In the current meta, an increasing number of unusual champions are appearing in the top lane or mid lane due to changes in items. Among them, there are three main playstyles that are becoming the most favored and widely used in these two solo lanes; you can “switch things up” and experiment with them if you want to understand more about the current version’s meta. Here are those playstyles:
“Shutting Down the Opponent So Badly That They Can’t Breathe” Playstyle
Just like TheShy once took Kalista to the top lane to crush opponents, many players are currently taking marksmen to the solo lanes to gain a huge advantage in the early game.
Among these, the most commonly used champion is Lucian with the keystone Press the Attack and the Mythic item Kraken Slayer. With this playstyle, Lucian can maximize his passive as well as damage from his basic attacks, completely shutting down his opponent to the point where they “can’t see minions” if he skillfully manages the wave. Less popular picks compared to Lucian are Quinn, Vayne, and Tristana; while not as strong as Lucian, they can be used in suitable matchups.
“Tanky Playstyle That Never Dies”
In the current meta, many players favor extremely resilient champions with high defensive stats like armor, magic resistance, or health, yet still deal a lot of damage. Thus, these champions have become popular choices due to their flexible item builds that contribute to the team.
For example, Sylas with his W ability can heal a lot in team fights while also dealing “a ton” of damage; he is a damage dealer that can threaten all enemy team members while also protecting himself – a rather unbalanced strength in the current meta. Or fighters like Renekton can charge straight into the enemy team with Bloodthirster and recover an unbelievable amount of health using Q and Bloodlust activation.
“Bloodthirsty Assassin Playstyle”
With many strong marksmen emerging in the current meta, assassins have also returned as a “natural enemy” to balance the game.
In the current meta, widely used assassins who are also mages include Ekko, Fizz, and Katarina with the Mythic item Night Harvester. With this item, even if they don’t engage in “bloodbaths”, the item’s passive helps assassins “soften up” targets before team fights.
Additionally, some physical damage assassins like Zed, Talon, and Qiyana with Mythic items such as Eclipse or Duskblade of Draktharr. Many have noted that these lethality assassins seem to have more “playtime” than in previous metas, as the current wealth of items makes these champions become too “tank-like” compared to their assassin role.