Strongest Champions According To LoL Lore

Key Takeaways

• League of Legends features a diverse lineup of powerful champions with unique backstories and abilities.
• Lore in League of Legends spans thousands of years, creating a rich and immersive world full of demi-gods, spirits, and cosmic entities.
• From gods and demons to celestials and darkin, each character in League of Legends adds depth to the ever-expanding lore of the game.

There are dozens of MOBA games to choose from, but there are several games that stand above the rest in terms of popularity and gameplay, like Overwatch and Smite. But even they pale in comparison to League of Legends, which has been around for over a decade. League has remained popular because it allows players to select from a wide range of characters, all of whom have unique abilities and backstories.

When Riot created the game, they also created the world of Runeterra, which has lore spanning thousands of years, and every single champion has left their mark within it. Every champion is strong, otherwise, they would not be on Summoner’s Rift, but from a lore perspective, there are a few who are more powerful than any human could ever imagine.

Updated December 10, 2024, by George Voutiritsas: Even now, League of Legends is one of the most played games in the world, and Riot continues to update it with new champions. There are now more than 160 champions, and the most recent ones all have unique backgrounds. Ambessa is the most recent champion, and he is an energetic little dragon who spits fireballs. The champion before him was a brooding painter who could bring his art to life with magic. Each champion is strong in its own way, but the world of Runterra has been around for a long time, and only a few champions are powerful enough to be remembered throughout the annals of history. Experts know who the strongest League of Legends champion is according to in-game lore, but there are several others who deserve to be recognized as well.

38 Veigar: The Tiny Master Of Evil

A Magical Yordle Twisted By Runeterra’s Most Feared Tyrant

The Yordle are a race of spiritual beings who take the form of cute, furry, bipedal mammals, and Veigar is the strongest of the Yordle sorcerers. After learning everything he could about Yordle magic, Veigar ventured into the world to study cosmic magic and learned how to wield the power of the stars. Unfortunately, Veigar’s skills caught the attention of Mordekaiser, Runeterra’s terrifying undead warlord.

Mordekaiser captured Veigar and tortured him for years until his mind was broken. Veigar became an evil sorcerer and one of Mordekaiser’s elite mages. His twisted magic allowed him to destroy powerful warlords and warlocks, as well as any terrifying creature who opposed his master. Veigar continued to gather strength after Mordekaiser’s defeat and obtained various magical items and followers. His magical power is now seemingly limitless, which explains why he is one of the best mid-lane mages in LoL.

37 Janna: The Storm’s Fury

A God Whose Power Is Directly Linked To Worship

The Spirit Gods represent entire cultures, ideas, and civilizations, and their power comes from the number of people who worship them. Janna is one of these Gods, and she takes the form of a slender woman with long hair, white clothes, and a crown and staff made of crystal.

Janna has lived for thousands of years, and she now protects those most vulnerable in Zaun. She is a very effective Support, and if she wishes, she can create tempests of intense fury. That being said, she spends most of her time serving as a beacon of hope.

36 Anivia: The Cryophoenix

A Resurrecting Demi-God That Controls Ice & Snow

Anivia is a Demi-God worshipped by many in the Freljord, and she is the sister of both Volibear and Ornn. She has the full power of winter at her disposal, which explains why all of her abilities revolve around snow and ice. Her deity status also explains why she is capable of dealing incredible damage during games.

As a phoenix, Anivia is the living embodiment of nature’s endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth, and she serves as the soul of the Freljord itself. Anivia possesses immense power, but she is known for being a kind, noble, and even humble spirit. She is not as strong as her brothers, but she can still protect the tribes of the Freljord from external threats.

35 Volibear: The Restless Storm

A Powerful Demi-God That Shaped An Entire Region

Volibear was worshipped by many in the Freljord. In fact, many believed that he created the Five Fjords with his claws. It is said that he fought and killed Rhond, a legendary magma-serpent, and that their epic battle shaped the Freljord’s terrain.

Like his brother and sister, Volibear is a Demi-God, but he can control and summon lightning. Many consider him to be the physical manifestation of storms and destruction, and he is the personification of the Freljord’s unstoppable power. He devastated Lissandra’s armies alone and blinded her with his own claws.

34 Ornn: The Fire Below The Mountain

Arguably The Strongest Freljordian Demi-God

Ornn is another Freljordian, but he is the demi-god of craftsmanship and forging. Like Haephestus from Greek mythology, he spends most of his time hammering away in his forge, and he creates weapons and armor of unparalleled quality. He does not interfere with mortals, but he will fight other demigods if they get involved with mortals.

Volibear is Ornn’s brother, and he frequently meddles in the affairs of mortals. An epic battle of theirs caused a large section of the Freljord to be destroyed, but Ornn emerged victorious.

