League of Legends: 10 Best ADCS To Climb With in Season 16

Climbing ranked as an ADC in Season 16 can feel rough if you’re not playing the right champions, but the role is still one of the strongest ways to carry games when picked correctly. With the current meta favoring reliable damage, strong scaling, and safe laning, choosing the right marksman makes a massive difference in how consistently you win. Some ADCs shine by dominating lane, others take over teamfights later on, and a few do both extremely well. In this article, we’ll break down the 10 best ADCs to climb with in League of Legends Season 16, focusing on champions that perform well in solo queue, reward good positioning, and can turn games around even when things don’t start perfectly.

#10: Aphelios

Aphelios earns a spot on this list in Season 16 because of his insane damage potential in the right hands. While he’s one of the hardest ADCs to master, players who invest time into learning his weapon rotations can completely take over games. His laning phase can be volatile, but once he reaches mid to late game, Aphelios becomes a teamfight monster capable of shredding entire teams if protected properly. He works best with peel-heavy supports and rewards strong positioning and game knowledge. If you’re confident in your mechanics and want a high-skill, high-reward ADC that can solo carry fights, Aphelios is absolutely worth playing to climb.

#9: Twitch

Twitch is one of the most dangerous ADCs to climb with in Season 16 if you like punishing mistakes and taking over games through surprise plays. His stealth gives him massive pick potential, especially in solo queue where vision control is often sloppy. Even if lane doesn’t go perfectly, Twitch can still find openings by roaming, flanking, and snowballing fights with his ultimate. Once he gets a few items, his teamfight damage becomes overwhelming, melting grouped enemies in seconds. If you enjoy sneaky playstyles and carrying games through smart positioning and timing rather than lane dominance alone, Twitch is a very strong climbing pick.

#8: Vayne

Vayne is a classic solo-queue carry and still one of the best ADCs to climb with in Season 16 if you’re comfortable playing for scaling. Her early lane can be rough into heavy poke, but she makes up for it by absolutely destroying tanks and bruisers once mid game hits. Vayne thrives in chaotic fights where positioning matters more than raw range, and her outplay potential lets you win duels and skirmishes that most ADCs simply can’t. With good mechanics and patience, Vayne can take over games almost on her own, making her a strong choice for players who trust their mechanics and want true late-game carry power.

#7: Jhin

Jhin is a great ADC to climb with in Season 16 because he brings impact without needing perfect mechanics or nonstop auto-attacking. His lane phase is strong thanks to long-range poke, good trading patterns, and solid setup with most supports. What really makes Jhin shine in solo queue is how well he controls fights from a safe distance, opening picks with his W and finishing enemies with his ultimate. He’s especially effective when games are messy, since his burst damage and crowd control punish bad positioning hard. If you want a reliable ADC that stays useful even when behind and doesn’t rely on pure DPS races, Jhin is a very strong pick for climbing.

#6: Caitlyn

Caitlyn is one of the safest and most consistent ADCs to climb with in Season 16, especially if you value lane control and steady pressure. Her long attack range lets her bully lanes early, secure farm easily, and chip away at turrets without putting herself in danger. She’s great at setting the pace of the game, forcing enemies to play defensively while you build a lead through plates and objectives. In mid to late game fights, Caitlyn excels at zoning with traps and dealing damage from a distance, making her reliable even when teams aren’t perfectly coordinated. If you want an ADC that rewards good positioning and fundamentals while keeping risk low, Caitlyn is an excellent choice for climbing.

#5: Miss Fortune

Miss Fortune is one of the easiest and most effective ADCs to climb with in Season 16, especially in solo queue. Her laning phase is strong thanks to constant poke and simple trading patterns, allowing her to build leads without needing complex mechanics. What really makes Miss Fortune shine is her teamfight impact; a well-placed ultimate can instantly decide fights, even when your team coordination isn’t perfect. She performs extremely well in chaotic games where enemies group up or misposition, which happens often in ranked. If you want a reliable ADC that delivers big damage with minimal risk and punishes mistakes hard, Miss Fortune is a top-tier pick for consistent climbing.

#4: Nilah

Nilah is a strong and underrated ADC to climb with in Season 16, especially if you enjoy aggressive, close-range playstyles. Unlike traditional marksmen, she thrives in skirmishes and all-ins, gaining huge value from extended fights and strong support synergy. Her kit rewards good timing and confidence, letting her snowball hard once she gets ahead. Nilah also scales extremely well, turning into a late-game threat that can survive longer than most ADCs thanks to her sustain and durability. If you’re comfortable playing closer to danger and want an ADC that can dominate fights when played correctly, Nilah is a powerful pick for climbing.

#3: Sivir

Sivir is one of the most consistent ADCs to climb with in Season 16 because she brings value even when games feel messy. Her wave clear is top tier, making it easy to farm safely, stall losing games, or pressure lanes without overextending. What really makes Sivir shine is her teamfight presence; her ultimate gives your entire team movement speed, which helps start fights, disengage bad ones, or chase down kills. She doesn’t rely on flashy mechanics and stays useful even when behind, which is perfect for solo queue. If you want an ADC that wins games through smart positioning, wave control, and teamfight utility, Sivir is a very reliable climbing pick.

#2: Smolder

Smolder is one of the strongest ADCs to climb with in Season 16 thanks to how well he scales and how forgiving his kit is in solo queue. His early game is focused on stacking and farming safely, which fits perfectly into ranked environments where chaotic fights aren’t always worth joining. Once Smolder ramps up, his damage becomes overwhelming, letting him melt teams from a safe distance without needing risky positioning. He’s especially effective in longer games, where his scaling turns him into a late-game win condition almost by default. If you enjoy playing smart, focusing on consistency, and taking over games as they go on, Smolder is an excellent pick for climbing.

#1: Jinx

Jinx takes the top spot as the best ADC to climb with in Season 16 because of how hard she can take over games once fights start going your way. Her scaling is incredible, and a single reset can completely swing a teamfight in your favor. Jinx thrives in solo queue where fights are often chaotic, allowing her to clean up and snowball out of control with her bonus attack speed and movement speed. She’s also strong in lane when played patiently, making it easier to reach her power spikes. If you want an ADC that can consistently carry games and turn small leads into full victories, Jinx is one of the safest and strongest picks to lock in this League of Legends season.

Conclusion

Climbing ranked as an ADC in Season 16 comes down to playing champions that offer consistency, strong scaling, and real carry potential in solo queue. The ADCs on this list each bring something valuable, whether it’s lane dominance, late-game damage, teamfight impact, or the ability to punish enemy mistakes. Choosing one or two of these League of Legends champions and truly mastering them will do far more for your climb than constantly swapping picks. With solid positioning, smart decision-making, and the right ADC, Season 16 becomes a lot easier to carry and a lot more rewarding.