The meta in top lane has been developing a lot over the preseason and is looking a lot different in solo queue compared to professional play. So which champions are best?
With the item system completely changing for the 2021 season, it took a few patches for everything to settle and for players to understand the best ways of building. Riot has been adjusting the items on every patch, especially items for the top lane. The preseason started out with overpowered tank items that dominated both the top lane and jungle, but that has finally been fixed for the Season 11 start.
Over the first two patches of the season, the top lane has become way more diverse and with quite a lot of viable champions to choose from. Everything from tanks to split pushers are performing in the top lane, giving all types of players the chance to climb through the top lane role.
Here are some of the best options for patch 11.2.
Cho’Gath
Cho’Gath has been performing phenomenally in the top lane during the past two patches. The big void monster is currently sitting at a 53.60% win rate in Platinum rank and higher, which is the highest win rate among all top laners in the game. For LoL Patch 11.2, this is more than enough for players to climb the solo queue ladder with Cho’Gath.
To succeed with Cho’Gath, players are building him full tank. At some point, Cho’Gath will reach an immortal level where he can do whatever he pleases. With Frostfire Gauntlet as the Mythic item, Cho’Gath keeps enemies in place with slows while chasing them down for a kill. This item alone makes Cho’Gath very hard to kite, which has originally been his weakness.
For Patch 11.3, Riot has already teased that they will be looking to tone down Cho’Gath. He might not be dominant on the professional stage currently, but his solo queue win rates are way out of proportion. If the nerfs for Cho’Gath in Patch 11.3 will be enough is hard to say, but it will likely give room for other champions in the top lane.
Darius
Darius is an all-time solo queue classic in the top lane for players who want to carry. Top laners are often tanks without much carry potential, but Darius isn’t like that. He is a strong bruiser with the power to duel anyone on the map and potentially pop off in a team fight.
This is the perfect combination for a strong solo queue champion and Darius is living proof of that. The Hand of Noxus is consistently found at the top of the win-rate charts and patch 11.2 is no different. He is currently the fifth-highest top laner on the charts with a win rate of 52.06%. This win rate could be worse, but the fact that Darius is one of the most picked top laners on this patch makes it scary.
Darius is fairly simple to play, which means that any player could take advantage of his strong state when climbing solo queue. Most players are going for the Stridebreaker Mythic Item, which allows Darius to stick to his target. When a Darius has got a hold of an enemy, it’s unlikely that the enemy comes out ahead.
Darius players are also currently using the Sterak’s Gage as a second item, which provides him with a lot of tank stats while getting more damage as well. For Patch 11.3, this item will be nerfed and likely have an effect on the power of Darius.
Wukong
A champion that has consistently performed well during the preseason is Wukong. Wukong is a champion who naturally brings a lot of value to a team composition, both in fights but also split pushing. The Monkey King has crawled his way up to a 52.36% win rate on Patch 11.2, which is the third-highest among top laners.
What makes Wukong even scarier is that he is just as viable in the jungle, making him a great flex pick to throw off the opponent. When picked for the top lane, players are using the Goredrinker Mythic item, which is currently considered one of the strongest in the game. The Goredrinker provides Wukong with all necessary stats, while he gains a lot of healing from the Thirsting Slash passive to sustain in fights.
Just like Darius, Wukong is a great option for players who want to carry from the top lane. If Wukong gets a lead during the laning phase, he will likely steamroll any fight and take out squishy opponents in no time. For Patch 11.3, Riot is looking to nerf the Goredrinker after heavy community feedback. This might put Wukong in a more balanced state, even though the Monkey King will likely find new ways to succeed.
What is top lane in LoL?
The top lane in League of Legends is at the very top of the map right above the Baron pit. The top lane is often occupied by tank or bruiser champions who will spend the laning phase farming up to become strong in the later stages of the game.
Through some LoL seasons, the top lane has been considered an “island” because it’s a place where no jungler bothers to spend time ganking. In recent years, the top lane has evolved a bit and can now be played through to win a game. Champions like Renekton, Camille, Darius, Fiora, and a lot more are now able to carry as a top laner.
Who is the strongest top laner in LoL?
It’s always hard to say who the strongest champion is in any given role. As of patch 11.2, Cho’Gath is the top laner with the highest win rate in solo queue, but that doesn’t necessarily make him the strongest. Looking at professional play, Gragas and Renekton are dominating the top lane and are considered the two strongest picks for the time being.
