Gangplank

Hardly any top laner depends on mechanical skill as much as Gangplank does. Scored 9 out of 10 for difficulty, this melee brawler turns precise execution into some of the strongest burst and gold generation in the top lane, and his ultimate lets him affect the whole map while staying on his wave.

Everything in his kit revolves around how Parrrley and Powder Keg work together. Parrrley is a point-and-click shot that steals extra gold for every unit it kills, which gives Gangplank a built-in economic advantage in lane. Powder Keg drops a barrel at a chosen spot; when something strikes it, the blast spreads that attack’s damage across an area and slows anyone standing inside. Experienced players link barrels so each explosion sets off the next, producing heavy area damage that slips past much of an enemy’s defensive items. The difference between average and elite Gangplank players often comes down to detonating these chains at the right moment, since attentive opponents can destroy the kegs before they go off.

Trial by Fire layers a periodic burning strike onto his melee attacks, which pays off for short exchanges. Remove Scurvy serves as his main safety net: he consumes citrus to cleanse crowd control and recover health, so the lockdown that would normally finish off a squishy fighter doesn’t stick. Cannon Barrage rounds out the kit, summoning his ship to shell any spot on the map with slowing, damaging cannonfire that can secure an objective or change the outcome of a distant fight.

Gangplank suits patient, greedy players who like to scale into late-game teamfights, where barrel chains and global ultimates settle the match. His main weakness is the early game, where barrels that miss cost him trades.