But, so true and worth the read for anyone who wants to play ranked games. Please leave comments and discuss.
Solo Queue Tier ListSo due to people misunderstanding my list and taking it the wrong way etc.. Also due to some popular demand and a self-realization that I should have probably done this a long time ago. Here comes my Solo Queue Tier List!
This list will compile all the champions into tiers that I will explain later in the post. This is about how great of a champion they can be in solo queue and how well they can be played overall. This list isn’t about “picks” or drafting. It’s about how good a champion is in Solo Queue. I emphasize Solo Queue because Draft Mode 5v5 is a lot different and they should have two separate lists. This list will be mostly revolving around how good a champion is at Soloing, Jungling, Early game,Mid game, and team fighting ability. It will have almost nothing to do with Late Game which 90% of competitive games go to. Majority of solo queue games end between 20 and 30 minutes. So this is what this list will be focusing on.
SOLO QUEUE ADVICE – Always remember to build a balanced team that is strong in all 5 aspects of the game. Get two strong solo’s, a strong duo lane, and a strong jungler and your chances of winning will increase drastically! If you’re not 1st or 2nd pick please pick accordingly to the rest of your team. Communication in pregame chat is the key to success! If you have an AD and an AP carry then the remaining roles of Tank, Support, and Jungle need to be filled! It’s the best way to become a great League of Legends player by having a well rounded group of champions you can play! Master all aspects of the game and not just one!
Adjusted as of July 4th, 2011 list.
*Tier 1 - Twisted Fate, Annie, Warwick, Alistar, Gangplank, Orianna,Udyr, Corki, Teemo, Nidalee, Nocturne, Jarvan IV, Irelia, Brand, Akali, Renekton, Rumble, Cho'Gath,Karthus,Ashe, Soraka, Vayne, Vlad, Malzahar, Singed, Fiddlesticks, Amumu, Swain
* Tier 2 - Lee Sin, Caitlyn, Urgot, Tristana, Ryze, Jax, Xin Zhao, Shaco,Kassadin, Maokai, Casseopia, Mordekaiser, Sion, Lux, Kennen, Zilean, Gragas, Trundle, Miss Fortune, Janna, Leblanc, Kayle, Ezreal, Nunu, Anivia, Mundo,
* Tier 3 – Blitzcrank, Taric, Morgana, Nasus, Master Yi, Malphite, Garen, Olaf, Rammus, Tryndamere, Sona, Poppy, Kog’Maw, Shen
* Tier 4 – Sivir, Veigar, Katarina, Pantheon, Twitch, Galio, Karma, Heimerdinger, Eve, Yorick
Tier 1 - These champions are at the top of this list for a lot of reasons. The biggest reason being you can actually carry a team with them. In League of Legends its very hard to be a “true” carry as this game if very team oriented. If you’ve ever played a 4v5 you’ll know what I am talking about as it’s literally impossible to win. So I find these champions in Tier 1 lane VERY well in terms of being able to kill creeps well, harassing the enemy champion, and survivability. For the junglers in tier 1 it’s because they control the jungle well, and do it safely. Also gank well and if get fed can actually carry games themselves. All these champions have great early games for the most part and just continuously get stronger as the game goes on. These are the pub stomp kings of the game in my eyes currently.
Tier 2 - These champions like tier 1 champions are great laners, and are great to have on your team in Solo Queue. They just don’t carry as hard as other champions in tier 1 I find. Their early game laning power can be almost equal to the strength of tier 1 champions but I find the tier 2 champions to be slightly weaker than these tier 1 champions in terms of how hard you can carry a solo queue game with them. They are still the creme of the crop in Solo Queue and shouldn’t be underestimated.
Tier 3 - These champions I find to be great 3rd, 4th, or 5th picks on a team. They are 100% viable but these champions generally aren’t as strong in lane as tier 1 and tier 2 champions and often take the Duo lane as they aren’t as strong as solo’s. A few of them in this tier can stand toe to toe to a lot of tier 1 and 2 champions in a Solo lane but I find they just aren’t sought after as “great” Solo Queue solo laners. These champs are all 100% viable in solo queue. I just find them to be slightly weaker than tier 2 champions in Solo Queue.
Tier 4 - Now tier 4 is a tricky tier I find. These champs are all 100% viable for Solo Queue. If someone says they play a great X champion in tier 4 than you can let them solo or play that champion. These champions are simply tier 4 because they require a lot more farm I find than other champions to reach that “carry status” in Solo Queue. These champions are usually played by people who love these champions for their design and play style so usually people who play these champions I find aren’t bad players at all so letting them play these champions sometime is a good choice. These champions problem isn’t poor laning or really anything other than they require a lot more effort to be good at and a lot more skill to do well on is all. They’re all fun champions and I suggest you give them a whirl and try them out!
DISCLAIMER! – Now remember everyone. This is just an OPINION and nothing else. Take it with a grain of salt and remember not to flame anyone in-game over me or my lists!
