League of Legends Patch 14.18 is here and it brings so many changes to the game. You might be wondering what's the best champion pick for LoL Ranked. The new patch shakes up the meta and brings a lot of buffs and nerfs to champs. In this article, we are taking a look at the best Mid Lane champions in LoL so you can start climbing up the ranked ladder.
We will give several examples of champions per tier, so you can decide for yourself which pick fits your play style and which midlaner will give you the best chances of carrying your team to victory.
Given how much the meta can shake things up, you should pay attention to each patch as your favorite champion might be hit with the nerf hammer, as Riot unleashes a new broken champion in the mid-lane.
Table of Contents
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Tier List Explanation
This tier list will examine some of the most-played League of Legends mid-lane champions.
- S-Tier: The best champions you can use to ensure you are always victorious.
- A-Tier: Great options but lacking just slightly either in terms of damage or utility.
- B-Tier: Viable and reliable in most situations, you can manage rather decently.
- C-Tier: Although they can be somewhat decent, you are better off with other picks.
- D-Tier: You should avoid playing these champions as much as possible.
NOTE: Although this tier list strives to be as objective as possible in terms of viability, you should not limit yourself to strictly adhere to this list, but rather experiment and see which champion feels fun to play with.
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S-Tier Mid Lane Champions
Orianna
It's been a while since we've seen Orianna perform THIS well on the Summoner's Rift. It's all thanks to the Stromsurge changes, introduced in LoL patch 14.18.
PROS:
- Good utility
- Easy wave clear
- Amazing zoning
CONS:
- Squishy
- No escape
Syndra
Syndra is doing even better compared to the last LoL patch. The Stormsurge changes feel amazing on her.
PROS:
- Great in team fights
- Lane bully
CONS:
- Squishy
- No mobility
- Relies on skill-shots
Akali
Similar to Syndra, Stormsurge gives Akali an incredible boost. Paired up with her high mobility, burst damage, and strong outplay potential, you'll be on a winning streak in no time.
PROS:
- Mobile
- Insane burst
CONS:
- Squishy
- Difficult to master
Ahri
Ahri's Charm got buffed in the latest League of Legends patch which is great for her as this is the bread and butter of her kit.
PROS:
- Great wave clear
- Amazing mobility
CONS:
- Squishy
- Uses a lot of mana and she's heavily reliant on it
Lux
Luden's Companion might have less haste, which isn't good news for Lux, but it's ability power has been buffed. In simple worlds - Lux is still doing amazing.
PROS:
- Great burst damage
- Easy to play
- Short cooldowns late and mid-game
CONS:
- Squishy
- Skillshot-reliant
Sylas
Sylas is still one of the most OP champions in the current League of Legends meta.
PROS:
- Versatile
- Duelist
CONS:
- Short range
Galio
Galio is the tanky midlaner who will give you the win streak you need.
PROS:
- Great AoE
- Crowd control
- Tanky
CONS:
- Long cooldowns
- Outpoked
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Vex
This hyper-mobile assassin is as strong as ever. She will turn into the nightmare of any enemy! With good snowball and carry potential, Vex can definitely help your win rate.
PROS:
- Insane burst
- Great wave clear
CONS:
- Squishy
- Mana hungry
Veigar
Veigar is still in the S-tier, thanks to his burst damage and strong scaling. His passive boosts his ability power every time he hits enemies with his abilities or basic attacks, which makes him even more OP.
PROS:
- Limitless AP gain
- CC
- Insane burst and damage
CONS:
- Squishy
- Mana hungry
- Easily-avoidable CC
Yasuo
Yasuo is still in the S-tier. As we said before, he's an insanely OP champion but you need to know how to play him without feeding.
PROS:
- Huge carry potential in low elo
- Annoying lane bully
- Dominates team fights
CONS:
- High ban and pick rate
- Low elo players don't play him well (huge feed potential)
Yone
If you've been following our Midlaner tier lists, you would know that Yone and Yasuo always chart together. He's quite powerful in the current meta.
Zed
This assassin with insane burst damage and great mobility is keeping his S-tier spot.
