The Best ADC Champions in LoL

The best ADC champions in LoL have one goal: to shoot enemies. Season 11 has been a weird one for marksmen and ADCs in general. Control mages and bruiser tanks have been a constant, and ADCs have had to adjust to survive. Now more than ever, marksmen need high mobility and crowd control in addition to strong damage.

In this article, we’ll cover the best ADCs in League of Legends for Season 11 in general. This list isn’t only for ranked, but for draft and blind pick as well. Consider this a list for all LoL players, regardless of skill or experience.

LoL ADC Champion Tier List

LoL ADC Champion Tier List
Credit: Brett Moss / HGG

First, let’s break things down with this marksman tier list outlining all the best ADCs in League.

S-Tier

  • 1. Tristana (51.4% win rate)
  • 2. Vayne (51.6% win rate)
  • 3. Miss Fortune (51.2% win rate)

S-Tier champions stand out because of their versatility. They all bring some combination of crowd control, damage, and mobility to the table. ADCs must hold off the mages that are common in bot lane now, and these are all great at doing so. All three of these champions can obliterate opponents in seconds with plenty of time to get away. These are all top contenders for being the best marksman in LoL.

A-Tier

  • 4. Jinx (51.4% win rate)
  • 5. Kai’Sa (50.1% win rate)
  • 6. Jhin (50.7% win rate)
  • 7. Sivir (51.2% win rate)

A-Tier champions lack the versatility of their S-tier cohorts, but they’re still among the LoL best ADC champions. They aren’t quite as efficient in the face of danger, so they need a good support with them. That being said, they’re still strong enough to hold their own in most situations.

B-Tier

  • 8. Senna (50.9% win rate)
  • 9. Caitlyn (50.1% win rate)
  • 10. Ashe (50.9% win rate)
  • 11. Draven (51.1% win rate)

The B-Tier champions are in the middle because they’re mediocre. None of them are dreadful picks, but they don’t have much of a place in the current meta. They’re a fine choice if you feel confident playing them, but other champions will likely be more efficient.

C-Tier

  • 12. Kog’Maw (50.6% win rate)
  • 13. Samira (45.8% win rate)
  • 14. Xayah (47.6% win rate)
  • 15. Twitch (50.4% win rate)

The C-Tier champions aren’t bad all the time, just against certain team comps. These are the champions that are most likely to end up in a match-up they can’t win. They’re all somewhat underpowered right now, and they don’t fit into the mold of the current bot lane meta. If you get lucky and pick one of these into a more passive team comp, it might work out, but it isn’t worth the risk.

D-Tier

  • 16. Aphelios (47.4% win rate)
  • 17. Ezreal (47.1% win rate)
  • 18. Lucian (47.7% win rate)

Besides not having a place in the meta right now, these champions are also too weak to be viable. You could get away with playing them at a lower level, but they aren’t as effective as other choices. Stay away from these champions for the time being, and choose one of the LoL best marksman instead.

10 Best ADC Champions in League of Legends

Here is a more in-depth look at the top 10 from our LoL ADC tier list. This section includes stats, ability information, and strategy for each champion.

For some added context, all of the stats provided are from champion.gg and apply to Platinum+ in ranked solo queue during patch 11.4. The win rates in the Counters/Countered By sections apply to lane phase, not the entire match. 

10. Ashe

Ashe
Image: Riot Games

Win Rate: 50.9% Win Rate | Ban Rate: 0.5% | Counters: Aphelios (52.6% win rate), Jinx (52.0% win rate), Vayne (51.2% win rate) | Countered By: Jhin (46.7% win rate), Tristana (46.9% win rate), Twitch (47.0% win rate)

Ashe is a middle-of-the-road pick right now. Her lack of mobility makes her a tough choice in the current meta, and she doesn’t have many ways to get around this. What makes her viable, though, is her strong crowd control. 

For Ashe, her most essential ability is her W (Volley), so max that first. Next, max her Q (Ranger’s Focus) for extra attack speed and damage. You should max her E (Hawkshot) last since it doesn’t have any relevant scaling.

