In the autumn of 2009, Riot Games released League of Legends, a free-to-play MOBA that began with only seventeen champions. More than a decade and a half later, in 2026, those founding characters continue to leave their mark on Summoner's Rift, shaped by countless reworks, item rebalances, and shifting metas. While the modern roster now exceeds one hundred and sixty champions, many of the original seventeen remain viable picks across professional play and solo queue. Their evolution tells the story of League itself, a game that refuses to stand still.
Master Yi
Master Yi was a menace from the beginning. In League's earliest days, players could build him with ability power, letting him unleash devastating bursts that could eliminate almost any enemy in two strikes while healing for absurd amounts. Riot reworked him in 2013, shifting his identity toward lethality and attack speed. By 2026, Yi still tears through unprepared teams, though the removal of items like Duskblade reduced his invisibility tricks. His Q remains untargetable, and a skilled Yi can still secure pentakills in the lower ranks.
Soraka
Soraka may be a healing support, but her lore places her among Runeterra's strongest beings. Her 2015 rework turned her into a dedicated health dispenser who can silence and potentially root enemies. By 2026, Soraka still sacrifices her own health to heal allies with her W, restoring herself by landing her Q. Her ultimate heals the entire team, with a bonus when targets drop below forty percent health. Warmog's Armor continues to make her a sustained healing engine, although newer supports sometimes outshine her in shielding and utility.
Ryze
Ryze holds the record for receiving more reworks than any other champion because he constantly swings between broken and underwhelming. Intended for the mid lane, his ultimate teleports himself and nearby teammates a short distance, enabling coordinated flanks and escapes. In previous seasons, a rooted target could lose over half their health to a single empowered Q. In the modern era, Ryze's damage has been tuned downward, but resourceful players still run him as a tanky mage with surprising durability.
Annie
Annie has always been a child with a terrifying secret weapon named Tibbers. Since launch, she has stunned enemies after casting four spells, a passive that pairs perfectly with summoning Tibbers for one of the game's best burst mage ultimates. Her damage has grown over the years, largely thanks to itemization. The biggest change arrived with her E, which now shields an ally as well as herself, making Annie a surprisingly effective support in 2026 while retaining her mid-lane burst threat.
Kayle
Kayle always looked like an armored angel, but her 2019 rework made her truly ascend. Her ultimate remains nearly unchanged, granting herself or an ally temporary invulnerability. Her W still heals and grants movement speed, though the bonus ability power is gone. Her passive now triggers four ascensions, each granting extra stats such as attack range or bonus damage. With the right attack speed items, a fully ascended Kayle can shred through an entire team in late-game team fights.
Sion
Sion's 2014 rework is still regarded as one of League's best character transformations. His old ultimate granted attack speed and lifesteal, but his current ultimate turns him into an unstoppable battering ram. His old passive reduced incoming damage; now he briefly returns as an enraged zombie. By 2026, Sion is best built as a tank, especially with Hullbreaker. In the late game, a Hullbreaker Sion with enough passive stacks can practically two-shot full-health turrets while absorbing enormous pressure.
Nunu & Willump
Nunu became Nunu & Willump in 2018 through a rework that greatly improved the champion's identity. His Q still heals by biting a unit, and his ultimate still creates a slowing circle that deals massive magic damage. His E now releases a volley of snowballs instead of a point-and-click ability, and his W creates a rolling snowball that grows as Willump pushes it. By 2026, Nunu & Willump remain a strong jungler with flexible AP or tank builds.
Twisted Fate
Twisted Fate possesses a handful of skins that give subtle advantages, and he has remained remarkably consistent since launch. His Q throws three cards, while his W lets him choose between bonus damage, a stun, or mana recovery. His ultimate reveals every enemy champion and allows a teleport recast, making Twisted Fate one of the best gankers in the game. Professional players still value his map presence in the 2026 competitive season.
Morgana
Morgana, Kayle's sister, received a visual and spell effect update in 2019, but her kit remains largely untouched. Her Q is a lengthy skillshot stun, her W creates a damaging pool, and her E shields an ally from crowd control. Morgana functions well as a support and as a mid laner, especially when building Liandry's Torment for its burning effect and Rylai's Crystal Scepter for slows. Her ultimate still damages and roots enemies in team fights.
