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 July 22, 2022 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. Nilah is the most recent champion, and she is capable of using water like a weapon. The champion before her is a ravenous monster who is destined to destroy the world. Each champion is strong in their own way, but the world of Runterra has been around a long time, and only a few champions are powerful enough to be remembered throughout the annals of history. Lore experts know who the strongest League of Legends champion is, but there are several others who deserve to be recognized as well.
20 Diana
One day, a group of Solari hunters came across a foreign couple who had perished in the cold, and they had an infant with them. The infant still lived, and the hunters brought her to their temple, where she was raised as part of the tribe. That infant was Diana.
As time went on, Diana became more and more interested in the moon. One night, she climbed to the top of Mount Targon, where she was greeted by the brightest moon she had ever seen. The moon bathed her in light, and gifted her a crescent blade, armor, and silver hair. She became the host of the Aspect of the Moon, which explains why she has such a powerful ultimate.
19 Volibear
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 that he is the personification of the Freljord’s unstoppable power. He devastated Lissandra’s armies alone, and blinded her with his own claws.
18 Anivia
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.
17 Viego
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.
16 Bel’Veth
The Void is a world that exists outside of Runterra, and it is known for being a force of insatiable hunger. The Void has needed a leader for a long time, and Bel’Veth filled that role as soon as she was born. Her birth was the result of a port city and its outlying ocean being devoured by the Void.
Cumulatively, Bel’Veth possesses millions of years worth of knowledge and experience, making her near-omniscient. She is the Void incarnate, and her hunger is destined to reshape Runterra. Some regard her as the God of Oblivion, a being who will erase everything.
15 Galio: The Colossus
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.
14 Xerath: The Magus Ascendant
The ancient empire of Shurima was home to several champions, including Azir and Xerath, both of whom possess untold power. Xerath started out as a mere mortal who wanted to acquire as much magical power as possible in order 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 which 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.
13 Soraka: The Starchild
Soraka is an easy champion for beginners to use, but she also happens to be one of best supports in the game. In League of Legends lore, the Celestials are the most powerful race, and Soraka is one of them.
She may use her powers for healing, but that is just a simple manifestation of her power. She originally descended from the Celestial Realm in order to repair the damage done to Runeterra by the mortals, but after discovering that they were also capable of great kindness, she decided to help them unlock their untold potential.
12 Mordekaiser: The Iron Revenant
Mordekaiser is a spirit who is anchored to a physical object, which in this case is his massive suit of armor. When Mordekaiser first died, he managed to defy the Death Realm and mold it in his image, which is why he can summon and control an army of dead soldiers as a Necromancer.
It is believed that Morde is the strongest specter in Runeterra and the only way to stop him is by separating him from his armor. This will send him back to the afterlife, but that will be a temporary fix because he will eventually bring himself back to the world of the living.
11 Ryze: The Rune Mage
Ryze may technically be human, but he has lived for hundreds of years and is most likely the strongest mortal mage in all of Runeterra. The purple mage has spent much of his life searching for the World Runes-stones of untold power, which means that he is basically League’s skinnier and non-evil version of Thanos.
While gathering the Runes, Ryze has had to fight extremely powerful mages, all of whom he’s beaten, and has managed to resist the corrupting nature of those same Runes. He also has the ability to teleport, which is considered to be an extremely rare and powerful form of magic.
10 Aatrox: The Darkin Blade
If played properly, Aatrox is one of the strongest Top laners in the game, and if the lore can be believed, he will be the end of all of Runeterra. Aatrox is a Darkin, a corrupted Ascendant (a human who was altered by celestial magic) who was sealed within his weapon and is now forced to take over the bodies of others in order to move.
Even before his corruption, Aatrox was the strongest of the Ascendant, and he is now on a mission to end all life on Runeterra in order to hopefully bring an end to his own cursed existence.
9 Zoe: The Aspect Of Twilight
This annoying little mage may look like a little girl, but she is over 1,000 years old. When she was a child, the Aspect of Twilight bestowed its power on her, and in doing so greatly reduced her aging, to the point that she’s immortal.
Thanks to these powers, Zoe is capable of moving through dimensions, ignoring the laws of gravity, and manipulating spacetime itself. She is so strong that she can call someone like Aurelion Sol a “space doggie” and not be afraid of angering him.
8 Kindred: The Eternal Hunters
Wherever there is life, there is also death, and in Runeterra, Kindred represents the twin essences of death. Lamb grants a quick and painless release, while Wolf chases after those who try to outrun their ends, and these ends are usually violent in nature.
Even the Celestials will eventually run out of time, and when that happens Kindred will be there to greet them, and if they try to fight back, it will be to no avail. Some champions may be able to cheat or circumvent death, but no one is capable of killing death.
7 Bard: The Wandering Caretaker
Zoe may be strong because she was blessed by the Aspect of Twilight, but she is not as powerful as the Aspect himself. Bard may not look intimidating, but he is one the strongest characters in all of League, as he only appears on Runeterra whenever balance needs to be restored.
Bard can travel through dimensions and manipulate time and space just like Zoe, but to a much higher degree, According to his lore, Bard influences events at a cosmic level, which essentially makes him the equivalent of a God.
6 Aurelion Sol: The Star Forger
As far as the lore is concerned, Aurelion Sol is by far the strongest and oldest known character in the League of Legends universe. It is said that Sol came to life immediately after League’s version of The Big Bang, and has been shaping the universe ever since.
Sol is in fact a God, as he is capable of creating and destroying stars with a simple flick of his wrist, which means that he could wipe Runeterra from existence whenever he wants, but only after he is no longer bound to Mount Targon.
5 Nasus: The Curator Of The Sands
Nasus and Renekton are both based on Egyptian Gods and are, in fact, demigods. 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. With the empire now arisen, it is his goal not to let it fall ever again.
4 Renekton: The Butcher Of The Sands
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 lore, he was once an esteemed warrior in Shurima; now, all he wants to do is find and kill Nasus, having succumbed to insanity. He also has one of the coolest skins in the game: Pool Party Renekton and he’s pretty easy to learn, too.
3 Lissandra: The Ice Witch
She wars with Ashe and Sejuani over control of the Freljord and shares the same lust for power that Syndra has. The Ice Witch is one of the only females whose power comes close to any of the other characters (mostly male) on this list.
Her lore is actually quite compelling in that she invited the Void into the world and lost her sisters for it. She imprisoned the Void creatures in ice, but they are slowly breaking free. Sounds like new champion opportunities for Riot!
2 Azir: The Emperor Of The Sands
“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 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. Fun fact: 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.
1 Ornn: The Fire Below The Mountain
Ornn is another Freljordian, but he is a spirit of craftsmanship and forging like Haephestus in Greek mythology. He’s kind of like the ornery grandfather of the Freljord as he’d always rather be back in his volcano-smithy rather than out and about in the world.
Volibear, Ornn’s brother, frequently falls prey to his admonishments as he enjoys meddling in the affairs of mortals. An epic battle of theirs caused the destruction of the Heartblood.
