This isn’t a normal who is the strongest or weakest marksman in the current game state but it is the strongest Marksman for different playstyles. In this current meta, each Marksman brings much more to the table than you would expect, but only some shine due to the playstyles of each player. This guide is to help you see each champion’s best place to shine. This guide also reflects the lane phase strength of each champion rather than the game overall.

Of course (this goes without saying) any champion can shine if you have a team that can complement you and you can play better than your opponent. The idea is that different champions shine but, in this list, I take the general strength of the champions without variables and for those unfamiliar with the role.

Aggressive

This playstyle includes fighting constantly or having control of the lane where your attempt to push opponents out of the lane. This is the early game method that many try to play in hopes of snowballing early and winning quickly. This does come with a catch. If you fail to win your fights, you will fall far behind with little chance of catching up.

S: Lucian, Jhin, Draven

A: Twitch, Miss Fortune, Jinx, Sivir, Xayah

B: Kalista, Caitlyn, Ezreal, Varus, Kai’sa, Tristana

C: Ashe, Vayne, Kog’Maw

These champions have the ability to fight early and secure a lead when fighting against their opponent, usually due to higher damage. Lucian, Jhin, and Draven are all the best, because they can fight from the start or at least from level 2/3 while the others require items to fight. This is followed by the A tier, who can fight and do consistent enough damage or moments of burst against their enemies. Finally, in the B and C tiers, these champions will do well later on in the game after they have kept pace with their enemy or gained enough items early on to snowball them ahead.

Passive

This playstyle is more towards acquiring Creep Score or CS and being content with farming until a power spike is reached. This is usually done with champions that have a weak early game and that scale much stronger than others. This playstyle does have a weakness though, as you are more prone to losing fights early and need to rely on staying even at best against the enemy if they are a champion that is stronger early.

S: Ashe, Vayne, Kog’Maw, Kalista, Ezreal

A: Kai’sa, Jinx, Xayah, Sivir, Tristana

B: Jhin, Sivir, Twitch, Varus

C: Miss Fortune, Lucian, Draven

These champions are more prone to losing early fights but with safe play and consistent farming, they will snowball much stronger than most other champs. The S rank champs either can stay safe enough during lane that they can farm without issue or they will scale far beyond most other champions. The A rank champions have the potential to stay at a range or be able to trade well enough if forced to fight. The B ranks are those who can fight at a bit safer range but require some more aggressive playstyle to gain a lead or else they will fall far behind. Lastly, the C tiers are those who are not suited to a passive playstyle as they will not scale into the late game unless they gain a lead over their opponents and reach full build first.

Difference in Playstyles

The key difference between both playstyles is the player’s preference of when they wish to fight: either early or late. The pressure is equal on both playstyles to perform correctly, or they will behind and not meet their win conditions. Each playstyle will only flourish in certain conditions. Remember that there is a partner in your lane. These supports can help make or break your lane depending on how you play and if they can synergize with you.

Supports

An aggressive playstyle requires supports who can make engages happen often and early. With this pressure and aggression, you can keep the enemy marksman from farming or gaining traction. This needs to translate to something other than lane advantage, as you will use your lead to gain neutral objectives or pressure other lanes.

Supports: Leona, Rakan, Braum, Pyke, Thresh, Sona, Bard

A more passive playstyle will need a support who can disengage and consistently shield or heal. This makes it easier for you to stay alive long enough to scale past your opponent. As the game later progresses, you will become stronger and, with the shields or heals to complement you, you will become a menace to the enemy team.

Supports: Tahm Kench, Nami, Janna, Lulu, Zilean, Soraka, Taric

Tips

If you are the aggressive player, you should be fond of calling for jungle pressure bot side to completely dominate. This will then translate to taking objectives or roaming to snowball other lanes. The best tip if you can’t kill your enemy is to push them out of the lane and take Dragons often and early. This will help the rest of the team early on and push them ahead. The second tip would be to roam early if you were to take your enemy’s towers so to gain early gold advantages. The worst thing to do as a Lucian or Draven would be to not push advantages and sit back and farm with your opponent scaling stronger than you will.

If you are the passive player you have two simple jobs: don’t die and farm as much as you can. If you play Vayne, Kog’Maw, or Kalista, the best bet would be to farm until you have items such as Blade of the Ruined King, Guinsoo’s Rageblade or even Runaan's Hurricane before engaging in teamfights. This is due to the fact certain items help synergize well with a champions kit to further their damage, but some can be quite expensive to buy. The main point of these champions is to focus on taking small advantages when it’s possible, because a full build Vayne is stronger than a full build Lucian at the late game.

Conclusion

The difference in Marksman rank isn’t the strength but rather the playstyle of the individuals that pick them. There are other variables to them as well such as match-up and support assistance but, overall, you control the flow. Use your playstyle to your advantage and make the game favor you. If you have any questions or need any more tips and such follow me on Twitter!

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