Ashe wants to focus on scaling into late game, so don’t play too aggressively early on. During lane phase, focus on keeping a higher creep score (CS) than your opponent. Play safe behind your support, but don’t be afraid to go for a kill if an opportunity presents itself. Ashe can fight early, but she isn’t the best at it. However, after buying Kraken Slayer and gaining critical strike chance, she can do a lot of damage. In late game, stick with your team and don’t get caught out since you have no way to escape.

Overall, she’s one of the League of Legends best marksman, and she thrives in team fights.

9. Caitlyn

Caitlyn
Image: Riot Games

Win Rate: 50.1% | Ban Rate: 4.4% | Counters: Twitch (54.0% win rate), Jinx (53.0% win rate), Lucian (52.2% win rate) | Countered By: Varus (48.5% win rate), Senna (48.8% win rate), Xayah (49.2% win rate)

Caitlyn is similar to Ashe but with better movement. She can use her E for a quick boost of speed, and she also benefits from Galerider’s mobility active. Caitlyn is average during early game and grows to above-average later. Overall, I’d say Caitlyn is one of the most balanced ADCs at the moment. 

Her Q (Piltover Peacemaker) is first to max due to its long-range damage and wave clear. Next, go with her W (Yordle Snap Trap) for better crowd control. Finish with her E (90 Caliber Net) since its mobility aspect doesn’t scale, and its damage is sufficient at a low level.

During lane phase, Caitlyn can play several ways, making her one of the most versatile and best ADC champions in LoL. If the enemy laners can’t burst her down, she should be aggressive. If they are burst damage champions or have high crowd control, she should stay back and try to scale. Moving into the late game, Caitlyn plays like most typical ADCs. She doesn’t have a good way to get enemies off her, so she needs to stay on the backline with someone to help her if things go wrong.

8. Senna

Senna
Image: Riot Games

Win Rate: 50.9% | Ban Rate: 18.6% | Counters: Jinx (53.2% win rate), Vayne (51.3% win rate), Caitlyn (51.0% win rate) | Countered By: Varus (45.4% win rate), Draven (48.0% win rate), Miss Fortune (48.1% win rate)

Senna is one of the best ADC champions in LoL when it comes to unique abilities. She was initially meant to be a support but has since shifted more into the ADC role. One thing to note is that you shouldn’t pick Senna unless you know what the enemy ADC is, as she can be easily countered. I’d recommend her against squishy ADCs with minimal mobility. 

Senna’s Q (Piercing Darkness) is the first ability you’ll want to max. It allows her to do damage and heal at the same time, so it’s essential. Then take her W (Last Embrace) for crowd control and E (Curse of the Black Mist) for movement. 

Senna shines in the early game, so you’ll want to apply as much pressure as possible while laning. Her late-game potential isn’t as good, so you’ll need to change your strategy as the game progresses. During late game, Senna wants to focus on sniping enemies and helping during team fights. Take advantage of her support-oriented abilities, especially her ultimate and Q. The healing/shielding she provides can turn a team fight around with ease.

7. Sivir

Sivir
Image: Riot Games

Win Rate: 51.2% | Ban Rate: 1.7% | Counters: Twitch (55.7% win rate), Ezreal (52.1% win rate), Samira (51.9% win rate) | Countered By: Draven (46.2% win rate), Lucian (48.7% win rate), Kai’Sa (49.3% win rate)

Sivir is one of the best ADC champions in LoL because of how versatile she is. She has a little bit of everything you want in an ADC. Good damage and wave clear, excellent mobility, and relevant presence during team fights. Her ability to fight in 1v1 scenarios is a bit lacking, but she’s still a great pick.

You’ll want to start by maxing her Q (Boomerang Blade) since it’s her primary source of long-range damage. Then you want to take her E (Spell Shield), but don’t max it until after W (Ricochet) since its scaling is more important.

