Mid lane in League of Legends is one of the easiest roles to carry in. You have easy access to any part of the map and can deal a lot of damage. Great mid laners can effectively roam into other lanes while keeping pressure on their own lane opponent. Here are our top mid laners for League’s Patch 13.22.
Orianna:
Pros:
– Buffed in past patches
– Great teamfight carry potential with ultimate
– Fares well in most matchups
Cons:
– Relatively immobile
– Not the easiest champion to pick up
Orianna has been a sleeper OP champion for the past few patches, having received a streak of buffs from the devs. Now that people have finally caught up on her potential, her play rate is steadily above the average five percent, increasing at the higher ends of the ranked ladder, according to U.GG. If you’re looking for a solid champion to play consistently, Orianna is definitely a pick you should consider.
For Orianna’s item build, Luden’s Echo is her main Mythic item, followed by Archangel’s Staff and Shadowflame. Stack ability power and mana with items like Zhonya’s Hourglass, Rabadon’s Deathcap, and Void Staff to further increase her damage output.
Ability priority for Orianna is R>Q>W>E. Max Command: Attack (Q) first, followed by Command: Dissonance (W) and Command: Protect (E). Always level up Command: Shockwave (R) when possible.
Game plan for Orianna is to scale up while neutralizing the enemy’s aggression early on. Stay in the backline during teamfights and look for opportunities to follow up with combos and burst down targets. Move the ball constantly to make it harder for enemies to position around it.
Sylas:
Pros:
– Works well against most meta champions
– Can steal ultimates
– One of the best mid lane carries
Cons:
– Tough to master
– Struggles against particular matchups
Sylas is rising in popularity due to the meta favoring short-range mages. Not only does he fare well during the laning phase with his gap closers, but he can also hijack powerful ultimates and use them to his own advantage. According to U.GG, Sylas has a pick rate of nearly 10 percent at the highest Elos, with a win rate above 52 percent.
For Sylas’ item build, his main Mythic item is Everfrost. Build Ionian Boots of Lucidity for increased ability haste. Items like Zhonya’s Hourglass, Rabadon’s Deathcap, and Shadowflame can further increase his damage output.
Ability priority for Sylas is R>W>E>Q. Start with Abscond/Abduct (E) for potential level one invades and higher damage in early trades. Max in the correct order after that.
Game plan for Sylas depends on the matchup and the role he needs to fulfill in the game. Generally, he can win matchups where he can easily close the gap and fight the enemy, but if not, focus on farming and look for opportunities to roam and help your team.
Syndra:
Pros:
– Counters several meta champions
– Scales well in the late game
– Overall solid pick at all stages of the game
– Incredible burst damage
Cons:
– Mechanically tough to master
– Reliant on landing abilities
– Doesn’t scale as well as other mages
Syndra is a control mage who excels in front-to-back team fights. She has positive win rates across most ranks, with a win rate above 51 percent at the top ranks of the ladder. Syndra’s item build includes Luden’s Echo, Sorcerer’s Shoes, and Shadowflame. Get Rabadon’s Deathcap and Voidstaff for maximum damage output.
Ability priority for Syndra is R>Q>W>E. Command: Attack (Q) is her main source of damage, followed by Force of Will (W) and Scatter the Weak (E).
Game plan for Syndra is to play safely during the laning phase and focus on hitting your spheres to stack your passive. Use your range advantage to poke enemies and find picks with your stun from Scatter the Weak.
Naafiri:
Pros:
– Great all-in potential
– Spikes heavily in the mid-game
– Perfect to carry in solo queue
Cons:
– Lacks crowd controls
– Weak early game
– Squishy
Naafiri has been dominating solo queue games lately, even after the recent nerfs. If you’re looking for a good AD mid laner, she’s the one to go for now.
For Naafiri’s item build, build Eclipse as the main Mythic item, followed by Black Cleaver and Serylda’s Grudge. Finish off the build with defensive items like Edge of Night, Guardian Angel, and Maw of Malmortius.
Ability priority for Naafiri is R>Q>E>W. Start with Eye of Destruction (Q) for more damage and health advantage in the laning phase. Max abilities in the correct order.
Game plan for Naafiri is to wait for the right item completions and abuse her power spike as much as possible. If you have a lead, roam around the map and help your side lanes snowball.
Kassadin:
Pros:
– Impressive scaling, super strong after level 16
– Many building options
– Great in split-pushing and teamfights
Cons:
– Weak early game and can be shut down easily
– Tough to play against some champions
Kassadin’s main goal is to reach level 16 while staying relevant in the early game. Focus on farming and scaling up. Build Rod of Ages as the Mythic item, followed by Tear of the Goddess and Archangel’s Staff. Get Zhonya’s Hourglass and Rabadon’s Deathcap for maximum damage output.
Ability priority for Kassadin is R>E>W>Q. Max Force Pulse (E) second for additional AoE damage.
Game plan for Kassadin is to play safe during the early game and focus on scaling. Use your ultimate to engage and burst down enemies in teamfights. Avoid falling behind early and look for flanks to surprise your foes.
Xerath:
Pros:
– Longest-range mage in the meta
– Incredible scaling with First Strike
– AoE damage across his whole kit
Cons:
– Highly immobile
– Struggles against particular matchups
Xerath is back to dominate the ranked ladder with his arcane power. He boasts a positive win rate and has a higher ban rate compared to previous patches.
For Xerath’s item build, run Luden’s Echo as the main Mythic item, followed by Dark Seal and Mejai’s Soulstealer. Build items like Shadowflame and Rabadon’s Deathcap for maximum damage output.
Ability priority for Xerath is R>Q>W>E. Start with Eye of Destruction (W) for more damage and ease of hitting. Max abilities in the correct order.
Game plan for Xerath is to use your range advantage to bully out the enemy laner and farm gold. Pressure enemies with poke damage before teamfights. Position yourself properly to avoid getting caught and maximize damage output with your ultimate.
These are our top mid laners for League’s Patch 13.22: Orianna, Sylas, Syndra, Naafiri, Kassadin, and Xerath.
League of Legends, mid lane champions, Patch 13.22, Orianna, Sylas, Syndra, Naafiri, Kassadin, Xerath, champion guide, item builds, ability priority, game plan.