Highlights

  • League of Legends has managed to stay popular due to Riot Games' commitment to improving gameplay and releasing new Champions.
  • The game now has over 150 Champions, many of which have received updates to remain viable over the past decade.
  • Changes in Season 14 have affected the viability of original Champions, with some becoming more viable and others falling off.

The gaming landscape changed on October 7, 2009, when Riot Games released League of Legends, a free-to-play MOBA that is now one of the most-played games in the world. League of Legends has managed to stay relevant because Riot does a good job of improving gameplay, and it helps that they keep introducing new and distinct Champions.

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The game now has more than 150 Champions, all of whom have a designated role and skill set, but when the game first launched, there were only 17. Many of the original Champions have received updates or reworks to make them more viable, and some have managed to remain largely the same. These Champions may be more than a decade old, but they are all viable to some degree.

Updated February 13, 2024 by George Voutiritsas: Season 14 is well underway, and League of Legends players all over the world are still getting used to the changes made to Summoner's Rift. Mythic items no longer exist, and several items have been completely removed from the game. A bunch of new items have taken their place though, and some of them are a bit overpowered. Many of League's original 17 Champions have changed a lot over the course of 14 years, and they all play a bit differently now because of Season 14's changes. Some of them have become more viable because of the changes, but other members of the original 17 have fallen off because of the removed items and Champion-specific nerfs. New Champions keep being added to League's roster, and these additions tend to affect the viability of the original 17 as well.

17 Master Yi: The Wuju Bladesman

Received A Major Nerf With The Removal Of Duskblade

Master Yi's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Assassin

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

52.5%

Master Yi has been a problematic Champion since the beginning, but in LoL's early days, players could build him AP. This build allowed him to unleash a massive amount of damage, to the point that he could beat almost any enemy in two hits, and he could heal a lot more.

Yi changed in 2013 when Riot decided to rework him, and his kit hasn't really been altered since. He can still wipe out most of a team with ease, except this time he needs to build lethality and attack speed to do it. He can't be targeted when he uses his Q, and when he builds a Duskblade, he can turn invisible after getting a kill, which explains why he has a high win rate. Yi's viability has lowered since the removal of the Duskblade item.

16 Soraka: The Starchild

Other Supports Have Better Healing & Support Kits

Soraka's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Support

Difficulty

Low

Current Win Rate

49.9%

Soraka may be a healing Support, but according to the lore, she is actually one of the game's strongest Champions. She received her rework in 2015, and in doing so, Riot turned Soraka into a health dispenser who can now silence and potentially root enemies.

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Soraka can heal her allies with her W at the cost of her health, but she can regain health if she hits an enemy Champion with her Q. Her Ult allows her to heal herself and her entire team, and if anyone is below 40% health, they will be healed an extra 50%. If she builds a Warmogs, she can heal teammates without needing to land a Q because the item regenerates health. Soraka has good healing, but several of the more recent Supports provide better healing and shielding.

15 Ryze: The Rune Mage

Much Of His Damage Has Been Nerfed

Ryze's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Mage

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

50.0%

Ryze is meant to be played in Mid, and he has received more reworks than any other Champion because he is constantly overpowered. His Ult is very useful in team fights because it allows him to teleport himself and his teammates a short distance. This permits teams to set up coordinated attacks or escapes.

Last year, Ryze was able to take off more than half of a Champion's health with a single hit from his Q if he managed to root them first. Ryze has had his damage output nerfed this season, but he can still be played as a tank.

14 Annie: The Dark Child

A Decent Mage That Can Shield Allies

Annie's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Mage

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

51.8%

Annie has always been a child, and Tibbers has always been her secret weapon. Since the beginning, she has had the ability to stun enemies after casting four spells, and this works especially well when she summons Tibbers, which explains why it is one of the game's best burst mage Ultimates.

Annie does a lot more damage than she used to, but that is mainly thanks to items. The biggest change to her kit is her E, which casts a shield around her. She can now place the shield on an ally, which means that she is more viable as a Support.

13 Kayle: The Righteous

Can Carry A Game In Her Final Form

Kayle's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Fighter

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

52.1%

Kayle has always looked like an armored angel, but it wasn't until her 2019 rework that she truly ascended. Her Ult was virtually unchanged, as she is still capable of saving herself or an ally by making them invulnerable for a few seconds. Her W still heals and grants bonus movement speed, but it no longer gives extra Ability Power.

Her E still makes her ranged for a short time, and it still works with her Passive. The Passive really changes things, as it causes her to ascend four times, and each ascended form grants her extra stats, whether it be attack range or bonus damage. With the right attack speed items, she can shred through a team.

