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Welcome Back to the 13.20 Edition of Best Solo Carries
Welcome back everyone to the 13.20 edition of the best solo carries where we provide you guys with three champions for each role that are extremely powerful for the current meta. If your main goal in mind is climbing the ranks as quickly as possible, then putting the time in to learn these champions will be well worth it right now. But before we get into it, be sure to check out skill cap if you want to truly get better at League of Legends.
Top Lane: Atrox Dominance
Kicking it off in the Top Lane, the very first champion on the list is Atrox. Atrox has been an absolute stud of a top lane pick over the last couple of patches due to the emergence of a new core build. Gore with Shoin is just so lethal on the champion right now and has you almost playing Earth mode with how low a cooldown his Q drops to in the mid-game.
Adaptation in 13.20 Patch
With DUS blade nerfed here in 13.20, it’s really going to pave the way for this Bruiser build to take over as Atrox’s number one setup in the majority of games. The real phase where Atrox is going to come online is once he gets his maxed out at level 9. Cooldown of spell drops from 14 seconds at rank one all the way down to 6 seconds at rank five, so it’s just such a massive spike to play around.
Optimal Strategies and Matchups
Although the champion can solo kill in specific matchups, it’s really about playing for the level, not forcing any 50-50 plays prior to that and taking over from then on out, which will make you very consistent on Atrox. Since Atrox is so relying on landing his skill shot Q for maximum damage output, banning a champion who can more easily avoid the spell like Fiora or Ra is a good idea.
Garen: A Solid Top Lane Pick
Rune page you should be running on Atrox as conqueror with Triumph, tenacity, and Last Stand followed by second wind and revitalized for secondaries. With Quinn nerfed here in 13.20, taking her spot back in the top three for Top Lane is going to be Garen.
Garen is a very consistently strong Top Lane pick for the majority of ranks right now as his matchups are solid, and he’s only become better in recent patches due to his core item seeing buffs. Garen is winning into the likes of Renekton, Jax, Yone, and Gangplank at very high rates right now, and they are all being picked a ton in the meta.
Top Lane Tactics: Conquering with Garen
Range top lane picks are going to be of most trouble for Garen, so if you ban out Quinn and then just dodge other niche ranged matchups like Vayne, you should have no issues racking up the wins on Garen. Although this is quite common knowledge for high ELO Garen players, over 45% of low ELO Garens are just building him incorrectly. Tier 2 boots on Garen should always be Berserker’s Greaves, but for some reason, steel caps and Mercs are picked way more often in gold and below.
Garen’s Build and Scaling
You want Greaves every game because of how well Garen scales with attack speed. You get one extra spin with Garen’s E per 25% bonus attack speed, which makes the value of Berserkers really good. The wrist build of double Zeal also synergizes really well with Garen’s E while providing him with a ton of bonus movement speed at the same time, creating a really great mid-game spike out of this build.
Garen’s Rune Page and Matchups
Especially on item completion, if you’re even or ahead of the curve, very few champs can go toe-to-toe with you in the 1v1. The rune page for Garen is Phase Rush followed by Nimbus Cloak, Celerity, and Gathering Storm, with optimal secondaries including Conditioning and Overgrowth.
Unlocking the Potential of Malphite in Top Lane
If climbing the ranks as fast as possible is what you’re looking to achieve right now, and you enjoy playing Top Lane, Malphite needs to be in your champion pool. There’s just no better top lane champ when it comes down to making a consistent impact each and every game. For someone with such amazing team fight presence, the laning power of Malphite is actually quite good into a lot of AD Fighters.
Malphite’s Build Strategy
Being able to stack armor is crucial on Malphite, so in games where the enemy comp is very heavy AP, it’s not a bad idea to dodge. The full build for Malphite is an Iceborn Gauntlet rush into Sunfire Aegis second and a situational tank item third. You should have two rune pages ready for Malphite: a Grasp page for AD fighters and a Comet page for ranged matchups.
Optimizing Malphite’s Gameplay
It’s vital not to risk any 50-50 fights prior to securing key items like Bramble Vest. Avoid AP top lane matchups at all costs, using your ban on champions like Sylas or Teemo, as being able to stack armor is crucial for Malphite’s game plan.
