League of Legends patch 14.23 introduced quite a few changes, which also impacted the best mid-champions in the game. As a result of multiple balance changes, the equilibrium in the mid-lane slightly shifted, with new champions taking over the spotlight.

The gameplay update 14.23 for LoL was filled with balance changes, but there were also notable quality-of-life changes to the game. Griefing in champion selection was starting to get out of control in recent months, and the latest patch adds stricter measures against players who attempt to waste others' time in lobbies.

With millions of matches still starting without any problems, players have also been looking to take advantage of the meta and pick the best champions possible, including the mid-lane.

The following are the five best mid-champs in League patch 14.23, and they're highly contested picks, especially in higher tiers of the game's ranked ladder.

LeBlanc

The current League of Legends meta is focused on playmaking champions, and LeBlanc is the ultimate playmaker. This hard-to-contain mage/assassin is currently the most banned champion in the game, averaging over a 30 percent ban rate in matches above the Diamond tier.

Despite receiving minor nerfs in recent patches, like 14.17, LeBlanc remains as the public enemy number one, mostly due to her potential to take over matches. She's highly mobile and can clear waves before roaming for quick ganks around the map.

Aurora

Aurora received a mini-rework in patch 14.23, which fundamentally changed the gameplay experience of the champion. Riot Games wanted to lower the difficulty level for Aurora, and many argued whether these tweaks would make the champion boring to play.

The combination of Nerfs and reworks in the latest patch wasn't enough to take Aurora's edge off in the mid-lane as he remains one of the most contested champs. With pick and ban rates pushing over 10 percent, Aurora averages an above 50 percent win rate in high ELO games.

Sylas

Sylas' rise to fame happened during Worlds 2024. Not only did the champion highlight its true power in the highest stage of League competition, but the pros also took his talents out for a spin in the ranked ladder in recent months.

Sylas' snowbally nature blends perfectly with the meta. If there are decent ultimates to steal on the enemy side, Sylas can take over the mid-game. He ticks quite a few boxes for the mid-lane, ranging from wave clear to mobility. Sylas can easily rotate to other lanes after a successful early game and capitalize on ganking opportunities with his dash. At the time of writing, Sylas has above 13 percent pick and ban rates in Diamond matches.

Ambessa

Ambessa is a matchup-specific mid-laner. While she originates from the top lane, Ambessa does fairly well against assassins and mages who lack mobility.

Despite being a rather niche choice, she's still relatively highly contested while averaging above a 52 percent win rate in high MMR matches. Even versus control mages, Ambessa can keep up with sustain items and Ravenous Hydra. Overall, Ambessa's bulky nature allows her to be bold while trading in the lane, and these can turn into score opportunities with occasional ganks from the jungle.

Ahri

Ahri has always been a staple of the mid-lane. Her Charm remains one of the game's most effective crowd control abilities, with a max-level duration of two seconds that can turn skirmishes in her favor.

In the current meta, Ahri shines as one of the safest blind picks since she can handle almost no matchups and doesn't have a hard counter. If paired with a proactive jungler, Ahri can start snowballing a match from the early game, and the mage currently averages a pick rate above 11 percent in Master ELO with a close 52 percent win rate.