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Tier list based on lore power (debate welcome)

SteelMankind··2 votes·1,199 views

No specific oder within the tiers, just the order I thought of them in. Let me know if you think any tiers should be shuffeled around, or if you think an individual belongs in a different tier than the one I placed them in.

I'm pretty set on the early ones, but much of the middle and lower tiers are very much up for debate. Are Yordles stronger than we think? Are skilled fighters like Garen, Xin Zhao, and Jarvan on par with the likes of Master Yi and Shen? Do Lissandra and Zyra count as Elementals?

Hopefully Sharjo sees this and is willing to help.

SS Aurelion Sol, Bard, Soraka pre-fall, Kindred

S Brand, Anivia, Xerath

A+ Nasus, Azir, Renekton

A Syndra, Ryze, Jax

A- Kayle, Morgana, Aatrox, Tahm Kench, Rhaast

B+ Sion, Galio, Malphite, Cho'Gath

B Taric, Diana, Pantheon, Leona, Kassadin, Malzahar, LeBlanc, Lissandra, Illaoi

B- Kha'Zix, Rek'Sai, Kog'Maw, Vel'Koz, Irelia, Yorick, Thresh, Hecarim, Karthus, Mordekaiser, Kalista, Evelynn(?)

C+ Corki, Heimerdinger, Kennen, Kled, Lulu, Poppy, Rumble, Teemo, Tristana, Veigar, Ziggs, Gnar

C Soraka post-fall, Ahri, Amumu, Cassiopeia, Elise, Fiddlesticks, Nocturne, Ivern, Maokai, Zyra, Viktor, Orianna, Wukong, Xayah, Rakan, Shyvana, Nami, Kayn, Lux, Janna, Swain, Annie, Karma, Nidalee, Vladimir, Zilean, Twisted Fate, Udyr, Taliyah, Swain, Sona, Yasuo, Master Yi, Jhin, Varus, Tryndamere, Lee Sin, Braum, Shen, Zed, Fiora, Riven

C- Fizz, Zac, Alistar, Twitch, Urgot, Wariwck, Volibear, Trundle, Rengar, Rammus, Camille, Akali, Ashe, Darius, Draven, Gangplank, Gragas, Graves, Jayce, Jinx, Garen, Jarvan IV, Lucian, Nunu, Olaf, Quinn, Sejuani, Singed, Sivir, Talon, Vayne, Vi, Xin Zhao, Ezreal, Ekko

Not enough information Shaco, Dr. Mundo

Update: Removed category names because its an unfair way to tier things. Very unsure of the placement of most of the void creatures, undead, and Yordles, but everything else I'm happy with.

28 Comments

Variks the Loyal1 votes

Ascended are not Undead and are more powerful than the most powerful humans.

Also, Aurelion Sol > Kindred. Kindred is a spirit unique to Runeterra from what we know. She has nothing on old Sol.

Sol is the most powerful character in the lore, bar none.

SteelMankind1 votes

According to Illaoi, the Shurima Ascended are undead.

https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/story-art/icewate2-what-exactly-are-illaois-powers-and-which-champions-would-survive-the-test-of-nagakabouros?comment=000000000001 According to this Rioter, Sol is a demi-god. Kindred are literally Death - they will come for Sol eventually. Only thing we've seen that matches them is Nagakabouros, Illaoi's god, who is not a champion.

Variks the Loyal1 votes

One, Illaoi does not refer to them as Undead. She calls them 'dead' as a metaphor to refer to their immortality, and thus their stagnation in the cycle of life. Two, even if she did refer to them as Undead, Illaoi can be wrong. We have nothing to indicate that the Ascended are undead. Azir was, in fact, properly resurrected before becoming Ascended, albeit briefly.

Also, you're vastly underestimating the power of the Ascended. Even if they were undead, they are way more powerful than the most powerful humans or other undead. Azir's ascension and magic caused a city to rise from underneath desert sands. The magical knowledge that Nasus accumulated is something Ryze wishes he had access to (Nasus has probably seen more than a few World Runes in his time). And Renekton, probably the 'weakest' Ascended in terms of magic, would probably beat any of them in a straight up battle since his entire domain is martial might.

