10 best top lane champions in League of Legends for Worlds 2023

The ultimate achievement awaits as professional league teams from around the world come together for League of Legends Worlds 2023. In preparation for the event, Riot Games unveiled that Patch 13.19 will be in play, resulting in numerous buffs and nerfs granted to a wide variety of LoL champions. With both fresh and familiar picks, a new meta emerges.

Quite different from the typical ranked or casual games, professional scenarios require careful consideration when selecting the optimal champion. Thus, presented here is an in-depth analysis that outlines ten of the mightiest top lane champions for League of Legends Worlds 2023.

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Aatrox, Malphite, and eight more elite top lane champions for League of Legends Worlds 2023

1) Aatrox

Aatrox, the Darkin Blade (Image via Riot Games)

• Best Aatrox players in Worlds 2023: Zeus (T1), Doran (Gen.G)
• Aatrox counters: Poppy, Naafiri

In the latest installment, League of Legends Patch 13.19, Aatrox can be once again seen reigning supreme in the top lane. While he may not be the simplest character to master, Aatrox makes up for it with his versatility.

With his impressive damage capabilities, powered by his robust ultimate, and his passive ability, which provides excellent stamina, he can be a fearsome sight to behold. Additionally, he brings essential crowd control to both brawls on the top lane and larger team fights in League of Legends.

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2) Malphite

Malphite, Shard of the Monolith (Image via Riot Games)

• Best Malphite players in Worlds 2023: Kiin (KT Rolster), Bin (BLG), TheShy (Weibo)
• Malphite counters: Sylas, Sion

In the current League of Legends meta, Malphite has made a triumphant return after receiving some much-needed buffs. As a reliable tank, he boasts an impressive toolkit that not only cultivates team engagement but also hinders the opposition's ability to perform by limiting their attack speed through auto-attacks.

Impressively, Malphite is a master of adapting to his adversary in the lane phase. His R (Unstoppable Force) is an excellent tool for initiating and switching things up. A single effective ultimate in the later phases can turn the game around entirely.

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3) Fiora

Fiora, the Grand Duelist (Image via Riot Games)

• Best Fiora players in Worlds 2023: TheShy (Weibo), Kiin (KT Rolster), Zika (LNG)
• Fiora counters: Olaf, Jax

Combining mechanics with a timely W move, Fiora can outplay in any given situation, owing to her hypermobility and exceptional skills. In League of Legends Patch 13.19, she stands out among the best top lane champions, surpassing others in her ability to 1v3 the enemy team.

With her adaptable skills and aptitude for outplaying adversaries, Fiora cannot be easily countered. She excels in laning and boasts powerful scaling abilities that make her a formidable force in the late game. Her dominance in the latter stages of the match enables her to split push and threaten to take down objectives, forcing opponents to respond in numbers if they hope to stop her.

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4) Renekton

Renekton, the Butcher of the Sands (Image via Riot Games)

• Best Renekton players in Worlds 2023: Kiin (KT Rolster), 369 (JDG), Doran (Gen.G),
• Renekton counters: Fiora, Quinn

Renekton in League of Legends is easy to play and challenging to master. His play style is quite efficient, with playful tactics such as dives into an opposing team's territory. Although he went through some nerfs recently, he remains a popular choice among professional gamers.

Renekton has a formidable ability to take on two enemy ambushers if the opposing jungle makes a bid for the top lane. However, this advantage diminishes in later stages of gameplay because of his poor scaling. Hence, if players do not get off to a strong start and accumulate plenty of fodder, they can easily become a "stun bot" later on or must build as a tank to retain some marginal value.

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5) Darius

Darius, the Hand of Noxus (Image via Riot Games)

• Best Darius players in Worlds 2023: BrokenBlade (G2), Summit (Liquid)
• Darius counters: Ornn, Quinn

Darius is currently in a great spot as a top laner in League of Legends Patch 13.19. As always, he is a very strong counterpick and easy to use and understand in the right scenario. However, blind-picking him or getting countered makes it very hard to win, and he is very team-compliant.

