In the quest for the upper hand in the top lane, players often find themselves at a crossroads: which champion will not only fit their playstyle but also carry them to victory?
The top lane is a battlefield where strategy and skill collide, and choosing the right champion is crucial. This guide cuts through the noise, offering insights into the best AP top lane champions that can turn the tide of battle in your favor. Whether you’re looking to dominate the lane or control the map, the answers lie ahead.
1. Malphite
Malphite’s robustness and engagement capabilities rank him as a formidable AP top lane character in LoL Season 13. His inherent armor growth grants him substantial durability, allowing him to endure heavy physical damage.
This trait alone positions him as a robust choice for the top lane, a place frequented by physical damage champions.
What truly distinguishes Malphite, though, is his ultimate. Identified as one of the premier initiation tools in the game, this ability empowers him to initiate battles on his terms. It’s a potent tool that can sway the course of a match, offering a vital advantage to his team.
Malphite’s set of abilities also includes a reliable poking and farming technique. His Q ability lets him inflict damage from a safe distance and farm effectively, even under duress. This dual-purpose ability contributes to Malphite’s resilience and sustainability in the top lane.
Wrapping it up, Malphite excels at countering attack damage champions. This anti-AD specialization further augments his effectiveness in the top lane, positioning him as a strategic choice against common top lane champions.
The combination of all these elements makes Malphite a powerful pick for the top lane in Season 13.
2. Mordekaiser
Moving our attention from Malphite’s strong defensive ability, we see a unique combination of sturdiness and offensive power in Mordekaiser, another strong option for the AP top lane in LoL Season 13.
The significant sustain he possesses, which comes from his passive and the shield provided by his W skill, establishes him as a durable champion tough to beat.
Mordekaiser shines in one-on-one fights, largely due to his ultimate ability – the Realm of Death. This skill enables him to separate an enemy champion, making him a significant force in solo fights.
His Q and E abilities allow for excellent wave clear, granting him the ability to control minion waves effectively and keep up lane pressure.
Beyond this, Mordekaiser is a champion that scales well into the late game. His power grows as the game progresses, transforming him into a formidable threat in team fights.
The balanced blend of offense and defense, coupled with his strong scaling, earmark him as a champion worth considering for AP top lane in Season 13.
Mordekaiser’s skill set isn’t just impactful but also provides strategic depth, making him an appealing choice for those who prefer a top lane champion with a high skill ceiling.
3. Teemo
Following Mordekaiser’s strategic depth, Teemo delivers a distinct, yet potent approach to controlling the top lane. His unique abilities, like his mushrooms, are pivotal for map control.
They serve a dual purpose of surveillance and area denial, making him a maestro of battlefield manipulation. Alongside his Q ability, he can relentlessly poke and annoy adversaries, making their attempts at farming difficult.
Teemo’s Q also offers him a blind effect, effectively neutralizing the damage from enemy auto-attacks. This proves to be particularly impactful against top laners who heavily rely on these attacks, giving Teemo an edge in duels.
His adaptability is another key factor that sets him apart. Teemo can adjust his build depending on the situation, offering more damage or utility as needed. Such flexibility allows him to react to changing match conditions more effectively than many champions.
Teemo’s blend of map control, consistent poke, and adaptability makes him an excellent choice for those aiming to control the top lane in Season 13 of League of Legends. His abilities provide a strategic depth that’s challenging to match, cementing his position among the best AP champions.
4. Rumble
Rumble can’t be dismissed when talking about premier AP top lane champions in LoL Season 13. His Flamespitter ability allows him to persistently annoy opponents, making him a terror in the lane.
He doesn’t use mana, which facilitates continuous pressure and permits him to remain in lane longer than many champions. This characteristic of Rumble, not needing resources, is a significant edge, especially during the initial game where mana control can determine lane supremacy.
But it’s not just the Flamespitter and his resourceless trait that make Rumble a threatening champion. His heat mechanic can result in enhanced abilities that offer a substantial advantage in trades.
Proper heat control can differentiate between a successful or unsuccessful trade, introducing another dimension to this champion’s gameplay.
