The definitive LoL Swarm Tier List ranks all 9 champions based on millions of games analyzed across multiple sources. Our comprehensive guide reveals the strongest champions for dominating Riot's PvE mode, with detailed build strategies, weapon recommendations, and expert tips to help you survive the Primordian hordes.
| Tier | Champions | Win Rate | Difficulty | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S+ | Riven | 85% | High | Solo play, mobility |
| S | Illaoi, Yasuo, Xayah | 78-82% | Medium-High | Team support, damage |
| A | Leona, Briar, Jinx | 70-75% | Low-Medium | Beginners, utility |
| B | Seraphine | 65% | Low | Healing, support |
| C | Aurora | 58% | High | Niche strategies |
Our tier list combines data from METAsrc, Mobalytics, Dot Esports, U.GG, and Escapist Magazine, analyzing win rates, pick rates, and performance across all difficulty levels. We've also incorporated community feedback from Reddit and Discord to ensure accuracy.
Contents
Key Ranking Factors:
Riven stands alone at the top of our tier list, combining unmatched mobility with invincibility frames and devastating AoE damage. Her ability to dash through enemies while dealing massive damage makes her the premier choice for both solo and team play.
Why Riven is S+ Tier:
Optimal Build:
Pro Tip: Use Riven's ultimate right before taking massive damage from bosses. The invincibility frames will save you while dealing significant AoE damage.
Illaoi dominates through sheer tankiness and consistent AoE damage. Her tentacles create deadly zones that clear entire waves while her ultimate ability melts bosses and elite enemies.
Strengths:
Recommended Build:
Yasuo requires skill but rewards players with unparalleled mobility and critical strike potential. His tornadoes clear waves while his dashes keep him safe from harm.
Why Yasuo Excels:
Optimal Setup:
Xayah combines ranged safety with impressive mobility and single-target damage. Her feathers create deadly patterns while her ultimate provides emergency escape options.
Key Advantages:
Best Build:
Leona excels as a tank/support hybrid, providing incredible survivability for herself and her team. Her shield ability makes her nearly unkillable in the late game.
Strengths:
Recommended Build:
Briar offers strong AoE damage with surprising tankiness. While she requires more defensive investment than other champions, her damage output justifies the cost.
Why Choose Briar:
Optimal Build:
Jinx specializes in gold farming and rapid clearing. While she struggles in the latest waves, her early-game dominance and movement speed make her valuable for progression.
Key Benefits:
Best Setup:
Seraphine fills a niche role as a healing/support champion. While she lacks the damage output of higher-tier champions, her shielding ability can be invaluable in team compositions.
Strengths:
Recommended Build:
Aurora struggles with poor scaling and difficult mechanics. While dedicated players can make her work, she requires significantly more investment than other champions for comparable results.
Challenges:
If You Must Play Aurora:
Champion: Jinx
Weapons: YuumiBot, Bunny Mega Blast, Bunny Crossbow, UwU Blaster
Stats: Movement Speed, Ability Haste, Pickup Radius, Damage
Augments: Death and Taxes, Area Size, Projectiles
This build maximizes gold collection speed, allowing you to unlock upgrades faster. Focus on movement speed to zoom between gold chests while weapons handle automatic clearing.
Champion: Leona
Weapons: Iceblast Armor, Radiant Field, Cyclonic Slicers, Vortex Glove
Stats: Ability Haste, Armor, Health Regeneration, Max Health
Augments: Yuumi upgrade, Area Size, Experience
Prioritize survivability to outlast the most challenging waves. Leona's shield combined with defensive weapons makes you nearly unkillable.
Champion: Riven
Weapons: Blade-o-rang, Statikk Sword, Bunny Crossbow, The Annihilator
Stats: Movement Speed, Critical Chance, Damage, Health Regeneration
Augments: Death and Taxes, Ability Haste, Area Size
Maximize movement and critical strike for rapid clearing. Riven's dashes combined with high crit chance create a devastating hit-and-run playstyle.
