Patch 14.9 is one of the biggest meta-shifting patches we’ve seen in a while. With so many of the OP champs being nerfed, there’s a big shakeup to the Solo Carry list. We’ve got you covered with three of the best champions for every single role.
Impact of Nerfs on Champion Strategies
With all these nerfs to Bruiser Items for 14.9, it’s going to give indirect rise to champs who don’t rely on those items. Mor Kaiser is one of them. Mor has been hanging around as a very solid Top Lane champ for a while but will look to break through even more now. Mor is such a great solo queue champion because he is a very easy power point to play around, being his ultimate.
Especially now that enemies cannot QSS it, he’s able to lock down whoever he wants and eliminate them from a fight. As long as you’re not forcing fights when your R is down and you’re cognizant of the cooldown, it’s very difficult for most champs to beat Mor in the 1v1. Your one-item spike with Riiz is another big power spike to play off of, as the item just gives the champ much-needed durability and sticking power. Rift Maker and Liandry are the other two core items to follow.
Champion Analysis: Mor Kaiser
Matchup-wise, from Mizer, Aatrox is one of the better ban choices, as his play rate is very high, and it’s one of the few Matchups Mor has a negative win rate against right now. The rune page for Mor Kaiser consists of Conqueror with Triumph, Tenacity, and Last Stand, while Second Wind and Revitalize are for secondaries.
Overview of Aatrox
One fighter Top Lane champ who won’t be influenced by the fighter item nerfs at all and will continue to hold very high priority in 14.9 is Aatrox. Aatrox had already been the most played top laner through 14.8, and we don’t expect that to change for this patch.
Atrox’s Season 14 Lethality Build
If you haven’t been keeping up with Atrox builds in season 14, he shied away from the more Bruiser Items like Sunfire Aegis, Spear of Shojin, and Sterak’s Gage, finding much more success building lethality. The two-item core leading to the best results for Atrox in solo queue right now has him building Profane Hydra into Edge of Night. Against squishy champions, you have the ability to reduce them from full health to zero with a rotation of spells, which gives Atrox a lot of agency.
The Profane rush just feels so great because you not only deal a ton of damage but you pretty much instantly clear out waves due to the AoE from Atro’s Q and the Profane Hydra active. This gives you a lot more time to get things done; the faster you can shove out waves, the quicker you can rotate or take down towers. Champions that can easily dodge out on Atro’s Q damage are who he’s going to struggle most against, which makes Fiora one of his better ban options. The standard rune page for Atrox revolves around Conqueror with Triumph, Tenacity, and Last Stand, while Second Wind and Revitalize are for secondaries.
Trundle’s Unaffected Dominance in Top Lane
A really strong fighter Top Lane champ from recent patches who will walk away unscathed from the item nerfs this patch is Trundle. Trundle doesn’t build Eclipse, Sunfire Aegis, or Sterak’s Gage at all, so he’s one of the few fighters that will see an indirect rise in 14.9. Trundle does really well rushing Ravenous Hydra as the item gives him great pushing power and sustain, which helps to solidify his identity of a side lane monster. As long as you can get to towers quickly, Trundle has no issues at all knocking them down, and the Ravenous Hydra wave clear helps out massively since Trundle has no AoE damage from any of his basic abilities.
Once you complete Trinity Force, your tower-taking threat and 1v1 power go through the roof as the Spellblade proc from Trinity has so much value on Trundle. Two Matchups you want to try and avoid when playing Trundle are Jax and Malphite. Jax with his Dodge from E makes it difficult for Trundle to be the aggressor, while Malphite’s attack speed slow hard counters Trundle’s kit. The optimal rune page that you should be running consists of Lethal Tempo with Triumph, Alacrity, and Last Stand, followed by Demolish and Bone Plating.
