy to learn, they are the type of champions that have probably dominated you in a game, making you wonder why they’re so good. Once you become proficient with these champions, you’ll find it easier to learn the mechanics of the lane or jungle and improve as a player, setting yourself up for success in climbing the ladder.
Top lane – Tahm Kench
Pros
- Strong early game one-vs-one fighter
- High base damage
- Easy to play
Cons
- Middling mid-game damage
- Lacks waveclear
- Can be easily kited
Tahm Kench is currently terrorizing the top lane. Despite the lack of traditional tools found in meta top laners—like good waveclear, ranged abilities, or scaling damage—Tahm Kench manages to be quite effective with what he does offer. He excels at taking down most top lane opponents early on, thanks to his high base damage, while also surviving their poke without much trouble. Furthermore, he is relatively easy to pick up and master. However, be prepared for possible nerfs if he continues to dominate the Rift.
Item build
For Tahm Kench, utilizing the Resolve tree is crucial. It provides additional tankiness through health regeneration from Second Wind and shield power from Revitalize. Additionally, taking the Grasp of the Undying keystone is highly recommended, as it allows you to stack up your health pool regularly while dealing a decent amount of damage. Demolish is the optimal rune choice for Tahm Kench, as his kit is not particularly strong when it comes to taking down towers.
For the secondary tree, Inspiration is a good choice. Minion Dematerializer is useful for dealing with cannons when you’re being zoned out, while Approach Velocity synergizes well with the slow from your Q ability.
Ability priority
Tahm Kench’s skill priority is as follows: R > Q > W > E. Your Q ability is essential for farming and fighting opponents. It has good scaling and can be troublesome for enemies if you manage to catch them in it. You can easily follow up with additional Qs to slow or stun them, potentially securing a kill. Maxing your W ability second enhances your mobility, while the E ability should be maxed last due to its limited utility.
Game plan
Focus on farming up early on, as Tahm Kench scales well with items. If your opponent comes within melee range to kill minions, try to land a Q and follow up with auto attacks or additional Qs to stun them and win favorable trades. Your goal is to build tanky items and become an unkillable force in teamfights, while also causing havoc for the enemy backline. As a top laner, always be on the lookout for teleport plays behind the enemy. A well-executed flank can easily turn the tide of a game and catch the opposing carries off guard without their teammates to protect them.
Jungle – Karthus
Pros
- Global ultimate
- Can make an impact even after death
- Provides magic damage in AD compositions
Cons
- Requires time to scale
- Struggles to contest early objectives
Karthus is one of the best ability power junglers for complementing an AD composition. This is mainly due to the utility of his kit, his slow, and his global ultimate. Karthus excels at farming the jungle, as his Q ability has minimal cooldown, allowing for swift clear times. However, he is quite mana hungry and struggles with early ganks.
Given recent nerfs to other popular AP champions, Karthus has regained his prominence and has become a sought-after pick in high elo. His ability to turn fights around with his ultimate makes him a valuable asset to any team.
Item build
Choosing the Domination tree is crucial for Karthus. This grants additional damage through Dark Harvest, Cheap Shot, and Eyeball Collection, which synergize well with Karthus’ ultimate. The Precision secondary tree is ideal for Karthus, as Coup de Grace increases your ultimate’s damage against low-health targets, and Presence of Mind enhances your mana regeneration, allowing you to use your E ability more frequently.
Ability priority
Karthus’ ability priority is as follows: R > Q > W > E. Your Q ability is your primary source of damage in both the jungle and teamfights. It’s important to aim it well to maximize your damage output on a single target and zone out the important carries in teamfights. Maxing your W ability second is recommended, as it increases its width with each level. While the damage from your E ability is decent, the utility of the slow it provides is much more valuable, aiding your mobility and making it easier to engage or disengage.
Game plan
Karthus is a power farmer who needs to reach level six as quickly as possible to have an impact on the game. While his early game isn’t the strongest, he requires items and levels to scale. Avoid contesting objectives before reaching level six, as you’ll likely end up dead and behind, giving the enemy team an advantage.
Once you hit level six, keep a close eye on the map and look for opportunities to finish off low-health enemies. However, be mindful not to use your ultimate recklessly, as it has a high cooldown in the early game. Reserve it for guaranteed kills. Focus on farming throughout the game and avoid putting too much emphasis on ganking, as it can be easily anticipated. Instead, prioritize farming, acquiring items, and using your ultimate whenever it’s available to secure kills.
Mid lane – Katarina
Pros
- Powerful burst damage
- Capable of single-handedly taking over games
- Rewarding to master
- Build flexibility
Cons
- Relies on a roaming playstyle
- Squishy
Katarina is one of the most potent mid laners after receiving multiple buffs in recent patches. She is increasingly becoming a threat in solo queue due to her flexible build, which allows her to counter various champions with ease. When left unchecked, she can snowball and dominate games with her roaming playstyle. Her dash ability allows her to traverse terrain effortlessly and approach opponents from unexpected angles, providing plenty of opportunities for ganks.