33 LeBlanc: The Deceiver

A Powerful Mage Orchestrated The Iron Revenent’s Downfall

LeBlanc was teased in the second season of Neflix’s Arcane series as a member of the Black Rose – a secret organization of mages who have been guilding the throne of Noxus for centuries. Prior to becoming a major figure in Noxian society, LeBlanc served Mordekaiser more than a thousand years ago. She betrayed the Iron Revenant and severed his connection to the mortal realm. She also sealed Mordekaiser’s personal demon hounds and a powerful shadow demon.

LeBlanc is known as the Deceiver because she uses her magic to trick and confuse others into serving her. As a result, she is able to manipulate major events from the shadows. LeBlanc specializes in illusion magic, but she is a master sorceress with great arcane knowledge. She can produce energy blasts that can vaporize other mages in an instant.

32 Vladimir: The Crimson Reaper

A Fiend Who Has Mastered The Art Of Hemomancy

Vladimir was once a prince of Camavor, a kingdom in the eastern part of Runeterra that was attacked by the Darkin centuries ago. One of the Darkin agreed to take Vladimir as a royal hostage and took him to Shurima. The Darkin offered Vladimir the power to destroy Camavor, and the young prince accepted. Vladimir gained immense strength and became one of the god-warrior’s top military commanders.

In the final days of the Great Darkin War, Vladimir killed his master and absorbed the majority of his power, transforming into the fiend who has been influencing Noxus since before the empire’s founding. Vladimir is a powerful mage and the strongest hemomancer in Runeterra. He can manipulate his blood and flesh and can drain the life out of other beings. The Noxian tribes of old worshipped Vladimir as a god, which is not surprising since he is one of Runeterra’s strongest immortals.

31 Viego: The Ruined King

A Wraith That Can Plunge The World & Others Into Darkness

LoL’s lore can be inconsistent at times, especially when it comes to death. Viego died 1,000 years ago, only to come back through sheer will in an attempt to be with his dead wife again. Viego was the king of Camavor, and his wife Isolde died after being poisoned by a dagger meant for him.

He did everything to bring her back, and he went as far as to invade the Blessed Isles. He was able to resurrect her, but she came back as a wraith and stabbed him with his enchanted blade while he stood in the Isles’ magic waters. This created the black mists and the Ruination, and Viego became an undead spirit capable of controlling both. Viego has the power to plunge the world into darkness, and he can corrupt others.

30 Tahm Kench: The River King

A Demon Who Feeds On Misery

According to the lore, Demons belong to a race of spirits that have no real form. Mortal beings allegedly create demons with their negative thoughts and emotions. Tahm Kench has had many names over the centuries, but in each scenario, he is a voracious demon who feeds on the misery of others.

Other demons consider him an equal or rival. Tahm Kench travels through Runterra’s waterways in search of unsuspecting prey. If someone is unlucky enough to be swallowed by him, they will find themselves in a seemingly endless abyss. Tahm tries to avoid direct confrontations, but he can devastate armored fighters with just his tongue.

29 Evelynn: Agony’s Embrace

A Seductive Demon That Relishes In Pain

Evelynn may look like an attractive human female, but that is just the form she chooses to use. In reality, she is a terrifying demon who hunts mortals from the shadows. She may use seduction and lust to charm her victims, but she is actually a demon who embodies pain itself.

The being now known as Evelynn came to life during the Rune Wars – a conflict that ravaged Runeterra centuries ago. She wishes to plunge the world into a similar war because she believes it is the only way she can satiate her hunger. Evelynn has established her own cult, and it is filled with worshippers who spread pain on her behalf.

28 Fiddlesticks: The Ancient Fear

A Deadly Demon Who Embodies Fear Itself

For years Fiddlesticks was an animated scarecrow that used fear-based magic, but his lore changed in 2020 when he received his rework. He is now a demon from the spirit realm, and he is the living embodiment of fear itself. Some say he was once a farmboy who was fed to crows. Others say he was accidentally summoned by an overconfident mage.

Demons are powerful spirits, and their strength is comparable to the Spirit Gods and some Ascended beings. Fiddlesticks feeds on terror, and his mere presence can cause widespread and intense paranoia. If left unchecked, Fiddle could destroy all of Demacia.

27 Nocturne: The Eternal Nightmare

A Primordial Demon That Embodies Terror

The argument can be made that Nocturne is the oldest demon in Runeterra. It is the physical manifestation of the nightmares that plague every sentient being, and it broke free from the Spirit Realm centuries before the Rune Wars. Nocturne now travels across Runterra feeding on the terror of others.

Nocturne looks like a spirit made up of black smoke, and it wields a pair of massive blades on its forearms. It can identify a person’s deepest fears, and it has the power to exploit and manipulate those fears. This allows Nocturne to psychologically torment its victims.