Scarner’s Continued Dominance in the Jungle
Scarner has really burst onto the scene and solidified himself as a top-tier jungler throughout 14.8, and we don’t see that changing in 14.9. Riot has issued Scarner a few nerfs, but they are relatively light and won’t reduce his power enough to where he’s not a top-tier champ.
The rework of Scarner’s kit is just so much more impactful than old Scarner, as the new E gives him way more reliable engage patterns and opens up for some really nice flank opportunities. With old Scarner, it’s almost as if you needed to have Flash and R available to make something happen, but new Scarner is just so much more versatile. This champ also does a surprising amount of damage for how tanky he gets.
Scarner’s Build and Matchup Strategy
If you rush Heartsteel and accumulate a bunch of passive stacks early on in the game, you end up hitting quite hard in the mid-game. Your build should always consist of the Heartsteel rush, while Sunfire Aegis or Hollow Radiance are interchanged in the second item slot. The third item really depends on the game.
Since Scarner needs to build Heartsteel, he doesn’t like playing against champs with a lot of percent health damage, and therefore Lillia or Brand are good ban choices if you intend on picking Scarner. Aftershock has emerged as the most consistent Keystone Rune on Scarner, followed by Shield Bash, Conditioning, and Overgrowth, while Magical Footwear and Cosmic Insight are for secondaries.
Emergence of Belv as a Top Jungler
A jungler who’s been on the verge of OP tier in recent patches, who we expect to break through even more in 14.9, is Belv. With the likes of Vi, Xin Zhao, Udyr, Jax, Viego, and Jarvan all being indirectly nerfed for this patch, Belv is going to emerge as the best skirmishing jungler. Although the champ has a higher skill floor than many junglers, if you put the time into learning Belv, she’s extremely rewarding once mastered. Once you learn your limits on Belv, her 2v2 and 3v3 power is absolutely incredible as the mobility and damage reduction allows her to outplay fights better than most junglers.
Winning the early game is very important on a jungler like Bel, as the potential to snowball is huge. So, our brand new course that covers how to crush the early game is a really great resource to help you out with that. Bel’s build is very unique for a fighter champ, as you’re rushing Kraken Slayer, going Stridebreaker second, and then the third item is situational. Death’s Dance buffs this patch will be a nice indirect buff to Belv, as the item will become more attractive in the third slot in games where the enemy comp is heavy AD.
There’s just one matchup that the majority of Belv players are struggling against right now, and it’s Scarner, so he’s a great ban choice. The best rune page for Belv consists of Conqueror with Triumph, Alacrity, and Coup de Grace, grab Free Boots, and Cosmic Insight for secondaries.
Brand’s Role as a Solo Carry Mage
We’ve covered a tank, a fighter, and now our final Solo Carry for the jungle in 14.9 is a mage, being Brand. Brand has seen his value shoot up even more as of recent with Scarner’s popularity rising and a ton of bruisers being indirectly nerfed for this patch.
Brand is actually one of the few champions who’s been holding a positive win rate in the Scarner matchup, and it’s all due in part to the percent health damage he has from his passive, and then when he picks up Liandry’s. So, if you don’t want to ban out Scarner right now, Brand is definitely the best option you can use to counter. Assassins who get right up on top of Brand and one-shot him are who he’s going to struggle against.
Brand’s Optimal Build and Strategy
The most effective strategy for controlling the game with Brand involves banning out Diana or Kayn for good value. Brand’s core build consists of Liandry’s Anguish followed by Rylai’s Crystal Scepter second, and either Zhonya’s Hourglass or Morellonomicon third. For runes, you’ll want Dark Harvest with Cheap Shot, Eyeball Collection, and ultimate Hunter. The best secondaries are Free Boots and Cosmic Insight. With both Aurelion Sol and Ahri tagged with nerfs for 14.9, it’s really going to open things up for more variety in the midlane meta.