The Emergence of Brier in the Jungle
Making your very first appearance on the Solo Carry list for jungle, and arguably one of the best junglers in the entire game, is Brier. The skirmish power of Brier is completely insane, and if you let her get ahead, there is virtually no coming back. Brier’s early-game domination and scaling make her a potent force that can control the game if played correctly.
Brier’s Dominance in the Jungle
Back the amount of consistent DPS Brier can deal, while being able to heal for a massive amount at the same time thanks to her W, is what makes Brier so lethal. The long-range catch potential from Brier’s ultimate is such a luxury tool for solo queue as well. Your team will always be wanting to take random fights without you, and being able to quickly join a fight with Brier’s R is extremely powerful.
Optimizing Brier’s Rune Setup
Comps that have hitting power are who Brier will struggle against the most, so banning out someone like Rammus is a good idea. A quick tip for the rune setup on Brier that many players are messing up on revolves around running Overheal in place of Triumph. Over 80% of low ELO Brier players are taking Triumph, but in Challenger, that number drops to only 50%.
Brier’s Build Variations
Overheal is so undervalued on Brier right now and works extremely well with her kit due to all the healing she has built in. Speaking of Brier’s builds, the one you should be running for the vast majority of your games consists of Goredrinker or Stridebreaker into Black Cleaver second and Sterak’s Gage third, with Conqueror as the keystone rune.
Jarvan’s Efficacy as a Quick Pick Jungle Champion
If you just want a jungler who you can pick up and see results with fairly quickly, Jarvan is the play for patch 13.20. The mid-game spike that Jarvan has right now is absolutely ludicrous, as his EQ combo drops to such a short cooldown on item completion. There’s simply nothing better than Goredrinker into Shurelya’s Requiem for your first two items.
Strategic Planning with Jarvan
When picking Jarvan, it’s ideal if the enemy comp doesn’t have an insane amount of mobility so that they can easily avoid your ultimate. Banning out highly mobile meta champions like Ezreal or Rammus is good value. For a jungler like Jarvan, who has a ton of early game threat, it’s imperative to map out a game plan during the loading screen.
Guidance for Maximizing Early Game Impact
As a general rule of thumb, try to path towards the lane that will provide you with the best gank setup to give you the best opportunity at snowballing early on. We have a bunch of jungle courses that can further help in optimizing your approach and strategy in the jungle.
Winning with Early Game Junglers
Go into heavy detail as to how you can win with early game junglers and execute on your game plans, which can be found on our website. The rune page that you should be running on Jarvan is Conqueror with Triumph, Alacrity, and Coup de Grace, along with Magical Footwear and Cosmic Insight for secondaries.
Nocturne: A Rising Star in the Jungle
A jungler who continues to become more popular with each and every patch, and a phenomenal solo carry for 13.20, is Nocturne. High ELO Nocturne players are really loving the Spear of Shojin on him, and with Stridebreaker, you have a very durable yet offensive build at the same time.
Optimizing Nocturne’s Strategy
Nocturne is definitely the pick we would recommend you lean more towards if you are in the lower ranks right now. Having a clear power spike at level six gives you an actionable win condition to play for every single game, especially in the jungle where there can be a ton of variance.
Solo Carrying with Mid Lane Champions
Moving on to the solo carry mid lane champions, a new addition to the top three for 13.20 is Sylas. Sylas has been on the rise in recent patches due to his mana buff from 13.16, along with many indirect changes going in his favor.
Sylas’s Dominance and Challenges
With 13.20 seeing Zed being nerfed, and that being Sylas’s most common matchup in solo queue, it’s a matchup that Sylas absolutely dominates, winning over 54% of the time. However, there’s really just one meta mid lane champion that gives Sylas a ton of trouble right now, and that champion is Vex.
Unlocking Sylas’s Full Potential
The first few levels with Sylas can be a bit difficult in certain matchups since his abilities are on quite long cooldowns early on. But at level nine, you can really begin taking over with the champion, as the base cooldown on W drops to 6 seconds, which makes his skirmishing incredibly strong. If you opt for the Night Harvester build, it tends to synergize well with his kit and playstyle.
Mastering Silas: A Guide to Dominance
Lucidity boots and taking Transcendence in runes will give you 55 haste, meaning your W drops to a 4-second cooldown, which is quite significant. For maximizing Silas’s potential, we have a detailed mastery course on our website, covering everything from basics to advanced tricks.
