Hello summoners, it’s is time to cover the best picks for Mid lane in Patch 12.8. The Patch brough some interesting changes but a lot of strong champions have stayed on top. These champions are META right now and there will be a lot of severe balance changes needed to remove them from the top of the board.
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Akshan
One of the latest champions Riot games have released, comes in the form of Akshan. Akshan is an Adc type of champion that feels like a crossbreed between Quinn and Vayne. Capable of covering almost every lane in the game, Akshan is one of the most versatile champions in the game. He started as a bot lane champion but has quickly shifted towards the mid lane where he thrives on feeding on the squishy Mages who can not deal with his dps and ad scaling.
Akshan’s abilities:
P – Dirty Fighting
INNATE: Whenever Akshan uses a basic attack, he fires an additional shot after a delay that deals 50% AD physical damage, increased to 100% AD against minions. If Akshan cancels the second shot, he gains 20 − 75 (based on level) × (1 + 100% bonus attack speed) bonus movement speed decaying over 1 second.
The additional shot applies on-hit and on-attack effects at 100% effectiveness and can critically strike for「 (61.25% + 12.25%) AD ( (122.5% + 24.5%) AD) 」physical damage.
Akshan’s basic attacks on-hit and ability hits apply a stack to affected enemies for 5 seconds, stacking up to 3 times and refreshing on subsequent applications. The third stack consumes them all to deal 10 − 165 (based on level) bonus magic damage and, if the target is a champion, Akshan is granted a 40 − 300 (based on level) (+ 40% bonus AD) shield for 2 seconds. The shield may be gained only once every few seconds.
Q – Avengerang
ACTIVE: Akshan throws a boomerang in the target direction that grants sight around its trajectory as it travels and deals physical damage to enemies hit, extending the boomerang range and revealing them for 1 second. If the boomerang hits an enemy champion, Akshan gains 40% bonus movement speed decaying over 1 second.
Once the boomerang has passed its original range and has not struck an enemy in the last 500 units of travelling, it returns to Akshan. Enemies can be hit only once per pass.
Avengerang’s damage is reduced against non-champions.
W – Going Rogue
PASSIVE: Akshan marks enemy champions that kill allied champions as Scoundrels for 60 seconds. If Akshan scores a takedown against a Scoundrel while alive and within 3 seconds of damaging them, he receives an additional 100 and revives all dead allied champions that they have slain after 1 second.
When Akshan claims a Scoundrel’s bounty he removes the marks of all other enemies. Scoundrels refresh their mark duration on subsequent kills, and will have their mark removed when they die by any means. Akshan cannot mark enemies as Scoundrels while they are dead. Allies are revived at their summoning platform.
ACTIVE: Akshan enters camouflage, which lasts indefinitely while he is near terrain or inside brush, and for 2 seconds otherwise. During Going Rogue, Akshan can see trails leading toward Scoundrels, and while moving towards them if they are within 5000 units, he gains bonus mana regeneration equal to 12% of his missing mana as well as bonus movement speed.
Going Rogue can be recast after 1 second, and does so automatically after its duration. Attacking or casting abilities ends Going Rogue immediately.
RECAST: Akshan ends Going Rogue.
E – Heroic Swing
ACTIVE: Akshan can activate Heroic Swing three times before the ability goes on cooldown, and can use the third cast only after 0.5 seconds of the second cast. Akshan may input a attack or movement command to use the second and third casts.
FIRST CAST: Akshan prepares to swing for up to 2.125 seconds, firing a hook in the target direction that embeds in the first terrain hit. Heroic Swing’s second cast can be used while the hook is attached. If the hook fails to attach or Akshan is moved or becomes immobilized, grounded, or polymorphed within the duration, the preparation will end prematurely, cancelling Heroic Swing in the process.
SECOND CAST: Akshan swings around the terrain in the target direction for 3 seconds, and stops upon colliding with an enemy champion or terrain. While swinging, he rapidly fires at the nearest visible enemy to deal them physical damage and apply on-hit effects at 25% effectiveness per shot.
