League of Legends Season 10 Meta: Champion spotlights

League of Legends Season 10 is now underway. The LPL is already active, and the LCS and LEC begin this week. League’s meta evolved over the preseason and the best champions already separated themselves from the rest.

The general meta is very quick and volatile. Top champions can either do large bursts of damage or dance around a fight, dodging it. Getting hit by one crowd control effect usually means death.

Top Lane

Expect Akali to have high Pick/Ban presence. Credit Riot Games.

The top lane is full of flex pick priority. Champions like Rumble, Mordekaiser, Akali, and Renekton can all be picked early in the draft and blinded in either solo lane. Lane bullies like Lucian and Kennen will also be options for teams who like to play through top side. The scaling threats of Gangplank and Vladimir will remain present, but split pushers like Camille and Fiora can try and isolate them in side lanes. Lastly, Sett could be punching his way onto the rift based on his recent success.

Jungle

Jungle is all about early presence and snowballing. Credit Riot Games.

The jungle is being dominated by the usual suspects. Lee Sin, Jarvan IV, Rek’Sai, and Elise are all valuable thanks to their early game power. Qiyana and Pantheon are powerful mid and jungle flex picks constantly drawing frequent bans. Since priority on all of these champions are high, specialized counter picks will be rare. Still, a scaling pick like Kindred or Karthus could show themselves soon. In the Eastern regions, Taliyah is a personal favorite of many jungle players as well.

Mid Lane

Rumble has fantastic wave clear and team fight potential. Credit Riot Games.

As mentioned, flex picks are prominent in the mid lane. Rumble will finally be having his time in the spotlight. Control mages like Ryze, Zoe, Veigar, and Orianna are standard fare, with Syndra soon to return after her bug fixes. AD threats such as Lucian and Yasuo will also be available. Melee bruisers will be seeing plenty of play in the mid lane, with the reworked Diana among them. Even a surprise Ornn mid could become popular, as mid lane will likely be the most diverse role.

Bot Lane

Miss Fortune deals insanely high damage and is safe to boot. Credit Riot Games.

Finally, the bot lane will see different picks after the months of Xayah and Kai’Sa dominating the role. Miss Fortune is the best ADC in the game, bringing immense damage and team fight power while also being mobile. New champs like Aphelios have the damage to make entire teams bow to him and Senna’s utility and global ultimate power make her a valuable pick in professional play. The classic picks of Varus, Lucian, and Caitlyn will be ready in a pinch since MF and Aphelios get banned often.

Support

Supports need to be able to engage and survive. Credit Riot Games.

Support is all about reliable crowd control which guarantees a successful team fight. In that regard, Leona is the queen. Braum, Nautilus, and Thresh follow her as other good options. All of these champions can also become tanky for a short burst during their spells and Aftershock. The ability to spearhead an engage as the only true tank front liner is crucial for supports. Still, champions like Yuumi and Morgana might see play in compositions built around a strong carry.

While expectations for the meta have been set, they can easily shift at any time. The LEC and LCS begin on January 24 and 25 respectively. Fans will be watching to see what the pros bring to the table this esports season.