The short version of this ARAM tier list: Swain is the best ARAM champion on the current patch by a distance, Kalista is the best marksman, and the classic Howling Abyss poke mages most people reach for first are solid but no longer the top of the list. Our read of Lolalytics’ Emerald+ ARAM data on patch 26.20 has Swain at a 66.89% win rate, which is not a typo, while the long-range artillery picks sit in B tier because ARAM quietly taxes damage from more than 1000 units away. Below is the full S to D tier list by class, why each S-tier champion is there, ARAM-specific build notes, and what moved since last patch.
One thing first: this is a tier list for classic ARAM, the permanent 5v5 queue. ARAM: Mayhem, the augment version, is a separate queue with its own balance, and we cover the difference right below.
Which ARAM this tier list covers
Classic ARAM is still its own queue, and that is what these placements are for. ARAM is a permanent 5v5 queue played on Howling Abyss, Butcher’s Bridge or Koeshin’s Crossing, picked at random each lobby. ARAM: Mayhem launched as a separate queue in October 2025, got extended because players loved it, and patch 26.21 turned it into “Journey to Stardom” with a Headliner rule twist every game. Mayhem adds augments and disables runes, so its tier list has almost nothing in common with this one. If you play both, keep two mental lists.
The champion select system matters for how you use any ARAM tier list. Since patch 25.13, every player gets two random champion cards (with a roughly 5% to 30% chance of a third, depending on how many champions you own), the unpicked cards go to a shared bench, and you can swap with the bench during a 45-second finalization phase. There is no reroll anymore. So read this tier list as a guide to what to grab off the bench.
Patch context: placements use Lolalytics’ ARAM tier list data for patch 26.20 (Lolalytics labels it 16.20), Emerald+ bracket, 859,781 champion picks (roughly 86,000 games), average Emerald+ win rate 52.28%, last checked October 2026. Patch 26.21 went live on October 21 with no classic ARAM balance changes, but it did nerf Viktor, Yone, Jinx and Caitlyn on Summoner’s Rift, which carries into ARAM. We flag each of those below.
ARAM tier list for the current patch
The take: ARAM rewards champions who fight all game without going back to base, and it punishes champions who need a jungle, a side lane or a clean pick. That is why drain mages and hypercarries sit at the top and assassins and jungle divers fill the bottom. Tiers start from the Lolalytics Emerald+ grades on patch 26.20, then we adjusted where the sample is thin or the all-rank data tells a different story (more on that under the table).
| Tier | Poke and mages | Engage and tanks | Sustain and enchanters | Carries (marksmen and fighters) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Viktor | – | Swain | Kalista, Xayah, Jinx, Yasuo, Yone, Master Yi, Mordekaiser |
| A | Hwei, Aurora, Ahri, Vex, Nidalee, Ekko | Wukong, Tahm Kench, Sion, Nautilus, Rell, Gnar, Galio, Dr. Mundo | Sona, Soraka, Nami, Milio, Ivern, Taric | Kindred, Irelia, Olaf, Samira, Zeri, Gwen, Zaahen, Bel’Veth, Aphelios, Caitlyn, Sivir, Tristana, Ezreal, Jax, Kled |
| B | Lux, Vel’Koz, Xerath, Syndra, Lissandra, Twisted Fate, Heimerdinger, Ziggs, Zoe | Leona, Braum, Poppy, Amumu, Cho’Gath, Rakan, Thresh, Ornn, Alistar | Janna, Senna, Fiddlesticks, Morgana, Renata Glasc, Zilean | Lucian, Jhin, Ashe, Draven, Miss Fortune, Kai’Sa, Vayne, Gangplank, Darius, Garen, Sett |
| C | Veigar, Brand, Anivia, Karthus, Orianna, Azir, Aurelion Sol, Kennen, Karma | Malphite, Blitzcrank, Rammus, Vi, Volibear | Lulu, Seraphine, Vladimir | Varus, Fizz, Sylas, Riven, Zed, Katarina, Graves, Akshan, Quinn |
