In any meta of League of Legends, there are always a few standout champions that possess superior strength compared to the average champions. Although they do not guarantee a victory as many factors come into play, if used skillfully, these champions will make your ranking process much simpler and smoother.
1. Ornn
Since patch 10.3, Ornn has gradually risen to become a force in the top lane, but it wasn’t until patch 10.4 that he completely transformed into a true monster. Ornn has an incredibly high damage output for a pure tank champion. This means he can easily win trade-offs with most other champions in the top lane. Additionally, he possesses one of the strongest engage/area-of-effect ultimates in the game.
Recent changes to the Bami’s Cinder and the items built from it have further excited Ornn players. His passive, Master Craftsman, now deals 6-23 bonus damage (+0.02 bonus health) every 10 seconds with the next immobilizing ability and creates a fiery circle around him. This makes Ornn with his crowd control and high damage kit, especially when building the core item, Sunfire Aegis (upgraded to the Forgefire Crest), even stronger.
According to statistics from op.gg, Ornn currently has a pick rate of approximately 17%, the highest in the top lane. Similarly, reports from gol.gg indicate he has a presence rate of up to 63.1% in professional play. Ornn was already in a good position before, but he has benefited so much from the item changes in patch 10.4 that he has emerged as a top-tier force in the current meta.
2. Garen
It has been a while since Garen was mentioned as one of the leading champions in the meta. In fact, to achieve his current standing, he has undergone two different rounds of buffs. The first was in patch 9.20, which significantly increased his damage output. He became overpowered for a short time and had to be nerfed several times to bring him back to a more balanced state. This meant that while Garen dealt more damage, he essentially lost some of his durability.
Therefore, the first buff Garen received in patch 10.4 focused on restoring his tank build. W – Courage now grants Garen an additional 10% armor/magic resistance after maxing out armor/magic resistance from enemy kills. Additionally, his shield received a significant buff, increasing from 10% of maximum health to 20% of bonus health, making it useful at all stages of the game.
The second buff Garen received relates to his jungle potential, with his E dealing 150% damage to monsters, except for epic monsters. It’s worth noting that Garen also received a slight AD increase for his Q, but this doesn’t have much impact.
With all these buffs, Garen could be a perfect choice right now. He can flexibly play both top lane and jungle easily, being a formidable fighter in both roles. Things like Predator rune can help Garen gank effectively in the jungle, while matchups in the top lane become easier with his Q and W buffs.
3. Talon + Zed
Essentially, Zed and Talon are in a similar state. Both are notorious for their early game power and all-in pressure at level 6. Additionally, their high mobility makes them terrifying roamers. Both champions have shone in previous metas, and in patch 10.4, they have a chance to shine once again.
Both of these champions can now be added to the jungle pool with the buffs they just received. However, does this mean they have to fully transition to the jungle and bring Smite? Not necessarily. Both Talon and Zed have incredibly strong snowball potential. Solo killing their lane opponent and then roaming to gain advantages for their team is often their primary playstyle. With the new buffs, this playstyle now has many more options.
With a Talon or Zed ahead or even behind compared to their opponent, they can utilize jungle camps to invade and steal from enemies. This allows them to maintain a higher pace in the game and snowball more effectively.
4. Miss Fortune
For the ADC position, we have a champion that has not been affected by patch 10.4 but has even benefitted from it indirectly – Miss Fortune. She has become a staple pick for a while and can potentially be the best ADC in the current patch.
In previous patches, Miss Fortune had to compete quite fiercely with two new champions, Senna and Aphelios. After that, Senna was nerfed repeatedly targeting the ADC role, and now it’s Aphelios’s turn to face the same fate. The nerfs Aphelios has received may not be too significant, but with these two champions weakened, it’s no surprise that Miss Fortune has risen to the number one spot.
She may not have the utility or flair that the two latest Marksmen have, but she possesses a lot of what any Marksman needs: damage. Miss Fortune can deal massive damage in almost every stage of the game. Her laning phase is exceptional with damage from Q – Double Up and her passive, Love Tap. From mid to late game, a well-timed ultimate R – Bullet Time can wipe out the entire enemy team and take control of the match.
5. Leona
Last but not least, let’s discuss the Support position. This patch 10.4 has not touched this role at all, aside from some buffs to Soraka and Sona in the top lane. Therefore, we do not have a new top choice for this role besides Leona – a name that has dominated for quite a while.
The current meta focuses on tanky Support champions that can initiate fights. Other options like Thresh, Nautilus, and Braum are still viable, but Leona stands at a much higher level. Her ultimate R – Solar Flare allows her to pick off isolated targets or engage enemies from a distance, making it a reliable tool for initiating fights without risking her life by diving into the enemy formation.
In terms of laning phase, Leona is also among the best. Her ability to lock down targets is incredibly fearsome, giving her great setup for ganks and excellent 2vs3 potential. When paired with ADCs like Miss Fortune, she can dominate the lane and allow her ADC to deal tons of damage.
Since patch 10.3, Leona has a win rate of 51.73% and a pick rate of 18.03%. These are quite impressive numbers, especially considering how many people are using her across all ranks. That is an advantage, but not overpowered. She is simply a perfect choice when you are looking for a solid Support champion.