The Problem With How Players Use Tier Lists
Champion tier lists are everywhere in the League of Legends community — and they genuinely provide value. But many players misuse them, either chasing the S-tier flavor-of-the-patch champion they've never played, or abandoning a strong one-trick because they saw it drop to A-tier. This guide explains what tier lists actually measure and how to apply that information intelligently.
What a Tier List Is Actually Measuring
Most tier lists are built on one of two data sources:
- Win rate data: The percentage of games won across all players on a champion in a given patch
- Expert opinion: High-elo players or analysts ranking champions based on subjective assessment of kit strength, matchup spread, and meta fit
Win rate-based tier lists favor simple champions with low skill floors — because averaging across all skill levels inflates the performance of easy-to-execute picks. A high-skill champion with a steep learning curve can appear B-tier in win rate data while being genuinely S-tier in the hands of a specialist.
Tier Definitions You'll Commonly See
| Tier | Meaning | Action to Take |
|---|---|---|
| S+ | Broken/overpowered — likely to be nerfed soon | Play if you can, but don't invest too deeply |
| S | Excellent in most games with reasonable mastery | Strong pickup for your pool |
| A | Solid, situationally very strong | Good to have as secondary options |
| B | Functional but requires more effort for same results | Only if you have high mastery |
| C/D | Undertuned or heavily countered by current meta | Avoid unless you're a dedicated one-trick |
Role-Specific Tier List Considerations
Top Lane
Look for champions with strong split-push or tank presence. The meta regularly shifts between tank-dominant and carry-dominant top, so cross-reference with current team composition trends.
Jungle
Jungle tier lists should weight early clear speed and objective control heavily. A jungler who is mechanically complex but owns early Dragon and Rift Herald consistently may be more valuable than their tier suggests.
Mid Lane
Mid is heavily influenced by the roaming meta. Champions who can roam to bot or top early tend to tier higher even if their pure 1v1 damage isn't the strongest.
Bot Lane (ADC)
ADC tiers are extremely patch-sensitive. Item changes can shift an ADC from C-tier to S-tier in a single patch cycle. Check ADC tiers specifically against the current item build efficiency.
Support
Support tiers depend heavily on whether the meta rewards engage, peel, or poke. Identify which style your bot lane partner favors before selecting from the tier list.
When to Ignore Tier Lists Entirely
- When you have 200+ games on a "B-tier" champion — Your mastery advantage outweighs a tier gap in most elo ranges
- Within the first 48 hours of a patch — Data hasn't settled; early tier lists are speculation
- In low elo — Fundamentals matter more than champion optimization below Platinum
The Right Way to Use Tier Lists
Think of tier lists as a starting point for research, not a definitive rulebook. Use them to identify which champions are worth investing mastery into, cross-reference with your own playstyle, and always verify with multiple sources before making major changes to your champion pool.