SOLO QUEUE ADVICE – Always remember to build a balanced team that is strong in all 5 aspects of the game. Get two strong solo’s, a strong duo lane, and a strong jungler and your chances of winning will increase drastically! If you’re not 1st or 2nd pick please pick accordingly to the rest of your team. Communication in pregame chat is the key to success! If you have an AD and an AP carry then the remaining roles of Tank, Support, and Jungle need to be filled! It’s the best way to become a great League of Legends player by having a well-rounded group of champions you can play! Master all aspects of the game and not just one!
*--* CHANGE LOG *--*
Vayne moved down in tier 1 - The nerfs hurt her, but not enough to drop her out of tier 1. She still snowballs very hard and is one of the hardest hitting carries if not the hardest hitting late game. Her solo and duo lane is also still quite strong laning wise. For that I keep her in tier 1.
Eve moved down to tier 4 - Stun vs a slow.. This is a massive hit to Eve pretty much knocking her out of viability. <3 Riot, she was so annoying.
Malz moved down in tier 1 - Nerfs hit him a bit is all. Still tier one worthy.
Swain moved down in tier 1 - Same with Malz but I think Swain but drop a bit lower I am not sure yet. I'll have to keep my eye on him, but for now he'll remain in tier 1.
Janna moved down to tier 2 - Doesn't support lanes as well as I thought. Her team fighting is awesome but a lot of the times you'll lose your lane because Janna can't keep up vs other champs in lane. For that I am moving her down.
Shen moved down to tier 3 - Not the amazing tank he used to be. Got nerfed a handful of times and now he's really not that great anymore.
Maokai moved down to tier 2 - Tier 2 feels a lot better for Maokai. He's not ridiculous OP or does anything crazy, he's just all around good. For that I move him down to tier 2.
Jax moved down in tier 2 - 30% AD scaling on Q hurts. So he's been moved down accordingly.
Orianna moved to tier 1 - Them balls man. THEM BALLS! Her lane control is strong, he supporting is strong, he utility is strong, her burst is strong, and her sustained DPS is strong as well. Kinda like how Maokai is all around good, Orianna is all around bad ass making her tier 1 worthy.
Ashe moved to tier 1 - Random arrows win games. 100% serious when I say this too. A well timed arrow or even an arrow landing by mistake and catching someone past the 30 min mark can literally end the game. Catch them, and you can do baron, push towers, gain map control. Arrow = OP.
Udyr moved to tier 1 - Lane Udyr and Jungle Udyr are both very strong right now. Lane being really OP while jungle being good but not too OP. His lane sustainability is so very high with turtle stance and his DPS from tiger is also strong. Combine sustainability with good DPS and add in a 1 second stun / move speed bonus and you got yourself one hell of a laner.
Fiddle moved to tier 1 - His ganks from the jungle are very strong. Landing Crowstorm at the right time is also devastating. Much like Ashe arrow a well timed Crowstorm wins games.
Brand moved up to tier 1 - His laning ability is strong, and his early / mid game burst is crazy. Strong laners win games in Solo queue. Win lane win game really does apply to solo queue. Brand can win lanes vs a lot of champions. Hence his new spot in tier 1.
Olaf moved down to tier 3 - Compared to other junglers.. He's quite weak right now. That's pretty much it.
Gangplank moved to tier 1 - Jungle GP is very scary to play against. Even lane GP is very strong. Get Exe Calling and pretty much win the lane. GP scales well, does lots of sustained damage, and has a lot of burst too. His new buffs make him tier 1.
Warwick moved up in tier 1 - Lanewick much like Laneudyr has good DPS, good sustainability and it's very hard to beat them in lane. Only a few champions can really beat them in lane and just like I said with Brand, win lane, win game, the saying holds true. Lanewick wins lanes easily, hence him moving up in tier 1.
Rumble moved up to tier 1 - Should of done this along time ago. I know I know I know.
Gragas moved up to tier 2 - His ability to farm is very good and his burst potential is CRAZY. He can literally 2 shot squishies with a Q and an R. This makes him pretty good for solo queue.
Mordekaiser moved up to tier 2 - Huehuheuheuehuehue, do I need to say anything else? Well I do because I had him tier 4 for so long. His ability to lane is much like Lanewick / Udyr's in the sense that they're all hard to beat in lane. AP Morde really F's stuff up when he gets farmed and bursting down an enemy carry to get a clone of them can really win team fights. I should of moved him up a long time ago.
Kayle moved up to tier 2 - AP Kayle is actually very very strong. A lot of people have been picking her up lately and she's really been bossing it up. Funny how champs can just do something new and all of a sudden be viable again. She was always an okay Hybrid / AD carry, but going more so into the AP side of things really makes Kayle burst very hard. Glad to see she's more viable than I previously thought.
New Champion Time!
Yorick placed in tier 4 - Awful. Decent laner but other than that he isn't that great. He needs a rework and Riot knows this. We'll give him a proper assessment then because in his current state, easily the worst champ in the game.
Enjoy,
Tim
Subject: Shamelessly copied from CLGaming/Elementz - Long Read 
Wed Jul 06, 2011 6:46 pm
