Solo Queue FOTM Tier List - Dec - Patch 5.1

SEASON 5 - December - PATCH 5.1 FOTM TIER LIST

"THE POPULAR KIDS"

Preface Chatter

Hey everyone, it's 2 days in since Riot reset the ranked queues and while I'm sure most of you are happily grinding away, it's also about time to drop in for some updates to the FOTM tier list! Check out the goodies below! This rendition features a STRONG move-up from an old gun-slinging favorite, Graves!

If you're looking for the regular solo queue tier list, be sure to check it out via this link!

For a list of champions with the highest *potential* in the game without regard to difficulty or team synergies, check out the list of strongest potential champions in each position!

Patch 5.1 Summary

Buffs: Azir, Elise, Evelynn, Hecarim, Kalista, Renekton, Skarner;
Nerfs: Corki, Gnar, Janna, Jayce, Rek'Sai, Sona, Syndra;
Tweaks: Nautilus

Updates:

• 1/25: Azir moved up
• 1/29: Akali moved down, added top lane Kassadin, Vi moved up

Search for a champion:

The Tier List

God Tier [Pee Your Pants - BAN]:
Mid-Lane Gods: Zed, Azir, Fizz, Leblanc
Jungle Gods: Rek'Sai, Jarvan IV, Vi, Lee Sin
AD Gods: Graves
Top Lane Gods: Rek'Sai, Gnar, Lissandra, Irelia,
Support Gods: Janna, Thresh

Tier 1 [Expected Powerhouses]:
Mid-Lane: Katarina, Ahri, Kassadin, Yasuo, Akali, Talon, Orianna, Lux, Jayce, Xerath,
Jungle: Pantheon, Fiddlesticks, Shaco, Rengar, Xin Zhao, Sejuani, Udyr, Kha'Zix, Maokai, Amumu, Master Yi
AD Carry: Lucian, Jinx, Vayne, Caitlyn, Sivir, Tristana, Corki
Top Lane: Riven, Akali, Kassadin, Jax, Darius, Rengar, Jayce, Yasuo, Pantheon, Nasus, Lee Sin, Rumble, Jarvan IV, Fiora
Support: Morgana, Braum, Leona, Blitzcrank, Soraka, Sona, Alistar, Nami, Lulu,

Tier 2 [Crowd Favorites]:
Mid-Lane: Annie, Lissandra, Ziggs, Twisted Fate
Jungle: Warwick, Sion, Elise, Skarner, Nocturne, Volibear, Nautilus, Evelynn
AD Carry: Ezreal, Twitch, Draven, Ashe, Kog'Maw
Top Lane: Azir, Tryndamere, Maokai, Sion, Wukong, Nidalee, Renekton, Trundle, Cho'gath, Udyr, Vladimir, Lulu, Shyvana, Olaf, Xin Zhao, Warwick, Swain, Dr. Mundo, Zed
Support: Annie, Zilean, Karma

Tier 3 [Playable]:
Mid-Lane: Syndra, Diana, Lulu (AP), Pantheon, Cassiopeia, Kayle, Nidalee (AP), Morgana, Zilean, Mordekaiser, Swain, Viktor, Brand, Vel'Koz, Malzahar, Anivia, Ryze, Galio, Vladimir, Zyra, Karma, Veigar, Heimerdinger, Karthus, Gragas, Kha'Zix, Tristana, Cho'Gath, Kennen
Jungle: Wukong, Rammus, Olaf, Trundle, Kayle, Jax, Dr. Mundo, Nasus, Shyvana, Gragas, Diana, Malphite, Tryndamere, Hecarim, Aatrox, Zac, Nunu, Cho'Gath, Shen, Darius
AD Carry: Miss Fortune, Kalista, Varus,  Quinn
Top Lane: Kayle, Malphite, Ryze, Alistar, Singed, Gragas, Kennen, Teemo, Shen, Yorick, Garen, Quinn, Aatrox, Elise, Volibear, Kha'Zix, Karma, Poppy, Vi, Master Yi, Viktor, Gangplank, Zac, Mordekaiser, Talon
Support: Zyra, Fiddlesticks, Vel'Koz, Taric, Gragas

