League of Legends changed a lot in 2026. Role quests, level 20, 7 items, overgrowth on turrets; the pool of strong champions isn’t the same as it was in 2025. So if you’re looking for the best champions to carry your ranked LoL games with, search no further! Here’s our League of Legends tier list for patch 26.05.
| Tier | Champions |
|---|---|
| S | Kayle, Zaahen, Ornn, Shen, Ambessa, Cho’Gath |
| A | Garen, Camille, Gwen, Malphite, Nasus, Renekton, Dr. Mundo, Olaf, Kled, Varus, Poppy, Urgot |
| B | Rumble, Jax, Fiora, Gangplank, Jayce, Teemo, Riven, Sion, Sett, Mordekaiser, Singed, Kennen, Vayne, Darius, Gnar, Aatrox, Yone, Irelia, Illaoi |
| C | Yorick, Volibear, K’Sante, Yasuo, Tryndamere, Gragas, Tahm Kench, Akali |
Kayle and Gwen rose through the League of Legends champion tier list with the release of Dusk and Dawn. Both of them rely on the same strengths: they’re hyper-scaling basic attackers who work with AP. On patch 26.04, Riot nerfed them both. While this was enough to tone Gwen down, Kayle remains one of the best top lane picks on 26.05.
Dusk and Dawn allows Kayle to turn DPS into burst, becoming menaces for tanks and carries alike.
Ornn is always a solid pick for solo queue, and he’s currently among the best. The Forge God has great level 6 damage to surprise an unsuspecting opponent, and he’s a solid front line that allows each of his teammates to scale more than they otherwise would. To top it off, he has very few counters – Ornn is a great safe pick to have in your back pocket.
| Tier | Champions |
|---|---|
| S | Evelynn, Fiddlesticks, Rek’Sai, Dr. Mundo, Zaahen, Xin Zhao, Nocturne |
| A | Shaco, Master Yi, Briar, Nunu, Naafiri, Kindred, Graves, Jarvan IV, Zac, Shen |
| B | Talon, Volibear, Lillia, Vi, Diana, Elise, Wukong, Kha’Zix, Hecarim, Viego, Amumu, Jax, Kayn |
| C | Lee Sin, Rengar, Ekko, Nidalee, Ambessa, Qiyana, Sylas, Gwen, Zed, Brand, Darius, Jayce, Fizz |
Dr. Mundo is a juggernaut disguised as a tank. This champion is extremely durable while still packing a punch. Mundo wants to spend as much time as possible farming his jungle, and he lacks the tools for great ganks. However, as time passes, he becomes an impassable wall in skirmishes and teamfights. Dr. Mundo is a great pick for solo queue as well as for first timing at Worlds Quarterfinals!
Dr. Mundo’s stonks are rising in the LoL Tier List. Image Source: Riot Games
After spending years hesitating between being an assassin and a tank, Rek’Sai has returned to her initial calling of being a bruiser. This champion has a decent clear that then becomes faster as she repeats it, her tunnels allowing her to move around the map with ease.
Rek’Sai takes mastery to optimally handle her trades, knowing when to step in and out of fights to best navigate her fury and cooldowns. However, the reward is a champion that combines target access, crowd control, damage, and tools to escape.
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| Tier | Champions |
|---|---|
| S | Ahri, Vex, Xerath, Aurelion Sol, Diana, Zoe |
| A | Qiyana, Malzahar, Anivia, Naafiri, Veigar, Lux, Twisted Fate, Talon, Fizz, Annie |
| B | Zoe, Viktor, Zed, Katarina, Akshan, Syndra, Sylas, Veigar, Mel, Taliyah, Galio, Irelia, Hwei, Akali, Yasuo, Vladimir |
| C | Kassadin, Orianna, Azir, Ryze, Leblanc, Lissandra, Vladimir, Aurora, Ekko, Yone |
Ahri is a very versatile champion. The nine-tailed fox has an obvious assassination pattern: ult and charm, burst, ult away. Ahri has the burst and the mobility to find and kill a target, so long as she hits her E.