Akshan will be knocked down by any immobilizing or polymorphing crowd control during the dash.
THIRD CAST: Akshan jumps to the target location, though not through terrain, and fires one last shot at a nearby visible enemy.
Scoring a takedown against an enemy champion reduces Heroic Swing’s current cooldown to 0.5 seconds. The shots can critically strike for「 (57.5% + 31.5%) bonus damage 」and apply life steal at 100% effectiveness. Akshan prioritizes firing at enemy champions with stacks of Dirty Fighting, will not fire while Comeuppance is active, and reveals himself while firing. Heroic Swing can be cast during Akshan’s other abilities.
R – Comeuppance
ACTIVE: Akshan locks onto the target enemy champion and begins channeling for 2.5 seconds, revealing them as well as revealing himself. He gradually stores bullets into his weapon over the duration.
Comeuppance can be recast after 0.5 seconds, and does so automatically after the duration. Comeuppance is placed on a 5-second cooldown if the channel is canceled.
RECAST: Akshan fires all stored bullets at the target, each granting sight around their trajectory as they travel and dealing physical damage to the first enemy hit, including structures, increased by 0% − 300% (based on target’s missing health).
Each bullet’s damage applies life steal at 100% effectiveness, and executes minions.
Akshan can move normally while channeling Comeuppance.
Qiyana
One of the more complex champions in the game Qiyana can thrive both in the mid lane as well as in the jungle. She has a kit that is pretty dependant on its surroundings so you might think that she is best played in the jungle. You wouldn’t be wrong but she can do well in the mid lane as well. Of course the plan is to go roaming as much as you can.
Qiyana’s abilities:
P – Royal Privilege
INNATE: Qiyana’s basic attacks and basic abilities deal 15 − 83 (based on level) (+ 45% bonus AD) (+ 30% AP) additional physical damage.
This effect cannot occur on the same target more than once every few seconds.
Gathering an Element with Terrashape resets Royal Privilege’s per-target cooldown for enemies affected by Royal Privilege using a different Element (or no Element).
Q – Edge of Ixtal
ACTIVE: Qiyana slashes forward in the target direction, dealing physical damage to enemies in a line, reduced to 75% damage against targets beyond the first. Edge of Ixtal deals 150% damage against monsters.
Gathering an Element with Terrashape will reset the cooldown and upgrades Edge of Ixtal into Elemental Wrath.
If cast during Audacity’s dash towards an enemy champion and the target is within 150 units of Qiyana at the end of the dash, Edge of Ixtal will autonomously aim at the target.
Q2 – Elemental Wrath
ACTIVE: Qiyana hurls her blade in the target direction that blasts in a line upon hitting an enemy or maximum range. This consumes the current Element to empower the blade with an additional effect.
Enemies hit are dealt Edge of Ixtal’s physical damage, reduced to 75% against subsequent enemies beyond the closest. Elemental Wrath deals 150% damage against monsters.
BRUSH: The blade creates a grass field around Qiyana that lasts for up to 3 seconds, granting her invisibility and 20% bonus movement speed until she attacks, casts an ability other than Terrashape, or exits the field.
RIVER: The blast roots enemies hit for 0.5 seconds, then slows them by 20% for 1 second.
TERRAIN: The blast deals 60% bonus damage against enemies below 50% of their maximum health.
W – Terrashape
PASSIVE: While holding an Element, Qiyana gains bonus attack speed, 25 bonus attack range and bonus magic damage on her basic attacks on-hit and basic abilities. While out-of-combat and moving near the Element currently being held, she gains bonus movement speed.
ACTIVE: Qiyana dashes up to 300 units towards the target location to gather the Element of the nearest BRUSH, RIVER or TERRAIN she targeted.
A target Element is required to cast this ability.
Once Terrashape has been learned, Qiyana is automatically given the TERRAIN element upon respawning.
Qiyana can cast any of her abilities during Terrashape.
E – Audacity
ACTIVE: Qiyana dashes a fixed distance towards the target enemy and deals physical damage if they are still in range upon arrival.
