Tanks are all about defence. A powerful Tank can survive almost anything that would otherwise kill three of his/her allies. An effective Tank knows where to be and what to do to keep any of those three allies from being the next target. That is the most challenging part of this role.
Most will completely ignore a Tank because they are designed to be hard to kill. Trying to remove the Tank will likely exhaust all resources and options before one gets a chance to chase down the enemy’s ADC. These hulking units are also known for their limited damage output. These factors label the Tanks as the lowest priority targets.
Vanguard
Vanguards are otherwise known as ‘initiators’ thus they are almost always the first Champion the enemy sees before a clash. The way battle is initiated varies between Champions but each functions the same in concept. That concept being ‘to make the enemies vulnerable for a brief moment while allies follow up with nukes or further disables’. After the initiation commences, the Vanguards stay in the fight and deal as much damage to surrounding units as they can. This always comes in the form of AoE DPS abilities. These aren’t always enough to kill but they serve the purpose of weakening every enemy on sight. This is why Vanguard is not only ignored as targets but must be avoided at all cost.
Vanguards work best with Bursts, Artillery and Juggernauts because all of them can level the entire area in no time. Have a Marksman, Assassin, or a Diver ready to pick off the weakened Champions one by one.
Alistar, the Minotaur
Region of Origin: The Great Barrier
Race: Minotaur
Alistar can be swapped to a Juggernaut if given the right build but doing so lessens his ability to survive drawn-out combat. He is most dangerous for his tenacity and a huge amount of Health. With his low-cooldown abilities that can control enemy positions and interrupt channelling of multiple units at once, Alistar is hard to ignore. Keeping one’s distance is futile because he can simply rush, horns first.
Q – Pulverize
Immediately slams the ground and knocks all enemy units within a short-range into the air. This deals moderate Magic Damage.
W – Headbutt
Alistar dashes to a target enemy then knocks them towards their direction relative to where Alistar came from. This deals moderate Magic Damage and stuns them for 1 second.
E – Trample
For 5 seconds after activation, Alistar can phase through units while causing short-ranged earthquakes to damage all enemies surrounding him every half a second for a small amount of Magic Damage. Trample stacks 1 charge for every tremor that hits at least 1 enemy Champion. At 5 stacks, Alistar’s next Basic Attack deals moderate bonus Magic Damage and stuns the target for 1 second.
R – Unbreakable Will
Activation causes Alister to remove all forms of crowd control from himself. For the next 7 seconds, Alistar receives reduced damage from any source.
W+Q Combo: Target a unit for Headbutt. While Alistar is in mid-dash, hold the Q button which allows Pulverize to be cast at the earliest possible moment. Headbutt will hit the target and deal its damage while Pulverize will also deal its own damage and knock the target up instead of sending them flying away. This combo leaves the target severely hurt and stun still takes effect for 1 second, making them vulnerable to an ally’s powerful shot.
If you are not confident in your reflexes, attempt his combo only when Headbutt is at maximum range. If you press Q too early or too late, you will waste a good AoE and a huge portion of your Mana.
Passive – Triumphant Roar
Alistar stacks Triumph each time he stuns or knocks away at least one enemy Champion or when a minion or monster dies near him. At 7 stacks, Alistar consumes all stacks and heals himself and all nearby allied Champions. Allies recover double the amount that Alistar would have gotten for himself.
Amumu, the Sad Mummy
Region of Origin: Shurima
Race: Unknown
Amumu is one of the most dangerous Champions to flank and one of the toughest to run away from. His consistent Magic Damage per second is one thing, but his ability to completely stop the entire team for 2 full seconds in another.
Q – Bandage Toss
Amumu’s signature ability. This flings a long bandage in a line towards a target direction, attaching to the first enemy unit it hits. That target is stunned for 1 second while Amumu pulls himself right beside it. The target also receives moderate Magic Damage along with the stun.
W – Despair
Amumu gains an aura that deals Magic Damage to all nearby enemies every half a second. Each instance of damage from Despair refreshes the Curse status from all affected units.
E – Tantrum
Passive: Amumu takes reduced Physical Damage from any source.
Active: All enemy units near Amumu receive a small amount of Magic Damage.
R – Curse of the Sad Mummy
Amumu explodes in a golden glow of energy that stretches to a wide radius from him. All enemy units caught in the glow receive moderate Magic Damage and stun for 2 seconds.
Q+R+W Combo: Get Amumu into position by latching onto a target with Bandage Toss, preferably the enemy Marksman or Mage because they are often being protected by Wardens and other Fighters. Cast Curse of the Sad Mummy to disable every single one of them and apply Curse from Cursed Touch. Immediately toggle Despair to keep the Curse active then wait for your allied Bursts or Artillery to inflict heavy damage against all of them at once.
Passive – Cursed Touch
Amumu’s basic attacks and ultimate inflict a Curse status on enemies affected which lasts for 3 seconds. Duration refreshes for each following Basic Attack.
Curse: Cursed targets receive 10% bonus True Damage from any Magic Damage they receive from any source. The True Damage bonus is calculated from the full damage the target would have received without counting their own Magic Resistance.
