Hardest LoL Champs

League of Legends is a game featuring champions of various difficulties. As such, it is full of LoL champions that require a heightened skillset to navigate.

This list will be composed of the hardest LoL champions available to gamers. These are the champions for brave souls who do not mind a little challenge.

Many people would advise against playing the hardest champions, but I am quite the opposite. I believe mastering these is insanely rewarding, both in terms of satisfaction and LP gains.

1. Zed

Starting off with Zed, it is quite easy to see why this champion is one of the hardest ones in the game. To execute him well, it is necessary to get really good at throwing shurikens and positioning shadows.

This champion is also limited by energy, which makes it extra hard to execute well. Only the experienced Zed players know how to balance between casting spells and consuming the right amount of energy.

What makes Zed extra challenging is the pace at which he needs to play the game. If a player falls behind, it is quite hard to catch up and become useful later in the game. With Zed, every small thing counts.

I would recommend reading this article for everyone looking to improve as Zed.

2. Katarina

There were times when Katarina was relatively easy to play, but those days are long gone. Ever since she got reworked some six years ago, she became an extremely complex champion.Playing her now requires extensive knowledge of her power spikes and cooldowns. She thrives off of good resets and quick mechanics, and she truly requires an expert to make her a viable champion.

3. Azir

It is hard to know how to start describing Azir and why he is one of the hardest LoL champions. This champion requires great positioning, mechanics, and much more.

Azir also requires a good knowledge of mana management. If you have ever played him, it is easy to see how fast his mana runs out.

Another big factor that makes Azir hard to play is how crippled he is by Riot. They simply do not want him anywhere near the pro scene, so they gutted him to the point that the character is unplayable.

Many players would say that Azir is the hardest champion to play in the League, and I would not contest that opinion. All I can say is that I truly admire those few Azir players who still use him.

4. Yasuo

Love him or hate him, Yasuo is one of the hardest champions to play and probably the most annoying champion to play against, judging by his ban rate.

Yasuo requires really strong game knowledge and really solid mechanics. The thing that influences his win rate the most is the amount of Q landed.

Landing Q is essential for trading and dealing damage, as well as for knocking up enemies to activate R. I had insane increases in win rate after focusing on hitting Q as much as possible.

Another thing that makes Yasuo hard is the necessity of good spacing. It is very hard to out-trade enemies if the spacing is not on point.

Finally, the hardest thing about Yasuo is not being too aggressive. Many Yasuo players find themselves needlessly pushing waves, which makes them vulnerable to enemy junglers.

5. Lee Sin

I am a player who has reached master on multiple occasions, playing multiple champions and multiple roles, but I do not remember playing a harder champion than Lee Sin.

What makes Lee Sin hard is both the mechanical aspects and macro decisions necessary to pull him off.

His Q is traveling quite slowly, and hitting enemies is never easy. Pulling off advanced combos requires a lot of practice and experience, and even then, there is a lot of room for error.

Lee Sin has been out for many years, but people still have not figured him out. Every now and then, you will see a new combo coming from Korean or Chinese players on YouTube.

When it comes to the decision-making part, it is not easy either. If you ever play Lee, you will see how hard it is to balance between clearing jungle, and executing good ganks.

6. Nidalee

Nidalee has held the reputation as one of the hardest LoL champions for years. When you see her in a game, you know it is either a damn wizard or someone completely clueless.

Nidalee requires strong jungle clearing skills as well as exceptional mechanical prowess. The hardest part about playing Nidalee is landing her Q’s. This is a spell that does the most damage in her kit, but it is relatively easy to dodge, especially in the late game.

7. Thresh

Support is often listed as one of the easiest roles in League of Legends, and I am not here to argue with that point. Although I have to say that when Thresh is played as support, the role will be hard regardless.

Executing Thresh requires plenty of practice. Landing hooks are necessary, and so is landing flay. There is also the W which can be utilized in plenty of ways.

A good Thresh user will know when to peel for his carries and when to attack. They will know when and how to use each spell. All this takes a lot of skill and makes Thresh really hard to play.

8. Gangplank

Playing versus a good Gangplank can feel unwinnable. The champion will heal, it will poke, and it has all sorts of movement buffs.

This might feel unfair, but when you understand the skill it takes to play this champion, it feels quite reasonable. Gangplank players have to worry about positioning, landing barrels, and saving mana.

They are also tasked to make a good decision regarding itemization as well as choosing the perfect ult upgrade based on circumstances. All in all, there are so many things that are necessary to be annoying as Gangplank, but all it takes to annoy a Gangplank is to last hit their barrel.

Conclusion

League of Legends is a diverse game. It has champions for all different kinds of skill levels. Naturally, some champions stand out as the hardest ones. These champions usually require a combination of great mechanics as well as great game knowledge. Playing them is hard, especially in the beginning, but it is always worth it in the long term.

Check out this list of the best blind pick supports in LoL.