League of Legends (LoL) is one of the most popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games worldwide, attracting millions of players across all skill levels. For newcomers stepping into the expansive and complex world of LoL, choosing the right champion can feel overwhelming. With over 160 champions, each with unique abilities, playstyles, and roles, it’s natural to wonder: What’s the best champion for beginners?
This article will explore key considerations for beginners when selecting their first champion and highlight some of the best champions that offer a smooth learning curve, allowing new players to enjoy the game while building solid fundamentals.
Why Choosing the Right Champion Matters for Beginners
League of Legends is a highly strategic and skill-dependent game where champions vary widely in complexity. Some champions require precise mechanics, intricate combos, or advanced positioning, which might frustrate new players still grasping the basics.
Starting with a champion that is simple to understand and forgiving to play allows beginners to focus on learning core game concepts like:
Last hitting minions to earn gold
Map awareness and positioning
Objective control like dragons and turrets
Team fighting and communication
Choosing a beginner-friendly champion reduces the learning curve, builds confidence, and prevents early burnout — essential for enjoying the game and improving over time.
What Makes a Champion Beginner-Friendly?
Before diving into specific champions, let’s outline the traits that generally make a champion good for beginners:
Simple Mechanics: Champions without overly complex combos or difficult skillshots are easier to pick up.
Sustain and Survivability: Beginners tend to die often, so champions with some form of healing, shields, or tankiness help them stay in fights longer.
Clear Role and Strength: Champions with straightforward roles (like tank, fighter, or mage) help new players understand their purpose in a team.
Impactful Abilities: Abilities that clearly show their effects and help players grasp cause and effect.
Versatility: Champions that can perform well in different situations and roles allow beginners to experiment without feeling restricted.
Best Beginner Champions by Role
To help new players start strong, here are some of the best beginner-friendly champions in each major role.
Top Lane: Garen
Garen is often considered the quintessential beginner champion for the top lane. He’s a tanky fighter with straightforward abilities, making him easy to play and understand.
Why Garen is good for beginners
No mana resource to manage.
Simple Q ability (Decisive Strike) that silences enemies.
Passive health regeneration helps sustain in lane.
Ultimate (Demacian Justice) is a powerful execute.
Tanky and forgiving in mistakes due to his durability.
Playing Garen helps beginners focus on positioning, farming, and basic trading without worrying about complicated combos.
Mid Lane: Annie
Annie is a mage with straightforward spells and strong burst damage. Her kit teaches the fundamentals of spellcasting, positioning, and combo execution without overwhelming mechanics.
Why Annie is beginner-friendly
Point-and-click stun ability (Q – Disintegrate) simplifies harassment.
Her passive grants a guaranteed stun after stacking spells, rewarding timing and planning.
Simple ultimate (Summon: Tibbers) provides both damage and a pet to help control fights.
Mana cost is manageable, allowing beginners to learn mana management.
Annie is an excellent choice to learn mid-lane basics while having the power to impact fights decisively.
ADC (Attack Damage Carry): Ashe
Ashe is a marksman champion with easy-to-understand ranged attacks and supportive crowd control.
Why Ashe suits beginners
Basic attacks are her primary damage source, which helps players practice positioning.
Her W (Volley) is a skillshot with a wide area, easier to hit than other ADC abilities.
Ultimate (Enchanted Crystal Arrow) is a global skillshot stun, teaching map awareness and timing.
Slows from her passive and abilities provide utility and kite potential.
Ashe’s kit encourages new players to master kiting and positioning, key skills for ADCs.
Support: Soraka
Soraka is a healing support champion who excels at sustaining teammates and keeping them alive in fights.
Why Soraka is beginner-friendly:
Healing and silence abilities promote teamplay and map awareness.
No complicated combos or difficult skillshots.
Helps new players understand positioning and timing in a support role.
Ultimate (Wish) heals all allies globally, teaching map-wide awareness.
Soraka allows beginners to learn the importance of protecting teammates and contributing without dealing damage.
Jungle: Warwick
Warwick is a durable jungler with simple mechanics and good sustain, perfect for players new to the jungle role.
Why Warwick is good for beginners
Built-in healing on attacks helps sustain through jungle camps.
Simple Q ability (Jaws of the Beast) for damage and healing.
Ultimate (Infinite Duress) is a suppressing gap closer easy to execute.
Strong tracking and hunting abilities to find low-health enemies.
Warwick teaches map control, jungle pathing, and ganking without requiring high mechanical skill.
Tips for New Players Beyond Champion Choice
While champion selection is important, success in League of Legends also depends on broader learning:
Practice Last Hitting: This skill is fundamental for gold income and early game strength.
Learn Map Awareness: Always glance at the minimap and understand where enemies might be.
Understand Objectives: Dragons, Rift Herald, Baron Nashor, and turrets often decide games.
Communicate with Team: Use pings and chat to coordinate and avoid unnecessary fights.
Watch and Learn: Viewing tutorials, streamers, and pro matches can accelerate learning.
There is no single “best” champion for beginners, but some stand out for their simplicity, forgiving mechanics, and capacity to teach the game’s core concepts. Champions like Garen, Annie, Ashe, Soraka, and Warwick offer new players a manageable and enjoyable entry point into League of Legends.
Remember, the best champion is ultimately one you enjoy playing. Experiment with different champions, roles, and playstyles to find your niche. With practice, patience, and the right champion, every beginner can grow into a skilled summoner ready to take on the Rift.
