6 strongest League champions in Patch 10.19: Maokai, Karthus, more

The big Worlds patch is finally here and Riot has been busy buffing, nerfing, bugfixing, and cleaning up the Rift for the upcoming tournament. Check out all the latest changes right here. 

League of Legends patch 10.19 is not only incredibly important to the general health of the competitive scene, it also aims to bring some much-need balance to the lower brackets of play. The latest update has reigned in a few of the game’s more notorious outliers, it also buffing those that have struggled to make it past the champ select screen.

If that wasn’t enough, patch 10.19 also brings with it a shiny new champion for players to learn and master. Samira is the latest AD carry to join the ranks of the game’s eagle-eyed marksman, bringing plenty of flashy new abilities and deadly gun-toting plays to the Rift. 

In order to help you increase your ranked win rate and killcount, we’ve broken down which champs you should be using in the current meta.

Top-lane: Maokai

The Hand of Noxus has been dethroned and his top-lane dynasty is finally over. While Darius has not received any nerfs to his abilities, it looks as though Maokai is rivaling him for the top-place spot. As of writing, the Twisted Treant currently has the highest win rate on the Korean server, sitting at a whopping 53.40%. 

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Maokai is no stranger to the meta spotlight. In fact, both pro and casual players alike have used his tanky kit to give them an edge in teamfights. Not only does Maokai have tremendous amounts of crowd control, he also deals decent damage thanks to his saplings. Having a tanky top-laner that can stop enemy champions dead in their tracks with swathes of game-changing stuns is huge, particularly when you’re fighting over objectives and tower control. 

Jungle: Karthus

Karthus jungle has been floating around the Rift for a while now, but the resurgence of carry junglers had forced the undead specter into the shadows. Elise dominated the competition in the previous patch, but it looks as though Karthus has snagged the crown away from the Spider Queen. Unlike most carry junglers, Karthus can heavily influence every single lane once he gets access to his ultimate. 

Even when behind, the Deathsinger can prove absolutely devastating. After all, one well-timed ultimate can turn even the closest of fights in your favor. While his 1v1 potential may be lacking when compared to the ever-popular Elise and Graves picks, Karthus still remains a decent option. Simply survive the early-game and you’ll be rewarded with a bounty of kills. 

Mid-lane: Zed

Zed is the only champion to reclaim his top-place position in patch 10.19. This shadowy assassin can effortlessly juke opponents with his clones, allowing him to both engage and escape from fights. Having a mid-laner that excels at slipping into the enemy backline and rushing down squishy carries is huge, particularly in late-game teamfights. 

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The Master of Shadows only needs a few kills before he begins to snowball out of control. To make matters even better, the 10.14 buff to Living Shadow’s missile speed and cooldown reduction have only increased this mid-laner’s kill potential. With so many carry threats lurking around every position, there’s never been a better time to add Zed to your roster.

Bot-lane: Senna

Nerfs to Caitlyn’s base attack and headshot damage has allowed other AD carries to take a more prominent position in the bot-lane meta. One champion that has managed to climb to the top is none other than Senna. The Redeemer can both dish out incredible amounts of damage with her ghostly abilities, while also healing herself and any allied champions with Piercing Darkness. 

Being able to sneak up on unsuspecting players and root them is huge, particularly when combined with other crowd control champions. Senna is currently enjoying a 52.18% win rate and 12.60% play rate on the Korean server, but this number is expected to increase as more players begin to prioritize her in the coming weeks. 

Support: Blitzcrank

The current support meta is pretty healthy going into patch 10.19. Currently, the top ranks are filled with the likes of Lux, Leona, and Bard. However, it’s Blitzcrank who has claimed the crown with his gripping plays. While he may not have the ability to carry like any of the game’s mage supports, he does have a great deal of early-game kill potential. Landing well-timed grabs can quickly snowball a game in your favor, particularly when your carry secures the kills. 

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To make matters even better, his E (Power Fist) and ultimate (Static Field) give you a great deal utility when it comes to forcing fights. Blitzcrank may not be able to heal his allies nor does he have tremendous amounts of CC, but the overall influence he has in laning phase is incredibly potent. 

Meta breaker: Ivern

Ivern has been missing from the Rift for a while now, but the recent buff to his E’s slow has given him a little more utility. It’s hoped that this buff will increase his pitifully low 0.67% play rate, while giving him the boost he needs to unleash more root-based plays. This friend of the forest excels at locking down priority targets with his Q and keeping his allies out of harm’s way with his E. 

Map awareness is also incredibly important in any game of League of Legends, so having an ability that you can use to ambush players is huge. Setting up brushes around key objectives and chokepoints can reward your team with plenty of kills, especially when you’re constantly clearing out enemy wards. Despite his low position in the champion rankings, Ivern does have some incredibly useful tools that can prove extremely devastating. 

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