Nagakabouros is above Kindred; even Illaoi refers to Kindred as a foolish spirit. Sol is above Kindred because Kindred is a Runeterran spirit who's reach does not extend past the magical confines of her own world; if Runeterra ceased to exist, so would Kindred (And most of the other champions, bar Sol and maybe the Targonians).

You're also underestimating Malphite. Normal elemental or not, a red said he's the size of a mountain. That alone will make him more powerful than even the Ascended. Moreover, we don't know the relationships anyone beyond humans have with Kindred; an immortal elemental like Malphite probably would never see her, even if he was destroyed.

SteelMankind1 votes

Interesting. Can someone check Illaoi's VO lines when near Ascended/Shadow Isles champs? I thought they were the same (can't check now since I'm at work). For now, moving Shuriman Ascended out of undead and several tiers up.

Think Bard and pre-fall Soraka are on the same level as Sol? He seems to treat Bard as an equal, and Soraka with some contempt, though that may be due to Soraka losing her immortality

Also, I moved Malphite to Behemoths, and moved them up. Good enough? Think Cho'Gath belongs in this group too?

Variks the Loyal1 votes

I too am at work, but I can check :D Yeah, the quotes aren't the same.

As for Bard, yeah, Sol talks to both Bard and Kindred as equals (Specifically, he talks to Bard as if he's encountered Bard in the past and knows what Bard is and is capable of). I would put Bard on the same level as Kindred at least, with Sol there as well. I also think it's pretty open on whether or not Tahm Kench is on that level, but he is at least on the same or higher than Aatrox.

Does Sol refer to Soraka with contempt? I think it's more like teasing curiosity, similarly to how he treats the few humans he finds potentially interesting (Jinx, Jhin, and Draven). "Twinkle twinkle little star, do you wonder what you are?"

As for Cho'Gath... No idea, since Cho'Gath's lore hasn't been updated yet as far as I know myself.

GreenLore1 votes

Actually we don't know how Kindred works exactly. They might "kill" everything that dies on runeterra,so as long as Sol is on the planet,he'd be beneath them.

In general I kinda feel it is awkward to even list Kindred,as they don't feel like actual tangible characters,but more as a law of nature.

Variks the Loyal1 votes

I find it hard to say they are anything above Runeterran spirits of death (Powerful ones, of course), due to their depictions. They're known by different names across the world, but they are always Lamb and Wolf.

Therefore, by definition, lambs and wolves had to have existed before Kindred.

GreenLore1 votes

Aurelion sol is a giant space dragon,even though he is in no way related to dragons and existed long before any actual dragons.

And its likely similar with Kindred. They don't look like a wolf and a lamb,but wolfs and lambs look similar to them.

ActivatingEMP1 votes

{quoted}

Ascended are not Undead and are more powerful than the most powerful humans.

Also, Aurelion Sol > Kindred. Kindred is a spirit unique to Runeterra from what we know. She has nothing on old Sol.

Sol is the most powerful character in the lore, bar none.

Kindred is literally death, I think they out class Aurelion Sol quite a bit

Variks the Loyal1 votes

They're death on Runeterra.

They can't necessarily extend beyond that. The fact that they're Lamb and Wolf, and that is their true form (The lore explicitly states that they are and have always been Lamb and Wolf), means that both lambs and wolves needed to exist before Kindred did. Aurelion Sol existed before lambs and wolves.

ActivatingEMP1 votes

{quoted}

They're death on Runeterra.

They can't necessarily extend beyond that. The fact that they're Lamb and Wolf, and that is their true form (The lore explicitly states that they are and have always been Lamb and Wolf), means that both lambs and wolves needed to exist before Kindred did. Aurelion Sol existed before lambs and wolves.

Technically they could have existed before lambs and wolves, and the people named the animals after the entities.

meowwow71 votes

isn't urgot an undead mech guy or something and with nami trundle voli they have some magic to them because being able to summon tidal waves ice pillars and imbuing claws with thunder tend to be quite magical and didn't ezreal get magic because of some pendant he found exploring?

SteelMankind1 votes

Yeah, those champs I was pretty unsure of. Urgot isn't undead or "magical" afaik, though some of the hextech stuff that he, Camille, and WW have may as well be magic. I put them in nonmagical sections because from what I can tell, in Valoran hextech is a more scientific achievement rather than typical fantasy magic.

