Greetings, Summoners! I’m Librarian Husky, and I’m thrilled to bring you an updated guide to the current League of Legends meta. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into how the recent changes in patch 14.22 have shaped the top champions for each role. You’ll find tips on optimal strategies, builds, and runes for those aiming to dominate solo queue. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just beginning your journey in Runeterra, this guide offers valuable insights to help you get the most out of each match. Let’s explore the nuances of the new meta together and grow stronger with every game!

Top Lane Power Shift

Malphite has returned to the meta as a powerful top lane champion. With recent direct buffs and the nerfs to many other top laners in patch 14.22, including Aatrox, Jax, Illaoi, Maokai, and Shen, Malphite’s relative strength has increased significantly. This change has tilted the balance in his favor, making him a top choice in the current patch.

Optimal Strategy for Malphite

Buffs in this patch should increase Malphite’s play rate, which works to his advantage since he can effectively neutralize certain matchups. When selecting Malphite, it’s wise to ban either Sylas or Maokai, two of his most challenging opponents. Key items for Malphite include Sunfire Aegis, Thornmail, and Frozen Heart, especially against AD-heavy compositions. Alternatively, Rook’s Call or Hollow Radiance are better suited for AP-heavy matchups. The ideal Keystone rune is Comet, complemented by Manaflow Band, Transcendence, and Scorch, with Second Wind and Overgrowth as secondary runes.

Power Surge for Darius

Darius, a fighter top-lane champion, has been on the verge of becoming a powerful Solo Carry over recent patches. With champions like Mordekaiser, Shen, and Aatrox receiving nerfs in patch 14.22, Darius’s power and priority are likely to increase. These three champions were among Darius’s most frequent solo queue matchups, so their weakened state is a significant advantage for him. If you plan to blind-pick Darius, consider banning Teemo, who’s seeing increased play after buffs in the last patch. For Darius’s build, rushing Stridebreaker or Trinity Force is recommended, depending on the matchup.

Choosing the Right Build for Darius

If you’re up against an immobile champion, opting for Trinity Force on Darius will provide steady damage output. When facing a mobile or ranged opponent, the slow effect from Stridebreaker’s active can be invaluable, often making it a stronger choice than Trinity. Conqueror remains the ideal Keystone rune for Darius, supported by Triumph, Alacrity, and Last Stand, while Nimbus Cloak and Celerity work well as secondary runes.

Irelia’s Surge in the Meta

For the first time in a while, Irelia is breaking into the Solo Carry top three for top lane. Recently buffed in the last patch, she receives another boost in 14.22, increasing her passive damage to apply to towers. This change enhances her threat in side lanes. Already one of the most snowball-prone champions, Irelia’s added tower damage strengthens her ability to dominate games. Against specific matchups, Irelia players often struggle against Sett, making him a strong ban option. Jax can also be challenging, though his nerf in this patch might ease the matchup slightly.

Current Build Recommendations for Irelia

The meta build for Irelia involves rushing Blade of the Ruined King in nearly every game. This item allows Irelia to maximize her dueling potential and apply pressure on opponents early. From here, other items can be adjusted based on matchups and team composition to fully leverage her strengths as a top-lane carry.

Irelia’s Situational Itemization

Irelia’s second item is quite situational, with Kraken Slayer and Wit’s End often interchanged depending on the matchups. For third item options, Death’s Dance and Sundered Sky are solid choices. For Irelia’s rune page, Conqueror is ideal, accompanied by Presence of Mind, Alacrity, and Last Stand, with Second Wind and Overgrowth as secondary runes.

Teemo’s Debut as a Jungle Carry

For the first time, Teemo is emerging on the Solo Carry list for jungle roles. The buffs from patch 14.21 significantly boosted Teemo’s jungle viability, increasing his win rate by over 2% in Emerald rank and below, where he’s dominating games. Although Teemo’s effectiveness decreases slightly at Diamond rank, he’s still a strong pick for most players in this patch.

