What Makes a Good BOT Champion?
Playing attack damage carry is one of the most demanding roles in League of Legends. Unlike solo lanes, where you have full control over your matchups, bot lane is a 2v2 dynamic, meaning your performance is heavily tied to your support, team compositions, and how well you can navigate both laning phase and teamfights. This makes choosing the right ADC to main a crucial decision, especially if you want a champion that remains strong across multiple patches and metas. So what makes a great ADC? More than just basic attacks!
Adapting to Meta Changes
League of Legends constantly changes with buffs, nerfs, and shifts in itemization. Sometimes ADCs that rely on attack speed dominate the meta, while in other patches, ADCs that focus on raw AD burst or lifesteal-heavy builds are stronger. A good ADC should be versatile enough to perform well regardless of the current meta.
Synergy with Different Supports
Unlike top, mid, or jungle, bot lane is a duo lane. You’re not just playing your champion—you’re also working with a random support in most games. The best ADCs aren’t just strong on their own; they can function well with different types of supports.
Some ADCs require very specific supports to be effective. For instance:
- Draven needs an aggressive support like Nautilus, Thresh, or Blitzcrank to help him win early fights. If he gets paired with a passive enchanter like Janna or Yuumi, his lane presence is much weaker. It can change later in team fights.
- Samira is almost useless without an engage support. If she doesn’t have a Leona or Alistar to start fights, she struggles to play aggressively.
Choosing an ADC with good support synergy means you won’t feel like your champion is useless when paired with the “wrong” support on summoner's rift. You do not need your friend's heals or shields or perfect champs synergy to carry.
Survivability & Self-Sufficiency
A major weakness of the ADC role is that you’re the primary target in teamfights. Enemy assassins, divers, and bruisers will always try to eliminate you first. That’s why good ADCs need survival tools to reposition and stay alive.
- Mobility: ADCs like Ezreal, Tristana, and Kai’Sa have dashes or blinks that allow them to escape from danger. This makes them much safer than ADCs like Aphelios, who completely relies on his teammates for protection.
- Self-peel: Champions with knockbacks or CC abilities (like Tristana’s Buster Shot or Jinx’s Flame Chompers) can stop assassins from jumping on them.
- Kiting ability: ADCs like Vayne can reposition quickly and dodge skill shots with their mobility tools, making them harder to lock down.
ADC mains who choose champions with built-in survival tools will die less and have a bigger impact on fights.
Summary: What Makes the Best ADC to Main?
To sum it up, a strong ADC to main should:
✅ Be viable in most metas (so you don’t need to switch champions every patch).
✅ Work well with different supports (so you don’t struggle in bad matchups).
✅ Have strong carry potential (so you can win games even if your team is struggling).
✅ Be able to survive fights (so you aren’t constantly getting deleted by assassins).
The next sections will cover the 5 best ADCs that meet all of these criteria. (Do not pay attention to pick rate in the current meta!)
1. Tristana – The Most Underrated Meta-Proof ADC
Tristana is one of the most reliable ADCs you can main in any meta. She doesn’t rely on specific itemization, she works with multiple playstyles, and she has both early-game power and late-game carry potential. Unlike some ADCs who thrive only in certain patches, Tristana’s core strengths remain consistent, making her one of the best ADCs to invest time in.
Why Tristana is Always Viable
Adaptable to Different Metas
Tristana is one of the few ADCs that can be played in multiple styles depending on the meta. If the game favors burst damage, she can go for a Hail of Blades setup and jump on enemies for quick kills. If the meta is more about long fights and DPS, she can switch to Lethal Tempo and shred through tanks with extended auto attacks.
This adaptability makes her immune to most patch changes because she always has a build that works. Whether Riot buffs crit, attack speed, or raw AD items, Tristana can adjust her playstyle and remain strong.
Strong in All Stages of the Game
- Early Game: Tristana has one of the best level 2 all-ins of any ADC. Her Explosive Charge (E) + Hail of Blades auto-attacks + Jump (W) lets her burst down squishy targets before they can react.
