League of Legends Tier List: What It Is and How to Use It

Every League of Legends player knows the feeling of checking a tier list before locking in a champion. They scroll to the S-tier column, pick the highest-ranked option, and hope for a win. But what if that approach is actually holding them back? The real value of a tier list isn’t the letter grade—it’s the methodology behind it. Understanding how sites like Mobalytics and Lolalytics create their rankings can make the difference between climbing and stalling.

Patch Cycle: Every 2 weeks ·
Data Sources: Millions of ranked games worldwide ·
Tier Ranks Common: S, A, B, C, D

Four key figures capture the tier‑list landscape at a glance.

What is a tier list in League of Legends?

What does a tier list rank?

• A tier list ranks champions by perceived strength in the current meta, usually in descending order from S‑tier down to D‑tier or F‑tier.
• The ranking is based on three data points: win rate, pick rate, and ban rate (Wikipedia (tier list definition)).
• Tier lists are updated with each LoL patch to reflect balance changes and shifting strategies.

How are tiers assigned?

• Tiers are statistical buckets. Champions in S‑tier have the highest composite score; D‑tier champions have the lowest.
• Sites like Mobalytics use a weighted algorithm that normalizes scores to highlight outliers (Mobalytics YouTube (methodology explanation)).
• Some platforms, such as OP.GG, apply a smoothing function to reduce noise from low‑sample‑size champions.

The implication: The S-tier label is context-dependent; its value changes based on player skill and the methodology used to assign it.

Can someone explain to me how Lolalytics creates their tier lists?

What data does Lolalytics use?

• Lolalytics aggregates millions of game data from all regions, including platinum+ and grandmaster+ brackets.
• Data is collected via Riot Games’ official API, which ensures consistency across patches.
• Unlike some competitors, Lolalytics includes statistical significance weighting to avoid overvaluing one‑trick‑pony champions.

How does Lolalytics calculate tier scores?

• The methodology includes win rate, play rate, ban rate, and a “delta” value that measures performance above the average for the role.
• Tier scores are normalized to highlight outliers, meaning a champion with a 54% win rate and a 15% pick rate can be ranked above one with 55% win rate but a 2% pick rate.
• Critics note that Lolalytics’ approach can over‑reward popular meta picks, while Mobalytics’ system accounts for skill floor and champion difficulty (Mobalytics YouTube (comparison of methodologies)).

What is S‑tier in LoL?

Why is S‑tier considered the best?

• S‑tier is the highest tier in the standard ranking system, reserved for champions that significantly outperform the rest of the roster in the current patch.
• S‑tier champions have the highest win rates, pick rates, and ban rates, indicating they are both strong and widely played (Wikipedia (tier list convention)).
• The letter S originates from Japanese grading systems (S = “shū” or “special”) and was adopted by competitive gaming communities.

What is the difference between S‑tier and A‑tier?

• A‑tier champions are still strong but less dominant. They often have a clear counter or a weakness that can be exploited in coordinated play.
• S‑tier champions are considered “must‑play” if you want to maximize your win rate; A‑tier champions are “safe picks” that work in most compositions.
• In low elo, the gap between S‑tier and A‑tier is often narrower because opponents are less likely to punish A‑tier weaknesses (ProGuides (low‑elo tier list analysis)).

The implication: The S-tier label is context-dependent; its value changes based on player skill and the methodology used to assign it.

Do pro players use LoL tier lists?

Do pro players rely on tier lists for champion selection?

• Pro players may consult tier lists as a reference, but they prioritize team composition, scrim results, and personal mastery (Mobalytics YouTube (pro tier list philosophy)).
• Mobalytics even publishes a separate high‑elo tier list for players above Diamond, acknowledging that the low‑elo meta is fundamentally different.

How do pro players’ champion choices differ from tier list recommendations?

• Professional teams often pick champions that counter the opponent’s composition rather than blindly following an S‑tier list.
• In solo queue, pro players still lean on their comfort champions, even if those champions are only A‑tier on current lists.
• The gap between “best on paper” and “best in your hands” is wider for high‑skill‑floor champions (Mobalytics (Challenger‑curated tier list)).

“Focus on a small champion pool and master them rather than chasing the S‑tier pick every patch.”

— High‑elo coach (anonymous), common advice in LoL coaching communities

“Mobalytics creates two distinct tier lists: one for the majority of ranked players and one for top‑level play. Teams that ignore this split often lose games because the low‑elo tier list overestimates simple champions.”

— Mobalytics tier list team (Challenger‑ranked experts)

Should you not follow tier list if you are low elo, preferring finding your own champions?

Why might tier lists be misleading for low elo players?

• Low‑elo players may lack the mechanical skill to execute high‑skill S‑tier champions like Zed or Lee Sin effectively.
• Mobalytics’ difficulty ratings measure “Skill Floor” – simple champions yield results in approximately 5–10 games, while complex champions require 20–50+ games to perform consistently (Mobalytics YouTube (difficulty methodology)).
• In low elo, simple champions with low skill floor often outperform high‑ceiling picks because they are easier to execute in chaotic, uncoordinated games.

What should low elo players focus on instead?

• Consistency with a small champion pool (3–4 champions) almost always beats switching to the latest meta picks.
• ProGuides specifically builds its low‑elo tier list around observations from lower‑tier lobbies, emphasizing champions that are forgiving of mistakes (ProGuides (low‑elo tier list methodology)).
• Coach advice is unanimous: focus on fundamentals – last‑hitting, map awareness, wave management – rather than chasing tier‑list rotations.

The pattern: Low-elo players who ignore difficulty ratings risk picking champions they cannot effectively play, which defeats the purpose of using a tier list.

How to use a League of Legends tier list effectively

1. Pick a site that explains its methodology. Prefer Mobalytics or ProGuides over opaque aggregators. Check for a “methodology” page or video.
2. Filter by your rank. Use the low‑elo filter if available. High‑elo tier lists assume a level of skill you may not have yet.
3. Look at difficulty ratings, not just the tier letter. A‑tier champions with “Easy” difficulty are often better for climbing than S‑tier champions with “Hard” or “Severe” difficulty.
4. Stick to a 3–4 champion pool for each role you play. Rotate only when the patch drastically changes a champion’s viability.
5. Re‑evaluate after each patch. Tier lists shift every two weeks. Before switching champions, ask yourself whether you have 10+ games on the new pick.

The catch: Following these steps doesn’t guarantee climbing, but it filters out the noise that leads to frequent champion switching.

Upsides & Downsides of Following Tier Lists

För att se vilka champions som dominerar just nu kan du jämföra med aktuell tier-lista för patch 26.7 från datakällor som u.gg och Mobalytics.

Frequently asked questions

For the low‑elo player, the choice is clear: master three or four simple champions that match your playstyle, and only consult tier lists to stay aware of major meta shifts. Ignore the S‑tier hype if you haven’t invested the 20–50 games required to unlock a champion’s potential. Consistency beats chasing letters every time.

Related reading

• What Is an API – Complete Beginner Guide with Examples (Understanding the tech that powers tier‑list aggregation)
• Slot Gacor spinbet99.net: Verified Facts & Sources (Related analytical approach to ranking systems)