Solo Queue FOTM Tier List - May - Patch 6.10

Sometimes I feel like these patches hit faster and faster, considering this one's the second FOTM tier list update for May...not that it's a bad thing!

Anyway, the latest Patch 6.10 updates bring Lucian back to the highest spot on the list, followed closely by the rest of the happy trio that's been dominating the FOTM list for months now, Ezreal and Vayne.

The usual suspects remain very high on the list, although Malzahar is mostly played in mid lane rather than every lane (when he's not banned).

Check out the full list below!

SEASON 6 - May - PATCH 6.10 FOTM TIER LIST

"THE POPULAR KIDS"

Preface Chatter

Sometimes I feel like these patches hit faster and faster, considering this one's the second FOTM tier list update for May...not that it's a bad thing!

Anyway, the latest Patch 6.10 updates bring Lucian back to the highest spot on the list, followed closely by the rest of the happy trio that's been dominating the FOTM list for months now, Ezreal and Vayne.

The usual suspects remain very high on the list, although Malzahar is mostly played in mid lane rather than every lane (when he's not banned).

Check out the full list 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!

Be sure to check out our new Optimal Champion Bans by Division Listing!

Patch 6.10 Summary

Buffs: Anivia, Cassiopeia, Fizz, Illaoi, Jinx, Master Yi, Nocturne, Shyvana, Swain, Vel'Koz, Vladimir

Nerfs: Alistar, Aurelion Sol, Fiddlesticks, Malzahar, Zyra

Tweaks: Tryndamere

Other Nerfs: Dragons

Other Buffs: Enchantment: Bloodrazor, Barrier, Ghost

Toolkit and Options

Click to toggle champion movement history

Search for a champion:

Updates:

• Added Taliyah Mid, Top, Support, Jungle
• Optimal Ban List updated!
• 5/28: Strongest Champions When Mastered List updated!

The Tier List

God Tier [Pee Your Pants - BAN]:
Mid-Lane Gods: Zed, Azir, Malzahar, Leblanc, Fizz
Jungle Gods: Kindred, Nidalee, Malzahar
Marksman Gods: Lucian, Vayne, Ezreal
Top Lane Gods: Ekko, Maokai, Yasuo
Support Gods: Alistar, Thresh, Blitzcrank

God Tier Rising: Blitzcrank (Support), Fizz (Mid), Nidalee (Jungle)
God Tier Falling:

Tier 1 [Expected Powerhouses]:
Mid-Lane: Ekko, Yasuo, Ahri, Twisted Fate, Lux, Ryze, Brand, Annie, Viktor, Veigar, Katarina, Orianna, Lissandra, Vel'Koz, Anivia, Diana
Jungle: Lee Sin, Ekko, Graves, Kha'Zix, Master Yi, Fizz, Gragas, Fiddlesticks, Rengar, Elise, Amumu, Shaco, Volibear, Evelynn, Zac
Marksman: Caitlyn, Jhin, Jinx, Sivir, Twitch, Draven,
Top Lane: Darius, Fizz, Malphite, Ryze, Trundle, Irelia, Riven, Gangplank, Renekton, Vladimir, Poppy, Garen, Nasus, Fiora, Graves, Teemo, Shen, Gnar, Jax, Pantheon
Support: Soraka, Braum, Brand, Taric, Morgana, Janna, Zyra, Bard

Tier 1 Rising: Anivia (Mid), Diana (Mid), Draven (Marksman), Pantheon (Top), Twitch (Marksman), Volibear (Jungle), Zac (Jungle)
Tier 1 Falling: Lee Sin (Jungle), Taric (Support), Vladimir (Top), Yasuo (Mid)

Tier 2 [Crowd Favorites]:
Mid-Lane: Morgana, Talon, Kassadin, Syndra, Ziggs, Gangplank, Vladimir, Lulu, Swain, Cassiopeia, Karma, Kayle, Akali, Zilean, Xerath, Zyra, Aurelion Sol
Jungle: Vi, Nocturne, Hecarim, Shyvana, Sejuani, Rek'Sai, Diana, Jax, Rammus, Udyr, Wukong, Xin Zhao, Warwick, Jarvan IV, Skarner
Marksman: Tristana, Ashe, Kalista, Miss Fortune, Kog'Maw,
Top Lane: Nautilus, Olaf, Rengar, Wukong, Dr. Mundo, Tryndamere, Sion, Illaoi, Kayle, Kennen, Rumble, Lissandra, Gragas, Tahm Kench, Swain, Volibear, Quinn, Rammus, Cho'gath, Hecarim, Singed, Akali,
Support: Leona, Trundle, Tahm Kench, Nautilus, Nami, Annie, Vel'Koz, Lulu, Karma

