League of Legends has 172 playable characters as of April 2026, spread across 13 regions, 6 champion classes, and 5 battlefield roles. This guide covers every single one of them so you can figure out who to play, who to ban, and who to stop feeding on.
Last updated: April 14, 2026, patch 26.7
How Many League of Legends Characters Are There Right Now?
As of patch 26.7 (live since March 31, 2026), there are exactly 172 league of legends characters on the roster. Riot’s newest addition is Zaahen, The Unsundered, who shipped at the end of 2025. The Shyvana rework dropped in March 2026, and Riot has confirmed that only one brand-new champion will arrive this year: an AP fighter called Locke, expected around mid-2026.
That’s a massive roster compared to where this game started. The original alpha had 17 playable characters. By launch in October 2009, Riot shipped 40. We’re sitting at 172 now, and the pace has slowed way down from the early days when Riot was pumping out a new champ every two weeks.
I’ve been grinding since Season 4 and I still haven’t played 30+ of these characters in ranked. Not once. That’s how deep this pool is.
What Are the Champion Classes in LoL?
Riot splits all league of legends characters into six official classes, and understanding them is the fastest shortcut to building a balanced team comp.
Fighters (Bruisers) handle the dirty work. Think Darius, Jax, Camille. They survive long enough to deal real damage in extended fights. Most live in top lane or jungle.
Tanks exist to absorb everything and lock enemies down with crowd control. Ornn, Leona, and Malphite are the poster children. Your team needs at least one.
Mages deal ability-based damage, usually from range. Lux, Viktor, Syndra. They spike hard at 2-3 items and control team fights with zone pressure.
Assassins kill one target and get out. Zed, Akali, Katarina. High risk, high reward, and the reason your ADC types “ff 15” in chat.
Marksmen (ADCs) are your late-game insurance policy. Jinx, Caitlyn, Jhin. Weak early, monsters late. They need a support who won’t abandon them at level 3.
Supports provide utility, healing, or engage. Thresh, Lulu, Nautilus. Good supports win lanes. Great supports win games.
There’s also a seventh unofficial category: Specialists. These are the weirdos. Teemo, Singed, Heimerdinger. They break conventional rules and tilt your opponents into oblivion (honestly, Singed players scare me more than any assassin).
All 13 Regions of Runeterra: Where Do LoL Characters Come From?
Every champion belongs to a region on the world map of Runeterra. This matters more than you’d think because Riot designs champion kits to reflect their homeland’s identity. Here’s every region and what it brings to the table:
| Region | Theme | Notable Champions |
|---|---|---|
| Demacia | Order, justice, anti-magic | Garen, Lux, Jarvan IV |
| Noxus | Strength, conquest, meritocracy | Darius, Draven, Swain |
| Ionia | Balance, spirituality, martial arts | Yasuo, Ahri, Shen |
| Freljord | Ice, survival, warring tribes | Ashe, Braum, Lissandra |
| Piltover | Innovation, science, progress | Caitlyn, Jayce, Heimerdinger |
| Zaun | Undercity, experimentation, chaos | Jinx, Ekko, Warwick |
| Bilgewater | Piracy, sea monsters, bounties | Gangplank, Miss Fortune, Illaoi |
| Shadow Isles | Undeath, corruption, spirits | Thresh, Viego, Hecarim |
| Shurima | Desert empire, ascended warriors | Azir, Nasus, Renekton |
| Targon | Celestial power, mountain ascension | Leona, Diana, Pantheon |
| Bandle City | Yordles, mischief, portal magic | Teemo, Lulu, Veigar |
| Ixtal | Elemental magic, jungle isolation | Qiyana, Neeko, Malphite |
| The Void | Alien monsters, world destruction | Cho’Gath, Vel’Koz, Bel’Veth |
Some champions don’t fit a single region cleanly. Fiddlesticks is ancient enough to predate Runeterra itself. Kindred represents death across all regions. You can explore the full lore on Riot’s official Universe page.
Which Champions Should You Actually Play?
