Top Lane: Zilean (53.62%)
While Zilean was previously known for being used mainly as a Support champion, with occasional mid-lane appearances, in patch 11.01 of the 2021 season, Zilean surprises everyone with an extremely high win rate of 53.62% when played… in the top lane.
Equipped with the rune setup of Iceborn Gauntlet, a full AP build including Rod of Ages + Luden’s Echo + Morello’s Tome + Zhonya’s Hourglass + Rabadon’s Deathcap + Liandry’s Anguish, combined with his annoying poke ability, healing, and crowd control, it’s no surprise that full AP Zilean top lane is the top trend at the start of the 2021 season.
Jungle: Rammus (53.53%)
No longer constrained to the top lane, along with the introduction of Mythic items, Rammus has made a strong return to the jungle role. In his new position, the Armordillo has impressively achieved a win rate of 53.53%.
With a rune setup of Resolve -> Aftershock -> Unflinching -> Spirit Walker -> Condition Control, combined with his inherent tankiness, Rammus is well-equipped to survive in the jungle, which is currently considered the harshest environment in Season 11. Additionally, Rammus can effectively counter assassins and ADCs that rely on physical damage with his W – Defensive Ball Curl.
Rammus’s items also focus on durability, with Thornmail being a must-have item. This item, combined with his damage reflection ability, makes Rammus a true nightmare for ADCs and champions that primarily deal physical damage.
Mid Lane: Taric (61.80%)
An incredibly surprising pick in the mid lane. Instead of the popular champions currently dominating the professional scene or high ranks like Zoe or Orianna, it’s actually Taric. Many players joke that in the past, bringing Valoran’s Shield to the mid lane would have resulted in at least four reports and a Riot account ban.
Taric’s mid lane rune setup still emphasizes enhancing tankiness with Resolve -> Guardian -> Spirit Walker -> Bone Plating -> Revitalize. This can provide the team with an additional tank (similar to the Galio meta), and Taric can even become an engagement champion if the top lane or jungle lacks necessary items.
Regarding items, Taric in the mid lane can become nearly immortal if he has the full item build: Frozen Gauntlet + True Glory + Spirit Visage + Iceborn Gauntlet + Blood Armor. Not only does this give Taric enough durability in team fights, but it also makes him increasingly annoying. Taric’s weakness in the mid lane is that he often “sacrifices” himself to allow other positions (like jungle, top lane, ADC) to deal the main damage.
Bot Lane: Swain (55.56%)
Not Kai’Sa, not Ezreal, nor any of the hot champions in League of Legends like Jhin, Aphelios, or Samira, but Swain is currently the highest win rate pick in patch 11.1 for the bot lane.
Many might wonder how AP Swain can deal damage. Here’s the build for AP Swain: Sorcerer’s Shoes – Liandry’s Anguish – Morello’s Tome – Zhonya’s Hourglass – Rylai’s Crystal Scepter – Rabadon’s Deathcap. This build, combined with his ability to survive long in team fights and deal massive area damage thanks to his ultimate Demonic Transformation (R), provides Swain with enough magical damage to burst down any squishy champion.
If Swain encounters strong opponents with many hard crowd control effects, the Everfrost will be a very effective item for him.
The most suitable rune setup for Swain in the bot lane includes: Sorcery -> Nimbus Cloak -> Absolute Focus -> Gathering Storm -> Scorch.
Support: Maokai (53.62%)
Another tank-oriented champion on the list is Maokai in the support position. According to some players, Maokai is not a new face in this role, but in the new patch, Maokai is significantly stronger than before.
Still focused on tankiness with a rune setup of Resolve -> Aftershock -> Shield Bash -> Bone Plating -> Overgrowth, Maokai not only has great lane presence, protecting the ADC but also excels in healing and boosting his own health.
As a support, with a sturdy rune setup, Maokai can prioritize magical items like Liandry’s Anguish, Rylai’s Crystal Scepter, Morello’s Tome, and Zhonya’s Hourglass to add some magical damage in team fights.
Overall, the champions currently boasting the highest win rates in each lane in patch 11.01 are surprising many players. However, looking back, with the appearance of Mythic items and the creativity of players, it can be said that in the 2021 season of League of Legends, nothing is impossible.