Moved Nami though, she's a Vastaya just like Xayah, Rakan, and the rest.

Ebonmaw Dragon1 votes

Making a list of power based on their race or origin is kinda... wrong.

For Example, Mordekaiser and Yorick are way more powerfull than other undeads. Veigar, Lulu, Poppy and Gnar are way more powerfull than other yordles. Is said that Rek Sai is way more powerfull than other void creatures... heck, void creatures in general are more powerfull than "void humans".

And Mundo should be waaaaaaaay more up in the list, considering that he is basically indestructible (as far as we know) and is not even confirmed to be human.

Brand also fought against 2 Ascended and Survived, he should be more powerfull.

Fasmodey1 votes

You're right.

Brand is said as a vastly powerful being by Dinopawz. He has possibility to be stronger than even Nasus and Renekton toe to toe.

SteelMankind1 votes

Updated. Could use some help with gauging the power of void champs/undead

Fasmodey1 votes

I mean, he is powerful, but not more than Xerath. Xerath has shattered his sarcophagus instantly, an artifact that trapped him for a millenia. And seems like Nasus and Renekton, both have thought, something going on the capital was a more dangerous case than Brand.

SteelMankind1 votes

Shattering Brand's prison could just be due to Xerath being a skilled sorcerer. You can unlock a door without physically destroying it; perhaps this is something similar.

Nasus and Renekton probably were more concerned with a threat at home than a far-away threat. I have difficulty seeing Xerath as being in a higher tier than Nasus/Renekton since the source of their power is the same, so based on the info that Brand needed to be 2v1'd, Brand > Xerath.

Fasmodey2 votes

Did you read the Bloodline story? Apparently not. Xerath fucked up Nasus so badly he probably can't even feel his anus anymore.

Nasus came to a halt in the midst of the rubble, his legs broken and twisted beneath him. His left arm hung uselessly at his side, shattered from shoulder to wrist. He tried to push himself upright with his good arm, but white hot pain surged up his spine where his back had broken. His body could heal these wounds in time, but he had no time left.

And It was just lifting him to air and smashing from floor to floor.

Xerath can mind control +500 men, cast lightning bolts, create sandstorms, use fire magic, arcane magic, telekinesis and many more.

Xerath is far more dangerous oppenent than Nasus and Renekton because he has drained power of the Sun Disc (more than any Ascended ever did, he did that so stupidly bad, he don't even have a physical form anymore. His flesh and blood got obliterated by energy) and he was a potent mage even before being Ascended. He is a being combined of Mage and Ascended.

Nasus was scared to meet with Xerath again because he knew how hard oppenent he is.

I don't even give a chance to Brand on his fight against Xerath.

SteelMankind1 votes

Fine. Xerath > Renek and Nasus. Moved him up.

Still don't see how he's stronger than Brand. Keep in mind that Nasus and Renekton 2v1'd Brand in their prime. The washed-up, ragged, and sad Nasus and the insane Renekton aren't as strong as they used to be. They also successfully 2v1'd Xerath immediately after his ascension. I think it's safe to say that Brand = Xerath

Fasmodey1 votes

_ His anger built as he passed the bodies of men and women cut down by the rampaging warriors – more deaths to add to the tally still to be settled between him and Xerath. Nasus rolled his shoulders to loosen his muscles. The last time he had faced the magus, his brother had been beside him, and a tremor of fear touched him._

After that...

_ We could not defeat him together. How can I defeat him alone?_

That's what Nasus says.

Xerath wasn't actually defeated. It was just a sacrifice to solve a problem temporarily.

Still don't see how he's stronger than Brand. Keep in mind that Nasus and Renekton 2v1'd Brand in their prime.

Nasus and Renekton were also in their prime against Xerath.

And you forget Xerath is limited by sarcophagus and was super naive to use newly found powers there.

SteelMankind1 votes

Is it wrong to assume that Brand was similar? They didn't defeat him either, just locked him up in a similar manner

Fasmodey1 votes

Yes but he was trapped in a sarcophagus for a millenia, Xerath shattered it instantly. And I don't think It was his magical talent. If it was, he could completely free himself, rather than just shattering.