Gragas, the Rabble Rouser
Region of Origin: Freljord
Race: Human
Gragas can be a playful Champion to use. Bombard any point and dash from any direction. Your goal is to keep your enemies off their feet with knock-backs. Aiming with his bombs may be difficult, but their mere presence can threaten many players from approaching. Since he can toss his barrels far, you can use them to block exit routes.
Q – Barrel Roll
Roll a barrel of beer in a target direction. The cask spins and ferments for over 4 seconds while granting sight in a short radius from where it is. After the first 2 seconds or as soon as the duration ends, Q can be reactivated to detonate the cask. This explodes in a wide area, dealing damage to all enemies in range and reducing their Movement Speed for 2 seconds.
W – Drunken Rage
Gragas takes reduced damage from any source for 2.5 seconds. After less than a second pause after activation, Gragas’ next Basic Attack in 5 seconds gains increased range and bonus Magic Damage to a target. This attack deals splash damage to surrounding enemy units.
E – Body Slam
Gragas charges towards a target direction, dealing Magic Damage to all enemies he passes through. All affected units are knocked back and stunned for 1 second.
R – Explosive Cask
Lobs a barrel of alcohol at a distant target location which explodes on impact. It deals Magic Damage to all enemies caught in a moderate-sized radius from the point of impact. All affected units are blasted away from the point of impact and allies gain sight over the surroundings for a few seconds.
Passive – Happy Hour
Casting an ability causes Gragas to recover 6% of his maximum Health. This can only be triggered every 8 seconds.
Leona, the Radiant Dawn
Region of Origin: Mount Targon
Race: Targonian Ascended
Though she has the range, Leona lacks the necessary stats to kill. In fact, she may end up being useless if her items are built for offence. Her playstyle is more akin to the Catcher class because of her ability to apply debuff and give chase. What makes her a Warden is her innate survivability that discourages enemies from targeting her.
Q – Shield of Daybreak
Leona’s next Basic Attack gains increased Attack Range and deal bonus Magic Damage. This attack stuns the target for 1 second.
W – Eclipse
Leona takes reduced damage from any source for 3 seconds. She also gains bonus Armour and Magic resistance which further reduces the damage she takes. When the duration ends, a flare explodes in a short radius from her, dealing Magic Damage to all nearby enemies. The damage reduction bonus lasts for 3 more seconds if the explosion hits an enemy unit.
E – Zenith Blade
Leona thrusts a solar projection of her sword in a line towards a target direction, dealing damage to all enemies struck in its path. She then dashes to the last enemy Champion hit by Zenith Blade and roots them for half a second.
R – Solar Flare
Leona strikes a target location with a beam of sunlight from the sky. The blast reaches up to a short radius from the point of impact and has an inner circle and an outer layer. All enemies hit in range receive small Magic Damage but those caught in the inner layer are stunned for 1.5 seconds. Enemies at the outer layer lose 80% Movement Speed for the same duration.
Passive – Sunlight
Enemies struck by any of Leona’s abilities are marked with Sunlight for 1.5 seconds. Any attacks from allies will detonate the mark which deals bonus Magic Damage. Leona cannot trigger these stacks herself.
Malphite, the Shard of the Monolith
Region of Origin: Ixtal Jungle
Race: Golem
You can focus less on damage and spend most of your money on Armour and still manage to build Malphite as a bruiser. Some of his abilities scale with his Armour to give him proper lane sustainability. This makes him a difficult enemy to face in the top lane for the early-game. However, he can start investing in Ability Power which can shift his playstyle into a severely disruptive Juggernaut around the mid-game.
Q – Seismic Shard
Malphite bowls a homing rock at a target enemy unit. No other units will be affected by the projectile but the target. Upon impact, Seismic Shard deals moderate Magic Damage and reduces the Movement Speed of the affected unit for 3 seconds. Malphite gains the same amount of Movement Speed for the same duration.
W – Thunderclap
Passive: Malphite gains bonus Armour equal to a fraction of his base stat. Effects are tripled when Granite Shield is active.
Active: The next Basic Attack within 6 seconds gain bonus Range and deals additional Physical Damage. Bonus damage spreads to all enemy units in a cone behind the target.
E – Ground Slam
Immediately slam the ground. The tremor deals Magic Damage to all surrounding enemies and reduces their Movement Speed by half. Damage scales with Malphite’s Armour and Ability Power.
R – Unstoppable Force
Malphite dashes to a distant target location then slam the ground to deal massive Magic Damage to all enemies in a short radius. This knocks all affected units airborne.
Passive – Granite Shield
Every 10 seconds or less without taking damage, Malphite generates a shield on himself. The shield’s strength is equal to 10% of his maximum Health.
Maokai, the Twisted Treant
Region of Origin: Shadow Isles
Race: Treant Spirit
Maokai is one Warden who has an equal level of utility as he does have in defence. He has a ward, dash, Movement Speed reduction, and skills to incapacitate movements. However, he lacks power which makes him a bit less effective in a 1v1. While he does have difficulty in killing others, enemies will find it even harder to kill this angry tree.
Q – Bramble Smash
Maokai shoots a blast of energy at a target direction which deals Magic Damage to all enemies it travels through. Each unit caught by the projectile loses 99% Movement Speed for 0.25 seconds. Enemies right in front of Maokai are knocked back, as well.
