Top 10 champions for League of Legends arena mode (2026)

While League of Legends has released all sorts of alternate modes that help players take a break from the Summoner’s Rift, most of them haven’t stuck around for too long. While ARAM previously used to be the only exception, that honor now extends to the Arena mode.

The Arena mode stands out for having all sorts of augments that players can use to make their champions borderline overpowered. However, certain champions are arguably more powerful or useful than others, whether because of their passive or some sort of other ability.

If you want to start winning a bunch in League of Legends’ ^[1] Arena mode, keep reading because we’re here to help you do just that.

10: Sion

Sion’s passive allows him to be a threat even after getting killed, turning his deaths into trades that can let him and his teammate win rounds. His Q can knock up multiple opponents in choke points, and his ultimate allows him to engage easily. Augments that allow health-stacking or boost damage based on maximum health increase his strength. Full-tank builds with items like Titanic Hydra let him deal heavy damage while also making him unkillable.

9: Veigar

Veigar gets more passive stacks in Arena thanks to the constant fights, allowing him to get huge amounts of AP by the end. His E provides players with a cage that can trap or isolate enemies, providing him and his teammate an easy way to deal damage and kill enemies. Augments that give bonus AP and takedown resets increase his scaling speed. Rabadon’s Deathcap and Perplexity ensure he deals serious damage to squishies and tanks and bursts them down.

8: Ambessa

Ambessa’s high burst damage and numerous dashes turn her into a big threat. She can dash onto almost any champion and run them down, and it’s easy to catch them because the maps are small. If she’s able to land one ability, she can start to chain multiple high-damage burst attacks. Her ultimate is an excellent engagement tool that lets her immediately kill any squishy champion hiding behind a tank, giving her and her teammate an advantage for the rest of the round.

7: Brand

Brand deals AoE damage that transfers between both enemies in Arena. The AoE damage and percent-health burn from items like Liandry’s Anguish allow him to poke opponents and hide. Augments that boost burn, increase spell interaction, or buff ability haste make him an unstoppable force. Partners who can peel for him or slow down threats can let him deal heavy, sustained damage.

6: Zac

Zac’s slingshot ability lets him engage opponents from far away, allowing surprise fights in small maps. His bloblets restore health when collected, giving him incredible sustainability. His ultimate and follow-up knock-ups are excellent crowd control options and give his teammates opportunities to deal heavy damage. Augments and items that increase his healing make him a bigger threat. One of the most powerful parts about Zac is his passive, which lets him revive himself once, which teammates can use as a distraction to catch enemies.

5: Cho’Gath

Cho’Gath gets a Feast stack at the start of every round in arena, ensuring high health and high true-damage, making him more powerful as the game goes on. If a player manages to get augments like Tank Engine and Steel Your Heart, then they can potentially one-shot most squishy champions by the late game. His knock-up, silence, and items like Hextech Rocketbelt can allow him to quickly disable enemies and catch them.

4: Sett

Sett’s Q deals concentrated damage that can quickly eliminate squishy targets in close-quarters combat, making him a big threat in most fights. His passive grit and W shields increase his durability, as well as his potential to one-shot items. Constantly getting items and augments that increase his health and AD make him one of the strongest champions in the mode.

3: Gwen

Gwen’s W makes her invulnerable to attacks and abilities outside of her circle, allowing her to isolate a single target while her teammates handle the other. Her snips and ultimate deal percent-health damage, as well as raw AP, make her incredible against squishies and tanks both. If she gets augments and items that provide omnivamp, like Riftmaker, then she can out-sustain most other champions. 

2: Bel’Veth

Bel’Veth snowballs in Arena, where constant takedowns and ultimate activations increase her attack speed permanently. She can use her Qs more often with attack speed. Her ultimate does AoE missing-health true damage, so it’s possible to execute low-health champions if they’re nearby. Getting attack-speed and life-steal augments boost her sustainability, while her dashes and defensive abilities provide mobility and mitigation to finish rounds fast.

1: Zaahen

Zaahen gets stronger the longer he fights champions due to his passive, so he thrives in small map sizes. Enemy champions can’t escape, so Zaahen can constantly keep his stacks up. He also gets a free revive if he dies with max stacks. Enemies must always defeat him twice. Pairing items like Sundered Sky ensures he has sustainability, and Overlord’s Bloodmail for more AD.

References

1. [1] "League of Legends official website". www.leagueoflegends.com. Retrieved January 15, 2026