When he has weakened sarcophagus and helped Brand as human, sarcophagus did not get shattered.

Ebonmaw Dragon1 votes

{quoted}

Updated. Could use some help with gauging the power of void champs/undead

Champions that should be in a highest position:

RekSai: She fought against Renekton in the past and other champions from the Void, like Velkoz avoid her, so its safe to say that she is in the Tier A+

ChoGath: Cho is the most powerfull champ of the Void that we know, and as far as we know, can destroy worlds in his full potential. So S Tier for him or A+ for now.

Mordekaiser: Unnafected by the Mist and has some control of it. He has an army of undeads and even ruled the world long time ago. He should be A-, A or A+ if we consider that.

Yorick: Just like Mordekaiser, he has some control over the Mist and some undeads... so, i would put him on A- or A

Poppy: She defeated a massive monster with a single hit of her hammer with ease. B+ for her.

Veigar: He is literally one of the most powerfull mages of Runeterra and has the power of corrupting cosmic energies. Just like the rest of the yordles, Veigar is also Timeless. Considering that, he could be in the A tier alongside Syndra and Ryze, or even in A+ thanks to his ability of corrupting the cosmic energies and the Timeless part.

Janna: She is an elemental spirit. So, she could be in S alongside Brand and Anivia... or at least B+ since not everyone in Zaun believes in her.

And at least: Nerf for the Darkins to a B level or B+. Why do you ask? Because they need a host to be powerful and if the host "defeats" the Darkin, the Host can actually dominate the Darkin and destroy him. Also, if you Separate Rhaast from Kayn, you should put "The Shadow Assasin" form of Kayn as well, in the B or B+ tier.

Aside from that, i think that some champs from the C tier should be in the C+. Varus, Shyvana, Ammumu, Nocturne, Ivern, Maoka for example.

IamHuuVan1 votes

First, Syndra was not altered, she was born with magic. Second, Cho is a voidborn. Third, Irelia should be in talented human more than undead, she's not undead. Next, Yorick is a corrupted human, he is not undead; Thresh, Hecarim, Kalista are already dead, they are just depending on their souls; Evelynn might not be an undead as she's not even human. We don't know what Mundo is, he was born giant and purple, he didn't give those changes to himself. About Shaco, there's no theory what race he is, so far. The only thing we know that he's not mankind

SteelMankind1 votes

First, Syndra was not altered, she was born with magic.

The category is "Extremely powerful humans/altered humans". Syndra belongs in there as an extremely powerful human, Jax and Ryze are there because they're extremely powerful altered humans.

Second, Cho is a voidborn.

Yup. Originally had him with other Void creatures but moved him out because he's supposed to be absolutely massive. Another person already suggested I avoid listing by category, and that was one such move.

Third, Irelia should be in talented human more than undead, she's not undead. Next, Yorick is a corrupted human, he is not undead;

Irelia is quite undead; her blades are a phylactery of sorts. You're right about Yorick, he's still alive, but keep in mind that "Undead" is just a category I came up with, just like "Elemental" and "Behemoth". I may do away with many of these categories tomorrow, as it does really encourage grouping champions together based on origin rather than actual power level.

We don't know what Mundo is, he was born giant and purple, he didn't give those changes to himself.

Mb for not being current on Mundo. I think his old lore involved him mutating by injecting chemicals into himself, but you are correct that he was born large and purple.

Anìvìa1 votes

I remember when anivias old lore depicted, that she accumulated all the knowledge of her previous lives of her old world ( reminder : anivia originaly was not a being born in runeterra, but in a completly different world) that KNEW! she would one day be called by the summoners to runeterra. In her new lore, she is basicaly the warden off the freljord, with her knowledge fading as she gets reborn again. She doesn't even remember, how it came to be. ....

old anivia lore > new anivia lore

Still, her current role is not only that off an elemental. She basicaly is depicted as the spirit of the freljord. (If the freljord is corrupted, so is she)Stating she is nothing but an elemental doesnt cut it. Would classify her as Soul of the freljord or similiar. Anivia

Stars Shaper1 votes

I would put Xerath at a higher tier than Brand.

The coffin that failed 8even with the addition of magic chains) to bind Xerath had been safely containing Brand for centuries and it was again Xerath who freed him in the first place.

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