Ability power carries in League of Legends (usually midlaners) are powerful, burst-oriented damage dealers that scale hard from leveling. They usually take mid lane because it’s the shortest, the XP is fast, and they usually are a higher level than everyone else on their team. They are the players that can delete a squishy ADC or enemy carry in seconds and get back out again, or completely CC and control the enemy in order to lock down targets and let the entire team take them out. If a fed AP mid unloads all of their abilities on you, you’re likely dead unless you’ve built some defenses.
These are the most-played AP mids in platinum and higher ranked League of Legends play:
1. Viktor
Viktor is a control mage that excels at clearing waves quickly when sieging, controlling his enemy’s positioning with his abilities, and doing devastating amounts of damage. He is relatively immobile, so is usually not one to roam around the map during laning phase, but is integral to turning the tide of teamfights and skirmishes throughout the game. While a difficult champion to learn and master, when played well he is a significant boon to your team in damage and utility.
2. LeBlanc
LeBlanc functions as a mage assassin, deceiving those around her when played well with quick, lightning fast engages and burst damage and then instantly disappearing again before you can react. She provides some CC with her E to lock down and assassinate priority targets, usually the ADC or maybe a fed carry top laner or jungler. She can be difficult to gank and difficult to catch due to her high mobility and elusiveness.
3. Azir
Azir’s mechanics provide him a ton of safety in lane and in teamfights, sending his soldiers to do damage for him and staying far back away from the fray, waiting for the right moment to charge in, ult and knock up the enemy team, and control their escape paths. Azir has the ablility to take down turrets better than most AP characters and can put his own in its place, functionally trapping enemies in the small space between enemy turrets or pushing them back into their own turret, depending on his placement. He can use his ultimate to push enemies away or into his team to pull off fantastic engages or disengages in a team fight.
4. Ahri
Ahri is a highly mobile mage assassin. She can move quickly around the outskirts of a teamfight, dodging skillshots and CC and dealing damage to her enemy in the meantime. If an Ahri can land her charm, the charmed person will usually experience a sense of dread, knowing that they’re likely dead and there’s nothing they can do about it. She has a decent amount of sustain in lane, an ult that can help her escape ganks or chase down an enemy, and enough damage to decimate an entire team when positioned correctly.
5. Twisted Fate
Twisted Fate has the unique advantage of having a teleport built in to his kit. Although he is fairly immobile and a mediocre laner, his ability to provide vision of the entire enemy team and then teleport into the right places to turn the tide of a fight or secure an objective make him a great pick for your team. His point-and-click stun can also help create good ganks or catch a fleeing low-health enemy.
What are your favorite League of Legends AP mids to play, or to have on your team? Why do you think these characters are played so much? Who do you think should be played more? Let me know in the comments! And for more League goodness, be sure to check out our list of the most played ADCs in 2016.