His ultimate, The Equalizer, can significantly alter the dynamics of team fights. Especially around the narrow paths near the top lane, this skill can sway the outcome of a fight, inflicting considerable area-of-effect damage and often causing opponents to disperse or meet a fiery end.
This mix of harassment, resource management, and a powerful ultimate makes Rumble a preferred choice for AP top laners in Season 13.
5. Singed
Singed, unlike Rumble, introduces a distinct playstyle to the top lane, excelling at proxy farming and disengage strategies.
His capability to farm behind enemy lines exerts pressure and forces the enemy to allocate resources to handle him, often leading his team to secure beneficial trades.
His Mega Adhesive and Fling abilities make it a challenge for foes to apprehend him, providing him an effective disengage to escape precarious situations.
The influence of Singed in the game is further enhanced by his scaling and split pushing abilities. He grows increasingly resilient as the match progresses, and his poison can inflict substantial damage over time.
This damage, paired with his resilience, renders him a formidable presence in the top lane. His ability to clear waves rapidly and escape from most situations makes him an exceptional split pusher. He can independently exert pressure on multiple lanes, compelling the enemy team to react.
Singed’s distinct playstyle as an AP top lane champion makes him a powerful choice for players who favor unconventional strategies.
Next up, we’ll examine Gwen more closely, a champion whose flexibility and damage output render her a potent threat in the top lane.
6. Gwen
Gwen’s capacity to adjust to her team’s requirements sets her apart as a robust player in the top lane. She can take on the role of a tank or become a heavy AP champion, responding to the changing dynamics of each match. This versatility gives her team an edge in shifting the game’s direction.
A standout feature of Gwen’s kit is her inherent sustain, which empowers her to stick to her lane and effectively engage with adversaries. Often, she outlasts her opponents, gaining a distinct edge.
This trait, along with her capacity to inflict True Damage, lets Gwen cut through enemy defenses and inflict significant damage, irrespective of the defensive tactics of the opposition.
Gwen’s strength is evident in skirmishes. She can isolate specific enemies and minimize incoming damage, making her a significant force in smaller encounters.
Through focused targeting and damage mitigation, she can change the course of battles, even those that seem to be on the verge of defeat.
Wrapping up, Gwen’s adaptability, inherent sustain, and power to inflict true damage, along with her skirmishing skills, make her an effective AP top laner in LoL Season 13. Her unique combination of resilience and damage gives her team a valuable and adaptable asset.
7. Kennen
Kennen brings four main attributes to the table – his presence in team fights, agility, poke, and stun potential – positioning him as a formidable AP top laner in LoL Season 13.
His ultimate ability, ‘Slicing Maelstrom,’ offers the possibility to stun numerous opponents at once. This gives Kennen a major role in team fights, where he can disrupt enemy formations solo and carve openings for his teammates.
Agility is another defining element of Kennen’s style of play. His ‘Lightning Rush’ ability provides a significant increase in speed, allowing for rapid repositioning during clashes and evading potential threats.
This agility, combined with the safe poke offered by his ‘Thundering Shuriken,’ enables him to farm with security while exerting pressure on his opponent.
Kennen’s passive, ‘Mark of the Storm,’ equips him with the power to stun enemies, a vital edge when orchestrating ganks or clinching kills.
The correct mix of his abilities can render opponents defenseless, providing an opportunity for Kennen and his team to seize the advantage.
Taken together, Kennen’s unique mix of crowd control, agility, and poke places him among the best AP top laners in the current season. With this, we can shift our focus to another potential AP top lane champion, Heimerdinger.
8. Heimerdinger
Focusing on Heimerdinger, the unique turret-based strategy this champion employs contributes to a distinct form of pressure in the top lane.
His turrets, beyond controlling space, efficiently push waves. This exerts relentless pressure on adversaries, compelling them to perpetually manage the threat posed by his turret damage and wave control.
Heimerdinger also boasts a remarkable poking ability. This enables him to harass opponents from afar while maintaining a safe distance to avoid any counterattacks.
His passive ability contributes to impressive sustain, facilitating prolonged presence in the lane and continuous pressure.
