The best and worst LoL champions by popularity in 2022

As Season 12 concluded, the League of Legends community witnessed fascinating shifts in champion selection patterns across both ranked and casual gameplay environments. The data reveals compelling insights about player preferences and the factors driving champion selection decisions throughout the competitive year.

League of Legends now features over 160 playable characters, yet player adoption rates vary dramatically between champions. The 2022 season introduced four new additions: Nilah, Bel’Veth, Renata Glasc, and K’Sante. Interestingly, none of these newcomers managed to break into the elite tier of most-played champions, suggesting established favorites maintain strong player loyalty.

Our comprehensive analysis spans from Aatrox to Zilean, examining popularity metrics across global server data to identify which champions captured players’ attention and which faced consistent rejection through bans.

Strategic Insights: Why These Champions Dominate Player Selection

Ezreal continues his reign as League’s most selected champion, maintaining remarkable popularity despite his 2010 release date. His enduring appeal stems from multiple strategic advantages: exceptional self-sufficiency as an AD carry, reliable poke damage from safe distances, and flexible engagement options that adapt to various team compositions. This versatility makes him a reliable pick across multiple skill brackets.

Occupying the second position, Caitlyn represents the pinnacle of consistent marksman performance. Her kit provides exceptional lane control through trap zoning, superior range for safe farming, and devastating burst potential in skirmishes. Following her visual and gameplay updates, she maintains strong player retention through reliable damage output and straightforward mechanics.

Lux secures the third spot with her accessible skill set and high-impact abilities. Her popularity transcends gameplay considerations, becoming something of a cultural icon within the League community. Both Riot Games co-founders publicly identify as Lux enthusiasts, and her extensive skin collection reflects her special status in the game’s ecosystem.

Pro Tip: These popular champions share common traits: low mechanical barriers to entry, reliable performance across various team compositions, and strong scaling into late-game scenarios. Mastering these characters provides consistent results regardless of meta shifts.

Tactical Bans: Understanding Why Players Remove These Champions

The 2022 ban landscape reveals fascinating player psychology through five consistently removed champions: Zed, Yuumi, Fiora, Udyr, and Morgana. Zed embodies the quintessential feast-or-famine assassin archetype, capable of eliminating squishy targets with minimal counterplay opportunities when ahead. His mobility and burst damage combination creates frustrating experiences for opponents.

Yuumi’s unique untargetable mechanic and scaling enchanter capabilities generated such community backlash that Riot Games committed to a comprehensive rework. Playing against Yuumi often feels like racing against an inevitable clock, where her late-game impact becomes nearly unstoppable.

Fiora dominates the top lane ban category through her exceptional dueling capabilities and split-push pressure. Her riposte ability not only negates crowd control but can turn defensive situations into lethal counterattacks. With recent changes allowing her primary damage ability to affect structures, she becomes a relentless pushing threat that demands constant attention.

Udyr’s post-rework form established him as a jungle terror, combining rapid clear speeds, durable stats, and consistent damage output. Many players describe facing Udyr as battling a “stat stick” – a champion whose numerical advantages outweigh mechanical outplay potential.

Common Mistake: Many players automatically ban these champions without considering their own team’s composition strengths. Sometimes, leaving a powerful champion unbanned can work to your advantage if your team excels at countering their specific play patterns.

Expanding Universe: League’s Growing Champion Pool

K’Sante’s introduction as the Pride of Nazumah expanded League’s playable roster to 162 distinct champions. This continuous expansion presents both opportunities and challenges for players seeking to master the game’s diverse character roster.

The steady addition of new champions reflects Riot Games’ commitment to keeping gameplay fresh and meta dynamics evolving. However, the learning curve for new players becomes increasingly steep with each addition to the champion pool.

Optimization Tip: Rather than attempting to learn all champions, focus on mastering 2-3 in your preferred role while maintaining familiarity with others’ abilities for effective counterplay.

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » The best and worst LoL champions by popularity in 2022 Discover which League champions dominated 2022 popularity charts and learn strategic insights for your gameplay