Item build
Katarina has two core rune builds: Domination primary with Precision secondary, or vice versa. The key decision lies in whether you need the burst damage from Electrocute or the sustain from Conqueror.
Electrocute provides more early-game damage through Sudden Impact and Eyeball Collection, while also offering additional sustain with Ravenous Hunter. In the Precision secondary tree, Triumph helps you escape after low-health engagements, while Coup de Grace provides extra damage to secure kills against your opponents.
Ability priority
Katarina’s skill priority is as follows: R > Q > E > W. Maxing your Q ability first is essential, as it reduces its cooldown with each rank, making it your primary source of damage. The Q ability also places a dagger on the ground, which you can jump to with your E ability. Since mobility is crucial for Katarina, maxing your E ability alongside your Q allows you to jump around frequently and become a significant nuisance for the opposing team. Your W ability should be maxed last, as the utility and power of your Q and E abilities are much higher.
Game plan
Katarina is one of the strongest mid lane assassins and excels at taking over games with a few early-game kills. Your low cooldowns and high base damage provide ample opportunities to snowball. Embrace an aggressive playstyle and actively look for proactive plays during the laning phase.
A passive playstyle will not lead to long-term success and allows the enemy team to outscale and shut you down. Maintain an aggressive approach and strive to win your lane. Once you have a lane advantage, you can freely roam the map, either eliminating the opposing jungler or assisting your side lanes.
ADC – Ziggs
Pros
- Strong kit
- Easy to play
- Affordable power spike
Cons
- Requires your team to choose an AD carry in other roles
Ziggs is one of the most formidable bottom laners in the current meta. With his high base damage, he experiences cheap power spikes. His long-range abilities allow you to play the champion with ease by keeping opponents at bay through spell spamming. He’s challenging to counter due to his disengagement tool, which can knock opponents back. Only a skilled jungler can truly set Ziggs back.
Item build
There are various build paths for Ziggs, but the most effective one revolves around utilizing the Sorcery primary tree, combined with either Domination or Inspiration. Inspiration is recommended for Biscuit Delivery and Magical Footwear, two potent runes that provide increased sustain and movement speed. If you secure a few early kills, you’ll obtain Boots of Speed quickly, enabling you to dodge opponent ganks with ease.
Ability priority
Ziggs’ skill priority is as follows: R > Q > E > W. Your Q ability is your fundamental tool for poking and farming minions. Maxing your E ability second provides increased damage and a slow effect on your mines. Maxing your W ability last is recommended since its utility is inferior to that of your Q and E abilities. Having a lower cooldown on your W won’t matter much if you die due to your squishiness before it becomes available again.
Game plan
Ziggs is one of the most popular bottom laners in the current meta. With his ability to farm easily using his Q ability and passive, and his challenging-to-punish range, you can build a significant lane advantage. Even if enemies attempt to engage on you, you can utilize your W ability to jump away, simultaneously knocking opponents away.
As the game progresses and you acquire your core items, such as Liandry’s Anguish and Demonic Embrace, your power will significantly increase. It’s at this point that you should group with your team and force teamfights or secure objectives. Maintain a safe distance from opponents and avoid getting too close to avoid being burst down.
Support – Sona
Pros
- Ranged
- Easy to play
- Game-changing ultimate
Cons
- Squishy
- Potential to run out of mana quickly
Sona has become a highly sought-after support pick in the current meta, following her recent mini-rework by Riot Games. Previously considered weak, she has now become significantly more powerful, resulting in a high presence rate and strong win rate in solo queue. Sona’s strength makes her a mainstay, although skilled opponents can punish her with their engage-heavy champions.
Item build
For Sona, the Sorcery primary tree is essential. It provides increased poke potential through Summon Aery and Scorch, additional mana through Manaflow Band, and ability haste through Transcendence. These runes are vital for a champion like Sona, whose objective is to spam her abilities on cooldown.
With the Precision secondary tree, you gain access to Presence of Mind for increased mana regeneration and Cut Down, which provides additional damage against champions with more health than you.
Ability priority
Sona’s skill priority is as follows: R > Q > W > E. Your Q ability is your primary tool for poking during the laning phase. Maxing your W ability second enhances your healing, while your E ability should be maxed last due to its lower utility compared to your Q and W abilities.
Game plan
Sona is a powerful enchanter in the bottom lane who can easily poke out opponents during the laning phase. However, she possesses a significant downside: her squishiness, making her an inviting target for the enemy bottom lane. To overcome this, maintain a safe distance, and consistently spam your abilities on cooldown to establish a dominating lead in the lane.
As the game progresses and you acquire core items, you should have a decent lead. However, always be cautious of opponents’ engage attempts. Continue to maintain an aggressive playstyle, look for advantageous opportunities, and utilize your ultimate to turn the tide of fights in your favor.
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