PROS:
- Mobility
- Hyper carry
- Insane damage
CONS:
- Short range
- Weak early on
Fizz
No changes here - Fizz is still an amazing Ranked pick, offering mobility and burst.
PROS:
- Amazing escape
- Very mobile
- Lane Bully
CONS:
- Squishy
- Dependent on items
Xerath
Xerath climbs up to the S-tier, as one more champion benefiting from the Luden's Companion changes.
PROS:
- Long range
- Insane burst and DPS
CONS:
- Squishy
- Dependent
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A-Tier Mid Lane Champions
Hwei
Hwei is in a very decent state currently. His ally shield is buffed but this changes is relevant only to Support Hwei and you won't feel it unless you're in team fights.
PROS:
- Versatile
- Good wave clear
CONS:
- Squishy
- Hard to master
Aurora
Aurora is demoted to A tier after getting a nerf second patch in a roll. This time the changes target her Ultimate ability.
PROS:
- Amazing burst
- Mobility
- Great early game
CONS:
- Squishy
- Mana-dependant
Lissandra
Lissandra was one of the best champions for Ranked in the previous patch but she got nerfed in this one. We have no idea what Riot's beef with her is but they never let her stay OP for more than one patch.
PROS:
- Amazing in team fights
- Lots of CC
CONS:
- Small range
- High cooldowns
LeBlanc
With buffs to Stormsurge and adjustments to Shadowflame, LeBlanc is in a decent state, without being too OP.
PROS:
- Good damage
- Very mobile
CONS:
- Squishy
- Mana hungry
Ryze
Ryze is a versatile champion with excellent split-pushing capabilities.
PROS:
- Scales well
- Flexible builds
CONS:
- Difficult to play and master
Twisted Fate
Twisted Fate is keeping his A-tier spot among the midlaners and, honestly, there's not much to discuss here.
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Malzahar
Malzahar might feel a little weak in the early stages of the game, but once you get your ult it's game on!
PROS:
- Good scaling
- Great wave clear
CONS:
- Weak before level 6
- Squishy
Katarina
Assassin Kata is back after the small nerf she got in the previous patch. However, LoL players always need to keep in mind that she's a hard-to-play champion, who will either feed or carry depending on the player's skill. It's a hit-or-miss situation.
PROS:
- High snowball and carry potential
CONS:
- Very difficult to master, quite easy to feed with her
Viktor
Viktor returned among the decent champions a few patches ago and he's getting better and better ever since.
PROS:
- Good wave clear
- AoE burst
CONS:
- No mobility
- Weak early on
Neeko
Neeko is keeping her A-tier spot. She's fun and easy to play, giving you everything you might need - AoE, stun, escape and so much more.
PROS:
- Great roaming and CC
- Amazing wave clear
- Easy to play
CONS:
- Falls behind easily and can't get good again
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Swain
Swain is balanced and very useful in the current meta. He's definitely a reliable choice but not a champion who can carry 5v1 or win the game solo.
PROS:
- Versatile
- Lots of AoE damage
- Great in team fights
CONS:
- Mana-dependent and mana-hungry
- Immobile
Zoe
Zoe brings burst damage, crowd control, and mobility to the Summoner's Rift. However, her kit requires precise timing and positioning.
PROS:
- Great wave clear
- Carry potential
CONS:
- Squishy
- Difficult to master
Aurelion Sol
Aurelion Sol is still in the A-tier, performing well and being a pretty solid Ranked pick.
PROS:
- Great in team fights
- Solo carry potential
CONS:
- Weak early game
- Mana-hungry
Vladimir
Vladimir is staying in the A-tier for mid lane due to his strong sustain, area-of-effect damage, and survivability.
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B-Tier Mid Lane Champions
Jayce
It's good to see Jayce among the decent midlaners. He got a buff to his Q and E which helps a lot.
PROS:
- Good poke
- Unexpected pick at this point
CONS:
- Hard to play
- Very weak currently
Heimerdinger
There's a lot more to ask from Heimerdinger but he's currently doing alright in the mid-lane meta. He brings a mix of zoning, poke, and turret-based control to the Summoner's Rift. However, he has no solo carry potential.
