Everything You Need to Know about LoL Champions

What is Champion in League of Legends

If you’re a fan of League of Legends (LoL), you’re probably familiar with the term “champion.” In LoL, a champion refers to the character you control during gameplay. Each champion comes with their own unique abilities and attributes, making them distinct from one another. These champions are the core entities that players utilize to engage in intense battles and work together to secure victory.

LoL Champion Classes

Every champion in League of Legends is assigned a specific class, with some champions even having a secondary class. These classes define the way champions play, their abilities, and their intended playstyles. Let’s take a closer look at the various LoL champion classes:

Tank: Tanks are incredibly resilient and challenging to eliminate but often deal lower damage compared to other classes. They possess innate survival mechanisms and crowd control abilities, making them the frontliners and protectors of their team. Some popular tanks include Aatrox, Akali, Camille, and Gnar.
Fighter: Fighters are skilled duelists who excel at dealing decent damage while also being somewhat tanky. They are often used as split-pushers, capable of holding their own in one-on-one situations. However, they may not last as long in team fights as tanks. Examples of fighters include champions like Jax, Fiora, and Darius.
Assassin: Assassins are masters of swiftly eliminating single targets. They excel at bursting down squishy opponents but are relatively fragile themselves. Assassins rely on their agility and damage output to swiftly take down priority targets before making a quick getaway. Champions like Zed, Talon, and Katarina are known for their assassin playstyle.
Mage: Mages typically have area-of-effect abilities and may possess some crowd control in their kit. They deal magical damage and can have a significant impact in team fights by unleashing devastating spells. Examples of mages include champions like Lux, Syndra, and Ahri.
Artillery Mage: This is a special subclass of mages that excels at dealing damage from long range. While they may have limited crowd control and slightly less damage compared to traditional mages, their ability to hit targets from a safe distance gives them a unique advantage. Champions such as Xerath, Ziggs, and Vel’Koz fall into this category.
Control Mage: Control mages, similar to traditional mages, possess magical abilities, but they focus more on crowd control rather than raw damage. They have the potential to dish out significant damage while also exerting control over the battlefield. Champions like Anivia, Orianna, and Veigar excel in controlling the flow of fights.
Marksman (ADC): Marksman champions, often referred to as the ADC (Attack Damage Carry), are ranged physical auto-attackers. They specialize in dealing sustained damage over time and are crucial in taking down structures like towers and shredding tanks. Examples of popular ADCs include champions like Ashe, Jinx, and Kai’Sa.

LoL Champion Positions

In League of Legends, positions refer to the default player roles within a game. Currently, there are five positions on Summoner’s Rift: Top, Jungle, Middle, Bottom (ADC), and Support. Let’s take a closer look at each position:

Top: The top lane is typically a solo lane where champions start the game. While tanks and fighters are commonly seen in this position, any class can be played here depending on the strategy. Examples of champions played in the top lane include Aatrox, Akali, Camille, and Gnar.
Middle: The mid lane is often occupied by assassins, mages, or control mages. It is a squishier lane where champions tend to build Ability Power (AP) or Attack Damage (AD). Due to the shorter distance between towers, champions in this lane need to rely on their skills rather than escape tools. Champions like Ekko, LeBlanc, Aurelion Sol, and Neeko are often seen in the mid lane.
Jungle: The jungle position allows for a variety of champion classes. Tanks, fighters, and assassins are commonly played here. Junglers start by killing jungle camps to earn gold and experience before frequently roaming into lanes to assist their team in securing kills. Popular jungle champions include Karthus, Pantheon, Shaco, and Wukong.
Bottom (ADC): The bottom lane, also known as the ADC (Attack Damage Carry) position, is the most restricted role. This position is exclusively played by marksman champions (ADCs) who rely on the support player to protect and sustain them. Examples of ADC champions played in the bottom lane include Kalista, Varus, Xayah, and Jinx.
Support: Supports in League of Legends are typically tanks or control mages. They have a lower income compared to other roles, so their effectiveness relies on utility rather than itemization. Some tanks that excel in the support role, such as Thresh and Blitzcrank, possess crowd control abilities that can help set up kills for their team. Other support champions include Morgana, Swain, Taric, Braum, and Alistar.

LoL Champion Roles

In League of Legends, a champion’s role can dynamically change throughout the course of a game based on a player’s itemization, masteries, and runes choices. While champions typically have a predefined role, there are situations where their role may shift as the game progresses. Let’s explore some common LoL champion roles:

AD Assassin: AD assassins, such as Zed, Talon, and Irelia, deal physical damage and excel at quickly eliminating squishy champions with low mobility. These champions often require compensation in the team composition to ensure enough magic damage is present. AD assassins take advantage of vulnerable mid-lane opponents, aiming to secure early kills and roam to other lanes.
Poke Mage: Similar to AD assassins, poke mages like Zed, Talon, and Irelia are traditionally found in the mid lane. They excel at dealing consistent damage from range, applying pressure to opponents, and creating opportunities for their team. Poke mages are an essential part of balanced team composition, providing a mix of magical damage alongside AD assassins.
Mid-game ADC: Champions like Lucian, Ezreal, and Miss Fortune thrive during the mid-game phase, particularly after acquiring their core item power spike. Teams with mid-game ADCs aim to force fights around objectives to take advantage of their strengths. Additionally, these champions tend to have a strong laning phase, capitalizing on their early game potential.

