The ADC, short for attack damage carry, is the bot laner who supplies most of the team’s sustained ranged damage once the game reaches its late stages. Early on an ADC is easy to kill, but a marksman who survives and gets their items becomes the most dangerous piece on the map. This guide explains how the role plays out and points to the live ADC tier list, builds and counters.
How the ADC Role Works
Your bot lane partner is a support, which means the job depends on teamwork as much as on mechanical skill. In the opening minutes you collect minions safely and make careful trades; afterwards you hover near the edges of team fights and convert your items into damage. What separates a good ADC from a great one is positioning rather than how aggressively they play.
Marksmen generally sort into three groups: hyper-carries that peak hardest, lane bullies that take over the early game, and utility marksmen who offer range or crowd control. Which group suits you depends on your support and on how your team likes to play.
Best ADC Champions to Consider
A fixed ranking would be outdated within a patch or two, so this guide sends you to current data instead. The ADC tier list orders champions by actual performance on the live patch, which means it tracks the meta as it stands today. Keep it open next to this page and use the top of each tier as your starting shortlist.
Every champion on that list links to a champion page covering abilities and lore, a build with runes and items, and a set of counters for matchups. Weighing two or three candidates this way beats relying on a static list, since balance changes every patch.
How to Choose a Champion
Base your pick on the kind of games you usually enjoy. A hyper-carry pays off if you are happy to farm patiently and win late, while a lane bully fits players who want to pressure early. The tier list reflects current strength, and the items database together with our best ADC items guide explain how to build your champion.
Builds and Runes
After choosing a champion, settle on a dependable setup before you queue up. The builds database lists up-to-date items and skill orders, and the runes section breaks down keystones and complete rune pages. Running a current build avoids one of the most frequent causes of throwing away a game you could have won.
To see how top players handle the role, the ADC pro builds page shows what professionals actually run. It makes a useful check against your own setup.
Counters and Ranked Climbing
Understanding matchups accounts for a large part of playing the role well. Use the counters database to see who beats your pick and whom your pick beats, and consult our counter guides for the hardest opponents. If you are aiming to climb, the ranked climbing guide and the ranks guide help you plan champion choices over the long run.
Practical Tips
- Stick with a small pool of two or three adc champions instead of trying every new release.
- Check the ADC tier list at the start of each patch to spot changes.
- Borrow a current setup from the builds database rather than guessing your items.
- Review counters for your matchup before locking in.
- Follow patch notes to keep your picks relevant as balance shifts.
Kai'Sa S+ 