- Mid Game: She can snowball leads extremely well. If she gets even a small advantage in lane, she can push her lead by taking towers faster than most ADCs. She’s also very good at taking kills and jumping out with her W reset.
- Late Game: She becomes a hyper-carry with one of the highest attack range scalings in the game (her passive gives her more range as she levels up). This means that in the late game, she can out-range most ADCs while getting TONS of attack speed from her Q.
Unlike ADCs that either spike early (like Draven) or scale late (like Jinx), Tristana can do both.
Mobility & Self-Peel – A Safe ADC to Main
One of the biggest problems with playing ADC is getting dove by assassins or bruisers. Tristana is one of the few ADCs that has built-in safety tools, making her much harder to kill than traditional immobile ADCs.
- Rocket Jump (W): Lets her jump away from danger.
- Buster Shot (R): A knockback that can push away assassins and stop divers from reaching her.
- Reset Potential: If she gets a kill, assist or stacks her E fully, her W resets, letting her jump multiple times in fights.
Tristana’s Weaknesses & How to Play Around Them
1. Weak Level 1
Before hitting level 2, Tristana’s damage is low. Avoid trading early and wait until you unlock your W + E combo to look for fights.
2. Short Early-Game Range
Until level 10, Tristana’s attack range is shorter than most ADCs (e.g., Caitlyn, Jinx). Play carefully against long-range ADCs and wait for your chance to jump in.
3. Mistimed Jumps Can Get You Killed
Tristana’s W resets on kills, but if you jump in too early and don’t get a reset, you’ll be stuck in a bad position. Only jump in when you’re sure you can secure a kill or escape safely.
Final Thoughts – Why You Should Main Tristana
✔ Pros:
✅ Works in every meta – Can play both burst and DPS styles.
✅ One of the safest ADCs – Has mobility + self-peel, making her hard to kill.
✅ Destroys towers – One of the best ADCs for fast objective control.
✅ Resets make her unstoppable in fights – Once she gets rolling, she snowballs out of control.
❌ Cons:
❌ Short early-game range – Struggles against long-range ADCs.
❌ Requires good decision-making – Jumping in too early can instantly lose fights.
Should You Main Tristana?
If you’re looking for an ADC that’s safe, strong in all metas, and fun to play, Tristana is one of the best picks. She has everything you need to carry games—strong early power, great scaling, and a reset mechanic that lets her take over fights.
2. Jinx – The Ultimate Hyper Carry
Jinx is one of the most satisfying ADCs to play because of her insane snowball potential. The moment she gets one kill or assist in a fight, her passive, Get Excited!, gives her a massive movement and attack speed boost, letting her completely take over fights.
Unlike some ADCs who need perfect positioning or team support to be effective, Jinx thrives in chaotic fights, turning small advantages into full-team wipes. If you like the feeling of 1v9-ing late-game teamfights, Jinx is the ADC for you.
Why Jinx is Always Viable
1. She Can Single-Handedly Carry Games
Jinx is one of the best ADCs for solo queue because she doesn’t need perfect team coordination to carry fights. Many ADCs rely on their teams for peel and setup, but Jinx just needs one kill to go completely crazy.
- Get Excited! (Passive): Whenever Jinx gets a kill, assist, or destroys a turret, she gains a massive movement and attack speed boost. This means that if she kills just one enemy in a teamfight, she instantly becomes the most dangerous champion in the game.
- AoE Auto Attacks: Jinx’s rocket form lets her hit multiple enemies at once, making her a monster in teamfights.
If you survive the early game, Jinx is one of the best late-game ADCs in League of Legends.
2. She Has Insane Range & Scaling
Jinx scales better than almost any other ADC. In the late game:
✔ She has one of the highest attack ranges in the game with her rocket form.
✔ She deals AoE damage with rockets, making her insanely strong in teamfights.
✔ Her Q (Switcheroo!) gives her bonus attack speed and damage, letting her melt turrets and champions.
Her damage per second (DPS) skyrockets in the late game, making her one of the few ADCs that can 1v5 although not completely alone as she still needs some help from her team.