W – Twisted Advance
Maokai dashes to a target enemy. The target is rooted for less than 2 seconds while also receiving small Magic Damage. Maokai cannot be targeted while dashing with Twisted Advance.
E – Sapling Toss
Lobs a sapling at a target direction which plants itself shortly. For 30 seconds, the sapling gives vision over a short radius from where it landed. If it detects an enemy unit, it will unroot then chase down the nearest target. The sapling explodes within 2.5 seconds after it begins running, dealing Magic Damage to all units close to it. Enemies caught in the blast lose 35% Movement Speed for 2 seconds.
Duration and damage dealt by the Sapling are increased if planted in a brush.
R – Nature’s Grasp
5 rolling brambles are summoned to travel in a target direction. The brambles are spread wide enough to cover an entire lane. Each of these menacing roots stops at the first enemy Champion caught in its path that has not been affected by another bramble. A Champion caught by a bramble is rooted for 0.8 – 2.6 seconds based on the distance travelled. Magic Damage dealt by each Bramble scales with the ability level and Maokai’s Ability Power.
Passive – Sap Magic
Maokai’s Basic Attack heals him for every half a minute. Casting an ability or receiving negative effects from enemies reduces Sap Magic’s cooldown for 4 seconds each instance.
Nautilus, the Titan of the Depths
Region of Origin: Bilgewater
Race: Human magically infused to an iron diving suit.
Nautilus is one of the slowest Champion in the entire game. He makes up for this with long-ranged abilities that either slow down several enemies or pull one unfortunate soul closer.
Q – Dredge Line
Hurl Nautilus’ anchor at a target direction and connects with the first enemy it hits. Nautilus and the target are dragged closer to each other little by little but the enemy receives Magic Damage and they are rooted for 0.1 second for each movement.
If Dredge Line hits a wall or a ledge, Nautilus, instead, dashes immediately towards the anchor and refunds half the mana cost and cooldown of this ability.
W – Titan’s Wrath
Nautilus gains a shield that lasts for 6 seconds. Shield strength scales with his Maximum Health.
While the shield remains unbroken, Nautilus’ Basic Attacks deal bonus Magic Damage to a target and nearby enemies every 2 seconds.
E – Riptide
Nautilus stomps his feet and creates three layers of watery explosions around him, each being further from Nautilus than the last. Each torrential blast deals small Magic Damage against enemies caught in range and loses half of their Movement Speed for 1.5 seconds. If enemies are caught by more than one explosion, only the first instance deals full Magic Damage while the rest deals half. Slow does not stack but refreshes the debuff duration.
R – Depth Charge
Nautilus locks on a target enemy Champion then releases a series of exploding waters that chases down the marked unit. When it finally finds its mark, the target is dealt moderate Magic Damage, knocked up for 1 second, and stuns them for another 1 second. All enemies hit by the raging waters receive the same airborne and stun duration while only receiving roughly half of the full damage.
Passive – Staggering Blow
Basic Attacks deal bonus Physical Damage and roots the target for a second or so. Staggering Blow can only affect the same target every 6 seconds but will work on new targets in quick succession.
Nunu & Willump, the Boy and his Yeti
Region of Origin: Freljord
Race: Human [Nunu] and Yeti [Willump]
Nunu and Willump are one of the most effective junglers in the roster. They can clear tough camps with ease and still have time to gank lanes from out of nowhere. They do not have a leap or lunge like Fighter junglers do, but they can pop out of the bush with a big snowball and there’s little anyone can actually do about it. They don’t deal a devastating amount of damage, but an unexpected yeti can easily seal the fate of an entire lane.
Q – Consume
Willump bites the target enemy to deal moderate Magic Damage and heals for a fraction of the damage dealt. However, the Health recovery gains a 50% bonus if Nunu and Willump are below 50% of their maximum Health.
W – Biggest Snowball Ever!
Willump starts rolling a snowball that gradually increases in size the further Willump travels with it. While active, Nunu and Willump will keep moving forward and normal movement will only cause them to steer towards that direction. Distance doesn’t have a limit. Instead, it automatically ends in 10 seconds. Giving Willump bonus Movement Speed increases the potential distance he can travel, thus increasing the Snowball’s potential power.
Cast W again to let go of the snowball which travels continuously at the target direction until it hits a wall or a valid target.
The snowball rolls over small enemy units but it will detonate when it contacts a medium monster, large monster, or enemy Champion. Being rolled over deals a small amount of Magic Damage but the explosion deals small to moderate Magic Damage to all units in a short radius from the snowball. Enemies caught in the collision are knocked airborne and stunned for less than a second. Damage and crowd control duration increase with the distance travelled.
E – Snowball Barrage
Nunu throws a quick series of snowballs at a target direction 3 times. Each volley stops at the first unit then explodes to a cone behind the target. Each snowball deals small Magic Damage and inflicts a Movement Speed reduction on the unit they collide with. Effects stack for each snowball hurled at the same target.
R – Absolute Zero
Nunu and Willump gain a small shield and channels for 3 seconds, slowing down enemies in range. Movement Speed reduced per unit gradually increases from 0% – 95% the longer they stay inside the area of effect. Absolute Zero detonates at the end of the duration or if recast again for an immediate effect.
