Thursday, 25 Jul 2024

Dominating Picks in Patch 14.3: Your Key to Climbing Ranked

Welcome to Patch 14.3, where champions like Ezreal have been adjusted and weaker picks have received much-needed buffs. In this article, we’ll explore the champions that are currently excelling in the game and provide you with valuable insights to help you climb the ranked ladder in Season 14. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting out, these picks are worth considering if you want to gain LP and achieve success in Patch 14.3.

Top Lane

Aatrox

Aatrox Splash Art
Cite: This darkin is ruling the top lane

Aatrox has become even more formidable with the introduction of new items in Season 14. With a win rate of 50.9% and a pick rate of 13.5% in Platinum+, Aatrox’s strength becomes even more pronounced as you climb higher in elo. The key to his power lies in the new bruiser item, Sundered Sky. This item synergizes perfectly with Aatrox’s kit, providing him with increased attack damage, ability haste, and health. The passive, Lightshield Strike, allows Aatrox to deal critical damage and heal upon hitting an enemy champion for the first time. This item greatly enhances Aatrox’s sustain and makes him a force to be reckoned with in team fights. Whether you prefer a bruiser or lethality build, Aatrox is a top pick in Patch 14.3.

Teemo

Teemo Best Pick 14.3
Cite: Shrooms are hitting harder than ever

Teemo, the Yordle, has emerged as one of the top picks in Solo Queue in Season 14. Buffs to Teemo’s preferred items, along with the newly-added item Malignance, have propelled him to the forefront of the top lane. Malignance, a legendary item built from Lost Chapter and Fiendish Codex, provides Teemo with ultimate haste and a unique passive called Hatefog. When enemies step on Teemo’s shrooms, Hatefog creates scorched zones that curse and damage champions. This burst damage, combined with Teemo’s ability to slow enemies, makes him a formidable opponent. Additionally, his late-game potential and map control with shrooms make him a valuable asset for objective control and wave manipulation. Mastering Teemo requires macro knowledge and strategic decision-making, but the rewards are well worth it.

Darius

Darius Best Pick 14.3
Cite: Back at it

Patch 14.2 brought significant buffs to Darius, making him a dominant force in the top lane. With a win rate of 51.0% in Platinum+ and a ban rate of 19.2%, Darius proves to be an excellent choice for those looking to carry games. His kit allows him to punish enemies’ mistakes, and a single misstep can lead to Darius running down his opponents and taking control of the game. Darius’s Hemorrhage passive deals significant bleed damage and boosts his attack damage, making him a powerful champion in team fights. While lacking mobility, Darius can compensate for this weakness with the use of Ghost and items like Trinity Force. If you’re looking for a simpler champion to carry games, Darius is the pick for you.

Mordekaiser

Mordekaiser Splash Art
Cite: Become an unkillable AP god with the new items on Mordekaiser

Mordekaiser has made a resurgence in the top lane thanks to the reworked Liandry’s Torment and Riftmaker. With a win rate of 52.3% in Platinum+, Mordekaiser has solidified his position as a top pick. The new omnivamp healing in Season 14, combined with the health scaling of Riftmaker, makes Mordekaiser an unkillable AP powerhouse. Building health now provides bonus ability power, which synergizes perfectly with Mordekaiser’s kit. His survivability and ability to isolate enemies with his ultimate, Realm of Death, make him a force to be reckoned with. Mastering Mordekaiser will allow you to dominate your opponents and secure victory in the top lane.

Jungle

Nocturne

Nocturne Splash Art
Cite: Nocturne’s Ultimate is way more deadly in S14

Nocturne has skyrocketed in power in Season 14, thanks to the introduction of a new item, Experimental Hexplate. With unique passives that enhance Nocturne’s abilities, this legendary item has turned him into one of the best jungle picks. Hexcharged grants ultimate haste, perfect for Nocturne’s Paranoia, and Overdrive provides bonus attack speed and movement speed when casting an ultimate ability. Nocturne’s ability to assassinate targets has become even more potent with these new item synergies. Despite being nerfed in Patch 14.2, Nocturne remains a formidable option in the jungle and an excellent choice for those new to the role.