3. Strong Objective Control
Jinx is one of the best ADCs at securing objectives because of her:
✔ High attack speed – She melts Baron and Dragon faster than most ADCs.
✔ Global Execute Ultimate (Super Mega Death Rocket! R) – This lets her steal objectives or finish off enemies from anywhere on the map.
Her ability to secure objectives makes her valuable in both solo queue and competitive play.
Jinx’s Weaknesses & How to Play Around Them
1. Weak Early Game
Jinx has no mobility and no self-peel before she gets items. If the enemy bot lane is aggressive, she can’t fight back until she has her first core item.
✔ How to play around it:
- Farm safely and don’t take unnecessary trades in the early game.
- Play with vision—Jinx is an easy target for early jungle ganks.
2. No Escape Tools
Jinx has zero dashes or mobility skills, making her an easy target for assassins. If she gets jumped on by Zed, Nocturne, or Rengar, she dies instantly.
✔ How to play around it:
- Position safely in teamfights—always stand behind your frontline.
- Stay near your support—don’t walk up alone.
Final Thoughts – Why You Should Main Jinx
✔ Pros:
✅ One of the best late-game carries in the game – Can 1v5 fights with her AoE damage and passive resets.
✅ Long-range rockets let her fight safely.
✅ One of the strongest ADCs in solo queue—even if your team is losing, Jinx can turn fights around.
✅ Global execute ultimate lets her snipe kills and steal objectives.
❌ Cons:
❌ Weak early game – Needs time to scale before becoming powerful.
❌ No mobility – If assassins or divers jump on her, she’s dead.
❌ Very reliant on team protection – Needs a strong support and frontline to survive fights.
Should You Main Jinx?
Jinx is one of the most rewarding ADCs to main if you enjoy hyper-carry playstyles. She starts weak, but if you farm well and survive until late game, she can hard-carry games like no other ADC.
She’s perfect for players who want a high-damage, late-game champion that can win fights with AoE crits and resets. If you can position well and survive early, Jinx is one of the best ADCs to main in all metas.
3. Vayne – The Queen of Outplays & Tank Shredding
Vayne is the ultimate mechanical ADC that rewards players who love outplays, kiting, and dueling enemies 1v1. She is one of the best late-game hyper-carries and completely destroys tanks thanks to her true damage from Silver Bolts (W).
Unlike other ADCs who rely on attack speed or crit damage alone, Vayne has one of the most unique scaling abilities in the game—she deals percentage-based true damage, meaning no matter how much armor an enemy builds, she can shred through them.
She’s a high-risk, high-reward ADC, perfect for players who want to outplay enemies and solo-carry games.
Why Vayne is Always Viable
1. She Melts Tanks – No Matter the Meta
One of the biggest problems in ADC meta shifts is how strong tanks are. Sometimes, bruisers and tanky frontlines become unkillable for most ADCs, forcing them to rely on teammates to do damage.
But Vayne never has this problem.
✔ Her W (Silver Bolts) does % MAX HP true damage.
✔ This means that even if a champion builds full armor, she still shreds them.
✔ Against tank-heavy metas, Vayne becomes one of the strongest ADCs in the game.
If you hate feeling useless against tanky frontlines, Vayne is the perfect ADC to main.
2. Insane Outplay Potential
Vayne is one of the few ADCs that can 1v1 almost any champion in the game—including assassins and bruisers. Her kit is designed for dueling, giving her multiple ways to outplay enemies:
✔ Q (Tumble) – Free repositioning & animation canceling.
✔ E (Condemn) – Stuns enemies if they hit a wall.
✔ Ultimate (Final Hour) – Grants invisibility on Q, making her extremely hard to kill.
A good Vayne player can outplay entire teams simply by using stealth repositioning, Condemn stuns, and smart kiting.
3. One of the Best Late-Game ADCs
Vayne is one of the strongest ADCs at 3+ items. She scales infinitely well, meaning if she gets to full build, she is one of the best champions in the game.
✔ Her attack range is shorter than most ADCs, but her mobility lets her dodge skill shots and reposition constantly.