A pivotal aspect of Heimerdinger’s strength lies in his anti-gank potential. His turret setup poses a significant risk for enemies attempting to gank him, often inflicting substantial damage or causing them to lose their lives. This renders him a formidable force in the top lane, deterring enemy junglers from intervening.
Heimerdinger’s turrets also lend him robust objective control. They facilitate rapid securing of objectives like Rift Herald or Dragon, yielding further benefits for his team. These unique strengths position Heimerdinger as a notable AP top lane champion in LoL Season 13.
9. Kayle
Kayle stands out as a potent AP top lane champion in LoL Season 13, thanks to her exceptional late-game scaling and invulnerability.
Her transformation into a ranged hyper-carry is impressive, with her potency increasing as the game advances. With her unmatched late game strength, Kayle can deal substantial damage while maintaining safety due to her ranged attacks.
Her ultimate ability, Divine Judgment, adds to her potency by offering invulnerability. This skill can drastically influence team fights, shielding either herself or an ally from impending defeat. It provides a crucial opportunity to sway the battle in her favor.
Kayle’s ability to clear waves and sustain shouldn’t be ignored. From level 6 and beyond, she can proficiently manage minion waves, which offers a lane control advantage. Her W skill, Celestial Blessing, offers healing, reinforcing her lane’s durability and survival rate.
To put it plainly, Kayle’s impressive scaling, invulnerability, wave clear, and sustain make her a strong choice for the top lane.
After considering Kayle, let’s discuss another strong AP top lane champion – Vladimir.
10. Vladimir
The Crimson Reaper, Vladimir, stands as a powerful option for an AP top lane role during LoL Season 13. He bears resemblance to Kayle regarding late-game scaling, but offers unique advantages.
His Q ability, Transfusion, grants him a reliable source of sustain, allowing him to persist in lane to acquire gold and outperform adversaries.
This advantage, combined with his strong AP scaling, ensures Vladimir evolves into a formidable threat during the late game.
What truly distinguishes Vladimir is his capacity to become untargetable via his W, Sanguine Pool. This grants him the ability to evade ambushes, sidestep critical enemy abilities, and escape all-in attacks.
This trait makes him a difficult champion to secure and successfully defeat, enhancing his chances of survival in the top lane.
Vladimir’s ultimate, Hemoplague, enhances the damage enemies receive, transforming him into a valuable asset during team fights. This AoE damage enhancement can shift the balance of battles, solidifying Vladimir’s function as a late-game force.
Vladimir’s strategic use of abilities, intertwined with his late-game scaling, designates him as a solid choice for an AP top lane champion in the current season.
11. Cho’Gath
Switching focus from Vladimir, we’ll examine the power of Cho’Gath, a resilient AP top laner appreciated for his superior sustain and control over crowds during LoL Season 13.
The sturdiness and control exhibited by Cho’Gath make him an intimidating presence in the top lane. His inherent ability, Carnivore, gives him health and mana renewal each time an enemy unit is defeated, supporting his long-term presence in the lane.
What really changes the balance is Cho’Gath’s ultimate ability, Feast. This ability inflicts a considerable amount of true damage to an enemy champion or monster, and if it results in their death, Cho’Gath gains a stack of Feast, which heightens his maximum health indefinitely.
This allows him to progressively become more resilient as the game proceeds, and with careful handling, he can morph into an indestructible monster during end game team fights.
The combination of Cho’Gath’s superior sustain, crowd control capabilities, and a game-altering ultimate positions him as one of the most formidable AP top laners in LoL Season 13. His capacity to withstand damage while disrupting the enemy team’s formation with his crowd control abilities is unmatched.
Next, we’ll shift our attention to another champion, Lillia, and examine her prowess in the top lane.
12. Lillia
Let’s focus on Lillia, a unique champion whose distinctive abilities and play style place her in the higher ranks among AP contenders in LoL Season 13.
Lillia’s abilities revolve around manipulating her opponent’s movements and inducing sleep while dealing significant AP damage.