Teemo’s Matchups and Key Advantages

Teemo excels against champions like Viego, who is currently the most popular jungler, granting Teemo a strategic advantage. Teemo also performs well against other auto-attack reliant champions such as Graves, Master Yi, Briar, Xin Zhao, and Kindred, as his Q ability’s blind blocks much of their damage. However, when picking Teemo, it’s wise to ban Nocturne, as his spell shield and fear make it challenging for Teemo to win duels.

Optimal Build and Runes for Teemo Jungle

For Teemo’s jungle build, start with Nashor’s Tooth, followed by Liandry’s Anguish as the second item, and Malignance as the third. For his rune page, these selections enhance his ability to deal steady damage and mitigate his weaknesses in jungle matchups.

Optimal Rune Choices for Nocturne

For Nocturne, Press the Attack is the primary Keystone, paired with Triumph, Alacrity, and Cut Down. Free Boots and Cosmic Insight are the best secondary choices. These selections enhance Nocturne’s dueling power and sticking ability, making him a strong contender in solo queue.

Nocturne’s Strength in Patch 14.22

Avoiding nerfs in 14.22, Nocturne re-emerges as one of the top solo queue junglers. In the previous patch, the only jungler with a higher solo queue win rate than Nocturne was Udyr. With Udyr now nerfed, Nocturne faces little competition at his level of dominance.

Core Build for Maximum Effectiveness

Nocturne’s core build maximizes his dueling potential and ability to chase down enemies. Starting with Stridebreaker, followed by Hexdrinker, provides him with a powerful two-item combo. When diving enemies with his R, the slow from Stridebreaker and the speed boost from Hexdrinker allow Nocturne to stick to his target, making it difficult for enemies to escape unless they use Flash.

Recommended Ban and Rune Variants

Currently, there are no specific jungle matchups that require banning when selecting Nocturne. Instead, using your ban on a meta support like Lulu can be strategic, as she’s effective at countering Nocturne’s dive potential. Nocturne’s rune page can also include Conqueror or Lethal Tempo, providing flexibility based on your playstyle.

Choosing the Best Rune for Graves

While Lethal Tempo is viable, Conqueror currently outperforms it and remains the optimal choice for Graves. This patch has seen Graves rise in priority, rounding out the top three jungle picks. Recent buffs to The Collector have reintroduced Graves to the meta, providing him with a faster two-item power spike that enhances his effectiveness.

Impact of Ghostblade Changes

This patch also adjusts Ghostblade, reducing its AD by five but adding a 4% movement speed boost. Although this may seem unfavorable at first, the trade-off actually improves the item’s gold efficiency. The movement speed increase is valued at 335 gold, compared to the 5 AD, worth only 175 gold. This results in an additional 160 gold worth of stats, which is particularly beneficial for Graves, who relies on movement for effective kiting and positioning.

Core Build Recommendations for Graves

The ideal core build for Graves starts with a Ghostblade rush, followed by The Collector as the second item. Further items depend on the situation and matchup. With Graves’ strength in the current meta, players seeking to master him can benefit from additional resources, such as a dedicated course, to improve their gameplay.

Jungle Matchups and Optimal Bans

Graves tends to struggle against junglers with high magic damage, as his E ability grants armor but provides no magic resistance. For this reason, banning champions like Elise, who poses a significant threat in magic damage matchups, is advisable in solo queue games.

Optimal Runes for Ahri

For Ahri, Dark Harvest is the best Keystone Rune, complemented by Sudden Impact, Eyeball Collection, and Treasure Hunter, with Triumph and Alacrity as secondary options. This setup enhances her burst and mobility, crucial for dominating mid-lane skirmishes.

Ahri’s Rise in Patch 14.22

Ahri is set to be a high-priority pick in 14.22, ranking in the top three for mid lane. While champions like Syndra and Sylas previously contested her popularity, both have been nerfed, allowing Ahri to stand out. Sylas, a historically tough matchup for Ahri, has also faced nerfs, which further bolsters her position in the meta. Despite no recent buffs to Ahri herself, her power has effectively increased due to nerfs to items she doesn’t rely on, such as Luden’s Tempest and Stormrazor.