Once detonated, Absolute Zero Magic Damage extends the Movement Speed reduction longer. Magic Damage and extended debuff grow more potent the longer Absolute Zero was channelled.
Passive – Call of the Freljord
When Nunu and Willump attacks an enemy Champion, large monster, or structure, Willump and a nearby allied Champion gain bonus Attack Speed, Physical Damage, and Movement Speed for 4 seconds. Call of Freljord can only trigger once every 10 seconds on the same target but will take effect when Willump hits a new valid target. In case that there is more than 1 allied Champion in range, Call of Freljord prioritizes the one with the highest Attack Speed.
Ornn, the Fire Below the Mountain
Region of Origin: Freljord
Race: Primal Demi-God
Ornn is possibly the Champion that virtually changes how League of Legends is played for all allies. Besides sporting the highest possible Armour and Magic Resistance, Ornn has a lot of services to offer. As a Tank, his abilities work wonders to support the team. However, his stats and abilities make him even more effective as a solo top-lane where he can rack up all the gold he needs.
Q – Volcanic Rupture
Ornn hammers the ground and sends a small surge of fire that runs through the ground towards a target direction. A magma pillar emerges from the end of its path or behind an enemy Champion if one is standing in the way. Any enemy present in the point of eruption is knocked aside. This magma pillar works similar to a wall, impassable and interrupts many abilities.
Enemies passed by Volcanic Rupture receive small Physical Damage and lose 40% Movement Speed for 2 seconds.
W – Bellows Breath
Ornn starts breathing flames at a cone in front of him, dealing Magic Damage every 0.15 seconds to all enemies in range. He can still move while the effect is active but at a reduced Movement Speed and the cone changes to where ever he is facing.
E – Searing Charge
Ornn charges towards a target direction and deals Physical Damage to any enemies he passes through. This dash cannot pass through a wall or any obstacle. If he hits a wall, Ornn triggers an explosion that deals the same damage in a radius from the point of collision and knocks up enemies caught in the blast. Searing Charge destroys any Champion-made terrains such as his own magma pillar.
R – Call of the Forge God
Initial activation will have Ornn summon a fiery goat rushing towards his direction from a maximum distance of a chosen direction. All enemy units it runs through receive small Magic Damage, become Brittle, and lose considerable Movement Speed for a few seconds.
Recasting Call of the Forge God will make Ornn perform a headbutt towards a target direction from where he is standing. If the headbutt connects with the incoming fire goat he conjured, the goat is redirected towards a chosen direction. This summon now travels twice as fast, knocks up all units it dashes through, and applies Brittle. Brittle stacks twice on the same units Call of the Forge God travels through.
Passive – Living Forge
Ornn gains boosted bonus Armour and Magic Resistance from any source, including allies’ aura and his own item build.
Ornn can personally access any purchasable, but non-consumable, items from the shop no matter where he is on the map. To do so, he needs to be out of combat to open the shop menu. He takes 4 seconds to ‘forge’ the item which can be interrupted if hit by an attack or an enemy Champion suddenly comes into view. Gold is only spent after the item has been created so an interruption will not make you spend money for anything.
Passive – Master Craftman
Once Ornn reaches level 12, you can have access to up to 2 Masterwork items, stronger versions of an already existing endgame item in the shop.
Ornn can upgrade an ally’s valid item if he is close to them. Upgrade takes the same prerequisite and channelling duration as Living Forge. Only one item per ally and only one ally can receive this service from Ornn for each level after 12. That means service begins at level 13, 14, 15, and 16.
Passive – Temper
Ornn’s Basic Attacks knock enemies back if they are afflicted by the Brittle status.
Brittle: enemies afflicted by Brittle take bonus Magic Damage and increased crowd control duration from Ornn or his allies’ abilities.
Rammus, the Armordillo
Region of Origin: Shurima
Race: Unknown. Possible options are Shuriman Ascended, Demi-god, or a god.
Rammus is one of the simplest Champions one can learn without having to worry about possible counters. The only counter for someone like him is by keeping one’s distance. Then again, he can close the gap quickly with a Powerball.
Q – Powerball
Rammus becomes a ball that continually rolls forward for 6 seconds. He gains increased Movement Speed that gradually increases further as he travels. His movement can be redirected by the normal movement command.
Powerball stops when Rammus hits an enemy or wall. He explodes and knocks back all nearby enemies while also dealing moderate Magic Damage and 1-second Movement Speed reduction.
W – Defensive Ball Curl
Rammus sacrifices 30% of his Movement Speed to gain bonus Armour and Magic Resistance and a passive that hurts enemies who attack him with Basic Attacks. This lasts for 6 seconds but it can be deactivated by recast or by activating Q – Powerball.
E – Frenzying Taunt
Rammus causes a target enemy to attack him with Basic Attacks for a couple of seconds. For this duration, the afflicted gains bonus Attack Speed.
R – Tremors
Rammus starts shaking the earth with him at the epicentre. Enemy units caught within its wide radius receive Magic Damage and lose a fraction of their individual Movement Speed per second. Effects stack up to 8 times. Tremors remain active for 8 seconds and cannot be interrupted by any other than removing Rammus off the field.