| D | Mel, Taliyah, Teemo, Jayce, Cassiopeia | Jarvan IV, K’Sante, Nunu & Willump | Yuumi, Bard | Lee Sin, Akali, LeBlanc, Kha’Zix, Nocturne, Locke, Smolder, Shaco, Nasus |
The numbers behind the S tier and the most interesting A-tier calls, from the same Lolalytics pull, with the all-ranks win rate alongside so you can see which champions only work in good hands:
| Champion | Emerald+ win rate | Emerald+ pick rate | Emerald+ games | All-ranks win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swain | 66.89% | 8.15% | 7,010 | 63.59% |
| Kalista | 63.60% | 7.00% | 6,020 | 57.18% |
| Viktor | 58.89% | 8.99% | 7,728 | 53.55% |
| Xayah | 58.11% | 8.05% | 6,923 | 53.72% |
| Master Yi | 57.87% | 5.77% | 4,958 | 54.37% |
| Yasuo | 57.58% | 10.64% | 9,151 | 54.10% |
| Yone | 57.03% | 9.39% | 8,077 | 53.30% |
| Mordekaiser | 56.92% | 5.28% | 4,536 | 53.87% |
| Jinx | 56.69% | 13.63% | 11,721 | 53.03% |
| Gwen (A) | 61.62% | 2.89% | 2,488 | 51.61% |
| Zeri (A) | 55.62% | 6.24% | 5,369 | 46.85% |
| Ezreal (A) | 54.44% | 13.84% | 11,899 | 49.74% |
Where we deviate from the raw grades, and why:
- Gwen and Zaahen drop from S+ to A. Both post huge Emerald+ numbers on small samples (2,488 and 3,109 games), and across all ranks they sit at 51.61% and 52.36%. Both are good picks that only look broken in the Emerald+ sample.
- Bel’Veth drops to A. Patch 26.20 removed her ARAM modifiers (damage dealt 105% to 100%, damage taken 95% to 100%, tenacity 20% to 0%) and her Emerald+ win rate fell by about 10 points in one patch. She is still a fine pick if she lands on your bench.
- Zeri and Samira sit in A, not S. Zeri is 55.62% in Emerald+ and 46.85% across all ranks, the biggest skill gap on the list. If you do not already play her, she is a C-tier pick for you.
- Jinx and Viktor stay S despite the 26.21 nerfs. Jinx lost 20 base health and some attack damage growth, and Viktor’s Siphon Power shield got smaller. Neither change touches why they win ARAM, but watch them for a patch.
S-tier ARAM champions, one by one
Swain
Why he is S: ARAM is one long teamfight, and Swain’s ultimate drains every enemy in range for as long as the fight lasts. Patch 26.20 buffed his W, Vision of Empire (base damage up to 70 to 250 and cooldown down to 20 to 16 seconds), and his Emerald+ ARAM win rate jumped from 52.24% to 66.89%. That happened even though ARAM already nerfs him: he deals 5% less damage, takes 15% more and heals 20% less in this mode. Counters: early Executioner’s Calling or Oblivion Orb from two teammates, and long-range poke before he can walk into the fight. Skip him if your team has no frontline. Swain wants to stand in the middle of a fight that someone else started.
Kalista
Why she is S: she gets one of the biggest ARAM buffs in the game, 10% more damage dealt and 10% less damage taken, and her Rend stacks shred tanks through the long fights the mode forces. Counters: hard crowd control on her hops and burst before her Rend stacks build. Skip her if you have never played her. Her all-ranks win rate is 6 points lower than Emerald+, and her auto-attack cancel rhythm is not something you learn on the bridge.
Viktor
Why he is S: ARAM changes his passive so he gains 8 Glorious Evolution stacks per takedown and passively earns 1 stack every 5 seconds, so he hits his evolved spells far earlier than on Summoner’s Rift. Chaos Storm in a single narrow lane is brutal. Counters: divers and anything that reaches him before Gravity Field lands. Skip him if you play him as a pure poke mage sitting at max range. His best damage comes from Chaos Storm and fighting at mid range, and Chaos Storm, as an ultimate, is exempt from ARAM’s long-range damage reduction.