Qiyana can cast any of her abilities during Audacity.
R – Supreme Display of Talent
ACTIVE: Qiyana sweeps a windblast in the target direction that knocks back enemies hit, though not through terrain, and stops upon hitting TERRAIN.
The windblast creates a cascading shockwave across any RIVER or BRUSH it passes through, as well as around the borders of TERRAIN it reaches, dealing physical damage to enemies hit, with the damage based on the target’s health being capped against monsters.
The shockwave also stuns enemies hit for 0.5 − 1 (based on proximity) seconds, and grants sight of the area along its path each for 0.75 seconds.
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Pantheon
Pantheon is a bruiser champion that used to dominate the top lane before his rework. Ever since he was reworked a couple of years back we have had a slight change of lane when it comes to Pantheon. You see, now he dominates mid lane and can go even in the jungle and not embarrass himself.
This strong bruiser can win almost any matchup even when he is not in the META, but right now since he is, he is almost unbeatable. The control mages and AP assassin’s can not harm him, since the early game cost of most abilities on mages is simply too high, and with Pantheon’s strong auto attacks and powerful abilities that have pretty low cooldown and low cost, there is simply no chance without an amazing jungler to even scratch Pantheon.
Pantheon overpowers any AP champion in the mid lane in the early game, and with the sustain he gets from Bruiser items he simply can not be killed even in the later stages of the game even with some minimal knowledge of the game.
Pantheon’s Abilities
P – Mortal Will
INNATE: Pantheon gains a stack of Mortal Will whenever he lands a basic attack on-hit or casts an ability, up to a maximum of 5. At 5 stacks, Pantheon’s next basic ability consumes the stacks to grant bonus effects.
Pantheon gains maximum stacks of Mortal Will upon starting the game, completing a Recall channel, and respawning.
Q – Comet Spear
ACTIVE: Pantheon charges while being slowed by 10% for up to 4 seconds to increase Comet Spear’s range after 0.35 seconds of channeling. Comet Spear can be recast at any time within its duration.
RECAST: Pantheon hurls his spear in a line in the target direction, dealing physical damage to all enemies hit, increased against enemies below 20% of their maximum health but reduced by 50% against enemies beyond the first. Total damage is reduced by 30% against minions and monsters.
Releasing the ability within 0.35 seconds causes Pantheon to instead thrust his spear in the target direction, dealing the same physical damage to all enemies hit and refunding 60% of Comet Spear’s cooldown. The thrust’s damage is not reduced against enemies beyond the first.
If Pantheon is interrupted during the charge, or the charge completes without reactivation, Comet Spear is cancelled and the ability is put on full cooldown but refunds half the mana cost.
MORTAL WILL: Deals an additional 20 − 240 (based on level) (+ 115% bonus AD) bonus physical damage, affected by the previous damage reductions, to all enemies hit. Consumes the stacks upon recasting.
W – Shield Vault
ACTIVE: Pantheon leaps to the front of the target enemy’s location and, if the target is within 800 units upon arrival, he deals them physical damage and stuns them for 1 second.
MORTAL WILL: Pantheon’s next basic attack within 4 seconds has a cast time and strikes the target 3 times over a brief period, dealing 40% − 55% (based on level) AD physical damage per hit, up to 120% − 165% (based on level) AD. Each hit is affected by critical strike modifiers and applies on-hit effects at 100% effectivness.
Empowered Shield Vault resets Pantheon’s basic attack timer.
Pantheon will attempt to basic attack the target at the end of the leap.
E – Aegis Assault
ACTIVE: Pantheon braces his shield in the target direction, channeling for 1.5 seconds. Aegis Assault cannot be interrupted by crowd control, and can be recast after 0.3 seconds during the channel, which is done so automatically when the channel ends.
For the duration, Pantheon is invulnerable against non- turret damage dealt by enemies from the target direction, and continuously performs strikes in a cone in front of him, dealing 8.3% AD physical damage every 0.125 seconds to all enemies within the area, reduced by 50% against minions and up to 100% AD total physical damage against each target.