During lane phase, Sivir tends to be more defensive. She can fight if she needs to, but she doesn’t have to. It’s usually better to play safe until the objective phase starts since she’s so strong in team fights. Use her ultimate to give your team a movement speed boost and spam your Q as much as possible to help win team fights.

6. Jhin

Jhin
Image: Riot Games

Win Rate: 50.7% | Ban Rate: 6.6% | Counters: Ashe (53.3% win rate), Twitch (51.7% win rate), Samira (51.3% win rate) | Countered By: Xayah (47.9% win rate), Caitlyn (48.6% win rate), Miss Fortune (48.7% win rate)

Jhin is the first of the serious burst ADCs on this list. His ability to kill enemies fast has always made him viable, but now that Galerider exists, he’s even better. Add that to his crowd control and team fight potential, and Jhin is an absolute monster. 

Taking Q (Dancing Grenade) first is a must. This helps with wave clear and can provide some substantial damage to enemies. After that, you’ll want to go with W (Deadly Flourish) next. Flourish is great because it can root enemies, allowing Jhin to burst them down in seconds. His E (Captive Audience) is last because it’s a simple form of crowd control that doesn’t need much scaling. 

During lane phase, Jhin is about as aggressive as they come. You’ll want to use a combination of his W and E to try and root enemies, then burst them down with his Q and fourth shot. In late game, Jhin wants to stay on the backline and use his W to root enemies. Once they’re rooted, his ultimate can take down any enemies unlucky enough to be within his line of view.

5. Kai’Sa

Kai'Sa
Image: Riot Games

Win Rate: 50.1% | Ban Rate: 28.3% | Counters: Seraphine (53.0% win rate), Sivir (50.8% win rate), Jinx (50.7% win rate) | Countered By: Samira (48.1% win rate), Tristana (48.6% win rate), Ashe (48.7% win rate)

It seems that no matter how many times Riot tries to nerf Kai’Sa, she always remains one of the best ADC champions in LoL. Her 1v1 potential is high, she has great movement abilities, and she can use several types of item builds. Also noteworthy is how good she is against the “unusual” ADC picks like Swain and Seraphine. 

Kai’Sa’s Q (Icathian Rain) is her main source of wave clear and does significant damage, so max it first. Then go with either W (Void Seeker) for help with her passive or E (Supercharge) for better mobility next. Regardless of which you take second, always max E before W.

Kai’Sa is versatile during lane phase but leans more aggressive. Since her movement is so good, she doesn’t have to worry about ganks as much as some ADCs. Once she has her mythic item (usually Kraken Slayer), she can take on almost any ADC in a 1v1 encounter. After lane phase, Kai’Sa wants to try and pick off squishy champions and help start a team fight with her ultimate. Just don’t get caught trying to fight several people at once — she’s not suited for that.

4. Jinx

Jinx
Image: Riot Games

Win Rate: 51.4% | Ban Rate: 2.4% | Counters: Xayah (50.6% win rate), Varus (50.2% win rate), Miss Fortune (50.1% win rate) | Countered By: Senna (46.8% win rate), Caitlyn (47.1% win rate), Tristana (47.6% win rate)

Jinx is one of the best ADC champions in LoL for late game, although she can hold her own in the early stages. Her ridiculous damage output and splash damage ultimate make her a threat to any team. All around, Jinx is reliable and strong in the meta, so you can’t go wrong with her.

For abilities, always max her Q (Switcheroo!) first since it affects her auto attacks. Max her W (Zap!) second since it scales, and her E (Flame Chompers!) last. Her E is a seriously underrated form of crowd control, but its level doesn’t matter too much. 

During lane phase, Jinx wants to play safe so she can scale without putting herself at risk. Use her E to prevent engages and maintain safety in lane. After lane phase, the best strategy for Jinx is to try and pick off a kill with her ultimate before going into a fight. This will activate her passive, giving her bonus attack speed and movement. When her passive is on, Jinx is a killing machine, so use this to your advantage.