Here’s where opinions get spicy. I think Riot’s meta right now on patch 26.7 rewards players who one-trick a champion rather than spreading thin across 15 picks. My climb from Gold 2 to Emerald 4 last split happened on exactly three champions: Veigar mid, Leona support, and Warwick jungle. That’s it. 47 games, 62% win rate.
For each role, here are solid picks that work at most ranks:
Top Lane: Garen (simple, effective, 450 BE), Darius (lane bully), Mordekaiser (got that prestige skin in patch 26.7). Ambessa is the newest addition up here, and her Riven-style dashing kit makes her a menace if you put in the time.
Jungle: Warwick (great for learning pathing), Amumu (team fight god), Vi (point-and-click ult never gets old).
Mid Lane: Lux (safe, high damage), Veigar (infinite scaling AP), Annie (if you want to actually learn mid fundamentals instead of feeding on Yasuo).
ADC: Miss Fortune (easy to pick up), Jinx (scales like a monster), Jhin (satisfying four-shot kit).
Support: Leona (engage tank), Lulu (enchanter), Nautilus (hook city). Yuumi’s getting buffs in the upcoming patch 26.8 according to the preview on u.gg, so she might be worth picking up again.
How to Pick Your First Main From 172 Characters
Don’t do what I did. Don’t play 80 different champions in your first two months and wonder why you’re stuck in Iron. Big mistake.
Pick one role. Pick two champions in that role. Spam them for 50 games. You’ll learn the game 10x faster than the player who swaps characters every match. Sites like Mobalytics track win rates and difficulty ratings for all 172 champs if you want data to back up your decision.
If you’re trying to learn how ranked works in LoL, a small champion pool is non-negotiable. You can’t learn macro when you’re still figuring out ability combos.
Struggling to climb? Sometimes a fresh LoL smurf account helps you reset mental and practice without the ranked anxiety. Or if you need a push through a tough division, LoL rank boosting from Playplex is an option players use to get past plateaus.
What’s Coming Next for the LoL Champion Roster?
Riot confirmed in early 2026 that they’re slowing champion releases even further. Only one new champion this year. According to SheepEsports, that champion is Locke, rumored to be an AP fighter from Demacia in the mold of Ekko or Sylas. I think this means Riot’s shifting resources to champion reworks and the upcoming fighting game, Project L. Could be wrong, but the pattern’s hard to ignore.
The Shyvana rework already landed in March and completely rebuilt her kit. Patch 26.7 included further Shyvana adjustments. She’s basically a new champion at this point.
Patch 26.8 drops April 15 with Lillia buffs, Karma nerfs, and Yuumi changes. The roster stays at 172 league of legends characters for a while.
The champion count has slowed, but the game keeps shifting under your feet every two weeks. That’s what keeps 172 characters from feeling stale. Pick two, learn them cold, and go win some LP.
FAQ
How many characters are in League of Legends in 2026?
League of Legends has 172 playable champions as of patch 26.7. Riot has confirmed only one new champion will release in 2026, an AP fighter named Locke expected around mid-year. The roster has grown from 40 at launch in 2009 to its current size.
What are the 6 champion classes in LoL?
The six classes are Fighters (bruisers like Darius), Tanks (crowd control like Ornn), Mages (ability damage like Lux), Assassins (burst like Zed), Marksmen (ranged carries like Jinx), and Supports (utility like Thresh). Some champions are labeled Specialists because they don’t fit neatly into one class.
Which League of Legends region has the most champions?
Ionia and Noxus consistently have the largest champion pools, each tied to over 20 characters. Newer regions like Ixtal and Bandle City have fewer, usually under 10. Riot continues adding lore depth to every region with reworks and new releases.
What is the best champion for beginners in League of Legends?
Garen (top), Lux (mid), Miss Fortune (ADC), and Leona (support) are widely recommended starter picks. They all cost 450 BE, have straightforward kits, and teach fundamentals without demanding complex mechanics. You’ll learn positioning and map awareness faster on simple kits.
How often does Riot release new League of Legends characters?
Riot now releases 3-4 new champions per year, down from 15+ annually during the game’s first two years. In 2026, Riot confirmed they’ll release just one new champion: Locke. The Shyvana rework in March 2026 also effectively added a reworked champion to the roster.