Passive – Spiked Shell
Basic Attacks deal bonus Magic Damage which scales with his own Armour.
Sejuani, the Fury of the North
Region of Origin: Freljord
Race: Iceborn
Like all ice-themed Champion, Sejuani has abilities which limit enemy movements. However, she differs from the elegant and graceful frost wielders by adding the savagery of the tundra among her arsenal. Sejuani can slow down enemies in a wide-range while being more resistant to the same debuff coming from her enemies.
Q – Arctic Assault
Dashes towards a target direction reaching the limit of its range but stops upon colliding with an enemy Champion. Enemies Sejuani ran over and tackled are knocked airborne for half a second and dealt Magic Damage.
W – Winter’s Wrath
Sejuani swings her flail in a cone then follow up with a lash at a target direction. The swing deals weak Physical Damage and knocks back all affected units. The lash deals moderate Physical Damage and reduces all affected units’ Movement Speed by 75% for 0.25 seconds.
Sejuani can be moved around while Winter’s Wrath takes effect to reposition her range and area of effect, but the direction of her strikes follow the targeted point.
E – Permafrost
Passive: Sejuani’s and nearby allied Melee Champions’ Basic Attacks apply Frost to enemy Champions, medium, large, and epic monsters, super minions, and siege minions for 5 seconds up to 4 times each unit.
Active: Target an enemy unit with 4 Frost stacks and it takes small Magic Damage then becomes Frozen for a second.
R – Glacial Prison
Sejuani blasts True Ice at a target direction, stopping at the first enemy Champion it hits. This inflicts a small amount of Magic Damage and stuns the target for 1 second. If the projectile finds its mark beyond 400 units away from Sejuani, it deals increased Magic Damage and stun lasts half a second longer. This also creates a storm, a wide area of effect coming from the Champion hit by Glacial Prison which lasts for 2 seconds. All enemies in range lose 30% Movement Speed while in the affected zone. After the storm ends, it deals the same Magic Damage to all enemy units in the zone and reduces their Movement Speed by 80% for 1 second. The storm will be created where the projectile landed if it did not find any target along the way.
Passive – Fury of the North
Sejauni generates Frost Armour if she hasn’t taken damage from a large monster or enemy Champions in the last 12 seconds.
Frost Armour gives bonus Armour and Magic Resistance while also protecting Sejuani from Movement Speed reduction. Frost Armour disappears in 3 seconds after taking damage.
Passive – Icebreaker
Enemies stunned by Sejuani are Frozen. That status is consumed by Sejuani’s next abilities or Basic Attacks to deal bonus Magic Damage equal to 10% of the target’s maximum Health.
Sion, the Undead Juggernaut
Region of Origin: Noxus
Race: Undead
Sion is a high reward – no risk Champion. The most difficult ability to use is his ultimate but land that well and you got yourself a perfect initiation. Contrary to other Vanguard, Sion should not care whether he lives or dies. He relishes the pain he takes in the front lines while he delivers heavier damage in return.
Q – Decimating Smash
Initial cast makes Sion cocks back his axe while a mark charges at a target direction. This channelling lasts for 2 seconds. Recast Q any time to perform an immediate swing. If Q is recast after 1 second of charging, the axe is slammed to the ground instead, dealing moderate Physical Damage and knocking up all enemies caught in the marked range and stunning them for 1.25 seconds beginning from when they landed.
Allow Decimating Slash to reach maximum charge to deal bonus damage equal to 200% Sion’s Attack Damage and stun lasts for 2.25 seconds, instead.
W – Soul Furnace
Passive: Sion gains permanent 4 points of bonus Health for each small monster or minion he kills. He gains 15 points instead if he killed large monsters or took part in an enemy Champion’s Death.
Sion gains a 6-second shield. Shield strength scales with Ability Power and maximum Health. Recast Soul Furnace again in 3 seconds or wait for the duration to end. The shield will detonate and deal Magic Damage to enemies near Sion. Explosion will only occur if the shield did not completely break before the first 3 seconds of its duration.
E – Roar of the Slayer
Sion roars at a target direction, dealing Magic Damage to enemies in a short cone. Enemies caught in that range loses 20% Armour for 4 seconds and roughly half Movement Speed for 2.5 seconds.
Minions and small monsters caught by the roar are knocked back.
R – Unstoppable Onslaught
Sion starts charging forward while steering towards the cursor. This run lasts for 8 seconds or until he collides with an enemy Champion. Reactivate to prematurely end Unstoppable Onslaught. As soon as Sion stops by either means, Unstoppable Onslaught causes an explosion around Sion. Enemies caught in the blast are dealt moderate Physical Damage and they are stunned for roughly a second. Damage and crowd control duration increase based on how long Sion has been running.
Colliding into a wall stops Sion from running while making him stunned for half a second.
Passive – Glory in Death
After losing all Health, instead of dying, Sion loses his weapon and all other abilities then regains his complete maximum Health which drains every second. Sion also gains 100% Life Steal while his Attack Speed is modified to 1.75 seconds. Each of his Basic Attack deals increased Physical Damage boosted by 10% of the target’s maximum Health. He can stay alive for as long as he keeps attacking. After 60 seconds, Sion dies despite still having Health.
