6 strongest League champions in Patch 10.16: Darius, Elise, more

James Busby
Yone original skin

League of Legends patch 10.16 is finally live, bringing with it a host of balance changes that aim to rein in any overachievers before we head to Worlds. Just like every new League of Legends patch, the latest 10.16 update has shaken up the current champion meta. While there are a few familiar faces still roaming around the top tier positions, there have been a number of shifts in the current champion pool. 

The previous 10.15 update brought with it the Spirit Blossom Festival and introduced LoL’s latest jungler, Lillia. However, Riot’s 10.16 update has also released another new champion the Rift. While players have been busy slicing and dicing their enemies with Yone’s deadly blades, patch 10.16 mainly focuses on balance changes. With Worlds just around the corner, we dive into yet another champion tier list to give you the breakdown on which champs you should be using to increase your ranked win rate. 

Top-lane: Darius

Darius top-lane
The Hand of Noxus reclaims his crown in patch 10.16.

The Hand of Noxus returns in patch 10.16 and this deadly top-laner continues to swing his deadly axe around, cutting down anyone that dares to stand in his way. Darius’ high damage plays and overall survivability make for a truly lethal combination, especially in late-game team fights where he can use his overall bulk to rush into the backline and instantly kill squishy carries with crushing blows from his ultimate, Noxian Guillotine. 

There’s a reason why this top-lane terror currently has a 50.81% win rate and a 40.85% ban rate on the Korean server.

Jungle: Elise

Elise jungle pick
Elise is certainly no stranger to the jungle spotlight.

This terrifying arachnid is no stranger to the dark depths of the jungle, so it’s won’t come as a surprise that Elise has once again cast her web and claimed the top spot. With the recent buffs to Evelyn and the increase of carry threats popping up in every position across the rift, it’s arguably never been a better time for the Spider Queen to begin her reign. 

While Elise may lack hard cc needed to lock down grouped enemies, her 1v1 potential is unrivaled, particularly now that her Spiderlings’ basic attacks benefit from the adaptive force Elise gains. 

Mid-lane: Zed

Zed mid-lane
This shadowy assassin has great snowball potential.

Zed is never far from the mid-lane spotlight and he returns to claim the crown in patch 10.16. This slippery assassin only needs a few kills before he begins to snowball into an uncontrollable nightmare. Being able to effortlessly duke opponents with shadowy clones and claim kills with deadly shurikens is as satisfying as it is effective. 

With the buff to Living Shadow’s missile speed and cooldown reduction, you’ll be claiming more victories than ever before. 

Bot-lane: Caitlyn

Caitlyn bot-lane
Poking enemies down from afar is this champion’s forte.

Patch 10.16 sees the return of Caitlyn and the Sherif of Piltover has locked her sights firmly on the top-place spot. This deadly AD carry current has a staggering 52.64% win rate and 30.85% pick rate over on the Korean server, making her one of the most contested picks in the current meta. 

Not only does Caitlyn’s incredible range allow her to effortlessly poke her enemies down from afar, they also have great kill potential throughout all stages of the game, especially when you build for crit damage. The patch 10.15 buff to Caitlyn attack damage and movement speed has only cemented her place at the top. 

Support: Blitzcrank

Blitzcrank support
A well-timed Blitzcrank grab is all it takes to swing a fight in your favor.

Blitzcrank is our top pick in the support role and he’s still absolutely dominating on the Korean server where he’s enjoying a 50.73% win rate. The Great Steam Golem is incredibly potent in the early-game, particularly when you manage to land those all-important grabs. 

To make matters even better, his E (Power Fist) and ultimate (Static Field) give you a great deal of kill potential when it comes to forcing fights. Blitzcrank may not be able to heal his allies nor can he engage fights with CC, but one well-timed grab is all it takes to win late-game skirmishes. 

Meta breaker: Hecarim

Hecarim Jungle
Hecarim is a great jungler for those looking to support their team with speedy ganks and game-changing ults.

This spectral horse is absolutely terrifying when played in the right hands and while it can be tempting to simply pick the current meta champs, it sometimes best to shake it up completely. Hecarim is a great pick for those that wish to support their team with lightning-fast ganks and speedy kills which send his enemies reeling back to base. 

We expect to see a lot more damage builds popping up as players transition from the usual tank items. If you want to shake things up and ignore the current meta, then Riven is the perfect pick for you. 

About The Author

James is Dexerto's Associate Games Editor who joined the website in 2020. He graduated from university with a degree in Journalism, before spending four years freelancing for GamesRadar+, PCGamesN, RPS, LoL Esports, Red Bull Gaming, and many more. You can find him covering everything from CoD, Apex Legends, Genshin Impact, and Monster Hunter. Need to get in touch? Email James at james.busby@dexerto.com.