Lee Sin

Lee Sin has been setting the standard for highlight-worthy plays for more than ten years. This energy-powered melee brawler works top and mid, and each engagement asks him to make a flood of choices: every ability has two casts, so he effectively commands eight buttons and a branching set of outplays at every moment.

Sonic Wave / Resonating Strike is his trademark. The sound wave reveals and deals damage to the first enemy it hits, then opens a three-second dash toward that target. Safeguard / Iron Will sends him rushing to an ally and shields both of them, and Iron Will follows with healing over time. Dropping a ward and then Safeguarding to it is the movement trick that separates good Lee Sins from great ones. Tempest / Cripple slams the ground to hurt and expose enemies, slowing whoever it catches. Flurry connects all of it: each ability boosts his next two basic attacks with attack speed and an energy refund, so skilled Lee Sin players alternate auto attacks between spells instead of firing off abilities back to back.

The kick

Dragon’s Rage stands out as one of the most dramatic ultimates around. Lee Sin throws a roundhouse kick that sends the target flying backward, dealing damage and Airborne-ing anyone they bump into along the way. It can pull a diver off a teammate, slam an enemy into their own frontline, or set up the well-known ward-jump insec that kicks a carry straight into the arms of Lee Sin’s allies.

He excels at early aggression, unmatched mobility and crowd control that creates plays. The downside is that his damage levels off, so in long games he tends to shift into a utility role. Lee Sin suits players who want their reflexes, creativity and map awareness, rather than their item totals, to decide the outcome of fights.