The Runeterra Universe introduces different types of characters with colorful personalities and backstories. There are characters with overwhelming strength and others with phenomenal powers. One of the most underrated characteristics that people overlook is a character’s intelligence. That’s why we’ll be highlighting the top 5 smartest LoL champions in Runeterra to discover who we think has the biggest brain in this game.
The Top 5 Smartest LoL Champions
We’ll be referring to the Runeterra lore to determine who we think are the smartest LoL champions. Obviously, it would be unfair to include gods, celestials, and other omniscient beings as they hold all the knowledge in the universe. Aurelion Sol obviously wins this ranking if we included him. For now, we’ll only be ranking mortals and demigods that we think are intelligent, which means even yordles also count.
Intelligence will be the primary metric so wise old sages probably won’t make it to the top. There are many ways to prove who the smartest LoL champions are since the countless stories that Riot Games has released give us a general idea of the characteristics of each champion. We’ll probably see mostly Zaunites and Piltovans on this list but that doesn’t mean we won’t see characters from other regions since it also takes a high level of intelligence to practice magic.
5. Jhin
Jhin has always been described as a criminal mastermind who masterfully murdered his victims while managing to cover his tracks. For four years, the Kinkou Order that featured Shen and Zen as well as their master Kusho tried to pursue this criminal but they couldn’t come close. His high intellect allows him to lay out traps that don’t only need to be lethal but also artfully placed (as per his preference). His compulsiveness also makes sure that he does everything perfectly according to his plan.
Many fans call Jhin an evil version of Batman who is able to do everything with enough prep time. Unlike The Joker who thrives on chaos, Jhin likes to be organized with his murders and limits himself according to his own compulsion. There are many ways to be smart and Jhin is definitely a champion that perfectly displays that a knowledgeable mind won’t always be used for creation and propagation since he prefers to use his brain for destruction.
4. Jayce/Viktor
Jayce and Viktor are a special case because the lore has always depicted them as equals in terms of their intellectual mind. However, Jayce overshadowed Viktor which caused a divergence in the direction of their contribution to society. While Jayce wanted to stick to the rules of society and create inventions that would help people, Viktor wanted to solve bigger problems despite his methods being seen as unacceptable.
Both made massive contributions to society by inventing a lot of the modern mechanisms that the world of Runeterra uses in the present day. Together, they can solve any problem but the fact that they have become enemies put them lower than they should be. Their biggest inventions include the Hexgates and Viktor’s augmentation, both of which have taken the mortal realm into the next stage of scientific evolution.
3. Bel’veth
Every time a voidling feeds on something from the physical world, it gains properties of the thing it consumed. In the case of Bel’veth, she has spent centuries consuming entire civilizations for the purpose of gaining more knowledge, experiences, and emotions. Unlike the other voidlings in League of Legends, Bel’veth is a highly sophisticated being that has transcended the will of her creators, which means she can make her own decisions.
Having consumed several civilizations that are rich in culture and knowledge, we’d say that Bel’veth has gotten pretty smart. While she doesn’t use her knowledge to create nor destroy, the fact that she has gained dominion over the void speaks about her ability to monopolize her influence over the entirety of the void. As she continues to consume more from Runeterra, her knowledge and powers also grow at an incredible pace.
2. Heimerdinger
Yordles are known for pursuing their callings zealously and Heimerdinger has always been a being that thirsts for knowledge. As an immortal being, he has amassed a deep level of wisdom and knowledge that no mortal being can even comprehend. Even though the Arcane series has depicted him more of being a washed-up scientist who no longer contributes to the world of science, he actually has a fount of knowledge that already helped build Piltover.
The advantage of Yordles is that they are immortal beings so Heimerdinger’s intellect will only grow while prodigies like Jayce and potentially Viktor eventually pass on due to having limited lifespans. That means that the knowledge that Jayce and Viktor have amassed will eventually be stored in Heimerdinger’s mind in addition to the knowledge that he already possesses.
1. Zilean
Zilean is a human but he is also timeless. He exists in all realities and timelines at the same time, meaning he knows everything that has ever existed and will exist in the future. In terms of the smartest LoL champions, there’s no argument to be made about how the man who exists throughout time eternally doesn’t possess all of the knowledge available. Even though he’s not a god or celestial being, he’s probably on the same level as them in terms of intelligence.
League of Legends doesn’t really do this champion justice because his champion model doesn’t give him the aura of a transcended being. In fact, he looks like an old man who got lost and is just throwing clocks at random people. Luckily, the lore gives him more credit on how he managed to develop his powers and become a being that has mastered time.