Vegar’s Rise in the Midlane Meta
Moving into the top three for the first time all season long is Veigar. Ever since he was buffed a few patches back, Veigar has been performing quite well in Solo Q, especially in the lower ranks. Now that Aurelion Sol is nerfed, if you are Emerald rank or below, Veigar is now one of the best mids that you can play. A huge perk to Veigar right now is that he has three different builds that he can run and adapt really well to each game. The Shurelya’s Battlesong rush is extremely powerful in games where the enemy comp is longer-ranged, as the movement speed from Shurelya’s helps you close the gap.
Diana as the Top Assassin Midlaner
With Zed now nerfed for 14.9, the undisputed best assassin midlaner that you can play for solo queue is Diana. The fact that Diana plays so well into many other melee assassins gives her so much value for solo queue. The shield she gets from her W, along with the damage reduction from Bone Plating, lets her win out on quick trades really easily in a lot of Matchups. The level six kill threat is incredibly strong, and the ability to set up plays gives Diana a ton of agency once she hits six.
Playing with your jungler and looking for picks together will lead to really great results when you have your R with Diana. Diana’s ability to not only single out a target and burst them out but also excel in team fights due to her AoE R gives her many more angles to carry from compared to a lot of other assassins. The build you should be running on Diana revolves around a Lich Bane rush into Shadowflame second. Zhonya’s Hourglass or Rabadon’s Deathcap are generally the best third item options.
Diana’s Matchup Challenges
There aren’t too many bad Matchups for Diana right now, but one champion that you definitely want to try and avoid, especially with his new tank build, is Galio, as he really nullifies any snowball potential for Diana and makes it very difficult for her to team fight. For the rune page, you can choose between Phase Rush and Electrocute. We do think that for solo queue specifically, and especially in melee Matchups, Electrocute is the better choice. However, if you’re in a ranged matchup, Phase Rush can be really nice to help you stick to your target and dodge away from their skill shots.
Galio’s Rise in the Meta
As a result of his recent buffs and a new build being discovered, Galio has shot up to being a really great solo queue mid. We’ve already covered the new hybrid build in recent discussions, so we won’t go into too much detail, but it just works so great with the recent changes to where Galio’s passive cooldown is reduced whenever he hits an ability. By going tankier, you can stay in fights for longer and really benefit from this more consistent damage that Galio has to offer.
Hallowed Radiance Rush also completely shuts down certain mids like Akali, Fizz, Sylas, Diana, Katarina, and Ekko in games where the enemy comp is more AD-heavy, to where you won’t want to be going for the hybrid build. Full Burst with Lich Bane and Shadow Flame is still completely viable as well.
There’s even the more utility-focused setup of Shurelya’s and Cosmic Drive that has been catching a lot of attention in higher ELO, so there’s just a lot of variety and adaptability for Galio right now. Ranged AD mids are who Galio can run into most issues against, so banning out Tristana or Lucian is good value. For the rune page, you’ll want to be taking Aftershock with Shield Bash, Bone Plating, and Overgrowth, while Nimbus Cloak and Transcendence are for secondaries.
Kog’Maw’s Dominance as Solo Queue ADC
Jinx and Neeko both being nerfed for this patch really opens things up for Kog’Maw to be the number one solo queue ADC. We’re even seeing nerfs to melee supports like Blitzcrank and Pyke in 14.9, which will give even more indirect rise to enchanters. Mid-game Kog with an enchanter by his side is absolutely deadly right now. With Scarner’s priority sky-high, Kog is one of the few ADCs who can deal with him due to all of his percent health damage. You rush Blade of the Ruined King and transition into Rageblade second for most games. Runaan’s Hurricane or Wit’s End are all great situational third pickups. It’s the heavy dive champs you want to try and avoid when picking Kog.
Continued Dominance of Jinx
Even with the nerf this patch, rounding out the top three for ADC is going to be Jinx. Jinx has been such a cut above everyone else recently, so this nerf should just bring her more in line with the likes of Jhin and Kog’Maw. A big perk to Jinx is that she’s a very solid blind pick as you can make her work with any archetype of support. If you’ve got an engaged support, the follow-up from her E and W works perfectly in tandem with an enchanter.