However, she’s capable of much more. Ahri has good damage that she can dish out from range. With her charm and mobility, she’s also safe from fighters trying to reach her.
Ahri can sit in the mid lane and clear waves, split push in a side, or hide and ambush her prey. The fox’s downside, though, is that she pays for that versatility by having a lower damage output. Ahri can create a lead and snowball it, but she’ll get outclassed if she makes mistakes and falls behind.
Whereas Ahri wants to dive and get out, Xerath is content staying one screen away from his foes – and hitting them from there. The Archmage has the strongest artillery in the game. Xerath’s combos end up being able to take down a full health carry, and if he misses a Q, he can try again three seconds later.
Xerath is a safe pick, who doesn’t have to wonder whether he should go in or not. The answer is always no, he doesn’t need to.
Lightning never strikes twice, because the enemies will be dead after the first hit.
League of Legends tier list: Xerath, the Magus Ascendent. Image Source: Riot Games
| Tier | Champions |
|---|---|
| S | Jinx, Nilah, Xayah, Smolder, Kog’Maw |
| A | Sivir, Swain, Ashe, Veigar, Miss Fortune, Twitch, Draven, Tristana, Ziggs, Samira |
| B | Vayne, Lucian, Jhin, Caitlyn |
| C | Aphelios, Ezreal, Varus, Zeri, Kai’Sa, Yunara, Corki |
The LoL Season 2026 changes empowered the late game of marksmen, particularly the ones building crit. Jinx just so happens to be the crit-based champion by excellence. This champion has a fairly weak laning phase, without agency or ability to get a lead without enemy mistakes.
Jinx doesn’t need a lead, though. The Loose Cannon will find ways to get ahead. If she’s left alone bot or mid lane, the turret is gone and that’s all the plate money for her. If she’s teamfighting for objectives, one kill and she starts taking over.
Jinx’s weakness is how fragile she is, but she wins the game more easily than she gets shut down.
Nilah is an unpopular champion due to being a melee bot laner. To make up for her range disadvantage, though, she was awarded a lot of everything else. Burst, DPS, healing, and a guaranteed experience lead, Nilah is an undervalued excellent marksman.
Importantly, while everyone levels Q first on her, it’s best to max her E for the drastically reduced cooldown.
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| Tier | Champions |
|---|---|
| S | Thresh, Sona, Braum, Rakan, Leona, Seraphine, Maokai |
| A | Milio, Bard, Janna, Zyra, Nami, Karma, Soraka, Brand, Taric |
| B | Neeko, Vel’Koz, Morgana, Zilean, Pyke, Lulu, Senna, Blitzcrank, Lux |
| C | Alistar, Nautilus, Swain, Rell, Yuumi, Pantheon |
Sona is a champion who does very little in lane, and for a long time after. The Maven of the Strings does little at the expense of a lot of mana. However, she quickly scales into the most impactful enchanter.
Sona’s basic abilities are less visible than that of a Soraka or Janna. On the other hand, she can spam them and they quietly add up. Sona is hands down the best scaling enchanter, making her entire team stronger just by existing. On top of the rest, while her basic abilities don’t look like much, her ultimate is a game-changing playmaker.
Sona can be punished by people exploiting her lack of agency. The good news is that only the best LoL players know how to do it.
Sona, one of the best supports in the League of Legends tier list. Image Source: Riot Games
Braum protects his marksman, stuns the opponents, and has good damage in lane. This champion provides very little risk, makes life easy for his partner, and can even make plays. While he’s been nerfed two patches in a row, he remains as much of a trustworthy pick.
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Braum has both a low skill floor and a high skill ceiling, while being a great champion overall. One underappreciated advantage of the pick: people like playing with a Braum, and expect a Braum player to be nice. While it may sound dumb, passively boosting the morale of the team does increase the odds of winning.
Featured Image Source: Riot Games
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