Solo Queue FOTM Tier List - February - Patch 6.4

This week's Maintenance Monday was supposed to include the latest FOTM Tier List for 6.3, but after getting pushed back the new patch 6.4 hit. As a result, we're rolling it forward and doing minor updates as the meta clears out to accommodate the changes.

That being said, check out the full listing below! 

SEASON 5 - February - PATCH 6.4 FOTM TIER LIST

"THE POPULAR KIDS"

Preface Chatter

This week's Maintenance Monday was supposed to include the latest FOTM Tier List for 6.3, but after getting pushed back the new patch 6.4 hit. As a result, we're rolling it forward and doing minor updates as the meta clears out to accommodate the changes.

The strongest champions with mastered list will likely be updated tomorrow along with the main tier list if enough data is available.

That being said, check out the full listing below! 

The purpose of the "Flavor of the Month" ("FOTM") list is to show which champions are popular in today's metagame, so you can learn how to beat them!

If you're looking for the division climber 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 6.4 Summary

Buffs: Ashe, Caitlyn, Illaoi, Jhin, Katarina, Rumble, Ryze, Shen, Sivir, 

Nerfs: Ahri, Ezreal, Fiora, Gangplank, Kog'Maw, Lucian, Malphite, Tahm Kench, Udyr, Viktor, Xin Zhao

Item Buffs: Mercury's Treads, Manamune, 

Item Nerfs: Boots of Swiftness, Runic Echoes, Sterak's Gage, Hydra

Item Tweaks: Iceborn Gauntlet

Toolkit and Options

Click to toggle champion movement history

Search for a champion:

Updates:

• Added Corki Mid
• Added Akali Top explanation
• Added Udyr explanation
• Added Jhin Marksman/Mid
• Added Rammus Top
• 2/28:
• Added Rumble Jungle
• Added Graves Jungle/Top
• 2/29: Strongest Champions When Mastered list updated!
• 3/7: Added Jungle Rumble report

The Tier List

God Tier [Pee Your Pants - BAN]:
Mid-Lane Gods: Lux, Ahri, Zed, Fizz
Jungle Gods: Udyr, Master Yi, Xin Zhao, Lee Sin
Marksman Gods: Lucian, Ezreal, Kog'Maw
Top Lane Gods: Malphite, Fiora, Poppy
Support Gods: Thresh, Alistar, Janna,

God Tier Rising: Ahri (Mid), Alistar (Support), Ezreal (Marksman), Fiora (Top), Janna (Support), Kog'Maw (Marksman), Lux (Mid), Malphite (Top), Master Yi (Jungle), Thresh (Support), Udyr (Jungle), Xin Zhao (Jungle),
God Tier Falling: 

Tier 1 [Expected Powerhouses]:
Mid-Lane: Leblanc, Corki, Yasuo, Twisted Fate, Orianna, Viktor, Annie, Kassadin, Diana, Anivia, Brand, Malzahar, Ekko, Talon, Syndra, Quinn, Jhin, Katarina, Azir, Gangplank
Jungle: Elise, Nidalee, Shyvana, Amumu, Gragas, Rengar, Poppy, Graves, Kindred, Quinn, Rammus, Vi, Shaco, Fizz, Jax, Malphite
Marksman: Caitlyn, Vayne, Kalista, Corki, Jhin, Tristana
Top Lane: Nautilus, Irelia, Illaoi, Dr. Mundo, Darius, Jax, Renekton, Yasuo, Riven, Gangplank, Tahm Kench, Tryndamere, Garen, Gnar, Pantheon, Vladimir, Trundle, Shen, Ryze, Olaf, Nasus, Rengar, Quinn
Support: Soraka, Tahm Kench, Morgana, Blitzcrank, Brand, Braum, Leona, Sona, Bard

Tier 1 Rising: Amumu (Jungle), Caitlyn (Marksman), Corki (Marksman), Elise (Jungle), Gangplank (Top), Gragas (Jungle), Kalista (Marksman), Morgana (Support), Nautilus (Top), Nidalee (Jungle), Quinn (Mid), Shyvana (Jungle), Viktor (Mid),
Tier 1 Falling: Brand (Mid), Dr. Mundo (Top), Illaoi (Top), Jax (Top/Jungle), Soraka (Support), Tahm Kench (Support), Tristana (Marksman), Vayne (Marksman), Yasuo (Mid), 

Tier 2 [Crowd Favorites]:
Mid-Lane: Veigar, Lulu (AP), Ryze, Ezreal, Morgana, Kayle, Lissandra, Akali, Vladimir, Cho'Gath, Xerath, Swain, Ziggs, Vel'Koz, Cassiopeia
Jungle: Zac, Dr. Mundo, Ekko, Rek'Sai, Diana, Volibear, Kha'Zix, Rumble, Jarvan IV, Evelynn, Nocturne, Skarner, Wukong, Hecarim, Pantheon, Warwick, Sejuani, Olaf
Marksman: Quinn, Miss Fortune, Jinx, Graves, Draven, Ashe, Sivir, Twitch
Top Lane: Akali, Wukong, Graves, Hecarim, Jarvan IV, Cho'gath, Ekko, Kennen, Maokai, Rumble, Singed, Diana, Jayce, Sion, Lissandra, Cassiopeia, Nidalee, Volibear, Lulu, Aatrox, Gragas,
Support: Annie, Lulu, Nami, Nautilus, Taric, Shen, Karma, Lux,