RECAST: Pantheon slams with his shield in a cone in front of him, dealing physical damage to all enemies within the area.
MORTAL WILL: Pantheon gains 60% bonus movement speed for 1.5 seconds after recasting.
R – Grand Starfall
PASSIVE: Pantheon gains armor penetration.
ACTIVE: Pantheon channels for 2 seconds, then leaps high into the air, vanishing and becoming immune to crowd control until he reappears. While in the air, Pantheon channels again for 2.2 seconds and grants sight around the target location 0.5 seconds into the channel.
After 0.8 seconds into the channel, Pantheon prepares for landing by marking his destination with his spear which flies to the location over 0.2 seconds. The spear deals 40 − 190 (based on Comet Spear’s rank) (+ 115% bonus AD) physical damage to enemies near its landing point and slows them by 50% for 2 seconds.
Over the remaining 1.2 seconds, Pantheon crashes down and creates a shockwave alongside him that travels toward the target location, dealing magic damage to all enemies within its path, decreased by up to 50% for those hit at the edge of the area. Upon completion of the channel, Pantheon reappears at the target location and gains full stacks of Mortal Will.
Grand Starfall is put on a 30 second cooldown if the first channel is canceled.
Anivia
The big bird from Freljord is one of the first champions introduced in the League of Legends. Her simple kit, at least by the looks of it, is incredibly hard to get the hang of. That is the reason that very few players play Anivia on global level. You can see her most of the time in some higher ranked games, as that is the only place where she can be abused properly, and also the only place where players have enough skill to play her. The sheer complexion of playing Anivia has made her one of the best mid laners, sometimes even the strongest in the game, since you can almost never see her in the game if you aren’t playing on competitive level. Apart from one or two smurfs that appear to ruin everything.
Anivia’s abilities:
P – Rebirth
INNATE: Periodically, upon taking fatal damage, Anivia enters resurrection for 6 seconds and restores all of her health.
While in resurrection, Anivia is unable to act and gains -40 − 20 (based on level) bonus armor and bonus magic resistance.
If Anivia remains alive by the end of the duration, she is revived with her current health.
Q – Flash Frost
ACTIVE: Anivia launches a chunk of ice in the target direction that deals magic damage to enemies hit and slows them by 20% − 40% (based on Glacial Storm’s Rank) for 3 seconds.
Flash Frost can be recast after while the ice is in flight, and does so automatically at maximum range.
RECAST: The ice shatters, dealing magic damage and stunning nearby enemies for a duration, as well as refreshing the slow.
W – Crystallize
ACTIVE: Anivia summons a wall of ice at the target location perpendicular to her facing, knocking all units away from it, though not through terrain. The wall lingers as impassable terrain for 5 seconds.
E – Frostbite
ACTIVE: Anivia blasts a freezing wind at the target enemy that upon arrival deals them magic damage.
If the target was hit by Flash Frost or was inside a fully formed Glacial Storm within the last 3 seconds, Frostbite’s damage is doubled.
R – Glacial Storm
ACTIVE: Anivia calls forth a driving rain of ice and hail at the target location, dealing magic damage every 0.5 seconds to enemies within and slowing them for 1 second, refreshing every 0.5 seconds while inside. Glacial Storm can be recast after 1 second, and does so automatically if Anivia goes too far away from the storm, becomes unable to pay the mana cost, or is affected by any form of interrupting crowd control.
The blizzard increases in size over 1.5 seconds. At maximum size, Glacial Storm’s damage is increased by 200% and the effectiveness of its slow is increased by 50%, which also instead lasts 1.5 seconds and refreshes every 0.25 seconds while inside.
RECAST: Anivia deactivates Glacial Storm, dealing one last tick of damage.
Conclusion
The best mid laners in the game right now are here and we have got you covered. With our guides and tier lists the chances are that you will never be among the lower ranked players since you will know all of the META champions and how to abuse them properly!
Stay tuned, there is a lot more to cover, only on The Games Cabin!