✔ She has built-in true damage, meaning no one can outscale her defensively.
✔ She destroys tanks, assassins, and squishy carries alike.
If you enjoy playing for late-game fights and winning with pure mechanics, Vayne is one of the most rewarding ADCs to main.
Vayne’s Weaknesses & How to Play Around Them
1. Weak Early Game
Vayne has one of the worst laning phases of any ADC because of her short range and lack of early burst damage.
✔ How to play around it:
- Focus only on farming in the early game.
- Do NOT trade aggressively until you have items.
- If necessary, give up some CS to stay safe—Vayne doesn’t need to win lane to win the game.
2. Short Range
Unlike ADCs like Jinx or Caitlyn, Vayne has very short attack range, meaning she has to get closer to enemies to deal damage.
✔ How to play around it:
- Always position near terrain so you can Condemn enemies into walls for a free stun.
- Use Q (Tumble) defensively in fights—don’t roll forward unless you’re certain you can secure a kill.
Final Thoughts – Why You Should Main Vayne
✔ Pros:
✅ One of the best ADCs for 1v1 dueling—can outplay almost any champion.
✅ Destroys tanks—true damage means she’s always relevant in tank-heavy metas.
✅ High mobility—stealth + Q (Tumble) lets her reposition constantly in fights.
✅ One of the most fun ADCs to master—high skill ceiling with room for outplays.
❌ Cons:
❌ Weak early game—needs time to scale.
❌ Short range—requires excellent positioning to survive fights.
❌ High skill ceiling—not an easy champion to pick up.
Should You Main Vayne?
Vayne is the perfect ADC for players who:
✔ Love high-mobility, outplay-heavy champions.
✔ Want to carry late-game fights by themselves.
✔ Enjoy mechanical, high-skill champions that reward precise movement.
She’s not for everyone—her early game is weak, and she requires excellent positioning. But if you can master her, Vayne is one of the most rewarding ADCs in the game.
4. Ezreal – The Perma-Safe ADC That Never Falls Out of Meta
Ezreal is one of the few ADCs who has been viable in every single meta since his release. While other ADCs rely on auto-attacks for most of their damage, Ezreal is skill-shot based, making him play more like a mid-lane mage or poke champion than a traditional marksman.
Because of this unique playstyle, Ezreal excels in situations where other ADCs struggle—he can farm safely in losing lanes, poke down enemies from a distance, and reposition with his built-in escape tool, Arcane Shift (E).
Unlike most ADCs, Ezreal isn’t hard-countered by engage or dive champions because he rarely stands still long enough to be caught. If you want an ADC that lets you play aggressively without risking your life every fight, Ezreal is one of the best champions to main.
Why Ezreal is Always Viable
1. One of the Safest ADCs to Play
Unlike most ADCs who rely on good positioning and support protection, Ezreal has his own built-in escape tool—Arcane Shift (E).
✔ Arcane Shift (E) teleports him away from danger, making him one of the hardest ADCs to gank or dive.
✔ He can farm safely from a distance using Mystic Shot (Q), meaning he doesn’t need to walk up and trade autos like other ADCs.
✔ In bad matchups, he can sit back, poke, and farm with abilities, avoiding dangerous trades.
This makes Ezreal one of the best ADCs for players who hate getting jumped on and dying instantly.
2. Consistently Strong in Every Meta
Ezreal is never weak. Even in metas where crit ADCs dominate, he can still be played because he:
✔ Has multiple viable builds—can go crit, lethality, or hybrid AP.
✔ Doesn’t rely on teammates for peel—his mobility lets him survive teamfights by himself.
✔ Scales well without needing a perfect laning phase—unlike ADCs like Draven or Samira, who need early kills.
Because of this, Ezreal is one of the best blind-pick ADCs in League. No matter what patch or enemy matchup you’re facing, he always has a way to be useful.
3. Extremely Versatile Playstyle
Ezreal can be played in multiple different ways, depending on the matchup and meta:
✔ Poke Playstyle: If the enemy team has low sustain, Ezreal can play as a poke-heavy ADC, whittling them down with Mystic Shot (Q) and Essence Flux (W).