Tier 2 Rising:
Tier 2 Falling: Dr. Mundo (Jungle), Jinx (Marksman), Miss Fortune (Marksman), Quinn (Marksman)

Tier 3 [Playable]:
Mid-Lane: Galio, Kog'maw (AP), Varus, Jayce, Pantheon, Zyra, Karma, Nidalee (AP), Heimerdinger, Karthus, Gragas, Kennen, Mordekaiser, Urgot, Zilean
Jungle: Tahm Kench, Fiddlesticks, Kayle, Nautilus, Sion, Maokai, Nunu, Aatrox, Trundle, Nasus, Tryndamere, Cho'Gath, Shen, Darius
Marksman: Kindred, Mordekaiser, Varus, Kennen, Urgot
Top Lane: Fizz, Xin Zhao, Rammus, Lee Sin, Rek'Sai, Kayle, Zed, Shyvana, Kassadin, Teemo, Swain, Yorick, Warwick, Elise, Udyr, Kha'Zix, Karma, Vi, Master Yi, Viktor, Zac, Mordekaiser, Heimerdinger, Talon, Azir, Urgot
Support: Zyra, Zilean, Vel'Koz, Kennen, Trundle, Fiddlesticks, Nunu, Gragas

Tier 3 Rising:
Tier 3 Falling: Tahm Kench (Jungle)

Tier 4 [Not Amused]:
Mid-Lane: Jarvan IV, Kha'Zix, Wukong, Malphite, Teemo, Riven, Tahm Kench, Tristana (AP), Elise, Fiddlesticks, Sona, Evelynn, Leona, Soraka, Janna
Jungle: Leona, Zed, Fiora, Riven, Gangplank, Malzahar, Blitzcrank, Alistar
Marksman: Twisted Fate
Top Lane: Vayne, Galio, Braum, Alistar, Nunu, Soraka
Support: Xerath, Teemo, Volibear, Kayle, Maokai, Anivia, Veigar, Gangplank, Malphite, Nidalee, Orianna, Poppy, Galio, Yorick, Elise, Lissandra, Ashe, Leblanc

Tier 4 Rising:
Tier 4 Falling: 

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

• Akali [Tier 2 Top] - Ever since the advent of the tank Akali build, she's been on the rise in terms of popularity as a top laner. However, she hasn't quite caught the fever in terms of FOTM. In her current state, she's accepted as a viable pick for the most part, but not super overpowered.
• Alistar [Support God] - After Riot changed his headbutt pulverize combo to make Alistar more user friendly, legions of players have picked him up to try and pull off their favorite LCS team comps and plays. He's got great initiation, which coupled with his ultimate, makes for safe and effective play-making.
• Caitlyn [Tier 1 Marksman] - Similar to Alistar, Caitlyn sees high usage on the professional scene, which results in an extraordinarily high amount of play in ranked queue as well. Her zone control can be very overwhelming late game if she's on a team with high damage burst champions. By placing a simple line of traps, Caitlyn can quickly zone off enemies and break down towers from long-range.
• Corki [Tier 1 Mid] - An auto-attack based champions with extraordinarily high magic damage poke, Corki fits as a mid-laner quite well and has seen large amounts of success in recent patches.
• Jhin [Tier 1 Marksman] - As a result of Jhin's somewhat inconsistent burst damage, non-marksman players tend to think of him as a marksman that doesn't deal damage. However, Jhin players live for the burst damage he can put out, as well as the sheer fun of sniping down enemy champions from afar.
• Kog'Maw [Marksman God] - After changes to Kog'Maw's kit, he's been exceedingly successful on the rift. As one of the strongest burst damage marksman, he can easily turn the tides of a fight as long as he doesn't get CC'd down. Although he still requires a "protect-the-Kog'Maw" composition as a result of his lack of escapes, his damage more than speaks for itself.
• Malphite [Top Lane God] - Recent patches elevated Malphite to God Tier level, and it looks like he's planning on staying for quite a while. As a champion that excels in long-range, high-impact engagements, he fits in perfectly against meta marksman like Kog'Maw and Jhin.
• Nautilus [Tier 1 Top Lane] - In terms of trading potential and engagement power, Nautilus fits a similar bill to Malphite, but with more sustained damage. He also sees a decent amount of play in professional leagues, which adds to his popularity.
• Nidalee [Tier 1 Jungle] - Nidalee gained quite a bit of poke power from the introduction of Runic Echoes, and it certainly didn't diminish her burst at all. Instead of having the extra proc from only an auto attack, Nidalee can now proc the damage from any of her spells.
• Udyr [Jungle God] - After a somewhat unconventional build was released regarding AP Udyr with Runic Echoes, Udyr has been non-stop terrorizing the rift. Riot nerfed Runic Echoes a bit along with some other core items this patch, but Udyr will likely retain his dominance. Check out the full article on Udyr here!

Disclaimer:

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

Agree? Disagree? Comment below!