He deals incredible amounts of damage and is very difficult to kill due to his ability to heal. Thus, if played correctly, he can win entire team fights by himself and change the tide of the game. Furthermore, all of his abilities cost very little mana.

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6) Jax

Jax, Grandmaster at Arms (Image via Riot Games)

• Best Jax players in Worlds 2023: Doran (Gen.G), Zika (LNG), Kiin (KT Rolster)
• Jax counters: Cho'Gath, Poppy

Jax is a versatile bruiser champion in League of Legends. One way to play Jax is to opt for a split-pushing strategy and become an unstoppable late-game duelist. Alternatively, by going for a tankier build, you can use him to protect your team's damage dealers. Jax is also known for being an exceptional duelist, with excellent scaling as the game progresses.

Potentially, Jax is best used when the player has solid knowledge of matchups rather than mechanical skill in League of Legends. Positioning and timing are key to effectively utilizing Jax as a champion, making him a great pick-up for those looking for something straightforward yet nuanced.

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7) Camille

Camille, the Steel Shadow (Image via Riot Games)

• Best Camille players in Worlds 2023: Zeus (T1), Doran (Gen.G), Canna (Dplus)
• Camille counters: Darius, Cho'Gath

In League of Legends, Camille possesses both assassin and fighter characteristics. Her skill set includes impressive picking abilities, dueling expertise, and a knack for split-pushing.

Additionally, her mobility is unmatched, and she carries significant strength throughout any given game phase. Not to mention, with a bit of assistance from her jungle ally, Camille can swiftly land picks and demolish any enemy tank in sight.

That being said, getting taken down a few times early on can make her a bit less formidable heading into the later stages of the game. Plus, when it comes to mid-game, she might need help from teammates in certain matchups to stay ahead of the curve.

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8) Poppy

Poppy, keeper of the Hammer (Image via Riot Games)

• Best Poppy players in Worlds 2023: TheShy (Weibo), Oscarinin (Fnatic)
• Poppy counters: Ivern, Malphite

In League of Legends, Poppy has a gameplay that is both uncomplicated and enjoyable, rendering her applicable at every Elo level, including in the pro realm. With the ability to swiftly move, she can dish out a considerable dose of harm.

She is also capable of holding down enemies, crushing them onto the wall, and impeding all opposing champions from vaulting, scaling, or charging toward her team.

As League of Legends Worlds 2023 will be played in the 13.19 patch, Poppy remains unaffected by any direct changes. Still, the lowered expense of Randuin's Omen makes it an even superior selection for Poppy players seeking quick and decisive victories without the need for extended farming.

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9) Ornn

Ornn, the Fire below the Mountain (Image via Riot Games)

• Best Ornn players in Worlds 2023: 369 (JDG), TheShy (Weibo)
• Ornn counters: Poppy, Fiora

Ornn, the jack-of-all-trades tank for top lane, has become increasingly popular in recent updates and may prove to be a strong pick for League of Legends Worlds 2023 on patch 13.19. With excellent initiating abilities, he's a top-tier champion for kickstarting team fights.

Keeping tabs on the enemy's whereabouts and exploiting any opportunities while their team is divided is the key to success with Ornn. Even when falling behind early, he remains a reliable tank and initiator. Plus, his easy usability is quite prominent, and he provides his team with great scalability.

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10) Gangplank

Gangplank, the Saltwater Scourge (Image via Riot Games)

• Best Gangplank players in Worlds 2023: Doran (Gen.G), Dhokla (NRG)
• Gangplank counters: Aatrox, Quinn

Gangplank's ultimate ability has undergone significant improvements with the rollout of League of Legends Patch 13.19, resulting in a reduction of its cooldown. However, mastering this champion is no walk in the park, as it requires a unique approach to learning and execution. Though his win rate in ranked matches isn't exactly impressive, he shines among professional players.

Pairing Gangplank with a team that can either assist his damage or offer him chances to detonate his barrels on numerous enemies simultaneously is a recipe for success, especially if the said team has substantial tankiness.

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This concludes our list of the ten best top lane champions for League of Legends Worlds 2023.