Arena Tier List: Best Champions for Patch 26.20

Swain is the best Arena champion on Patch 26.20. He is the only S-tier pick, with a 73.2% top-four rate across 246 games. Cho’Gath and Ashe follow in A tier at 72.2% each, and Sett, Brand, Caitlyn and Jinx fill out B tier.

This Arena tier list is built from 1,286 Arena games played over the last day, read on 9 October 2026. Every champion needs at least 200 games to qualify. The ranking weighs top-four rate, pulled toward the average for smaller samples, plus a small bonus for pick rate.

Five champions stand out as the strongest choices for your next Arena queue.

The full list runs from Swain alone in S tier down to Kai’Sa alone in D tier. Every ranked champion still finishes top four more often than not, so the tiers separate good from better, not playable from unplayable.

S tier is a single pick: Swain, who combines the highest top-four rate on the list with one of its higher pick rates. Pick him when you want the strongest numbers on Patch 26.20 and you are comfortable on him; the gap to A tier is small enough that comfort can outweigh it.

A tier is Cho’Gath and Ashe, both at 72.2% top four and about a point behind Swain. Either is a safe first pick, and together they give you a frontline option and a ranged option at nearly identical strength.

B tier holds four picks between 66.2% and 70.6% top four, including Brand, the most played champion on the list. These are solid choices when the A-tier picks are taken or when you play one of them far better than the champions above.

C tier is Master Yi and Twisted Fate, between 64.6% and 65.8% top four. They still finish top four in most games, so they work as comfort picks, but you give up a few points against the tiers above.

D tier is Kai’Sa alone, at 58.1% top four and several points behind C tier. Pick her only when she is your best champion by a wide margin.

Use the tiers as a tiebreaker, not a mandate. A champion you have played dozens of times in B or C tier will usually serve you better than an S-tier pick you are learning mid-game, because Arena rounds punish misplays fast. If you are unsure how a champion’s kit works, read its page in our champion database before you lock it in.

Build around your partner. This list ranks champions on their own, not Arena duos or augments, so pair your pick with a partner who covers what you lack. A frontline such as Cho’Gath or Sett beside a ranged threat such as Ashe or Caitlyn gives your duo both a way to absorb pressure and a way to deal damage from range. Then take augments that serve that plan rather than chasing the strongest option in isolation.

Recheck the list after each update. Arena numbers move quickly, and a single day of data means the order near the top is not settled. Check the latest patch notes when a new patch lands, and if you are heading back to Summoner’s Rift, our best ADCs list and the wider guides hub cover ranked play by role.