LoL Champion Attributes

In League of Legends, champions are not just about their flashy abilities and cool designs. Each champion has a specific attribute that defines their role in the game. These attributes play a crucial role in determining how a champion should be played and the impact they have during the early stages of a match. Let’s take a look at some of the key champion attributes:

Bully: A bully champion is a force to be reckoned with in the early game. They possess exceptional strength and can seriously threaten their opponents, often forcing them to play defensively. These champions excel at harassing and engaging their opponents in lane, thanks to their high base statistics, including health and attack damage. However, bully champions tend to become less effective as the match progresses.
Carry: The carry champions are the powerhouses of the late game. As the match progresses, they become incredibly powerful and have the potential to single-handedly win games, hence the term “carrying” the team. Traditionally, carry champions were those who heavily relied on basic attacks, but nowadays, mages can also fit into this category.
Hypercarry: If carry champions are powerful, hypercarries take it to the extreme. These champions possess late-game strength that surpasses any other non-hypercarry in power. Hypercarries are often seen as the pinnacle of late-game champions, capable of dominating the battlefield with their immense strength.
Jungler: The jungler attribute refers to champions who thrive in the jungle, the area between the lanes. These champions have specific characteristics that allow them to make the most of the jungle’s resources. Traits like innate toughness, sustained early damage, self-healing, mobility, crowd control, or burst damage are essential for a successful jungler.
Pusher: Pusher champions excel at quickly clearing minion waves and pushing their lane toward enemy structures. Their abilities allow them to rapidly kill minions, enabling the destruction of enemy structures. Pushers typically have area of effect damage, rapid attacks or abilities, and sometimes even pets to aid them in pushing lanes.
Recommended: Recommended champions are exceptionally easy to learn and are often suggested for newer players. These champions are also relatively cheap to purchase, making them accessible to players with limited in-game resources. Each week, there is usually at least one recommended champion available for free rotation.

Understanding the various aspects of LoL champions, including their classes, positions, attributes, and roles, is crucial for developing effective strategies, coordinating with your team, and ultimately achieving success on the Rift.

How many LoL champions in 2023

League of Legends started with 40 different champions, offering a decent selection for each role. However, over the years, Riot Games has expanded the roster by continuously adding new champions. Let’s take a look at some significant milestones:

Garen, the iconic champion, marked the 50th addition.
Draven, known for his showmanship, became champion number 100.
Yone, the brother of the infamous Yasuo, joined the roster as the 150th champion.

As of July 19, 2023, there are currently 164 released champions in League of Legends, each of them can be purchased in the Riot Store. The latest addition to the champion pool is Naafari, The Hound of a Hundred Bites. You can purchase this skin for 975 Riot Points. It’s worth noting that Riot Games regularly introduces new champions to keep the game fresh and exciting.

Interesting Facts about LoL Champions

League of Legends is filled with fascinating details and interactions that add depth and flavor to the game. Here are some intriguing facts about LoL champions:

After winning a game on the Howling Abyss map, players can enjoy a cool narration by Ice Witch Lissandra. If you wait for about half a minute, Lissandra will provide a frosty aristocratic accent while describing the best and worst of times.
LoL features various easter eggs and unique interactions between champions. For example, having more than one ninja champion on the same team results in a 1-health loss for each ninja. If Sion kills Zyra or vice versa, both champions receive a bonus of 2 gold. Yorick’s ghouls even target Zyra’s plants, creating interesting interactions during gameplay.
Certain champions have special interactions or taunts directed at specific other champions, adding personality and flavor to their interactions. For instance, Spirit Guard Udyr skin has special taunts against Nidalee in cougar form, Anivia, Volibear, and Rammus. Ashe also has special taunts against Sejuani and Lissandra, showcasing the rich lore and relationships between champions.
The lore of League of Legends reveals an interesting connection between three champions: Talon, Katarina, and Cassiopeia. These champions are siblings, adding an intriguing dynamic and backstory to their individual narratives.
Tristana, the Yordle marksman, has an ultimate ability called Buster Shot. This ability pays homage to Mega Man, another iconic blue action hero known for his powerful buster shot. The resemblance between Tristana’s ability and Mega Man’s signature move is a delightful nod to classic gaming.