Briar

Briar Splash Art
Cite: Ready to feast

Briar has reclaimed his position as one of the best early-game skirmishers in Season 14. With buffs in Patch 14.2, Briar excels with bruiser items. His Q stun and mobility through W make him a formidable opponent in the early game. The AD scaling nerfs were offset by the addition of a new health scaling, boosting both his sustain and damage output. Hail of Blades remains the optimal keystone for Briar, enhancing his lethality build. With a win rate of 52.2% and a ban rate of 18.1%, Briar is a force to be reckoned with in Solo Queue.

Lillia

Lilia Splash Art
Cite: Be ready to rundown people with Lillia in Season 14

Lillia’s high mobility and burning damage make her a standout jungle pick in Season 14. The reworked AP items, Liandry’s Torment and Riftmaker, have greatly enhanced her capabilities. Liandry’s Torment provides manaless AP and grants health, while the reworked Riftmaker offers increased ability power based on bonus health. With a win rate of 53.5%, Lillia shows no signs of slowing down. If you’re looking for a high-mobility jungler with the potential for incredible engages and 1v9 plays, Lillia is the champion for you.

Brand

Brand Splash Art
Cite: Brand is blazing through the rankings in Patch 14.3, even despite being hotfixed

Brand has emerged as one of the most dominant jungle champions in Patch 14.3. Despite being hotfixed due to his overwhelming power, Brand continues to excel in Platinum+ with a win rate of 53.2%. His passive, combined with the reworked Lich Bane, allows him to deal continuous burning damage. Brand’s kit makes him an excellent jungler for clearing camps quickly, and his synergy with AP items like Liandry’s Torment and Rylai’s Crystal Scepter provides him with tankiness, slows, and incredible damage. Mastering Brand will allow you to dominate your enemies with flames and secure LP for free.

Mid Lane

Vladimir

Vladimir Splash Art
Cite: Vladimir is back as one of the best picks in the game, but way more tanky

Vladimir has made a triumphant return to the mid lane with the reworked AP bruiser items. With the introduction of Riftmaker and Liandry’s Torment, Vladimir has become an incredibly durable AP champion. These items provide him with health, sustain, and increased ability haste. The new build requires a different playstyle, focusing on sustained fights rather than one-shot burst damage. Countering Vladimir requires anti-healing itemization. If you’re looking for a tanky AP champion with unrivaled sustain, Vladimir is the pick for you.

Katarina

Katarina Splash Art
Cite: Katarina is destroying Solo Queue

Katarina remains a formidable presence in Season 14, despite recent nerfs to Stormsurge. With the buffed and reworked Lich Bane, Katarina’s performance has skyrocketed. The removal of mana from Lich Bane and its interaction with her Shunpo ability enhances her burst damage significantly. Katarina excels in high-mobility engagements and executes enemies safely with her ultimate, Death Lotus. While Katarina may require time to master due to her different dagger reset combos and playstyle, she is a force to be reckoned with in the mid lane.

Twisted Fate

Twisted Fate Splash Art
Cite: Dominate with TF’s Global Pressure

Twisted Fate thrives in chaotic situations. With the current burst meta in Season 14, Twisted Fate excels at setting up kills with his ultimate, Destiny, and stunning enemies with his Gold Card. Across all regions, Twisted Fate is regarded as one of the most OP mid lane champions. Currently, two viable builds exist for Twisted Fate: Rod of Ages for scaling and health or Luden’s Echo for a full one-shot build. With his global pressure and versatility, Twisted Fate is an excellent choice to kickstart your journey to success in Season 14.

Sylas

Sylas Splash Art
Cite: Hijack the OP ultimates, and everything will be fine

Sylas has returned to prominence in Patch 14.3, following nerfs to Storm Surge users. His strength lies in the reworked Lich Bane, which synergizes perfectly with his kit. Sylas differentiates himself by building Rod of Ages as part of his core build, along with other AP items. What sets Sylas apart is his ability to steal ultimates from champions like Maokai and Brand, making him incredibly versatile and powerful. With buffs to Rod of Ages in Patch 14.3, Sylas will only continue to excel in the upcoming patches.