3. Miss Fortune

Miss Fortune
Image: Riot Games

Win Rate: 51.2% | Ban Rate: 0.6% | Counters: Vayne (53.6% win rate), Samira (53.4% win rate), Senna (51.7% win rate) | Countered By: Twitch (47.8% win rate), Draven (47.8% win rate), Varus (48.4% win rate)

Miss Fortune is one of the best ADC champions in LoL during lane phase. She is in complete control of the lane, with her only weakness being a lack of mobility. She’s no slouch during late game either, so she’s an excellent pick.

Start with maxing her Q (Double Up). This ability can take out a quarter of someone’s health in one shot, so it’s always worth taking. Take her W (Strut) next for the bonus attack speed, then E (Make It Rain). Her E is her crowd control ability, and while it is quite effective, it doesn’t need to be maxed early.

During lane phase, play as aggressively as possible. Watch out for ganks or engages from the enemy support, but in most situations, MF will be able to dominate lane. After laning phase, stick with your support and look for team fights. MF’s ultimate can kill several people at once during a team fight if her positioning is right. She is an easy target for assassins during team fights, so watch out for anyone trying to get close to her.

2. Vayne

Vayne
Image: Riot Games

Win Rate: 51.6% | Ban Rate: 12.0% | Counters: Jinx (51.7% win rate), Twitch (50.2% win rate) | Countered By: Miss Fortune (45.9% win rate), Draven (47.8% win rate), Lucian (47.9% win rate)

Vayne’s main strength right now is her high damage output, as is usual with her. There are few things scarier than a fed Vayne, and with the meta right now, it’s not hard for her to get to that point. She has enough mobility to hunt down enemies, and her DPS is high enough to fight almost anyone. Without a doubt, she’s a strong contender for the best ADC in League of Legends.

Vayne’s abilities are pretty unique. You take her Q (Tumble) first because it doubles as a form of movement and extra damage, but you max W (Silver Bolts) first. Silver Bolts is Vayne’s primary source of DPS, so you want it at its highest level as soon as possible. Then you max her E (Condemn) since it’s crowd control that doesn’t scale. 

Early game with Vayne depends on who she’s against. If her opponents don’t have substantial crowd control, then she can get aggressive. If they do, it’d be better to play safe and scale. Vayne’s mobility is strong enough to allow her not to worry too much about ganks, but it’s still better safe than sorry. After lane phase, she wants to continue farming as much as possible to get all her items. Vayne with max items is a death sentence for her opponents, so work towards that at all costs. 

1. Tristana 

Tristana
Image: Riot Games

Win Rate: 51.4% | Ban Rate: 2.4% | Counters: Ashe (53.6% win rate), Twitch (53.5% win rate), Jinx (53.0% win rate) | Countered By: Lucian (48.0% win rate), Draven (48.6% win rate), Miss Fortune (48.8% win rate)

Who is the best ADC in LoL? Right now, Tristana is the best ADC in LoL. Her versatility is unmatched, and she is more than capable of carrying a game on her back if she needs to. Tristana’s mobility is insane, her damage is high, and her ultimate is good too. She’s exactly what you want to be playing in competitive ranks.

For abilities, max E (Explosive Charge) first. Its damage is absurd, and since it’s an AOE effect, it doubles as a form of light crowd control. Then go with her Q (Rapid Fire) for the significant attack speed boost. Finish with her W (Rocket Jump) since its scaling doesn’t matter. 

In lane phase, Tristana can be vulnerable to supports with a lot of engage abilities. Play safe here, but don’t be afraid to push when the opportunity arises. After lane phase, Tristana excels at two things. The first is team fight damage, which most ADCs do well. The second is her ability to split push. Tristana can take towers faster than any other ADC thanks to her Q’s attack speed boost, so make use of it. Tristana is a force to be reckoned with right now, so play her as much as you can.

High Ground View

Hopefully, you’ve learned enough here to determine the best ADC champions in LoL for your playstyle. Make sure to have fun when trying out all the champions mentioned here, and good luck on the Rift!

Happy gaming!

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