In the current meta, the top lane has many “hot” champions with unique playstyles, frequently innovated by players. However, there are still several champions who are quite terrible, completely failing to keep up with the meta, and can easily become a critical weak point for the team if players carelessly pick them. Below are the top lane champions that players should not risk choosing in patch 10.6:
1. Akali
Akali has maintained her terrible performance in the top lane just like in the mid lane, with a win rate often hovering around 45% – the lowest among all League of Legends champions. Even high Elo players and professional gamers dare not risk selecting this champion because her current power is too weak, and it’s easy to pay the price for just one small mistake.
Of course, Akali can still carry the team when used correctly and fully exploiting her skill set – which is very hard to achieve in a League of Legends match with many unpredictable variables. Until she receives a rework or new balance adjustments, it’s best not to risk picking her unless you’re extremely confident in your skills or playing smurf.
2. Irelia
Irelia is one of those champions that were once OP but is currently struggling in the meta after a series of nerfs since her rework. Like Akali, Irelia is a champion that demands a very high skill ceiling, capable of becoming a monster in the hands of skilled players but can also easily become a team’s ATM if not played correctly.
Irelia’s high skill ceiling makes her less suitable in Solo Q, where average players from Platinum rank and below dominate. Buffs to Tiamat, Blade of the Ruined King, and Titanic Hydra may slightly improve Irelia’s situation, but it’s still not enough to bring her back to the top of the top lane tier list.
3. Nasus
Nasus mains will be delighted to hear that Riot plans to buff him in the upcoming patch 10.7. But that is still in the future; currently, he is one of the least suitable champions to play in the top lane. His win rate is currently at 46.82%, which is just slightly better than Akali and Irelia.
Nasus’s playstyle requires him to have farm time to reach his late-game power spike, while the current game pace is quite fast and demands top laners to impact early. Additionally, while Nasus used to be able to carry the team well even if the opponents secured four Dragons and Baron, this has become much more difficult with the introduction of the Long Soul and the new Elder Dragon execution mechanics. Until he receives a buff in the new patch, players really should avoid choosing this champion in their important Ranked matches.
4. Ryze
Ryze was once a staple champion in the top lane with the ability to farm and win lane against most other top lane champions. However, with the rise of Ornn and Sett recently, as well as the fast-paced nature of Season 10, Ryze has quickly fallen behind and struggles to unleash his power.
Currently, he only has a win rate of about 47% in the top lane, which is quite understandable considering how long it takes him to reach his power levels. With Ornn able to build and upgrade the Abyssal Mask early and other champions able to easily catch Ryze when he makes mistakes, Ryze’s opponents in the top lane can win their lanes or hold him back long enough to gain advantages in other areas of the map.
5. Lucian
Lucian Top is not a popular choice but has been a surprisingly strong unconventional option trusted by many recently, especially after the performances of professional players. With the advantage of range against melee champions in the top lane and strong early game damage, many players enjoy bringing Lucian Top for the feeling of “bullying” and dominating the enemy lane. However, reality is not as beautiful as they dream.
Other strong top lane champions like Aatrox, Ornn, or Sett can still hold their ground in lane and do so without having to pay too much of a price. Meanwhile, Lucian, if he does not have a clear advantage, will quickly fall behind and cede lane control to his opponents for most of the match. This weakness can be very difficult to resolve, especially when you don’t have a strong Mage in the mid lane, such as Cassiopeia, to deal with the split-pushing problem whenever the enemy utilizes it.