Xayah
Why she is S: 5% more damage and 3% bonus attack speed in ARAM, plus Featherstorm as a self-peel button in a mode where every fight eventually collapses onto the backline. Counters: multiple hard crowd control abilities chained after Featherstorm ends. Skip her if your team has no peel. She needs someone in front of her to fight behind.
Yasuo
Why he is S: knock-ups are everywhere in a five-champion brawl, and ARAM cuts Wind Wall’s cooldown to 27 to 19 seconds, which is a hard counter to the mode’s projectile-heavy poke comps. He is also 54.10% across all ranks, so he holds up outside high Elo. Counters: point-and-click crowd control and exhaust-style disengage. Skip him if your team has zero knock-ups. Without them he is a melee champion running at five people.
Yone
Why he is S: 5% more damage dealt, 3% less taken and extra attack speed, plus the same knock-up synergy as Yasuo. His E lets him dive and return, which is exactly what ARAM fights need. Patch 26.21 trimmed his Mortal Steel ratio from 110% to 105% AD, which costs him very little here. Counters: Executioner’s Calling early and kiting champions. Skip him if the enemy has two or more point-and-click stuns.
Master Yi
Why he is S: in ARAM every fight is a reset fight, and Alpha Strike plus his ultimate turns one kill into five. He is the third-best champion across all ranks (54.37%), which tells you he does not need a high-skill pilot. Counters: crowd control saved for after Highlander, and armour stacking. Skip him if the enemy has three or more hard crowd control abilities. You will spend the game as a statue.
Mordekaiser
Why he is S: Realm of Death takes the enemy carry out of a 5v5 that is already lopsided, and his passive damage aura keeps working through the constant fighting. Counters: ranged champions who kite him, and heavy anti-heal. Skip him if the enemy is all long-range poke. He needs the fight to come to him.
Jinx
Why she is S: Get Excited resets are basically designed for ARAM. In a fight where five people die in 15 seconds, she gets the move speed and attack speed burst again and again. She is the most-picked S-tier champion at 13.63%, and she keeps a 56.69% win rate anyway, even though ARAM already nerfs her (10% less damage dealt, 5% more taken). Counters: dive, and keeping her out of her first reset. Skip her if you have no frontline. Patch 26.21 also cut her base health to 610, so she is a bit squishier now.
If ARAM is where you warm up and Solo/Duo is where the LP actually lives, our League of Legends boost covers division climbs, placements and duo queue, and the bench-grab instincts you build here carry straight into draft.
ARAM build notes the tier list does not tell you
The mode has its own rules, and most bad ARAM builds come from ignoring them. These are the ones that change itemization:
- Damage from more than 1000 units away is reduced. Champions take only 85% to 70% (based on distance) of damage from enemy champions further than 1000 units away, excluding damage over time and ultimates. That is why Xerath, Vel’Koz and Ziggs dropped to B: their best damage now arrives with a tax.
- Healing on allies is cut by 50%. ARAM’s global buff halves outgoing heals (self-heals are untouched), so enchanters lean on shields and utility, and Soraka is A tier rather than S.
- You cannot recall or heal at the fountain. You start at level 3 with 1400 gold, and after you leave the base you can only shop again when you die. Buy the full component when you can, and treat health relics as your potions.
- Anti-heal is not optional. With Swain, Dr. Mundo and Vladimir all popular, someone has to buy Grievous Wounds early. This is a recurring complaint on r/ARAM, including a thread asking why no team buys heal reduction against Mundo, Swain and Vlad, and it is the single cheapest fix for losing to the current number one.
- Melee champions get help. They gain 15 bonus magic resistance and deal 20% more damage to siege and super minions. That is part of why Yasuo, Yone and Master Yi hold up when everyone expects them to get poked out.
- Every champion has its own modifiers. Riot tunes ARAM per champion with damage dealt, damage taken, healing and ability haste modifiers, listed in each patch’s notes, like the 26.20 ARAM changes to Bel’Veth and Locke. Lux, for example, deals 10% less and takes 10% more damage in ARAM, which is a big part of why she is B tier despite a high pick rate.
