How This Tier List Works
This ARAM tier list ranks champions based on their overall effectiveness in the Howling Abyss format, considering factors like poke potential, teamfight impact, sustain, wave clear, and how well their kit translates to the single-lane format. ARAM-specific balance adjustments (buffs and nerfs applied only in ARAM) are also factored in.
Tiers are defined as follows:
- S Tier: Dominant picks that consistently carry games and have very high win rates.
- A Tier: Strong picks that excel in most team compositions and game states.
- B Tier: Solid, reliable picks that perform well with proper play.
- C Tier: Average picks; can work but have notable weaknesses in ARAM.
- D Tier: Weak picks in ARAM, often due to kit design that relies on map mobility or stealth mechanics that don't translate well.
S Tier — Pick Every Time
| Champion | Role | Why They're S Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Ziggs | Mage | Massive poke range, AOE bombs, passive wave clear, absurd R range. |
| Senna | Support/ADC | Global healing, long-range poke, scaling that never stops. |
| Swain | Mage/Tank | Self-sustain, CC, AOE drain — nearly unkillable in extended fights. |
| Zyra | Mage/Support | Constant plant pressure, root into knockup combo, high teamfight damage. |
| Janna | Support | Best peeling support in ARAM; shields, heals, and knockups disrupt every engage. |
A Tier — Strong Picks
| Champion | Role | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Miss Fortune | ADC | Bullet Time shreds grouped teams; strong laning phase poke. |
| Lux | Mage/Support | Safe poke, shields, global ultimate, high burst potential. |
| Malphite | Tank | Unstoppable Force is one of the best game-changing ultimates in ARAM. |
| Karthus | Mage | AOE Lay Waste shreds everyone; Wall of Pain and Requiem are devastating. |
| Seraphine | Support/Mage | Chain CC, healing, shielding, and AOE poke all in one kit. |
B Tier — Solid Choices
- Ashe — Constant slowing poke and Enchanted Crystal Arrow can initiate or finish fights.
- Brand — Passive-stacking combos erupt in grouped fights.
- Soraka — Keeps your team alive for free; Global Silence can disrupt key ultimates.
- Veigar — Scales infinitely; Event Horizon walls are brutal in narrow corridors.
- Nunu & Willump — Enormous AOE ultimate that is surprisingly hard to escape on the bridge.
C Tier — Situational
- Yasuo / Yone — Can carry but require consistent knock-up setup from teammates.
- Caitlyn — Strong poke but trap utility is limited on the single lane.
- Gangplank — His barrels need setup time that ARAM's chaos doesn't always allow.
D Tier — Difficult Picks
- Nidalee — Loses most Cougar form value with no jungle to roam.
- Twisted Fate — Global teleport has little use on a single lane.
- Shaco — Stealth and box traps lose significant value in ARAM's confined space.
Final Notes
Remember: ARAM is random, so you can't always pick your ideal champion. Use this tier list to understand which champions to reroll away from (D tier) and which to keep even if they're not your main. Any champion can win in the right hands — but knowing where each sits helps you set expectations and adapt your strategy.