League of Legends Classic brings back some of the most memorable parts of old League of Legends, including Classic Champion kits, items, and systems that shaped the way the game was played. Just like modern League, some champions stand out from the rest , whether through overwhelming power or a completely unique playstyle.
Best Champions to Try in League Classic
Kassadin
Season 3 Kassadin was without a doubt the most overpowered version of the champion to ever exist, reaching an astounding 99.55% ban rate. In League of Legends Classic, the Void Walker returns to his roots with a kit similar to modern Kassadin, but with a few key differences that define his playstyle.
During the early levels, the extra 5% magic damage reduction from his passive, combined with the silence from Null Sphere (Q), makes Kassadin even harder to kill. This allows you to walk up and farm more comfortably, even against ranged champions.
Once you gain access to Riftwalk (R), your threat increases dramatically. As you level up your Ultimate, its damage scaling becomes increasingly extreme, reaching its peak at rank 3 where each stack adds 80 bonus damage. A fully stacked Ultimate gains 800 additional damage on top of its 80 base damage and 70% AP scaling, allowing you to instantly delete targets.
AP Master Yi
AP Master Yi represents the chaos that made older versions of League so memorable. League Classic brings back the version from an era where the champion could be played as a powerful AP assassin, with Alpha Strike (Q), Meditate (W), and Highlander (R) forming the core of this playstyle.
If you decide to lean into this AP build, take Yi to Mid and focus on clearing waves and chunking enemy laners with Alpha Strike (Q), while using Meditate (W) to recover health when punished. This gives you an extremely safe early game where you are free to scale toward Lich Bane and Rabadon's Deathcap. Once you hit that power spike, activate Highlander (R) and let every takedown reset your abilities as you chase down pentakills.
Sion
Before his rework, Sion stood out because his kit supported two completely different playstyles. League Classic preserves what made him so unique, giving players the choice between a burst AP mage or an unkillable AD bruiser.
AP Sion is all about clearing waves with Death's Caress (W) and roaming the map. The moment you find an enemy champion, land the guaranteed stun from Cryptic Gaze (Q), detonate your shield, and finish the combo with a Lich Bane-empowered auto attack. Build into Rabadon's Deathcap and Void Staff and you will have enough burst to erase almost any champion before they know what hit them.
If AP isn't your style and you'd rather play an unkillable stat checker, AD Sion is the perfect fit. This version excels in extended fights and overwhelms opponents through sheer durability , driven by the bonus Health from his W, the damage-negation chance from his passive, and the power gained from his Ultimate.
To fully take advantage of this playstyle, focus on items that provide both Attack Damage and Health. Ravenous Hydra and the Frozen Mallet + Atma's Impaler combination are classic choices that return in League Classic. Frozen Mallet acts as the basic attack-focused counterpart to Rylai's Crystal Scepter, while Atma's Impaler grants bonus Attack Damage equal to 1.5% of your maximum Health.
Gangplank
When it comes to generating gold, Classic Gangplank is the ultimate money-making machine. His Parrrley (Q), combined with the right items, allows him to convert an early advantage into a massive late-game damage threat.
Here is a breakdown of the gold-generating items available in League Classic:
Rush Avarice Blade as soon as possible, as it builds into core items like Youmuu's Ghostblade and Statikk Shiv. If you want to invest further into this strategy, Philosopher's Stone can later transition into defensive items like Warmog's Armor or Randuin's Omen. After your economy is rolling, complete your core build with Infinity Edge, Last Whisper, and Trinity Force. At this point, your high-damage Parrrley (Q), critical strikes, and the bonus Attack Damage from Raise Morale (E) give you enough firepower to instantly delete AD Carries and other squishy targets.
AP Tristana
Anyone who has faced a fed Tristana knows how quickly she can erase a health bar. Classic AP Tristana takes that same explosive identity even further, transforming her from a traditional marksman into a mid-lane assassin.
During the early game, farm consistently and make the most of your passive. After picking up Lich Bane and Deathfire Grasp, start roaming and looking for kills. Jump onto your target with Rocket Jump (W), activate Deathfire Grasp to amplify your magic damage, and finish the combo with Explosive Shot (E) and Buster Shot (R).
Honourable Mentions
The champions highlighted above represent some of the most iconic examples of what makes League of Legends Classic special, but they are far from the only ones worth trying. These picks may not have earned a full section, but they still showcase some of the strongest kits and most memorable interactions players can experience again.
Ryze
One of the many different versions of this champion, this iteration focuses on his identity as a true spellslinger. With massive amounts of Ability Haste and an Ultimate that gives his spells an AoE effect, he can constantly cycle through abilities and dominate late-game team fights.
Warwick
A classic jungle powerhouse is back on top. His gameplan revolves around clearing camps, picking up Wriggle's Lantern, upgrading it into Feral Flare, and accumulating stacks until he becomes the true beast he was always meant to be.
Twisted Fate
With his global teleport available as a basic ability, Classic Twisted Fate enables some of the most chaotic early-game strategies. At level one, he can teleport to the enemy jungle, place a ward for his team, and set up a surprise five-man collapse before the game has even properly started.
Fiddlesticks
The support nightmare returns with his infamous crowd control: the reliable Terrify (Q), a point-and-click fear, and the annoying Dark Wind (E), which sends crows bouncing between targets and silencing them.
These examples are only a small taste of what League of Legends Classic has to offer. From returning champions and items to old runes and forgotten strategies, there are countless ways to experience the mode. For a full breakdown of everything coming to League of Legends Classic , including champions, items, runes, and more , check out our complete guide here.