Rising and falling vs last patch
Two patch-note lines explain most of the movement between 26.19 and 26.20. Lolalytics Emerald+ ARAM, 16.19 vs 16.20:
| Champion | 26.19 win rate | 26.20 win rate | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swain | 52.24% | 66.89% | +14.65 | Summoner’s Rift W buff (damage and cooldown) |
| Locke | 39.42% | 47.36% | +7.94 | ARAM damage dealt raised from 105% to 115% |
| Gwen | 57.54% | 61.62% | +4.08 | Small sample, no direct change |
| Wukong | 53.60% | 56.17% | +2.57 | No direct change |
| Bel’Veth | 66.42% | 56.36% | -10.06 | ARAM modifiers removed |
| Rek’Sai | 56.70% | 53.05% | -3.65 | Small sample, no direct change |
| Tryndamere | 57.31% | 54.48% | -2.83 | No direct change |
Locke is the funny one. Even after a 7.94-point jump he sits at 47.36%, still D tier, because he started the patch as the worst champion in the mode at 39.42%. Riot buffed him by 10% damage and he went from unplayable to merely bad. For 26.21, keep an eye on Viktor, Yone, Jinx and Caitlyn, all nerfed on Summoner’s Rift, and on Swain, who got no changes at all after the biggest jump on the list.
Where this tier list is wrong
Emerald+ ARAM data flatters good players, and ARAM is not ranked. Lolalytics sorts ARAM games by each player’s ranked tier, but ARAM matchmaking does not use ranked tiers, so an Emerald+ player can easily share a lobby with Gold and Platinum players. That is why the Emerald+ average win rate is 52.28% instead of 50%, and why mechanically hard champions like Zeri, Samira and Ezreal look much better in that bracket than they do for everyone else. If you are not an Emerald+ player, the all-ranks column above is the more honest guide.
The second problem is sample size. Swain and Jinx have more than 7,000 Emerald+ games each, while Gwen, Olaf and Bel’Veth have under 2,500, so a few hundred games can swing their tier. And the third: in ARAM you do not pick from 170 champions. You pick from two or three cards and a bench, so a C-tier champion you play well beats an S-tier champion you have never touched. Use the list to break ties on the bench.
Last one: this tier list does not transfer to Summoner’s Rift or Arena. Swain at 66.89% in ARAM tells you nothing about his ranked mid lane. For that, see our Summoner’s Rift tier list by rank, and if you are switching to the 3v3v3 side mode, the Arena tier list is a completely different ranking.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best ARAM champion right now?
Swain. On patch 26.20 he has a 66.89% Emerald+ ARAM win rate and 63.59% across all ranks on Lolalytics, both the highest in the mode, after a Summoner’s Rift buff to his W. Kalista is second.
Is this tier list for ARAM or ARAM: Mayhem?
Classic ARAM. ARAM: Mayhem is a separate queue with augments, no runes and its own balance changes, so champions that dominate one mode can be average in the other.
Can you still reroll in ARAM?
No. Rerolls were removed in patch 25.13. You now get two champion cards (sometimes three), unpicked cards go to a shared bench, and you can swap with the bench during champion select.
Why are poke mages worse in ARAM now?
Because champions take only 85% to 70% of damage from enemies more than 1000 units away, excluding damage over time and ultimates. Long-range artillery like Xerath and Vel’Koz pays that tax on most of their damage, which pushes them down to B tier.
What is the worst ARAM champion?
Akali, at 44.05% in Emerald+ and 41.85% across all ranks on patch 26.20. Lee Sin, Nocturne, Nunu & Willump and Cassiopeia are close behind. Assassins and jungle divers struggle in a mode with no jungle and no side lanes.
Does ARAM affect your rank?
No. ARAM is a normal queue with no LP or ranked tier. It is the best warm-up mode in the game, but your Solo/Duo rank only moves in ranked games.
Grab Swain if he is on the bench, take Kalista or Jinx if you need damage, and leave the assassins for Summoner’s Rift. The bench is random, but which card you take off it is still on you.
When you are done warming up, our LoL boosting team handles the part of League that does have LP: division climbs to Emerald, Diamond and Master, placements, and duo queue if you want to play along.