PROS:
- Good wave clear
- Great poke and zoning
- Amazing AoE and CC
CONS:
- Squishy
- Can't carry
- Useless without turrets
Nasus
Nasus' good performance in mid-lane was short-lived. He's being demoted after a huge nerf to his E.
Diana
Diana is still in the B-tier, offering LoL players great mobility and decent damage. Her roaming is insane and extremely easy, so you'll have every situation under control.
PROS:
- Mobility
- Roaming
- One combo and the enemy is a goner
- Great in team fights
CONS:
- No easy way out once you go all in
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Irelia
Thanks to her OP gap closers and outplay potential, Irelia is a great pick for Ranked. Ranged champions will definitely have a hard time with her in mid but there are a few matchups that keep her away from the A-tier.
PROS:
- Mobile
- Easy CC
- Great damage
CONS:
- Reliant on CC
- Difficult to master
Annie
Annie is an easy-to-play champion with reliable crowd control but that's about it. There's a lot more Riot can do with her.
PROS:
- Versatile
- Stun
CONS:
- Easily avoidable Ult
Ekko
Ekko had better days, especially at the beginning of Season 14. Currently, he's very dependent on the skill of the player, and all that just to perform decently.
Kassadin
Kassidin definitely has less impact now but he might not be that horrible if you know how to play him. He's doing slightly better since the last LoL update.
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C-Tier Mid Lane Champions
Smolder
Smolder is doing worse in patch 14.18 after being hit by some serious nerfs. His Q, W, and Base Health have all been changed.
Brand
Brand is losing his relevancy in the mid-lane, especially compared to other champions.
PROS:
- Amazing AoE damage
- Easy to pick up and master
CONS:
- Bad utility
- Easily out-sustained
Ziggs
Ziggs is losing his B-tier status. His passive increased damage to structures has been cut down to 75% from 150%. That's a huge difference.
PROS:
- Great late game
- Amazing zoning
CONS:
- Squishy
- Mana hungry
Kennen
Kennen got a nerf in the recent League of Legends update, leaving his Q with a lesser AP.
Zeri
Midlane Zeri is getting worse and worse, especially keeping in mind her recent nerf.
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D-Tier Mid Lane Champions
Azir
Azir wasn't doing well anyway, but the nerf in patch 14.18 was the last nail in the coffin.
PROS:
- Good damage
CONS:
- Mana-reliant
- Weak early on
Corki
Just like Azir, Corki was a mess but the nerfs to his Q and R made things even worse for him.
Rumble
Rumble's Q and E now deal less damage, leaving him in the lowest tier.
Ezreal
Ezreal got nerfed in the last patch and he still hasn't landed on his feet.
Lucian
Lucian is currently one of the solid picks in the bot lane. However, he's not a good choice for the mid lane. ADC is the way to go with him.
PROS:
- Amazing duelist
- Very mobile
CONS:
- Short range
Tristana
From one of the best midlaners, to one of the worst - Tristana walked a long way in LoL Season 14.
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Summary of Best Mid Lane Champions in League of Legends Patch 14.18
All in all, this list is surely to change based on balance changes the devs implement but it should give you a general idea of which champions are strong and which might need some additional tuning to become more viable.
Tier | Mid Lane Champions |
S-Tier | Orianna, Syndra, Akali, Sylas, Lux, Ahri, Galio, Vex, Veigar, Yasuo, Yone, Zed, Fizz, Xerath |
A-Tier |
Hwei, Aurora, Lissandra, LeBlanc, Ryze, Twisted Fate, Malzahar, Katarina, Viktor, Neeko, Swain, Zoe, Aurelion Sol, Vladimir |
B-Tier | Jayce, Heimerdinger, Nasus, Diana, Irelia, Annie, Ekko, Kassadin |
C-Tier | Smolder, Brand, Ziggs, Zeri |
D-Tier | Tristana, Corki, Ezreal, Lucian, Azir, Rumble |
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