10 Best Beginner Top Lane Champions In League of Legends

Top lane can feel like one of the toughest roles for new League of Legends players, but it’s also one of the most rewarding once you get the hang of it. As a top laner, you’re often left on an island, focusing on farming, trading, and scaling for late-game fights. That’s why picking an easy-to-learn champion with a simple playstyle and strong laning phase is key when you’re starting out. In this article, we’ll go over the 10 best beginner top lane champions in League of Legends — reliable picks that are easy to master, strong in all ranks, and perfect for learning the fundamentals of the role.

#10: Cho’Gath

Cho’Gath is one of the easiest top lane champions for beginners thanks to his simple kit and massive sustain. His passive lets him heal and restore mana every time he kills a minion, making it easier to stay in lane without recalling too often. Cho’Gath also has great crowd control with his knock-up and silence, which can turn fights in your favor even if you’re behind. His ultimate, Feast, is both a reliable finisher in fights and a way to permanently increase his health by consuming minions or champions. As a result, he becomes an unkillable tank in the late game. He’s forgiving to play, scales well, and teaches key top lane fundamentals like wave control and positioning.

#9: Shen

Shen is a great top lane champion for beginners who want to learn how to impact the entire map. His kit is simple yet very effective — he can block basic attacks with his Spirit’s Refuge, deal solid poke with his Q, and use his E to taunt enemies for easy trades or ganks. What makes Shen truly special is his ultimate, Stand United, which allows him to teleport to an ally anywhere on the map and give them a shield. This lets you help your team even when you’re not in lane. He’s tanky, easy to learn, and teaches you how to play both defensively and with good map awareness — perfect for new players looking to master team play in League of Legends.

#8: Darius

Darius is one of the most beginner-friendly top laners in League of Legends thanks to his straightforward playstyle and massive carry potential. His abilities are easy to understand — he deals heavy physical damage, gains extra power with his passive bleed, and can heal himself in fights with his Q. Once you get the hang of landing his pull (E) and timing his ultimate, Noxian Guillotine, you’ll be able to dominate 1v1 duels and even win against multiple enemies. Darius teaches new players the basics of trading, zoning, and using auto attacks effectively, making him one of the best champions to start learning the top lane.

#7: Kayle

Kayle is a great top lane pick for beginners who prefer scaling champions that get stronger the longer the game goes on. She starts off weak in the early game, focusing on farming safely until she hits her key levels. Once she reaches level 11, Kayle becomes ranged, and at level 16, she transforms into a late-game powerhouse capable of melting entire teams with her auto attacks. Her ultimate, Divine Judgment, grants invulnerability to herself or an ally, making her incredibly valuable in teamfights. While her early game can be tough, Kayle rewards patient players who enjoy turning weak starts into unstoppable late-game dominance.

#6: Nasus

Nasus is one of the best beginner-friendly champions in the top lane because of his simple playstyle and incredible late-game scaling. His main goal is to farm using his Siphoning Strike (Q) to stack bonus damage over time. The more stacks he builds, the harder he hits, making him nearly unbeatable if left unchecked. Nasus is tanky, has solid sustain with his passive lifesteal, and becomes a real monster once he activates his ultimate, gaining bonus health and area damage. He teaches new players the importance of farming and scaling, rewarding patience with unstoppable strength later in the game.

#5: Teemo

Teemo is a great top-lane champion for beginners thanks to his simple mechanics and frustrating playstyle for opponents. He relies on ranged attacks and poison damage to poke melee enemies constantly while staying safe. His Q, Blinding Dart, makes it hard for auto-attack champions to fight back, while his mushrooms (R) act as traps that provide vision and consistent damage across the map. Teemo is excellent for learning how to control lane space and punish over-aggressive enemies. He’s squishy, so positioning is key, but once mastered, he can dominate lanes and make opponents regret stepping into his territory.

#4: Sett

Sett is one of the easiest and most satisfying top-lane champions to learn in League of Legends. His kit is straightforward but powerful, making him perfect for beginners who want to brawl and dominate 1v1 fights. Sett’s passive gives him alternating punches for extra damage, while his Q helps him chase or escape enemies. His W, Haymaker, allows him to absorb damage and release it as a true damage punch, which can easily turn a losing fight around. His ultimate, The Show Stopper, lets him grab an enemy and slam them into others for huge impact in teamfights. Sett teaches positioning, timing, and trading — all key fundamentals for improving as a top-laner.

#3: Dr. Mundo

Dr. Mundo is one of the best beginner-friendly tanks in League of Legends. His kit is simple, durable, and incredibly forgiving, making him a great choice for players still learning the basics of top lane. Mundo excels at soaking up damage and regenerating health thanks to his passive and ultimate, which let him stay in fights longer than most champions. His Q, Infected Bonesaw, allows him to poke and slow enemies from range, while his E gives him extra damage to trade effectively. Mundo’s playstyle revolves around surviving lane, farming safely, and becoming nearly unkillable in teamfights. If you want to focus on fundamentals like positioning and map awareness without worrying too much about complex mechanics, Mundo is an ideal pick.

#2: Malphite

Malphite is one of the easiest and most effective top lane champions for beginners in League of Legends. He’s a tank that scales incredibly well into the late game and can turn any teamfight around with his ultimate, Unstoppable Force. His Q ability lets you poke and slow your opponent, while his passive shield helps you survive trades and farm safely. Once you hit level 6, Malphite becomes a huge threat thanks to his engage potential — you can easily start fights or counter enemy dives with one well-timed ultimate. He fits into almost any team composition and is especially strong against attack-damage champions. If you want a simple but powerful top laner who can carry fights with a single button, Malphite is one of the best champions to learn.

#1: Garen

Garen is easily one of the best beginner top lane champions in League of Legends thanks to his straightforward playstyle and incredible durability. He’s a tanky fighter who doesn’t rely on mana, allowing you to trade and sustain in lane without worrying about resources. His passive gives him constant healing when out of combat, and his Q and E combo helps him deal strong burst damage in close fights. Garen’s ultimate, Demacian Justice, can instantly execute low-health enemies, making him a deadly finisher in both 1v1 duels and teamfights. He’s great for learning core top-lane fundamentals like positioning, trading, and wave control, all while being forgiving for new players. Simple, strong, and reliable — Garen is the perfect champion to start mastering the top lane.

Conclusion

Top lane can be a tough role to learn in League of Legends, but picking the right champion makes all the difference. The champions listed above are perfect for beginners because they’re simple to play, forgiving of mistakes, and help you understand core mechanics like trading, wave management, and map awareness. Whether you prefer tanky bruisers like Garen and Malphite or lane bullies like Darius and Sett, each of these champions teaches valuable fundamentals that will help you improve fast. Master one or two of them, focus on learning when to fight and when to farm, and you’ll climb the ranks in no time.