Core Build and Rune Page for Ahri

Ahri’s preferred core build includes Liandry’s Anguish and Horizon Focus, maximizing her damage potential without relying on recently nerfed items. Her optimal rune page centers on Electrocute, with Taste of Blood, Eyeball Collection, and Ultimate Hunter as primary choices, alongside Manaflow Band and Transcendence in the secondary tree. This combination strengthens her ability to execute combos and maintain pressure throughout the game.

Lux’s Unexpected Strength

Lux has climbed into the top three mid-lane champions for patch 14.22, capitalizing on the nerfs to other popular mages. Despite being an underrated pick, her consistent performance and lack of recent nerfs have made her a strong option, especially as other mid-lane champions experience diminishing power.

Lux’s Strengths in Solo Queue

In recent patches, champions like Syndra and Ahri were prioritized over Lux, but with both receiving nerfs, Lux has surpassed them in value. Lux’s strength in solo queue lies in her ability to play like a long-range assassin; with just two core items, she can eliminate squishy targets with a full combo. By setting up ambushes from the fog of war and waiting for enemies to approach, Lux can easily control the flow of the game.

Key Strategies for Lux

To maximize success with Lux, focus on positioning in the fog of war and waiting for the right moment to land her Q. Champions with high mobility, who can evade skill shots, are challenging matchups for Lux. Thus, banning Ahri or Yasuo can be beneficial. For her build, start with Luden’s Tempest, followed by Stormrazor, and finish with Rabadon’s Deathcap.

Lux’s Rune Page

The optimal rune page for Lux centers around Arcane Comet, combined with Manaflow Band, Transcendence, and Scorch. For secondary runes, choose Cheap Shot and Ultimate Hunter to boost her damage output and cooldown reduction, enhancing her ability to make game-changing plays.

Vex’s Dominance in Mid Lane

Vex remains a powerful choice in solo queue, consistently outperforming other mid-laners across patches. Her value lies in her favorable matchups against many popular mid champions, making her a reliable option to counter common picks and maintain dominance in the mid lane.

Vex’s Strengths and Matchups

Vex excels against champions like Sylas, Yasuo, Yone, and LeBlanc, who are among the most popular picks currently. However, Vex struggles against champions with longer range, including Syndra, Ahri, and Lux. Among these, Syndra is the most frequently picked, making her the top ban choice when playing Vex.

Optimal Build and Runes for Vex

The best core build for Vex starts with a rush on Luden’s Tempest, followed by Shadowflame, and then either Zhonya’s Hourglass or Rabadon’s Deathcap. Electrocute is the preferred Keystone, along with Taste of Blood, Eyeball Collection, and Ultimate Hunter. Manaflow Band and Transcendence work well as secondary runes, enhancing Vex’s mid-lane control.

Caitlyn’s Rise in the Meta

Caitlyn has become one of the best ADCs for solo queue, thanks to recent buffs and the improvements to The Collector. Her core build emphasizes heavy AD, starting with The Collector, followed by Infinity Edge, providing her with significant burst potential. This setup allows Caitlyn to capitalize on catch plays effectively and makes her gameplay simpler and less reliant on attack speed and weaving.

Caitlyn’s Mid-Game Strategy and Itemization

In the mid-game, Caitlyn can give her team a substantial advantage by targeting squishy enemies with her R before objectives spawn, effectively lowering their health and giving her team an upper hand in upcoming fights. Typically, Caitlyn’s third item should be Rapid Firecannon, but if the enemy team has several tanky champions, Lord Dominik’s Regards is a solid alternative.

Rune Page Recommendations for Caitlyn

While most players still run Fleet Footwork, First Strike is actually outperforming it by over 2% in effectiveness with Caitlyn’s heavy AD-focused build. This rune provides additional burst potential, enhancing Caitlyn’s early-game advantage. A common ban to consider when picking Caitlyn is Sivir, as her spell shield can consistently block Caitlyn’s Q, reducing her poke effectiveness.

Sivir’s Return to the Meta

Making her first appearance on the Solo Carry list for ADC in a long time, Sivir has finally become a strong choice in solo queue. This resurgence is due to recent buffs to both Sivir and her core item, Essence Reaver, which has provided her with a significant power spike. Sivir’s presence in the meta offers a reliable ADC option who remains valuable to her team regardless of lane outcomes, thanks to her wave clear and the utility from her R.