- Her Q ability, Blooming Blows, enables her to wipe out minion waves swiftly and harass adversaries in the top lane. The ability is a dynamic mix of damage and agility, which makes her a powerful opponent during the laning phase.
- Lillia’s W ability, Watch Out! Eep!, inflicts extra damage to those at the periphery of the strike zone, which brings a strategic positioning element to her gameplay.
- Lillia’s E ability, Swirlseed, is a lengthy skill shot that slows down enemies, priming them for her ultimate, Lilting Lullaby.
This ultimate ability induces sleep in enemies, leaving them exposed to a surge of damage. Lillia’s mix of crowd control and damage potential makes her a formidable opponent in team clashes.
In Season 13, with an apt build and play style, Lillia can reign supreme in the top lane, making her a preferred choice for players seeking an AP champion with control and burst potential.
13. Volibear
During Season 13, Volibear has emerged as an impressive AP contender, demonstrating a strong blend of strength, attack power, and crowd management.
His passive ability, ‘The Relentless Storm’, gifts him with increased attack speed and extra magic damage on his attacks, turning him into a force to be reckoned with in the top lane.
Although Volibear doesn’t fit the typical AP champion mold, his abilities have a good synergy with ability power.
His ‘Thundering Smash’ is a potent tool for initiating fights, inflicting magic damage and stunning adversaries, while ‘Frenzied Maul’ offers a significant amount of healing when Volibear’s health dips low. This combination of offense and defense positions him as a challenging adversary.
Volibear’s ultimate ability, ‘Stormbringer’, can shift the tide of a game. It not only endows Volibear with extra health and attack reach, but also incapacitates enemy turrets and inflicts considerable magic damage within its range. When leveraged properly, this ability can tip team fights in Volibear’s favor.
When considering itemization, Volibear gains an advantage from items like Nashor’s Tooth and Hextech Rocketbelt, which boost his damage and speed respectively.
All things considered, the Thunder’s Roar proves to be an excellent choice for those who favor durable champions with a strong attack.
14. Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia, a standout AP top laner in Season 13, is reputed for her prowess in controlling visual awareness and surprising adversaries with her covert nature and potent burst damage.
This snake-like champion’s knack for manipulating visibility often grants her a considerable edge, especially during advanced stages of the game where control over vision is critical.
Her abilities enable her to launch surprise attacks on unsuspecting foes, often leading to swift removals before opponents have a chance to respond. Her W skill, Miasma, serves both as a tool to restrict enemies’ movements and as a crowd control measure, reinforcing her command over the battlefield.
Her final move, Petrifying Gaze, can immobilize multiple adversaries when executed properly, presenting substantial potential for team combat.
Besides, the passive ability of Cassiopeia, Serpentine Grace, endows her with a distinct movement style, allowing her to glide quickly and evade incoming assaults.
Yet, gaining proficiency in Cassiopeia necessitates a sharp grasp of placement, timing, and awareness of the map. Her vulnerability makes her prone to crowd control and burst damage.
Hence, Cassiopeia is a high-risk, high-reward champion requiring both skill and tactical planning. But for those capable of exploiting her powers, she can rule the top lane.
15. Akali
Akali, a powerful AP top laner in Season 13, is recognized for her swift movement and high burst damage potential. This champion excels in the top lane, using her distinct set of skills to outplay adversaries.
Akali’s Q ability, the Five Point Strike, offers rapid and strong poke damage. Her W ability, Twilight Shroud, provides her with a stealth mode, making her a difficult target for opponents. This combination of offensive and defensive skills positions Akali as a formidable opponent for any top laner.
Her E and R abilities, known as Shuriken Flip and Perfect Execution respectively, contribute to her agility. Shuriken Flip grants Akali the capacity to dash across the battlefield, while Perfect Execution gives a two-part dash and an execution skill that inflicts greater damage to enemies with lower health.
Akali’s passive ability, the Assassin’s Mark, amplifies her speed and grants bonus damage on her next attack after an ability hits an enemy. This turns Akali into a powerful champion during short trades and all-ins.
Wrapping it up, the combination of mobility, burst damage, and stealth in Akali’s abilities makes her a strong choice for AP top laners in Season 13.