✔ Sustained DPS Playstyle: If the enemy team has a strong frontline, he can build attack speed and play a longer, drawn-out teamfight style.
✔ Hybrid AP Playstyle: If the enemy builds too much armor, Ezreal can switch to an AP-heavy build (using items like Luden’s and Nashor’s Tooth) to deal magic damage instead of physical.
Because of his build flexibility, Ezreal is always relevant in every meta.
Ezreal’s Weaknesses & How to Play Around Them
1. Weaker DPS in Extended Fights
Unlike champions like Jinx or Vayne, Ezreal relies on skill shots for damage instead of auto-attacks. This means that in extended 5v5 teamfights, his DPS is lower.
✔ How to play around it:
- Play for poke damage before fights start—don’t just stand and auto-attack like other ADCs.
- Land W + Q combos consistently
2. Skill Shot Reliant
If Ezreal misses his Qs, he deals no damage. Unlike other ADCs who still contribute damage by right-clicking, Ezreal has to land his abilities to stack his passive to deal damage with auto attacks.
✔ How to play around it:
- Practice aiming skill shots—Ezreal’s damage is 100% dependent on accuracy.
- Don’t spam Arcane Shift (E) aggressively—it’s your escape tool, not an engage button.
Final Thoughts – Why You Should Main Ezreal
✔ Pros:
✅ One of the safest ADCs in the game—built-in escape tool.
✅ Viable in every meta—always has a strong build option.
✅ Can play from behind—doesn’t need early kills to be useful.
✅ Flexible itemization—AD, lethality, or hybrid AP.
❌ Cons:
❌ Lower sustained DPS than auto-attack ADCs.
❌ 100% skill-shot dependent—missing Qs = no damage.
❌ Takes time to master—requires patience and good positioning.
Should You Main Ezreal?
Ezreal is the perfect ADC for players who:
✔ Want a safe, poke-heavy ADC that doesn’t die every fight.
✔ Enjoy high-mobility champions with skill-based playstyles.
✔ Prefer positioning and decision-making over auto-attacking and DPS racing.
If you want an ADC that’s always viable, never gets hard-countered, and gives you room to outplay, Ezreal is the best ADC you can main.
5. Kai’Sa – The Most Flexible ADC in League
Kai’Sa is one of the most versatile ADCs in the game, able to play multiple roles, builds, and playstyles. Unlike most ADCs who are locked into one specific itemization path, Kai’Sa can switch between AD, AP, or hybrid builds based on the matchup and meta.
Her unique evolution system allows her to power spike at different times, making her one of the best ADCs for players who like to adapt their build every game.
She is perfect for aggressive ADC players who love jumping into fights, bursting down enemies, and making high-risk, high-reward plays.
Why Kai’Sa is Always Viable
1. She Has Multiple Playstyles
Kai’Sa is one of the few ADCs that can play in different ways depending on the game. Most ADCs are stuck playing one role, but Kai’Sa can be a standard DPS marksman, a burst assassin, or even a poke-heavy AP mage.
✔ AD Burst Build: Great for quickly killing squishy champions.
✔ Hybrid On-Hit Build: Strong for dealing sustained DPS in teamfights.
✔ AP Build: Best for poke and one-shotting enemies from long range.
Because of her flexibility, Kai’Sa never truly falls out of meta—even if crit ADCs are weak, she can switch to AP or on-hit builds and still carry.
2. Incredible Mobility & Outplay Potential
Kai’Sa is one of the most mobile ADCs thanks to her Ultimate (Killer Instinct, R).
✔ Her ult lets her dash onto isolated enemies, instantly repositioning in fights.
✔ She can dodge skill shots, escape dangerous situations, or chase down kills.
✔ If she pairs with a CC-heavy team, she can quickly follow up on engages, making her a deadly teamfighter.
Most ADCs have to play defensively to survive fights, but Kai’Sa can be aggressive, jumping in and out of fights to finish off targets.
