LoL Tier List Patch 26.12: Who to Play in Season 2 Act 2
Act 2 is live and the ranked ladder just shifted. Here's your LoL tier list for patch 26.12, built on op.gg data stabilized four days after release so you're not gambling on day-one noise.
For the full change breakdown behind these shifts, see the LoL Patch 26.12 Notes. If you want context on where champions started, the LoL Meta Tier List Patch 26.11 is your reference point.
🏆 Top Lane Tier List
Garen and Malphite hold the top spots this patch with consistent 52% and 51% win rates. Jax is the key mover here: a direct 26.12 buff pushes him into A-tier after sitting mid-table in patch 26.11. Xin Zhao AP is officially dead at tier 5, 47% WR.
🌿 Jungle Tier List
Riot Games
Rek'Sai is the best jungler in the game right now at 53% win rate 🎯. Her efficient clear and early pressure make her a dominant pick at every elo. Lee Sin stays in S-tier at 49% despite nerfs, meaning he's still viable, with one major upside: lower pick rate means less counter-play from opponents who haven't practiced against him.
🔮 Mid Lane Tier List
Hwei joins the A-tier mid group after a buff in 26.12, now sitting at 51% 📈. Orianna craters to 47% win rate after Riot's targeted nerfs from the pro scene. If you were maining her, it's time to park her for a few patches.
🏹 ADC Tier List
Senna ADC is the runaway pick at 55% win rate, the only champion at S+ tier this patch 🔥. Tristana climbs after her 26.12 buff, now at 51% in the A-tier with room to move up. Varus lethality is effectively dead at 47%, switch to on-hit if you're playing him.
🛡️ Support Tier List
Thresh leads support with 51% WR and the highest pick rate in the role. Senna gives you a great two-role option this patch since she's dominant in both ADC and support positions. Leona remains a must-ban or must-pick in engage-heavy compositions.
✅ Patch Winners
🔥 Sylas: The Double-Lane Threat
Sylas is the clear winner of patch 26.12. After his buff, he's landed at tier 1 mid (51% WR, rank 2) AND tier 1 jungle (50% WR, rank 3). Dual-lane viability at this level is rare, and it means enemy teams can't easily predict his role during champion select. Play him mid if you want carry potential, or jungle if you want map control 🎮.
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Jax, Hwei, Tristana: Solid Buff Winners
Three other champions get meaningful boosts in patch 26.12:
- Jax moves into A-tier top at 50% WR after a direct buff. He's not broken, but he's reliable.
- Hwei jumps into A-tier mid at 51%. If you play control mages, he's one of the best picks of the patch.
- Tristana ADC gets a nudge to 51% WR. She's in A-tier but trending upward fast.
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❌ Patch Losers
Orianna: Was S-Tier Pro, Now Tier 4 Ranked
Orianna was dominant in professional play across Season 2, so Riot applied targeted nerfs this patch. The ranked impact is brutal: 47% WR, tier 4 mid lane. She went from must-ban to unplayable in solo queue within a single patch cycle. Avoid her until she receives compensatory buffs.
Ryze, Varus Lethality, and Xin Zhao AP
Three other picks to bench immediately:
- Ryze holds at 47% WR mid, tier 4. No changes this patch, still a ranked liability.
- Varus lethality hits 47%. The build is dead. On-hit Varus is the correct path if you want to play him.
- Xin Zhao AP crashes to tier 5 at 47% top lane. The AP scaling that made this off-meta build viable was removed in 26.12. Don't play it.
Some of these losers have been under pressure since Patch 26.11, which started the nerf waves on pro-meta picks.
👀 Picks to Watch
Lee Sin is a sleeper S-tier this patch. He's tier 1 jungle at 49% despite nerfs, and here's the key: as his pick rate drops post-nerf, players will face him less and lose practice against his kit. Short-term, you have an edge just by picking him before opponents figure out the updated matchup.
Tristana ADC is trending. At 51% post-buff and sitting in A-tier, she has clear room to rise as players start optimizing her new numbers. Add her to your pool now before she becomes a contested pick.
Track the full LoL meta as it shifts throughout Act 2 on the LoL meta page on Amber.gg. Ready to put your best picks to use? Join ranked community ladders on Amber.gg and compete for real prizes 🏆.
