And while everyone knows the usual classes such as assassin, poke mage, or marksman, there are plenty more playstyles out there. For this list we’re getting into burst mages: Those champions that have the burst of a true assassin, but also have AoE at the cost of mobility. There are 15 champions under this category so far (as of this writing), and we’ll be ranking them from worst to best based on their kit and the ease at which they do their job. Let’s go!
15. Seraphine
I was initially surprised that Seraphine was even listed as a burst mage, but it does make sense when you think about it. If you decide to ditch the support class and just go full AP, she can set up some nasty combos that both cover a wide area and provide decent CC. An E into an enhanced Q and a well-timed R is bound to melt any squishy that is in your way. The only reason I’m putting her at last place is because of how easily she gets countered by MR, as well as the fact that you’ll rarely get the dream scenario.
14. Karma
Karma has a similar vibe as Seraphine – but with a few key distinctions. She doesn’t really have a full combo, but rather just relies on her R+Q to get the job done, with her E providing some protection and her W keeping the enemy in place. She’ll rarely burst you down in an instant, however, her R+Q combo is so easy to hit and powerful that I have to put her above Seraphine. Even as a tank or battlemage, Karma is a real threat. So her kit is obviously made to put out some big damage.
13. Twisted Fate
In my opinion, Twisted Fate’s burst is just hilarious. Seeing a little card fly out of a bush and chunk half of your HP is equal parts depressing and fun, depending on which side of the deck you find yourself. He does require quite the setup, however, as his W is the main source of his damage. So stacking up your E and getting that Lich Bane early on is essential if you want to blow someone up. Not to mention that he has to run up to you in order to throw out his W. So not the easiest when it comes to one-shotting someone, but still a very solid pick.
12. Lissandra
People really like to sleep on Lissandra. And I honestly don’t get it. If a Lissandra player is dead-set on murdering you, there’s very little that can stop her. Using her E from the fog of war, doing a quick Q, W ulting you, and then throwing out an entire Q, is simply disgusting. She’s also quite a threat in a team-fight, as her passive will absolutely destroy a squishy if they’re not paying attention. So stop sleeping on the Ice Queen and go freeze some poor souls to death.
11. Lux
Lux just does it all. She has poke, CC, shields, wave-clear, and you guessed it, burst damage. A regular squishy is bound to go color-blind after a simple Q, E, and R. But even peskier enemies can be dealt with if you manage to weave in some auto-attacks and proc your passive. Her combo is rather easy, and the fact that you can do it while staying out of range is pretty nuts. However, other burst mages manage to have an even easier/ more powerful combo, so I can’t place Lux too high.
10. Ahri
A person might be able to mend a broken heart – but only tanks can get over this foxy fling. Her iconic Charm is just ridiculously good when it comes to melting someone down. Not only does it ensure that you Q hits both parts (ensuring the true damage), but it even amplifies your damage towards that target. Her W and R aren’t as impactful when it comes to damage, but can surely help to get rid of that last sliver of health if the enemy somehow survives the initial burst. The fact that she’s also one of the few burst mages that has excellent mobility just makes her an overall good pick.
9. Brand
This guy can basically win entire team-fights by himself if left alone for a few seconds. His damage isn’t as easy as some of the other choices here – but it has the potential to be insane. And that’s because everything is AoE with this dude. So if people ever decide to clump up, they’re all getting a one-way ticket to the fountain. Even his 1v1 potential has gone through the roof since they made his R bounce to Brand himself. So to recap: Insane potential, but not the most consistent burst when late-game rolls around.
8. Orianna
Orianna has a very similar vibe to Brand, however she is a bit more consistent. She doesn’t need multiple people to unleash her full damage potential. But she still is a monster in team-fights. A well placed R is game-changing, her W is extremely powerful, and all of her other abilities add that little oomph that you might need in order to completely murder someone. She’s not the easiest to play – but when mastered, she can outperform most mages in terms of game presence.
7. Neeko
Neeko’s ult is just insane. It has all the power of an AP Nunu ult, but is way easier to execute. A well-used W or the classic flash over the wall can catch the entire enemy team completely off guard – and half health them in an instant. The fact that her Q and E also do very good damage (and it’s AoE) just further ensures that no one is going to walk out of that fight alive. She even has an AA enhancer with her W, so she’s not out here playing games. If you truly want to see the potential that this champion brings, I suggest hopping into an ARAM game, praying a few times to get Neeko, and then using the Mark summoner spell to land instant ults on the enemy team.
6. Annie
Since the dawn of League, people have gotten heart attacks from random bears popping out of bushes. Although Annie’s initial teddy bear burst isn’t as oppressive as it once was, your chances of surviving are still pretty slim. This is considering she has a really quick, easy, and powerful combo, with excellent AP scalings base damages and CDs across the board. Her range isn’t the best though, and usually requires either a flash or a bush flank in order to catch the entire enemy team. But if you manage to get up close, a kill is guaranteed.
5. Sylas
Technically I could put Sylas even higher up, as he can simply steal the ult of my number 1 pick. But it’s not like you can really rely on that every game. His base skills are extremely powerful, however, with a good mix of sustain, AoE, CC, mobility, and especially damage. But like I said, his ult can be a hit or miss. He can absolutely destroy with a Malphite ult – or he can be rather mediocre with a Mundo ult. Because of that, it doesn’t feel right putting him too high. But he is definitely a strong pick.
4. Syndra
Syndra’s ult is both extremely easy and powerful. It’s a literal point and click ability that can absolutely destroy any squishy that’s stupid enough to get into your range. And sure, it scales with your Q. But putting down two balls beforehand isn’t exactly mechanically taxing. The fact that the rest of her kit also features nothing but damage is really just further assurance that you’ll wipe whoever you want. Hell, late-game her Q+E combo alone will seriously mess up the enemy’s day. She’s ridiculous in every sense of the word, but the rest of our picks for this ranking are simply even more ridiculous.
3. LeBlanc
LeBlanc is the most debatable when it comes to the tag “burst mage”, as everything about her screams assassin! I will abide to the wiki gods here. But the fact that it’s even debatable just showcases how powerful she is. It doesn’t even matter in which order you really do it, just as long as you get everything off, you are getting a kill. The fact that she can also stay extremely safe with her passive providing wiggle room and her W giving you juke potential, just further adds to her impressive burst assassin CV.
2. Zoe
Ah Zoe, the champion we all love to hate and hate to love. On release she was absolutely insane. And now, she’s still pretty much insane. Nothing fills me with so much fear as a bubble fitting me from nowhere and putting me to sleep, giving me just enough time to pray before that cosmic child shows her demonic face and bursts me for everything I’m worth. If you have ever gone against a Zoe with three functioning fingers, you know my pain. And that’s why she is definitely top tier when it comes to this burst mage list.
1. Veigar
And finally, we have the short mage maniac Veigar. No matter how I look at it, this guy has to be at number one. Even though he doesn’t fill me with the same amount of rage as Zoe, he has infinite scaling and disgusting scalings – so I had to give him the crown. He’ll commonly get 1k AP (or even more). And with his W having a 100% AP ration and his ult being an execute, even tanks become potential targets. If one-shotting a tank doesn’t make you the king of the burst mages then I don’t know what does. Note: this content was created under Riot Games’ “Legal Jibber Jabber” policy using assets owned by Riot Games. Riot Games does not endorse or sponsor this project.