12 Sion: The Undead Juggernaught

His Current Tank Build Is Great For Destroying Enemy Turrets

Sion's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Tank

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

47.9%

In 2014, Sion received a full gameplay and visual rework, and to this day, it is regarded as one of League of Legends' best character transformations. Sion's old Ult gave him 100% attack speed and lifesteal, but his current Ult essentially turns him into an unstoppable battering ram. His old Passive gave him a chance to reduce incoming damage, but now he briefly comes back to life as an enraged zombie.

Last season, Sion could be built full tank and become very hard to kill, or he could take lethality items to obliterate squishy Champions with his empowered Q and shield. In Season 14, Sion is best used as a Tank, and he needs to build the Hullbreaker item. In the late game, a Hullbreaker Sion with enough Passive stacks can practically two-shot full-health Turrets.

11 Nunu & Willump: The Boy & His Yeti

A Tank That Can Deal Decent Magic Damage

Nunu's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Tank

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

49.8%

Nunu became Nunu & Willump in 2018 when they received a rework, and it turned out to be a very beneficial change. His Q still allows him to regain health after biting an enemy unit, and his Ultimate still creates a circle that slows enemies while dealing massive magic damage.

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Their E is no longer a point-and-click ability, instead releasing a volley of snowballs that slow enemies. Their old W gave them or an alley a damage buff, but their current ability creates a snowball which enlarges as Willump rolls it. They can be played AP or tank, but he is now a far better Jungler.

10 Twisted Fate: The Card Master

Has Not Been Changed Because His Kit Is Still Viable

Twisted Fate's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Mage

Difficulty

High

Current Win Rate

52.5%

There are a handful of skins that actually give Champions an advantage, and Twisted Fate possesses two of them. Like Sivir, Twisted Fate has had minor changes and a visual update, but other than that, Riot hasn't changed him. Twisted Fate is quite versatile, which explains why he is picked in professional play.

He can fire three cards with his Q, and his W allows him to throw a card that can either deal extra damage, stun an enemy, or regain mana. His Ult is his best attribute though, as it reveals the location of every enemy Champion, and he can then teleport to a different location after a recast. This Ult makes Twisted Fate a great ganker.

9 Morgana: The Fallen

Can Shield Allies & Root Enemy Champions

Morgana's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Mage

Difficulty

Low

Current Win Rate

50.5%

Morgana is Kayle's sister, and she received an update in 2019 as well, but the only things that changed were her appearance and spell effects. Morgana shields herself or an alley with her E, and her Q is a skillshot that produces a lengthy stun. Her W creates a pool on the ground which damages anything that steps on it.

Morgana is a very good Support, and she can deal a decent amount of damage, which means that she's a viable mid-laner as well. Her Ult can damage and root enemy champions, and it's a valuable ability to have in a team fight. Morgana benefits from the burning effect of the Liandry's Torment item, and the slowing effect of Rylai's Crystal Scepter.

8 Sivir: The Battle Mistress

Can Shield Herself & Can Do Damage With Attack Speed And Crit Chance

Sivir's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Marksman

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

49.6%

Other than a visual update and a few minor stat changes, Sivir has not changed since LoL launched, and that is because her kit is still viable. Her E is arguably her most useful ability since it gives her a spell shield that negates enemy attacks. Her Q still shoots her crossblade like a boomerang, and her E still allows her basic attacks to hit multiple targets.

Sivir's Ult is great for initiating fights since she gains bonus attack speed and movement speed for several seconds, and she produces an aura that gives movement speed to nearby allies. Sivir can be difficult to deal with if she builds items like Kraken Slayer and Navori Quickblades – which provide attack speed and critical strike chance.

7 Tristana: The Yordle Gunner

Still Deals A Considerable Amount Of Damage

Sivir's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Marksman

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

50.8%

Tristana is capable of dishing out a large amount of damage, and she can easily wipe out an enemy team in the later stages of a game if she gets an early lead. She received a rework in 2015, and the only thing that changed was her E.

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The E allows Tristana to place a bomb on an enemy champion, minion, monster, or tower, and each subsequent basic attack increases the bomb's damage. Trist can leap away from enemy attacks, but she mainly uses the ability to jump toward enemies to finish them off, and it refreshes if she eliminates the target. Tristana's damage this season has not really changed, and she can still shred enemy turrets and Champions.

6 Fiddlesticks: The Ancient Fear

His Ultimate Deals More Damage With New Items

Fiddlesticks Being Scary In His Classic League of Legends Skins

Main Role

Mage

Difficulty

High

Current Win Rate

50.7%

Fiddlesticks is the demonic embodiment of fear, which means that he is one of the game's most evil characters. His abilities have always revolved around fear, and prior to his 2020 rework, he was extremely annoying to play against because he could fear and silence enemies by just clicking on them.