Nefiri’s Arrival: A New Force in the Mid Lane
Now that the dust has settled, and Riot has adjusted Nefiri, she has emerged as a powerful carry. Nefiri’s catch power against uncoordinated teams is particularly robust, making her a formidable presence in solo queue environments.
Optimizing Nefiri: Strategic Approaches
Flanking is essential when playing Nefiri, allowing her to single out vulnerable targets. Playing Nefiri involves strategic positioning, ensuring you are not easily targeted, allowing for more effective engagements in skirmishes and team fights.
Vex’s Dominance: A Persistent Threat
Vex continues to be a strong solo carry in the mid lane. The ability to counter popular melee mid-laners contributes significantly to her dominance, allowing for aggressive play and lane control, which is crucial for securing advantages early in the game.
Ziggs in the Bot Lane: Maximizing Potential
Ziggs has received substantial buffs, improving his poking consistency, making him a considerable force in the bot lane. Utilizing teleport and starting items effectively can also help in establishing early lane dominance and applying more pressure on the opponent.
Adapting to Change: Jin’s Ascension
Jin has moved up in the solo queue meta due to recent buffs. An essential aspect of mastering Jin is adaptability, particularly in choosing abilities based on the unfolding game scenario, enabling a more versatile approach to the early game.
Jin: Adapt and Conquer
As soon as they get into the game, players often auto-level an ability, but with Jin, breaking this habit is essential. Depending on the early-game circumstances, choosing the appropriate skill to level up first can have a significant impact, such as opting for W during invades or Q for laning.
Jin’s Strategic Considerations
When playing Jin, considering bans against meta dive champions like Jarvin or Rakan can be beneficial, making team fights less daunting due to reduced threat of aggressive dives. Crafting a build focusing on Storm Riser and essential runes also augments Jin’s in-game performance.
Ash: Maximizing Lane Presence
Ash, despite changes in the bot lane, maintains a crucial solo carry position. For optimal performance with Ash, securing a push advantage in lane is crucial. Utilizing Ash’s range advantage and W poke effectively allows for a dominant lane presence, ensuring consistent pressure against adversaries.
Effective Strategies with Ash
When playing Ash, smart ban choices and build optimization are crucial. Selecting bans against champions with hard engage potentials like Jarvin and Rakan and developing a build focusing on Cracken Slayer and essential runes significantly enhance Ash’s gameplay efficiency and impact.
Zerth: A Support’s Offensive Arsenal
Zerth, in the evolving ADC meta, has emerged as a potent solo carry support. His mage-like build and significant damage output, paired with strategic utilization of skill shots, make him a formidable presence in the bot lane, ensuring a balanced blend of offensive and supportive capabilities.
Zerth’s Gameplay Nuances
Mastering Zerth involves a nuanced approach to skill shot utilization and champion positioning. Bans against champions with strong catch potential like Blitzcrank and a well-curated build amplify Zerth’s effectiveness, enabling a more strategic and impactful presence in games.
Zyra: Unleashing Bot Lane Potential
Insight, maniflow, and Scorch are the way to go for secondaries. Another support who fits into the current landscape of the solo Q meta extremely well is Zyra. Paired with any ADC, Zyra’s all-in combo at level six can be profoundly impactful, ensuring potent damage output and synergy with popular ADCs in the current meta such as Ezreal and Ash.
Strategizing with Zyra
Banning key threats such as Rakan and Blitz can enhance Zyra’s effectiveness. Focusing on objectives, Zyra’s kit allows for significant area control, turning the tide in crucial fights around objectives like dragon and baron by zoning enemies and securing advantageous positions.
Blitzcrank: Dominating the Solo Queue
Blitzcrank has made a triumphant return to the meta, leveraging his hook and the absence of dominant tanks to exert pressure across the map. The introduction of new build paths, like the one focusing on Everfrost, has unlocked more consistent playmaking, ensuring Blitzcrank’s robust presence in the game.
Optimizing Blitzcrank’s Play
Adapting build and rune choices to capitalize on Blitzcrank’s strengths is essential, with options like Glacial Augment and Everfrost enhancing his catch potential. Considering bans, like Ezreal, that counter Blitz’s playstyle can also be beneficial, ensuring his impact remains unhampered throughout the game.
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