Top Lane Maokai
Maokai is no stranger to the top lane, but this champion has been absent for quite some time, only occasionally appearing in… ARAM matches. However, in the current patch, Maokai has suddenly emerged as a top-tier tank after Ornn and Sett were heavily nerfed. The reason for Maokai’s strength is well-known: the buff to the Fire Cloak.
Maokai is probably one of the most effective champions using this item, as his W – Sapling Toss can root enemies right in their tracks, activating the new burn effect from Fire Cloak, dealing significant damage. Moreover, Maokai has a very effective “flanking” ability with his moves to circle behind and lock down your team’s carries; if you underestimate this tree and let him farm a few key items, you’ll regret it by the end of the game.
Draven with Muramana
It’s unclear who invented this playstyle, but it has become popular among Draven players from Europe to Asia and even Brazil. By building Manamune, an item that stacks, Draven will be quite weak in the early game if using a standard rune page, so players should opt for the Domination rune page with the Blade Rain perk to compensate for his power. Draven’s ability to toss two axes consecutively should not be underestimated.
The unique aspect of this playstyle is that you don’t build Infinity Edge or critical items as usual; instead, you use lethality items like Duskblade and Youmuu’s Ghostblade for maximum damage. The only B.F. Sword-related item you will build is Guardian Angel, which helps players ensure they won’t fall too far behind in the late game while maintaining strength in the early and mid-game, making it a favorite among dedicated Draven players.
Kai’Sa with Luden’s Echo
One of the major updates for Kai’Sa recently is that her W – Icathian Rain now has a reduced cooldown on hitting enemy champions and has increased interaction with ability power. This means that the AP build for Kai’Sa is entirely feasible and allows for early AP itemization, with Luden’s Echo being the item that synergizes best with her abilities.
With the additional energy from Luden’s Echo, Kai’Sa’s damage increases due to the passive from Muramana, allowing her to upgrade her Q – Icathian Storm even without building straight AD items. In summary, this playstyle enables Kai’Sa to poke opponents more effectively without needing to auto-attack frequently to deal substantial damage.
Talon with Conqueror
Talon is considered one of the most straightforward assassins in League of Legends, effective only in 1v1 situations against enemy carries. Unlike Akali, he lacks mobility; unlike Qiyana, he doesn’t have a large impact in team fights; and he is less reliable in ambushes compared to Zed. With so many weaknesses, players have begun to explore ways to advance this champion using the Conqueror rune.
With the ability to stack Conqueror quickly, Talon synergizes well with this rune, and combined with his decent lifesteal, you can have enough time to defeat your opponent and escape to the nearest wall. Furthermore, the Conqueror’s bonus AD makes Talon more reliable when executing his kill combos.