3. Strong Scaling with Evolutions
Kai’Sa has a unique evolution system based on her itemization and stats.
✔ If she builds attack speed, her E (Supercharge) evolves, giving her invisibility when activated.
✔ If she builds enough AD, her Q (Icathian Rain) evolves, dealing more missiles and higher burst damage.
✔ If she builds AP, her W (Void Seeker) evolves, dealing massive poke damage from long range.
This makes Kai’Sa one of the few ADCs that can power spike at different times depending on her build.
Kai’Sa’s Weaknesses & How to Play Around Them
1. Short Auto-Attack Range
Kai’Sa has one of the shortest auto-attack ranges for an ADC. This means she has to get close to enemies to deal damage.
✔ How to play around it:
- Use your ultimate (R) to reposition safely in fights.
- Wait for your team to engage first before dashing in.
- Abuse your W (Void Seeker) to poke enemies before committing to fights.
2. High-Risk, High-Reward Playstyle
Kai’Sa is not a traditional ADC—she plays more like an assassin in teamfights. If she jumps in at the wrong time, she dies instantly.
✔ How to play around it:
- Don’t ult in unless you’re 100% sure you can secure a kill.
- Watch enemy cooldowns—if assassins still have their burst abilities, don’t engage yet.
- Use your E invisibility to reposition and kite enemies.
Final Thoughts – Why You Should Main Kai’Sa
✔ Pros:
✅ Incredibly flexible builds—can go AD, AP, or hybrid.
✅ One of the best ADCs for aggressive playstyles.
✅ Strong scaling—once she evolves her abilities, she spikes hard.
✅ Can reposition in fights with her ultimate, giving her strong mobility.
❌ Cons:
❌ Short auto-attack range—needs to get close to deal damage.
❌ High-risk, high-reward—bad ults can instantly lose fights.
❌ Not the best laning phase—needs items before she becomes strong.
Should You Main Kai’Sa?
Kai’Sa is the perfect ADC for players who:
✔ Love aggressive, playmaking champions.
✔ Want a flexible ADC that can adapt to any meta.
✔ Enjoy outplaying enemies with dashes, burst combos, and skillful repositioning.
She’s not an easy ADC to master—her short range and risky playstyle mean positioning is everything. But if you can learn when to jump in and when to wait, Kai’Sa is one of the strongest ADCs in League.
Conclusion – Which ADC is Right for You?
Choosing the right ADC to main depends on your playstyle, mechanics, and preferred role in teamfights. Each of the champions on this list offers unique strengths that make them viable in every meta, ensuring that you won’t need to relearn a new ADC every patch.
Which ADC Should You Main?
✔ Pick Tristana if you enjoy snowballing leads and destroying towers early. She’s an aggressive laning ADC that excels at fast-paced games where early-game impact matters.
✔ Pick Jinx if you want to be a late-game hyper-carry that can 1v9 fights once you get a single kill. She’s perfect for teamfight-heavy games where you can scale safely.
✔ Pick Vayne if you love mechanical outplays and shredding tanks. She’s the best ADC for 1v1 dueling and carrying from behind, but requires strong positioning and kiting skills.
✔ Pick Ezreal if you prefer a safe, skill-shot-heavy ADC that can play independently of supports. He’s one of the best blind-pick ADCs since he never gets hard-countered.
✔ Pick Kai’Sa if you want a flexible ADC that can play multiple styles. She’s great for aggressive players who love jumping in and making plays, with adaptable item builds for different metas.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for an ADC that can carry games, remain strong in every patch, and allow you to climb the ranked ladder, any of these five champions will serve you well.
- For early aggression and fast wins: Tristana
- For late-game monster scaling: Jinx
- For high-mechanical outplays: Vayne
- For a safe, poke-heavy ADC: Ezreal
- For an all-in, adaptive playstyle: Kai’Sa
Regardless of who you pick, mastering a champion takes time, so focus on learning their matchups, optimal builds, and positioning. The more you refine your playstyle, the more you’ll be able to carry games and climb ranks as an ADC main.
Now go forth and dominate the bot lane. 🎯🔥