Passive – Death Surge
Every 100 seconds, Sion gains 50% bonus Movement Speed that decays over 1.5 seconds.
Zac, the Secret Weapon
Region of Origin: Zaun
Race: Golem
Zac’s build needs bonus Health. Besides using his own vitality to fuel his abilities, his design is about aggravating the enemies with a Champion who is hard to catch but even harder to kill. In any event that they finally land a fatal blow, Zac still has a chance to revive with the help of his equally durable blobs.
Q – Stretching Strikes
Zac lashes his arm at a target direction and hits the first enemy it comes into contact. It deals Magic Damage and moderately reduces the target’s Movement Speed for half a second. A successful lash tethers the unit to Zac for 2 seconds.
While tethered, Zac’s next Basic Attack is another Stretching Strike which can be used at another target. If it hits another target far from the first, both are rooted and flung towards each other. If both targets are already close to each other, both are slammed for an additional Magic Damage and another Movement Speed reduction.
W – Unstable Matter
Zac explodes and deals Magic Damage to all nearby enemies while gaining the ability to move past units for 5 seconds.
E – Elastic Slingshot
Zac anchors both his arms on the ground and prepares to sling himself forward from any direction in the cone where his arms are facing. Preparation causes him to channel for 4.5 seconds but the longer he waits, the farther the distance he can reach. Cast E a second time to launch towards a target direction, allowing Zac to fly over walls and land on a distant area. His landing deals Magic Damage to enemies in a short radius from his point of impact and knocks them up for less than a second.
R – Let’s Bounce!
Passive: Increases Cell Division’s Health recovery.
Active: Zac tucks himself in a cannonball then bounce around the battlefield for 4 times. He gains bonus Movement Speed but he cannot attack. Each bounce deals Magic Damage to enemies caught by his landing. Neither Q nor E may be activated during Let’s Bounce but Unstable Matter is usable to cause damage to enemies in the area.
Passive – Cell Division
Zac’s abilities use a portion of his Health and leave a part of himself near an enemy Champion whenever he successfully hits someone with said ability. He can collect his chunks and restore a portion of his maximum Health which can be equal to the amount he sacrificed to attack. Enemy Champions can step on the chunks to completely rob Zac of his ability to recover Health.
When Zac takes fatal damage, he divides himself into 4 blobs that gradually move towards the centre between them. Enemies can attack these blobs. If all four are killed, Zac dies and proceeds to wait for respawn. If at least one of these blobs reaches the centre, it spawns into Zac and he will not register as ‘killed’ in K/D/A count. The number of surviving blob determines how much Zac’s Health is restored by revival with all four of them amounts to a total of 50% of Zac’s maximum Health. Give him items which raise his maximum Health and base defences to make the blobs last longer.
This ability only triggers once every 300 seconds.
Warden
Wardens stand between the enemies and the allied carries. Marksmen, Bursts, and Artillery who often play the role of long-ranged carries are high priority targets by the enemies due to their high damage output. Wardens are otherwise called babysitters because it is their duty to stand by these walking target marks or rush to their aid should they get flanked from multiple sides. Because of their jobs, they are given abilities that would allow them to protect at least one Champion while others have abilities to completely knock threats away.
Braum, the Heart of Freljord
Region of Origin: Freljord
Race: Human
Braum is one of the Champions that veterans would first think of when you say ‘I want to play a Champion that protects people instead of killing’. All the other Wardens, as well as some Catchers, do that job but Braum is the epitome of what makes a guardian. His signature shield can block all incoming projectiles from a direction and keeps everyone behind him from taking any kind of damage. But he’s more than a walking wall. He can counter an initiation then follow up with a field-setter of his own.
Q – Winter’s Bite
Braum fires an icy projectile at a target direction that deals Magic Damage and inflicts Movement Speed reduction against the first unit in the way. Winter’s Bite can apply Concussive Blows.
W – Stand Behind Me
Braum dashes to a target ally and automatically positions himself towards the closest enemy Champion. He and the target ally Champion gain a small Armour and Magic Resistance bonus for 3 seconds.
E – Unbreakable
Braum’s signature ability. He sets his shield towards a target direction and conjures a frost wall in front of it which expands his shield’s coverage. All incoming projectiles coming from that direction deal reduced damage against Braum but will always stop at that point. This protects any allies behind Braum for the duration of the shield. Unbreakable lasts for 4 seconds or until Braum dies. Braum can move around with bonus Movement Speed and ability to phase through units but the direction of Unbreakable remains the same.
R – Glacial Fissure
Braum slams his shield which causes ice to erupt around him and towards the target direction. Enemies hit by the wave of glaciers are knocked airborne. The fissure that travels to the targeted direction leaves a trail of ice fissure which reduces the Movement Speed of all enemy units in the affected area. The fissure lingers for 4 seconds.
Passive – Concussive Blows
Braum’s Basic Attacks inflict a target with Concussive Blows status which lasts for 4 seconds but further damage resets the duration. Units with one stack gain 1 more stack for each hit they receive from an enemy Champion. The 4th stack consumes all charges but leaves the afflicted stunned for less than 2 seconds and deals small Magic Damage that increases with Braum’s level. Concussive Blows cannot be stacked on the same unit that had just received the detonation effect for a few seconds.