Except for his W, all of Fiddle's current abilities are now skillshots, and his Ult is pretty much the same. His fear-Inducing abilities are still aggravating to deal with, and his new passive allows him to place an effigy of himself in the Jungle. At Level 6, these effigies offer vision, and they can reveal and disable enemy wards and hidden traps. Fiddle's Ult can now do a lot more damage with new items like Stormsurge and Malignance – which cause extra area of effect damage.

5 Warwick: The Uncaged Wrath Of Zaun

Can Deal More Damage & Heal More Thanks To Sundered Sky

Warwick Hunting In His Old & Current Classic League of Legends Skin

Main Role

Fighter

Difficulty

Low

Current Win Rate

52.3%

Warwick will likely be one of the Champions who will appear in Arcane's second season, and he has spent most of his time as a Jungler. He got a full rework in 2017, and the result was very impressive. Instead of slashing enemies with his old Q, he can now lunge and bite them, and he heals after each bite. This makes Warwick great at clearing Jungle mobs.

Warwick's E gives him damage reduction, and when he recasts it, he fears and slows all nearby enemies. His Ult is now a skillshot, and its range increases as the game goes on. It is much better than the point-and-click Ult Warwick originally had. Warwick is supposed to build tank, but he can now build the new Sundered Sky item to boost his damage and healing. With Sundered Sky, Warwick's Q will give him more health, and it will turn his first attack into a critical strike.

4 Alistar: The Minotaur

An Effective Tank That Can Heal The Entire Team

Alistar  Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Tank

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

50.4%

Alistar is a very popular Support, and Riot has given him several minor changes. He is the definition of a true tank, as his Ultimate reduces the amount of damage he sustains for seven seconds, and it removes any applied crowd-controlling effects.

Alistar can use his Q to knock up one or more enemies, and his W allows him to knock one of them into his team. His W's knockback can also be used to save teammates from enemy Champions. Alistar's E can damage multiple targets, and it can stun, while his passive is capable of healing his entire team.

3 Teemo: The Swift Scout

Teemo Can Rapidly Attack And Blind Enemies & His Mushrooms Are Stronger Thanks To The Malignance Item

Teemo's  Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Marksman

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

50.4%

Teemo may look adorable, but he is actually one of the game's most hated Champions. One of the most infuriating things about Teemo is his blind, which has always been affixed to his Q, and his Ult is just as annoying because it lets him place poisonous mushrooms on the ground. These mushrooms turn invisible, and they will poison and slow anyone who steps on them.

Thanks to items like Nashor's Tooth, Liandry's Torment, and Shadowflame, Teemo can deal massive damage by basic attacking and blinding enemies in rapid succession. He can also turn invisible if he stands in a bush, and he can stay invisible in the bush even if he moves around. The new Malignance item causes Teemo's mushrooms to create a special pool on the ground that deals extra damage while also reducing an enemy Champion's Magic Resist.

2 Jax: Grandmaster At Arms

Jax Is A Greater Threat Thanks To Sundered Sky & Ability Haste

Jax's original & current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Fighter

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

49.7%

Jax is a Skirmisher, and he has remained fairly consistent since LoL launched. He's had a few minor tweaks, but Riot is not fond of completely reworking characters who have relatively high win rates. His model has been updated, but for the most part, his appearance hasn't changed much either, and he still uses a lamp as his weapon.

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In lower ranks, Jax can literally carry a team because of his damage output and attack speed, and he can leap onto enemies and stun them with his E. His Ult grants him bonus attack speed, but it also boosts his armor and magic resist for seven seconds. Thanks to Sundered Sky, Jax can now heal a lot more when he leaps at enemy Champions, and he can unleash his combo more frequently by building items that give ability haste.

1 Ashe: The Frost Archer

Her Attacks Deal More Damage Now With Terminus

Ashe's Original & Current League of Legends splash art

Main Role

Marksman

Difficulty

Moderate

Current Win Rate

52.4%

Ashe is the game's most recognizable ADC, and she is arguably the best Champion for beginners to use. Ashe received a rework in 2015, and it completely changed her Passive, Q, and E. Her Q used to apply frost and slowing effects, but that is now her Passive. Her new Q allows her to unleash a barrage of frost shots after several basic attacks.

Ashe's E now shoots a hawk spirit that can reveal enemy Champions on the map. Her W shoots a volley of arrows that can slow, and her Ult fires a massive arrow that can stun an enemy for up to three seconds. The new Terminus item gives Ashe more attack speed, but it also grants more armor and magic penetration. She is one of the few Champions who is widely used in every rank and professional play.

league of legends
League of Legends

Franchise
League of Legends
Platform(s)
PC , macOS
Released
October 27, 2009
Developer(s)
Riot Games
Publisher(s)
Riot Games
Genre(s)
MOBA