Tier 4 [Not Amused]:
Mid-Lane: Elise, Wukong, Malphite, Teemo, Gangplank, Riven, Fiora, Fiddlesticks, Kog'maw, Ezreal (AP), Sona, Soraka, Janna
Jungle: Leona, Zed, Yasuo, Fiora, Riven, Poppy, Gangplank, Malzahar, Blitzcrank, Alistar
AD Carry: Twisted Fate, Kennen, Urgot
Top Lane: Heimerdinger, Vayne, Galio, Nunu, Soraka, Urgot
Support: Teemo, Nunu, Volibear, Lux, Kayle, Nautilus, Maokai, Anivia, Veigar, Gangplank, Malphite, Nidalee, Orianna, Poppy, Elise, Galio, Shen, Yorick, Lissandra, Ashe, Leblanc, Caitlyn

Instructions and Caveats:

• This tier list details which champions are most popular in today's current metagame, for better or for worse. Selecting a high popularity champion and doing mediocre is always favorable to selecting a low tier champion and doing mediocre for team morale.

Click Here for a description of the tiers

God Tier: These champions are common bans and are likely perceived as being "overall extremely strong/broken". They have very obvious and/or flashy skills that make them appear stronger than other champions. You'll likely see these champions picked early on if they're not banned.

Tier 1: These champions are the ones you'll see in the majority of your games and are good to familiarize yourself with as you'l be battling against them a lot.

Tier 2: These champions are relatively strong and have historically been picked more often than other champions. They may have been nerfed at one point at another, but are still perceived as strong in their current states.

Tier 3: These champions aren't quite as popular as the rest of the champions in the first 3 tiers, but picking them one at a time isn't going to cause much of a concern on your team. However, if you have a team of 5 of them your teammates are likely to feel a bit uneasy about your chances of winning in solo queue.

Tier 4: Selecting these champions will likely cause a rift between you and your teammates, who will proceed to flame you if you fail your lane. Exercise caution when selecting these champions, as team morale often plays a big part in victory or defeat.

Champion Explanations

• Leblanc [God Tier Mid] - Leblanc is back on top of the top 5 most banned champions again this time around, mostly because of how disappointing it is to die to a fed Leblanc without being able to fight back. Meanwhile, we'll have to see how she does after DFG is removed from the game.
• Jarvan IV [God Tier Jungle] - Jarvan's finally taking his rightful place in the eyes of the populace, and they've finally recognized  his power for what it is...the strongest. 
• Graves [God Tier ADC] - Graves is receiving tons of attention lately in heavy AOE compositions, and is the current go-to now that Lucian's been heavily nerfed. They have similar skillsets, so the transition has been pretty ubiquitous. 
• Lissandra [God Tier Top] - Lissandra's definitely the most popular AP top laner now in terms of how much people fear her (Akali doesn't count). With her powerful AOE damaging abilities, she's definitely very powerful right now.
• Kassadin [Tier 1 Mid] - Professional play has vaulted Kassadin up high in terms of FOTM, While overall he does pretty mediocre at most levels of play, a fed Kassadin is absolutely impossible to escape from and definitely somewhat annoying to play against.
• Pantheon [Tier 1 Jungle] - Nerfs to his jungle have had slow ripple effects, and as expected most are slow to pick up that he's significantly weaker than before. While still playable, his popularity is slowly fading in favor of other champions, such as the ever popular Lee Sin.
• Tryndamere [Tier 2 Top] - Not surprisingly, with so many death defying champions and blinking champions popular on the rift, Tryndamere has become frustrating for most non-Tryndamere mains to pick up and start playing. This results in a quickly declining play rate for Ashe's main squeeze.
• Syndra [Tier 3 Mid] - Nerfs on Syndra this patch combined with a lot of public ranting has dropped her out of the limelight. Syndra mains still play her, but in a week or two I expect to see her ban rate to drop significantly out of the picture.

Disclaimer:

• The purpose of this list is for discussion and to provide a starting point for hero selection.

Agree? Disagree? Comment below!