Galio, the Colossus
Region of Origin: Demacia
Race: Golem
Galio is a majestic winged-golem who can rush into the battlefield and make an explosive entrance. While most other Tanks are built to last against Marksmen and Slayers, Galio is more unwelcoming of enemy Mages. His Magic Resistance does not only allow him to survive, but it strengthens his attacks which allows him to fight like a Juggernaut for a brief amount of time. This burst of courage is best used to harass enemies away from your allied Carries.
Q – Winds of War
Galio flings two wind blasts at a target direction, each travelling from either of Galio’s side before they collide at the target point. These deal Magic Damage to all units they pass through then creates a brief cyclone when they meet that lingers for 1.5 seconds. Enemies caught in the cyclone receive Magic Damage per 0.5 seconds.
W – Shield of Durand
Passive: Galio gains Anti-Magic Bulwark which is a shield that absorbs only Magic Damage. Shield strength is equal to a portion of his Maximum Health.
Active: Galio braces himself for 3 seconds. He can move but with reduced Movement Speed and inability to attack for the duration. While in this stance, Galio immensely reduces incoming Magic Damage and reduces half that value from Physical Damage.
Recast W wait for the duration to end, Galio leaves the stance and taunts all nearby enemies and modify their Movement Speed to 60. Effects of taunt and Movement Speed modifier increase by how long Galio spends in Shield of Durand.
E – Justice Punch
Galio dashes to a target direction then stops at the first enemy he comes into contact to punch them airborne. The punch deals moderate Magic Damage. Justice Punch does not allow Galio to skip terrains.
R – Hero’s Entrance
Galio selects a target allied Champion from a distance that is equal to half the map. He proceeds to channel his might for 1.25 seconds then leap to the sky and land to the spot the target ally was when the ability was cast. Upon landing, Galio deals Magic Damage to enemy units in a wide radius from his point of impact and knocks all of them airborne. Enemies closer to Galio stay in the air longer than those further away but they each take equal damage.
Passive – Colossal Smash
Every 5 seconds, Galio’s next basic attack causes him to smash the ground and deal bonus Magic Damage against multiple targets in a short radius. Damage scales with Galio’s Attack Damage, Ability Power, and Magic Resistance.
Poppy, Keeper of the Hammer
Region of Origin: Born in Bandle City but serves Demacia.
Race: Yordle
Wearing the crown for having the strongest displacer ability in League of Legends is the mallet flailing yordle, Poppy. Her abilities might encourage players to play her like a Diver but make no mistake, Poppy does not have a damage output high enough to land a killing blow against other Tanks or Fighters. What she lacks in offence, she makes up for in crowd control. Most of her abilities involve changing the enemies’ position or limiting their movements. She can be a real pain for Divers, Catchers, and Assassins.
Q – Hammer Shock
Activation immediately causes Poppy to smash the ground which deals Physical Damage to all enemies in a cone in front of her. The blow leaves the ground unstable which causes enemy units to slow down within the area. After 1 second, the ground bursts and deals Physical Damage to units still in the zone.
W – Steadfast Presence
Passive – Stubborn to a Fault: Poppy’s Armour and Magic Resistance are both increased by 10%. The bonus becomes 20% if she falls below 40% of her max Health.
Active: Poppy generates a wide barrier surrounding her which stops all enemies from performing dashes, leaps, and lunges inside her zone. Enemies that are stopped by the barrier receive Magic Damage and 2 second Movement Speed reduction. The barrier lasts for 2 seconds while Poppy gains bonus Movement Speed for the same duration.
E – Heroic Charge
Poppy tackles a target enemy up to 300 units towards the direction she’s already dashing on. The target is stunned for 2 seconds or less if they hit a wall. Both the tackle and the wall slam deals equal Physical Damage.
R – Keeper’s Verdict
Poppy starts spinning her hammer for 4 seconds to gain momentum. She can move around with slightly reduced Movement Speed while charging but she may not attack or cast another ability.
Cast R again and Poppy smashes the ground towards a target direction which conjures an even bigger hammer from the ground. This knocks away the closest enemy Champion in the targeted direction. The hammer affects any other enemy units who happen to be standing right next to the initial target.
This deals moderate Physical Damage to the target Champion but reduced damage to their allies who were also affected. Units will only fly towards their base no matter which side they were from Poppy at the time Keeper’s Verdict takes effect.
Passive – Iron Ambassador
Poppy occasionally throws her buckle as a ranged Basic Attack instead of her usual hammer-fall. This deals bonus Magic Damage then lingers for 4 seconds near her target.
Pick up the buckler and Poppy gains a shield with strength equal to a portion of her max Health which disappears within 3 seconds. Enemies can also pick up the buckler but this only robs Poppy of her potential shield while they don’t gain the same benefit. If the target was killed, the buckler flies back to Poppy, granting her the shield bonus.