Best Champions: Riven, Yasuo, Xayah
Strategy: Use open spaces for kiting. Ion cannons are excellent for clearing large groups. Focus on movement speed to navigate between cover.
Best Champions: Illaoi, Leona, Briar
Strategy: Freeze zones are your best friend. Tanky champions excel in tight corridors. Use environmental hazards to your advantage.
Best Champions: All champions viable
Strategy: Balanced map requiring adaptability. Use building cover for ranged champions, open areas for melee. Boss fights require proper positioning.
Best Champions: Jinx, Xayah, Seraphine
Strategy: Long sightlines favor ranged champions. Conveyor belts can be used for positioning. Explosive barrels provide additional damage opportunities.
Many new players focus too much on damage and forget that movement is your primary defense. Always be moving, even when attacking.
Choosing weapons that don't synergize with your champion's playstyle significantly reduces effectiveness. Match weapons to champion strengths.
Each map has unique features that can dramatically impact gameplay. Learn and use these mechanics to your advantage.
Saving ultimate abilities for "perfect moments" often means never using them. Use them frequently to maximize uptime and damage.
Even in solo play, thinking about team composition helps. If playing co-op, coordinate champion choices for maximum synergy.
Learn to cancel ability animations with movement to maintain DPS while staying mobile. This is especially important for Riven and Yasuo.
Coordinate weapon activations with ability usage for maximum damage output. For example, use AoE weapons during Yasuo's tornado knockup.
Manage your gold and upgrade choices carefully. Early investment in key stats pays off more than spreading upgrades too thin.
Each boss has unique patterns. Learn these patterns and time your abilities accordingly. Save defensive abilities for boss special attacks.
Riven is currently considered the best champion due to her unmatched mobility, invincibility frames, and exceptional scaling. She can solo extreme difficulty and has the highest win rate across all skill levels.
Leona is the most beginner-friendly champion due to her straightforward mechanics, high survivability, and consistent performance. She allows new players to learn game mechanics without constant frustration.
Champions are unlocked by playing the mode and earning gold. Start with available champions, earn gold through gameplay, and purchase new champions from the main menu. Some champions require more gold than others.
Iceblast Armor, Battle Bunny Crossbow, and Statikk Sword are considered the best weapons due to their versatility and strong performance across multiple champions and situations.
Augments are crucial for late-game success. Focus on augments that complement your champion's strengths, such as Death and Taxes for gold farming or Yuumi upgrades for ability haste.
Yes, Swarm is fully playable solo and many strategies are designed for single-player. However, co-op play offers shared XP and gold, making progression faster.
Death and Taxes is a powerful augment that gives enemies a chance to drop gold when killed. It's found by completing Yuumi events and is essential for gold farming builds.
Focus on movement first, learn champion abilities, experiment with different weapon combinations, and study map mechanics. Watch experienced players and practice consistently.
Each champion has unique abilities, weapon preferences, and playstyles. Some excel at damage, others at tanking or support, creating varied gameplay experiences.
Swarm is currently a limited-time mode, but Riot has hinted it may return or become permanent based on player feedback and popularity.
The LoL Swarm Tier List for November 2025 clearly shows Riven as the dominant champion, followed closely by Illaoi, Yasuo, and Xayah in S tier. However, the beauty of Swarm lies in its accessibility - with proper builds and strategy, even lower-tier champions can be effective.
Remember that tier lists are guidelines, not absolute rules. Play the champion you enjoy most, focus on proper build synergy, and don't be afraid to experiment. The most important factor in Swarm success is understanding your champion's strengths and playing to them.
Whether you're farming gold with Jinx, tanking waves with Leona, or dashing through enemies with Riven, Swarm offers something for every playstyle. Use this tier list as your foundation, adapt it to your preferences, and most importantly - have fun surviving the Primordian hordes!
Ready to dominate Swarm? Bookmark this guide for quick reference during your runs, and join our Discord community for the latest strategies and build updates. The Primordians won't know what hit them!