Scaling into two items and becoming a massive team fight threat is a great win condition as well. There aren’t really any ADCs or supports that are so egregious right now that you need to ban out, so using your ban on a meta dive champ like Diana or Zed is a good idea. The core build for Jinx has her going Kraken Slayer rush into Infinity Edge second, and Firecannon or Runaan’s Hurricane third. Your rune page should consist of Lethal Tempo with Presence of Mind, Bloodline, and Coup de Grace, while Absolute Focus and Gathering Storm are for secondaries.
Braum’s Rise in Support Tier
With a view of the OP supports from recent patches like Blitzcrank and Janna being nerfed in 14.9, Braum is going to be a very strong pickup. Braum has been excelling in all brackets of play over the past while, and with nerfs to Blitzcrank and Pyke, he’s going to be the best melee support now. The reliable skirmish strength of Braum gives him so much power for solo queue. Being able to provide your team with multiple stun procs throughout a 3v3 fight is absolutely massive and makes fighting around objectives like Rift Herald or Dragon very easy.
Often in solo queue, players are going to overcommit to fights and Braum is one of the best champions at punishing that. Being able to block damage with his E and then follow up with a passive stun will not only save your teammate but lead to an easy kill in return. Support upgrade for Braum is Zeke’s Convergence, while Locket of the Iron Solari and Knight’s Vow are solid core items.
Optimal Runes and Items for Support Builds
You’ll want to run Guardian for the Keystone Rune with Font of Life, Bone Plating, and Unflinching, followed by Triumph and Tenacity for secondaries. One of the better carry supports that you can play for solo queue right now, flying more under the radar, is Vel’Koz. With the big three from last patch—Janna, Blitzcrank, and Pyke—all nerfed in 14.9, Vel’Koz is moving into the top three.
What’s so great about Vel’Koz right now is that you can build him more like an enchanter to provide some utility for your team but still pump out a ridiculous amount of damage. Shurelya’s Battlesong rush is what’s been performing best on Vel’Koz support over the past few patches, and you follow that up with Imperial Mandate second. You also go for Swiftness Boots, so this build offers up a ton of movement speed, allowing you to stay at a nice and safe range to throw up poke.
With Jhin coming back into the meta over the past patch, it’s all the more reason to add Vel’Koz to your champion pool, as that duo has over a 54% win rate right now. It’s just the catch supports that you’ll want to try and avoid playing against, so using your ban on Blitzcrank is a good idea. The optimal rune page consists of Dark Harvest with Cheap Shot, Ghost Poro, and Relentless Hunter, while Manaflow Band and Scorch are for secondaries.
Zyra’s Return as a Top Support
And for the final Solo Carry slot of the patch, rounding out the top three for support, is Zyra. Zyra’s priority rises back up for this patch with the nerfs to many other supports, as she’ll be one of the best pure carry supports that you can play. Similar to Vel’Koz, Zyra is really great paired up with ADCs who have long-range follow-up like Jhin and Jinx, so both champs being in meta is great for her.
Just landing an E with Zyra is all but a guaranteed kill at level six when you’re with a Jhin or Jinx. Often times, you can 100 to zero the enemy squishy yourself, but if they end up narrowly escaping with a sliver of health, that’s where some long-range follow-up from a Jhin or Jinx R can be really useful. Rylai’s Crystal Scepter is the no-brainer support item upgrade for Zyra, while Liandry’s Anguish and Rylai’s are the two core pickups.
Avoiding the longer-range catch supports is in your best interest when picking Zyra, so banning out Blitzcrank is a good idea. For the rune page, you want to grab Arcane Comet with Manaflow Band, Transcendence, and Scorch, while Taste of Blood and Relentless Hunter are the best secondaries.
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