The longer Poppy takes in charging, the farther the distance enemy Champions will travel. Immediate recast will simply knock the targets upwards but a full charge can launch a Champion onto the second turret if they are flung from the middle of the map. Careful not to use this on a fleeing Champion because this might let them escape. Keeper’s Verdict is best used to initiate combat, not to land a killing blow. Remove the Champion you think would be a threat such as Assassins or Battlemages.
Shen, the Eye of Twilight
Region of Origin: Ionia
Race: Human
Shen is a Warden but is not required to stick with any ally for most of the game. In fact, Shen can be effective in any part of the map except Mid-lane. He is best used as a Champion who patrols the jungle longer than he appears in the lanes. In mid to late-game, he has the ability to rush towards an ally from anywhere in the map while his other abilities allow for creative ways to outplay the more offensive Classes.
Q – Twilight Assault
Shen recalls his Spirit Blade to his side and inflicts Magic Damage and a 2 second Movement Speed reduction to each enemy it passes through along the way. For the next 8 seconds after the blade arrived, Shen gained 3 empowered Basic Attacks that have increased range and deal bonus Magic Damage. If the Spirit Blade has hit an enemy Champion when it was recalled, he has 4 empowered strikes, instead and gains 50% bonus Attack Speed while effects last.
W – Spirit Refuge
The Spirit Blade creates an aura that protects Shen or an allied Champion from any Basic Attacks. This only protects one Champion at a time and effects last from 1.75 seconds. If no valid target is in range, Spirit Refuge waits for 2 seconds until one comes in its area of effect.
E – Shadow Dash
Passive: Damage from Shadow Dash and Twilight Assault recovers moderate amounts of Energy.
Shen zooms towards a target Direction and deals Physical Damage to all enemy Champions and monsters in his way Affected units are taunted for 1.5 seconds.
R – Stand United
Target an allied Champion from anywhere on the map. That Champion gains a shield that scales with Shen’s Ability Power while Shen himself channels for 3 seconds. If the channel succeeds, he teleports right next to the target, ready to provide assistance. Spirit Blade teleports along with Shen.
Channelling can be interrupted by disables and displacements used on Shen or if either he or the target died.
Passive – Ki Barrier
Once every ten seconds, Shen gains a small shield whenever he uses an ability. Cooldown is reduced by 4 – 7 seconds each time he successfully affects a Champion, friend or foe, with an ability.
Passive – Spirit Blade
A Spirit Blade exists in the map that stays stationary at a certain point but moves with Shen’s command. This tethers with Shen but there is no range limit to their connection. The Spirit Blade responds differently to each of Shen’s abilities.
Tahm Kench, the River King
Region of Origin: Ixtal Jungle
Race: Demon
Tahm Kench is labelled as a Warden because of his ultimate and W which helps him reposition his allies towards any part of the battlefield. That does not mean he can’t be found playing alone. Similar to other tanks, Tahm Kench is beefy enough to maintain a lane on his own. His offensive abilities, however, have a long-range and can inflict devastating combos that make most players cautious from getting too close.
Q – Tongue Lash
Tahm Kench lashes his long tongue at a target direction which deals Magic Damage and applies 3 second Movement Speed reduction to the first enemy it hits.
If the target has 3 stacks of An Acquired Taste, Tongue Lash also consumes all stacks and stuns them for 2 seconds.
W – Devour
Tahm Kench can swallow an enemy minion or allied Champion and keep them hidden for 4 seconds. Devour can be used on an enemy Champion if they have 3 stacks of An Acquired Taste but this only lasts for half the duration. Swallowing an enemy Champion or minion only consumes half Devour’s Manacost and refunds half its cooldown.
Swallowing allies give Tahm Kench bonus Movement Speed. If he used Devour on an enemy Champion, he loses Movement Speed, instead.
Q+W Combo: Casting Devour before Tongue Lash connects allows Tahm Kench to swallow the target of Tongue Lash. This works with enemy Champions with full 3 stacks of An Acquired Taste.
W – Regurgitate
While a unit is swallowed, W becomes Regurgitate which makes Tahm Kench vomit whoever is in his belly. Allied Champions can leave whenever they want to after 1 second of being swallowed. Enemies are at the mercy of Tahm’s decision. Use this to move enemy Champions to a favourable position.
Enemy Champions that are regurgitated receive small Magic Damage. Minions or monsters regurgitated are spat at a target direction, dealing Magic Damage to that unit and the first enemy they collide with.
E – Thick Skin
Passive: Tahm Kench stores Grey Health which recovers his real Health after he moves out of combat.
Active: Tahm converts his Grey Health into a shield that decays for over 2 seconds.
R – Abyssal Voyage
Target a location from a huge distance then Tahm Kench starts channelling for 6 seconds. You can recast R to immediately transport Tahm Kench to his destination. The channelling time to give allies ample time to hop into his belly and travel with him. His target location and path will be highlighted for allies.
Taking any form of damage interrupts channelling but refreshes Abyssal Voyage’s cooldown down to 10 seconds.
Passive – An Acquired Taste
Tahm Kench’s Basic Attacks inflict bonus Magic Damage to enemy Champions and stacks them with An Acquired Taste stack up to 3 times. Effects linger for 5 seconds but refreshes with each instance. At 3 stacks, each one decays for 0.67 second instead.