Tier 2 Rising: Akali (Mid), Aurelion Sol (Mid), Cassiopeia (Mid), Skarner (Jungle)
Tier 2 Falling: Dr. Mundo (Top), Jax (Jungle), Kog'Maw (Marksman), Nautilus (Top), Nocturne (Jungle), Olaf (Top), Syndra (Mid), Tristana (Marksman), Trundle (Support), Vi (Jungle), Vladimir (Mid)

Tier 3 [Playable]:
Mid-Lane: Corki, Jayce, Varus, Cho'Gath, Pantheon, Karthus, Kennen, Jhin, Quinn, Heimerdinger, Galio, Taliyah, Ezreal, Kog'maw (AP), Nidalee (AP), Gragas, Mordekaiser, Urgot,
Jungle: Pantheon, Rumble, Olaf, Nunu, Quinn, Poppy, Kayle, Aurelion Sol, Dr. Mundo, Trundle, Maokai, Cho'Gath, Malphite, Taric, Tryndamere, Tahm Kench, Nautilus, Sion, Aatrox, Taliyah, Nasus, Shen, Darius
Marksman: Quinn, Corki, Graves, Varus, Urgot, Kindred, Mordekaiser, Kennen
Top Lane: Zac, Jayce, Cassiopeia, Lulu, Jarvan IV, Xin Zhao, Heimerdinger, Aatrox, Aurelion Sol, Yorick, Taliyah, Diana, Nidalee, Lee Sin, Rek'Sai, Zed, Shyvana, Kassadin, Warwick, Udyr, Kha'Zix, Karma, Vi, Master Yi, Viktor, Talon, Azir, Urgot
Support: Sona, Poppy, Malphite, Veigar, Zilean, Shen, Lux, Taliyah, Kennen, Fiddlesticks, Nunu, Gragas

Tier 3 Rising:
Tier 3 Falling: Corki (Marksman/Mid), Graves (Marksman), Jayce (Mid), Pantheon (Jungle), Poppy (Jungle), Quinn (Marksman), Rumble (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, Blitzcrank, Alistar
Marksman: Twisted Fate
Top Lane: Vayne, Elise, Galio, Braum, Alistar, Nunu, Soraka
Support: Galio, Xerath, Teemo, Volibear, Kayle, Maokai, Anivia, Gangplank, Nidalee, Orianna, 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

• Gangplanks [Tier 2 Mid] - In some circles, people consider Gangplank more than just a favorite, and instead considered extremely strong. However, most players still choose to play classical mages, especially with the latest immobile mage reworks. However, Gangplank remains an extremely powerful pick with excellent global presence via his ultimate. His poke damage late game is absurd, and for players that are good at the barrel mini-game, he definitely places much higher.
• Illaoi [Tier 2 Top] - The latest reduction in Illaoi's W cooldown lets her really spam her tentacles during teamfights. Combined with the reduction in Black Cleaver's cost, Illaoi is certainly much stronger nowadays, and can quickly snowball a teamfight in her advantage if enemy teams inadvisably stay in her zone of command.
• Jinx [Tier 1 Marksman] - An all-time favorite, Jinx always comes back, especially if Riot gives her a bit of loving. This patch, Riot buffed her Q, which allows her to play with the big boys again. However, Lucian still overshadows her this patch.
• Lucian [God Tier Marksman] - Although Lucian didn't receive any direct buffs this patch, his newly discovered Youmuu's Ghostblade + Black Cleaver build makes him absolutely absurd. Combined with Ionian boots, he instantly reaches 40% cooldown reduction and becomes an unstoppable monster in all divisions.
• Nautilus [Tier 2 Top] - Ever since damage based champions started ruling over the now nerfed tank class, Nautilus is slowly dropping out of the higher tiers, but is still very playable.
• Pantheon [Tier 1 Top] - Similar to some of the champions above, Black Cleaver's cost reduction has made Pantheon a very attractive choice for highly aggressive players that are not satisfied with Fiora post-nerf. His powerful passive auto-attack blocking shield allows him to survive at extremely low health pools. Combined with a Maw of Malmortius and his auto-crit on low champions, Pantheon can make some really sick outplays.
• Ryze [Tier 1 Top] - In Korea, Ryze rules the God Tier. However, that may also be largely a result of the massive number of scripters and highly skilled players that can match up to scripters on the server. Meanwhile in the rest of the world, Ryze is extremely powerful but not quite overpowered.
• Taliyah [Tier 3 Mid/Top/Support/Jungle] - The consensus is that Taliyah is definitely on the weaker side, and probably needs some buffs. As a newer champion though, most players are willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.
• Volibear [Tier 1 Jungle] - Although most tank champions were nerfed lately, Volibear still seems like he does extremely well since as a tank jungler. He does not build sunfire cape or iceborn gauntlet, the two core items that were nerfed. As a result, he remains an extremely strong pick with good synergy with the Strength of the Ages mastery.

Disclaimer:

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

Agree? Disagree? Comment below!