New Tier List Update for Patch 25.21 - League of Legends
New Tier List Update for Patch 25.21 - League of Legends – Get practical tips, fresh ideas and expert insights from Wowcarry. Read the full article now.
By:
John Langan
Patch 25.21 Updates: Highlights and Trends
Gwen has made a significant resurgence in both the top lane and jungle roles after her revert. This update explores key meta shifts and provides an updated solo queue tier list for every role in patch 25.21.
Top Lane Meta Shifts
- Gwen's Rise:
- With Riot reverting Gwen back to her patch 25.5 state, she has seen a dramatic improvement, moving from a 47% to a 51% win rate.
- Optimal builds now focus on boosting her burst potential with items like Nashor's Tooth and Lich Bane, rather than the more popular Rift Maker.
- As a result, Gwen has been elevated to the S tier in the top lane tier list.
- Mundo's Decline:
- Despite his adjustments, Mundo faces challenges due to the nerfs on Doran's Shield and Second Wind, which make his early game laning weaker.
- Consequently, Mundo has been demoted from A to B tier as he struggles against meta fighters like Fiora and Yone.
- Cassiopeia's Strength:
- Cassiopeia remains underrated in the top lane but benefits from recent buffs and the aforementioned nerfs, boosting her bully potential significantly.
- Additional Tier Movements:
- Rexxai is now added to the B tier based on recent competitive play performances.
- Changes to Doran's Blade and Ring have not been significant enough to affect champion power greatly.
Jungle Changes
- Gwen's Jungle Power:
- Gwen is now equally strong in the jungle, utilizing a similar item strategy as in the top lane.
- First Strike is preferred for faster item completion, specifically Nashor's Tooth into Lich Bane.
- Graves Goes Bruiser:
- Graves' new build leans towards a bruiser style after adjustments to his abilities, such as added magic resist on his E.
- The current favored build is Umbral Glaive into Black Cleaver, promoting durability in extended skirmishes.
Current Top and Jungle Tier Lists
| Role | OP Tier | S Tier | Other Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Lane | Garen, Malphite | Gwen, Cassiopeia, Jax | Mundo to B tier, Rexxai B |
| Jungle | Volibear, Jax | Diana, Gwen | Graves' new bruiser build |
In conclusion, patch 25.21 significantly impacts Gwen and junglers, demanding adjustments in champion preferences and build strategies to optimize performance.
Mid-Lane Dynamics and Changes
In patch 25.21, Nefury has emerged as a dominant mid-lane champion, primarily due to the popularity of a new build. Previously, players favored Eclipse as the rush item for Nefury. However, the Voltaic Cycllo Sword has taken precedence due to its synergy with Nefury's kit, allowing multiple procs of its energized attack during skirmishes thanks to her frequent dashing. This shift has cemented Voltaic as the best rush choice for mid-lane Nefury.
For the second item, players have more options. The top-performing second items are:
- Opportunity: Provides a movement speed boost on takedowns, offering strategic repositioning during fights.
- Hubris: Focused on maximizing damage output.
These options allow players to tailor their playstyle to either mobility or raw damage. In this patch, Nefury reigns supreme as the best melee assassin in the mid lane, achieving a spot in the S tier.
Impact on Other Mid-Lane Champions
The patch has not been favorable for all champions, notably harming Cassadin. The combined nerfs to the Second Wind rune, Doran's Shield, and Catalyst item have severely affected his early game survivability. Consequently, his consistent mid to late game scaling suffers, making blind picks riskier. Accordingly, Cassadin has been moved to the A tier.
Despite anticipated changes, the OP tier remains stable with Morana, Diana, and Leblanc, as the recent nerf to Morgana hasn't been substantial enough to downshift her from her dominant position. Similarly, the Catalyst nerf's impact hasn't warranted a significant rearrangement in the tier list.
Bot Lane and ADC Adjustments
In the bot lane, the meta remains largely unchanged with Ashe and Jinx continuing as priority picks. However, Draven has experienced a slight decline in effectiveness due to shifts from life steal to damage-based healing, resulting in a win rate decrease and a repositioning to the ADC B tier.
Interestingly, Kalista has benefitted from her buffs, showing a notable 1.5% increase in win rate and thus promoted out of C tier to B. Conversely, Kog'Maw remains securely in the S tier, unaffected by scheduled nerfs.
Support Role Steadiness
The upper tiers of the support list remain unchallenged with Nami and Mio as OP tier regulars. Despite Bard receiving a buff to his AP ratio, Dead Man's Plate continues to outperform other items, maintaining his current build strategy.
In summary, patch 25.21 has introduced noteworthy changes primarily impacting the mid-lane and ADC roles, with subtle alterations across other areas. As the meta continues to evolve, players must adapt their strategies to remain competitive.