Struggling to find the right Champion for your playstyle? Take the first step by finding your ideal Champion class! This article covers the strengths and weaknesses of each Champion class to help you find your perfect fit.
Riot Games has been carefully crafting a large and diverse Champion selection for League of Legends since 2009. Although a large Champion selection ensures that everyone has their perfect match, it can feel overwhelming to find theone amongst the 163 (and counting) Champions! Do you like diving headfirst into the action or do you prefer to support from the backlines? Do you enjoy being in the face of your enemies or would you rather deal damage from a distance? In this guide, we will explore the various Champion classes to find the best fit for you so you can excel on the Rift!
Assassins are extremely mobile Champions that deal quick and up-close damage. Playing as an Assassin requires a decisive playstyle and a lot of mechanical skill. Some examples of Assassins include Akali, Zed, and Katarina, who are easily identifiable by their flashy combos, burst damage, and carry potential. Assassins are generally squishy and weak to crowd control, shields, and Tanks. However, they perform well against Mages and Marksmen due to their high offense and burst. Assassins are regarded as "feast or famine", meaning they are expected to lead or keep up with kills throughout the game to avoid falling behind. Players who possess an intuitive playstyle and are willing to invest time in practice will feel comfortable and excel in this class.
Mages are versatile Champions who deal high magic damage while dominating games through strategy. They are identifiable by their crowd control, ability chaining, and burst damage. Some examples of Mages include Lux, Ahri, and Swain. Playing as a Mage requires proficiency in skillshots, combos, and positioning, as most Mages lack high mobility. Mages are more brain-focused, meaning that those who play them are more analytical than intuitive. They excel at kiting and producing high damage combos by effectively timing each ability for maximum efficiency. Mages are vulnerable to enemy frontline Champions, Tanks, and those with large range. Additionally, Mages are very mana-dependent, so good mana management is essential. If you consider yourself to be an analytical thinker and enjoy outplaying your opponents with crowd control and ability combos, then Mage is your ideal role.
Marksmen are known for dealing high, sustained damage from a distance. Examples of Marksmen include Miss Fortune, Ashe, and Jhin. They are easily identifiable by their fast attack speed, consistent damage output, and extended range. Playing as a Marksman requires strategic positioning and the patience to farm a lot during early game. It's important to be flexible and communicate effectively, as Marksmen typically pair up with another player in the bot lane. One thing to note about Marksmen is that they are very micro-intensive. The role demands high mechanical skill due to kiting and fast, repetitive click speed: so, if you struggle with hand or wrist pain/weakness, you may not be fit for this role. Marksmen are often expected to assist with objectives, particularly Baron Nashor. However, they are also extremely fragile and vulnerable to crowd control, which means they are most successful when positioned behind their team. If you enjoy a fast-paced late game, maintaining distance from the frontline, and dealing high damage per second, then playing as a Marksman may be the ideal role for you.
Tanks are durable Champions that are centered around crowd control rather than damage. Although any character can build Tank items to become tanky, true Tanks are distinguishable by their crowd control and engage. Some examples of Tanks include Nunu & Willump, Ornn, and Nautilus. To play as a Tank, you generally have to be alright with the idea of being a supportive player (regardless of your position). You are expected to catch enemies out of position and peel for your squishy allies. Playing as a Tank gives you a lot of wiggle room in fights due to your excessive health and durability. However, this comes at the cost of a lower damage output. Do not expect to win a lot of 1v1s unless you are ahead. Tanks are resistant to burst damage, so they tend to play well against Mages and Assassins, but are vulnerable to Marksmen due to their low mobility and ability to get kited. If you enjoy setting up plays and assisting your teammates, you may find joy in the role of Tank.
Fighters are a diverse group of short-ranged Champions that can generally deal and take a lot of damage. This class can be further broken down into two subclasses commonly known as Bruisers and Juggernauts. Bruisers are the more mobile but less tanky half of the class, utilizing their kit to make quick dives and getaways. Bruisers are weak to range, cooldowns, and durability. Bruisers can easily be caught out of position during failed dives or if locked down with crowd control. Some examples of Bruisers include Irelia, Jarvan IV, and Lee Sin.
Juggernauts are much less mobile than bruisers but tend to deal and absorb more damage than their counterparts. They are quite straightforward in their approach to victory: out-damage their opponent. However, they struggle against ranged Champions such as Mages and Marksmen, as closing the gap between them and their opponents can be challenging. Some examples of Juggernauts include Illaoi, Sett, and Nasus. These Champions are well encapsulated by the term “one man army”, as they are pretty self-sufficient and, once they are ahead, usually require multiple people to take them down.
If you enjoy being close to the action and being more independent in your games, you will flourish in the large and diverse Fighter class.
Just like the Fighter class, Controllers are a very large and diverse group of Champions. This class focuses on supporting their allies by offering ability enhancement and/or crowd control during crucial moments to put their team ahead. Controllers are typically paired with a Marksman in the bot lane during early game and then join the rest of the team during mid and/or late game. The Controller class can be broken down into three subclasses: poke, sustain, and engage.
Poke Controllers aim to put the enemy at a disadvantage by whittling away at their health little by little before the true trade has even begun. Pokers can also apply crowd control such as slows and snares to make it harder for the enemy to reach them. They are not too much of a problem for sustain Controllers who can out-heal or negate most of these effects. However, they are extremely strong when put against engage Supports. Poke Champions are strongest during the early game since they are best at focusing on one or two Champions at a time. Some notable poke Champions are Brand, Xerath, and Zyra. Players who value the laning phase and enjoy dealing more damage than the average Controller will thrive in this subclass.
Sustain controllers fight against all odds to keep their allies alive. Heals, damage buffs, and speed boosts are all tools used by sustain Controllers in order to gain an advantage in fights. As mentioned before, Sustainers play well into Pokers but are easily stomped by Engagers due to their fragility and lack of offense. Playing as a sustain Controller requires you to have good mana management due to the Champions’ very limited mana in laning phase. You must only use abilities when they are truly necessary and not just spam them off cooldown. It is hard to Lulu, Yuumi, and Soraka are all great examples of sustain controllers. If you find joy in enabling your teammates and being the lifeline of all fights, you will find immense satisfaction in this role.
Engage controllers are the playmakers of their class. They catch enemies that are out of position in order to make picks and get their teammates fed. Engagers can be harassed by poke Champions due to their lack of range and damage but hold up well against sustain Champions. Regardless of their opponents, Engagers can make almost anything happen once they are on top of the enemy due to their good lockdown and catch. Some engage Champions such as Pyke and Nautilus require you to be able to hit skillshots. You must also know when it is the right time to go in while being just and confident in your plays. Other engage Controllers include Thresh, Leona, and Maokai. You will excel in this role if you enjoy setting up plays for your team and intimidating the enemy team.
League of Legends offers a diverse selection of Champions, each with their own unique playstyle and qualities. Finding your Champion class affirms your identity as a player and helps you to master your role! Whether you prefer the fast-paced gameplay of an assassin, supporting your team as a controller, or being in the thick of the action as a fighter, there is a Champion class that will resonate with your playstyle. It is important to note that once you find a Champion you like, you should stick with them: you don’t want your Champion pool to be too big. Regardless of your class, you must remember that, to see growth and improvement, you must practice, so get into the Practice Tool and experiment!
