The definitive League of Legends tier list: The best Champions on Patch 26.11

Naerlyn Published February 9, 2026

Patch 26.11 keeps expanding on Season 2 of 2026, and the meta is still changing rapidly. With it, plenty of new items were released, including new starting items for the first time in a decade, completely changing the meta. So if you’re looking for the best champions to carry your ranked LoL games with in Season 2, search no further! Here’s our League of Legends tier list for patch 26.11.

Best top lane champions: Tier list

Singed, to shake or not to shake

Singed is most of the time one of the best top laners and a champion that nobody picks. The mad scientist just runs around, too fast to be caught but too obnoxious to ignore. While he’s really hard to pick up, he’s no easier to play against, making him a very advantageous champion to learn.

Singed can melt tanks later on in the game, and prevent bruisers from playing the way they want to. Lastly, teams don’t learn to coordinate to answer his proxy strategy.

Shen, the one-shot tank

The ninja is another great beneficiary of Dusk and Dawn. Shen has always been a good tank with strong 1v1 potential, backed up with his trademark ultimate. Stand United affects fight across the entire map and turns Shen into one of the best splitpushers in the game. With that ultimate, the top laner doesn’t need to be present with the team, he can simply occupy another lane and can join any fight at a moment’s notice.

With Dusk and Dawn paired with Titanic Hydra, Shen pairs up his tankiness with incredible burst after his taunt, making him a versatile threat for solo queue.

Best jungle champions: Tier list

Rek’Sai, the burrowed menace

After spending years hesitating between being an assassin and a tank, Rek’Sai has returned to her initial calling of being a bruiser. This champion has a decent clear that then becomes faster as she repeats it, her tunnels allowing her to move around the map with ease.

Rek’Sai takes mastery to optimally handle her trades, knowing when to step in and out of fights to best navigate her fury and cooldowns. However, the reward is a champion that combines target access, crowd control, damage, and tools to escape.

Tank, bruiser, or assassin, Rek’Sai is at the top of the LoL jungle tier list in 2026. Image Source: Riot Games

Nocturne, the cross-map ganker

The Eternal Nightmare rose to the top of the jungle tier list without receiving any changes, be it to him or his items. However, with the competition going down, he can shine through his dueling abilities and his unparalleled ganking strength.

Nocturne’s ganks are deadly in solo queue where players aren’t more careful. When one’s used to being safe with wards around, they have to change their entire playstyle when the jungler can come from nowhere.

Don’t miss: How to play jungle in LoL

Best mid lane champions: Tier list

Xin Zhao, the mage with a stick

The changes to hybrid items turned AP Xin Zhao from a meme to a real pick. Now in 2026 Season 2, he’s the best mid lane champion in League of Legends. Statikk Shiv gives him wave clear and massive passive healing, then Dusk and Dawn bolsters his trades.

Nashor’s Tooth then rounds out the triad and gives him great DPS. AP Xin Zhao is the best pick for one who wants to play mid lane differently – and one who wants to win.

Xerath, winning from one screen away

Even more so than the other mages, Xerath is content staying one screen away from his foes – and hitting them from there. The Archmage has the strongest artillery in the game. Xerath’s combos end up being able to take down a full health carry, and if he misses a Q, he can try again three seconds later.

Xerath is a safe pick, who doesn’t have to wonder whether he should go in or not. The answer is always no, he doesn’t need to.

Lightning never strikes twice, because the enemies will be dead after the first hit.

LoL tier list best mid lane champs: Xerath. Image Source: Riot Games

Best bot lane champions: Tier list

Jinx, the crit carry

The LoL Season 2026 changes empowered the late game of marksmen, particularly the ones building crit. Jinx just so happens to be the crit-based champion by excellence. This champion has a fairly weak laning phase, without agency or ability to get a lead without enemy mistakes.

Jinx doesn’t need a lead, though. The Loose Cannon will find ways to get ahead. If she’s left alone bot or mid lane, the turret is gone and that’s all the plate money for her. If she’s teamfighting for objectives, one kill and she starts taking over.

Jinx’s weakness is how fragile she is, but she wins the game more easily than she gets shut down.

Brand, the bane of bot laners

Now that Smolder has been nerfed out of S-tier, it’s time for the other Deathfire Touch user to take his spot. On patch 26.11, Brand became the beneficiary of a bug on the Dream Maker support item. Right now, receiving the Dream Maker buff causes him to repeatedly apply the damage of the item with his passive.

Until this bug is fixed, Brand is the new best bot laner when paired with an enchanter.

See also: All Faker skins in League of Legends

Best support champions: Tier list

Taric, truly outrageous

Taric is one of those forgotten champions as most of his kit isn’t visible or convenient to land. However, he’s a solid pick into both enchanters and tank supports. Against tanks, his passive allows him to repeatedly chain his spells, giving him strong utility and even damage. Against enchanters, his stun provides him with good burst to take them down.

Taric’s ult is also one of the strongest spells in the game. Despite being harder to play around, it has insane potential paired up with a solid baseline. To ward off divers, dispel AoE ults, nullify an engage comp, or allow the team to engage while invulnerable during an objective stand-off, this ultimate can turn games around. The paladin fills a unique niche in the support role, and he’s currently very strong.

Taric is one of the best supports in LoL in Season 2026. Image Source: Riot Games

Senna, the “support”

Senna has found her way back to the top of the support tier list on patch 26.10. Just like Smolder, she makes great use of Deathfire Touch and pairs it up with Black Cleaver to immediately remove all her targets’ armor.

Read also: How to play support in LoL

In general, she’s a decent champion combining damage and heals at the cost of lacking crowd control and survivability. Now, the added utility and lane power tip the scales in her favor. This DFT interaction will be removed on patch 26.11, though.

Featured Image Source: Riot Games