Marksman

Miss Fortune

Miss Fortune Splash Art
Cite: Want the most OP adc in the game? Well… go Miss Fortune

Lethality users are dominating Season 14, and Miss Fortune is a prime example. Despite nerfs in Patch 14.2, Miss Fortune retains a win rate of 53.3% and a pick rate of 21.5% in Platinum+. Her popularity spans all skill levels, making her a versatile and successful pick. While higher-tier players may have better success punishing immobile ADCs, Miss Fortune remains an excellent choice for climbing the ranked ladder.

Jhin

Jhin Splash Art
Cite: The Virtuoso is loving the Lethality items

Jhin thrives with the changes to Lethality items in Season 14. What sets Jhin apart from Miss Fortune is his reliance on skill shots and knowledge of positioning. Jhin’s strengths lie in his ability to engage with Deadly Flourish, control the map with traps, and execute enemies safely using Curtain Call. With a win rate of 51.6%, Jhin’s success remains consistent across all elos. If you’re looking for a marksman with agency and the potential for steady climbing, Jhin is the champion for you.

Samira

Samira Splash Art
Cite: 1V9 like no other champ with Samira in Season 14

Samira continues to dominate the bot lane, despite the nerfs to The Collector in Patch 14.1b. With popular duos like Blitzcrank and Maokai, Samira can shine in both the bot lane and team fights. The reworked item, The Collector, enhances her resets and makes her deadlier than ever before. However, mastering Samira requires proficiency in her optimal combos and strategies for engaging and surviving weak laning phases. If you’re willing to put in the effort, Samira can carry you to victory.

Lucian

Lucian Splash Art
Cite: The most OP adc in Masters+

Lucian is the king of high elo in Season 14. With a win rate of 50.4%, a pick rate of 22.4%, and a ban rate of 28.2%, Lucian is a force to be reckoned with. His synergy with support champions like Braum solidifies his dominance in the bot lane. Lucian’s itemization options allow for both sustained damage and one-shot burst potential. Mastering Lucian takes time, but once you’ve mastered his playstyle, he becomes one of the best ADC choices in Season 14.

Supports

Bard

Bard Splash Art
Cite: Bard is terrorizing the bot lane

Bard has taken the bot lane by storm in Season 14, thanks to changes in support items. His playstyle harmonizes perfectly with items like Bloodsong and Trailblazer, providing him with increased DPS and stronger roaming potential. Additionally, changes to tank items have made Bard even more annoying to deal with. Mastering Bard requires understanding roaming timers, chime collection, and effective use of Magical Journey and Tempered Fate. If you’re up for the challenge, Bard can help you dominate the bot lane.

Maokai

Maokai Splash Art
Cite: The tree continues his reign

Maokai reigns as the best support champion in the game. With Trail Blazer’s dominance in Solo Queue and professional play, Maokai’s reliability as an engage champion cannot be denied. Mastering Maokai is simple, as most of his kit allows for safe support play, while his W and Ultimate provide excellent opportunities for team engages. Although Maokai received nerfs in Patch 14.3, he remains a reliable pick to learn the support role and make an impact in your games.

Blitzcrank

Blitzcrank Splash Art
Cite: RUN!- or Blitz will get you

Blitzcrank is among the most OP support champions in Season 14. With a win rate of 52.6% and a ban rate over 30% across all elos, Blitzcrank is universally feared. His synergy with Lethality ADCs and the power of Trailblazer make him an invaluable asset. Blitzcrank is an excellent choice for those looking for an easy-to-play support champion. The only real challenge lies in hitting your skill shots consistently. If you’re looking for an oppressive support champion, Blitzcrank is the pick for you.

Zyra

Zyra Splash Art
Cite: The best AP solo carry support to climb in Season 14

Zyra shines as the best AP solo carry support in Season 14. Haunting Guise provides Zyra with both damage and survivability, amplifying her capabilities over time. The new support item, Zaz’Zak’s Realmspike, synergizes perfectly with Zyra’s kit, especially her one-shot combos. If you’re tired of relying on your ADC and want to take matters into your own hands, Zyra is the perfect support to climb the ranked ladder.

Coming Soon

The champions mentioned in this article are currently performing exceptionally well across all regions. They excel in abusing the new items introduced in Season 14, making them the best choices for each role. Whether you prefer top lane, jungle, mid lane, marksman, or support, these champions offer the strength and versatility needed to climb the ranked ladder. To learn more about how to play each champion, we recommend checking out our recommended MOBAFire guides. Start your path to success in Season 14 today!