26 Cho’Gath: The Terror Of The Void

A Monstrous Creature Driven By Hunger

Cho’Gath is a special Champion because he can be played in any role and perform very well. He was born in the heart of The Void and is the personification of hunger, as his only goal is to consume every living thing in existence. Cho’Gath is a primal force, but he is also a cunning and intelligent creature who takes delight in the fear and terror he spreads during his destructive rampages.

Cho’Gath is a colossal monstrosity with a thick carapace and razor-sharp teeth. Two of his arms end in powerful pincers and two larger arms end with scythe-like spikes. Cho’Gath can fire powerful spikes, and produce seismic ruptures on the ground, and his scream has the ability to negate spells. Cho’Gath devours anything in his path and becomes stronger, larger, and more durable with each victim. If left unchecked, Cho’Gath will consume all of Runeterra.

25 Malphite: Shard Of The Mountain

A Living Monolith That Brings Order To The Chaotic World

Ixtal is an ancient nation that once joined the Shuriman Empire voluntarily, and its mages are renowned for their elemental magic. These mages created a massive floating fortress of living stone. This fortress fought against the Voidborn in the Void Wars. It sustained a great deal of damage and crashed, but all the magic gave birth to Malphite.

Malphite was the heart of the fortress, and he is a literal living mountain. For thousands of years, he has used his immense strength to maintain Runeterra’s elemental balance. Malphite typically sleeps when the world is at peace, but these peaceful moments are becoming rarer and rarer.

24 Galio: The Colossus

A Massive Stone Being That Can Defeat Almost Any Mage

The world of Runeterra is filled with powerful mages, but Galio is the only champion who counters every single one of them. Galio is basically a colossus who measures over 100 feet tall, and his body is made entirely out of petricite — an anti-magic stone that is resistant to all forms of magic.

The major issue with Galio however is the fact that he spends most of his time as a statue because he only comes to life when there is an enemy mage fighting against the forces of Demacia.

23 Nasus: The Curator Of The Sands

A Master Strategist Who Battled The Void

Nasus and Renekton are both based on Egyptian Gods and are, in fact, demi-gods. He is regarded as an “Ascended” so he may not be as powerful as a literal god, but he’s pretty darn close. He obviously resembles Anubis, the dog-headed god in Egyptian mythology.

But in League of Legends, Nasus was a famous scholar and strategist in Shurima. He fought in the Void War alongside other Ascended warriors and was able to withstand the Void’s corruption. He helped to guide Shurima for centuries, but he went into self-imposed exile when the empire fell. With the empire now rising, it is his goal not to let it fall ever again.

22 Renekton: The Butcher Of The Sands

One Of The Greatest Warriors In Runterra’s History

Also regarded as “Ascended”, Renekton is a ferocious Top Lane champion with explosive and dangerous power. He has great lane sustain, fight engage, and split-push capabilities. Though he can fall off hard late game, he still sees quite a lot of pro-play. In the lore, he was once an esteemed warrior who led Shurima to countless victories.

Unfortunately, Renekton was entombed beneath the desert when Shurima fell, and he succumbed to insanity. Now that Renekton is free, his main goal is to kill his brother Nasus because he blames him for his imprisonment.

21 Azir: The Emperor Of The Sands

A God King Who Can Control The Desert Itself

“The Emperor of the Sands” used to be a mortal. Then his hubris somehow got him reborn as an Ascended. Like Caesar, he was betrayed and then murdered, but he now wants to see Shurima restored to glory. He studied under Nasus, was besties with Xerath for a bit, and is technically an ancestor of Sivir.

It was Xerath who betrayed him and killed Azir’s family. Anyone looking to play him should know that he’s one of the most difficult champs to master. Thanks to his magic, Azir can control the sands, and he can summon an army of soldiers who are completely loyal to him.

20 Xerath: The Magus Ascendant

An Immortal Mage With Unparalleled Magic

The ancient empire of Shurima was home to several champions, including Azir and Xerath, both of whom possess untold power. Xerath started as a mere mortal who wanted to acquire as much magical power as possible to learn the secrets of the universe.

After completing the necessary ritual, Xerath became an ascendant being made up entirely of arcane energy, a transformation that bestowed upon him infinite power and immortality. The only way to stop Xerath is to seal him away, but even that will not work forever because he will eventually break through it with his magic.

19 Varus: The Arrow Of Retribution

A Darkin That Is Consumed By Vengeance

The Darkin are immortal Ascended warriors who were corrupted during the Void Wars, and like other members of his kind, Varus was sealed with a weapon. He was sealed within a bow, and he was able to escape centuries later when a pair of Ionian hunters accidentally stumbled upon him.

Both hunters were fused and became Varus’ new host, which is why he stands taller than most humans. Their souls try to resist him, but Varus’ quest for vengeance will not end until he destroys those who sealed him away. During the Great Drakin War, Varus would assassinate enemy commanders and wipe out entire armies singlehandedly.