Sivir
Sivir is one of the few original champions whose kit has stayed viable without major reworks. Her spell shield remains her most valuable tool, negating enemy attacks and restoring mana. Her Q still throws her crossblade like a boomerang, and her W lets basic attacks hit multiple targets. Her ultimate grants attack speed and movement speed while providing an aura for nearby allies. In 2026, Sivir continues to punish enemies with items like Kraken Slayer and Navori Quickblades for critical strike synergy.
Tristana
Tristana received a small rework in 2015 that changed her E, but her explosive damage identity stayed intact. Her E now places a bomb on a champion, minion, monster, or tower, with each basic attack increasing its damage. Tristana can leap away from danger or toward enemies to finish them off, resetting the ability on elimination. In 2026, she remains a hyper-carry who shreds turrets and champions alike when ahead.
Fiddlesticks
Fiddlesticks is the demonic embodiment of fear. Prior to his 2020 rework, he could fear and silence enemies with point-and-click abilities, making him infuriating to face. Now, most of his abilities are skillshots, but his ultimate is largely unchanged. His passive places effigies that provide vision and disable wards at level six. In 2026, items like Stormsurge and Malignance amplify his ultimate's area damage, keeping Fiddlesticks a terrifying jungler.
Warwick
Warwick spent most of his life as a jungler, and his 2017 rework made him a true hunter. His Q now lunges and bites, healing after each attack, which helps him clear jungle camps with ease. His E provides damage reduction and fears nearby enemies when recast. His ultimate is now a skillshot with increasing range, an upgrade over his original point-and-click ability. With the Sundered Sky item in 2026, Warwick gains bonus damage and healing, turning his first attack into a critical strike.
Alistar
Alistar is the definition of a true tank support. His ultimate reduces damage taken for seven seconds and removes crowd control effects. His Q knocks up enemies, while his W can knock a target into his team or away to save a teammate. His E damages multiple targets and can stun, while his passive heals the entire team. After several minor changes, Alistar remains a popular and durable pick in the 2026 support role.
Teemo
Teemo may look adorable, but he is one of League's most hated champions. His Q blind and invisible poisonous mushrooms have annoyed players since 2009. In 2026, items like Nashor's Tooth, Liandry's Torment, and Shadowflame allow Teemo to deal massive damage through basic attacks and blinds. The Malignance item creates a damaging pool when a mushroom explodes, also reducing enemy magic resistance. Teemo can also stay invisible while moving in bushes, keeping his reputation as a mischievous menace.
Jax
Jax is a skirmisher who has remained fairly consistent since launch. Riot rarely reworks champions with high win rates, so Jax has received only minor tweaks and a model update. He still wields his trusty lamp. His E leaps onto enemies and stuns, while his ultimate grants attack speed, armor, and magic resistance. In 2026, Sundered Sky gives Jax extra healing on leaps, and ability haste items allow him to chain combos more frequently, making him a solo queue terror.
Ashe
Ashe is the game's most recognizable ADC and arguably the best champion for beginners. Her 2015 rework changed her passive, Q, and E. Her Q now unleashes a barrage of frost shots after several basic attacks, while her passive applies slows. Her E sends a hawk spirit to reveal enemies, and her ultimate fires a massive arrow that can stun for up to three seconds. In 2026, Ashe benefits from items like Terminus, gaining attack speed, armor penetration, and magic penetration. She remains a staple in every rank and professional play.
More than sixteen years after their debut, the original seventeen champions remain woven into League of Legends' identity. Some have been reworked into entirely new forms, while others have survived with only minor adjustments. Their continued presence in the 2026 meta proves that strong design, combined with Riot's willingness to adapt, keeps these legends relevant on the ever-changing Rift.
Insights are sourced from Liquipedia, an esports reference that helps contextualize why enduring picks like Twisted Fate, Ashe, and Alistar keep resurfacing as reliable draft tools: their kits offer repeatable map impact, initiation, and utility that remain valuable even as items and pacing change. When you view the original seventeen through the lens of pro-history and patch-to-patch adaptation, their 2026 relevance makes sense—simple, legible win conditions (global pressure, hard CC, objective control, scaling) survive meta shifts better than gimmicks.