According to Riot’s announcement, patch 10.5 focuses heavily on the top lane as many strong champions in both professional play and Solo Q in this area have been nerfed. Additionally, the “top lane without minions” playstyle, specifically the Soraka / Sona top choice, will be more thoroughly addressed.
However, even though the changes and adjustments from Riot have only recently been implemented, it seems that their impact has not met expectations, as the champions dominating the top lane are still familiar faces. Below are the top 5 best champions for climbing in the top lane in patch 10.5 that players should take advantage of:
1. Sett
Sett and Ornn have exchanged the top spot in the top lane for each other across multiple patches of Season 10. The nerfs that Ornn received in patch 10.5 have given Sett the opportunity to fully control this lane. He is a strong champion at every stage of the game—that’s part of the reason he excels in both Solo Q and professional play.
Sett can combine with Sejuani or other strong level 3 jungle champions to execute a standard First Blood play. From there, he can easily take the lead in the laning phase and use R – Arena of Death to completely eliminate the enemy’s carry or tank in the late-game team fights. Coupled with the Conqueror rune, he becomes even stronger, while the new buffs for the Blade of the Ruined King and the Death’s Dance make him even more terrifying.
2. Ornn
Ornn remains in a strong position in patch 10.5, despite his passive Master Craftsman and W – Bellows Breath being weakened. Now, Ornn has to wait until level 13 to upgrade his items, and the damage from his R – Tempered Fate has had its maximum health percentage damage reduced.
This still leaves Ornn with a powerful kit that retains excellent effectiveness. The change to his passive only slightly delays his power progression and does not affect his strength at level 18—when he can upgrade items for the entire team. Ornn’s teamfight-oriented abilities also make him particularly dangerous in large objective contests and during siege scenarios. Ornn may not be as strong as he was in patch 10.4, but he remains one of the best top lane champions in patch 10.5.
3. Sona
Sona had a 60% win rate in Solo Q in the top lane in patch 10.3 before a series of hotfixes and nerfs brought her down to her current 54% win rate. However, those nerfs and changes are gradually being reverted as she gains increased AD and base AD, as well as a movement speed boost from her E ability.
These buffs may be aimed at keeping Sona in a viable position after the Blade of the Ruined King was adjusted—not providing gold for solo lane champions anymore. However, the compensatory buffs she has received will only allow her to control the lane better than before, while the support item build enables her to reach power spikes sooner, before opponents have a chance to react. Whether Riot’s changes to limit Sona’s solo lane capability will be effective is still to be determined, and we may need to wait a bit longer for the most accurate answer.
4. Aatrox
Aatrox is perhaps one of the most “up and down” champions in League of Legends, and this patch 10.5 may be the time for him to “rise” once again. When played well, Aatrox can become a formidable force controlling the entire top half of the map. His Q – Darkin Blade provides him with three different crowd control modes, which can be combined with W – Infernal Chains to catch enemy carries.
Aatrox also benefits greatly from the changes to the Death’s Dance, making it easier for him to hold the lane against top lane mages. The added magic resistance helps him against mid lane mages or some jungle champions building AP items in the meta. Aatrox remains a skill-intensive champion, so you’ll still need to practice and hone your skills with him before taking him into ranked matches.
5. Darius
Darius has received several buffs to his jungle viability in an effort to help new players and low-rank players adapt better to the jungle role. However, these buffs have also helped Darius in the top lane make a return to the meta, boasting a 53% win rate in patch 10.4. His high early-game damage and all-in potential allow him to exert significant lane pressure and enable him to work around the jungler to gain early-game advantages.
Darius’s innate kill potential, when combined with a good jungler, makes most matchups favorable for him and allows him to snowball into a mid-game monster. These early-game advantages can often turn the tide of the match, as these objectives provide Darius’s team with the strength to carry him through the late game, even if he falls behind compared to his opponents.