To Carry or Tank? What kind of Top Lane are you?

 

The Top Lane has undergone many changes over the course of League of Legends history, ever since the establishment of the universal formation of 1top/1mid/2bot/1jungle.  During season 2, there was a lot of diversity within the toplane "pool"; there were many Jayces and Irelias, and but also other niche champions like Malphite and Yorick.  The meta hadn't solidified compared to future seasons, thus players based their picks with more flexibility.  In Season 3, there was a slight change, but similar to last season, you chose your champion to win your lane.  Thus, champions like Renekton and Shen (yes, I consider Shen due to his ability to instantly help other lanes) who had great early game dominance were the most popular picks. Games were easy to snowball, and winning your lane was the quickest and easiest method of closing out games.  However in Season 4, we get a dramatic shift towards tanky champions.

There were several changes to the Defensive Mastery tree which benefitted a lot of the "tanky" champions.  Champions such as Shyvana and Jax outshined other champions due to their innate high damage.  Furthermore, teamfights became more of a focus in the season, and tanks would generally try to dive the backline, as they could withstand a lot of punishment.  Winning lane wasn't as important as to building up their beefiness for late game battles.  This is how the popularity of Ryze and Jax skyrocketed near the mid-end Season 4, after the Mastery Tree was nerfed.  

But now we're in the beginning of Season 5, and as a top lane player, I can safely say I enjoy the current meta.  Almost reminiscent of Season 2, top laners have the most versatility comparitive to other lanes.  They can choose champions like Lissandra or Riven if your team is building bulk and no muscles.  Even champions like Vladimir and Kennen, the most notorious ap duo of Season 2 are steadily making their return to the top lane.  If your team needs a toughie who can soak up a lot of damage, you can choose Sion or Maokai.  If the team needs an initiator, you can again choose the aforementioned Sion or Maokai. Unlike the early last season, where a certain advantage somewhat restricted the champion pool for top lane, Season 5 feels like a open field of champions.

 

Carry Toplaners:

Riven, Akali, Azir, Irelia and Rek'sai (only if you build Rek'Sai full damage).

These guys mean to decimate your enemy team with tons of damage.  Their main goal is primarily to get to the "squishies" at the back line of the enemy team and finish them off.  Furthermore, they have great snowball potential, so that a small advantage can lead to an avalanche of devastation.  These carry champions usually are somewhat glass cannons, and if played smart, can turn the tide of a battle by sniping enemy ADC's and other glass cannons.

When to Pick them:

You usually want to pick these champions if 1. Your team lacks damage, and 2. Your team has decent CC or distraction to take the hits while you go to town on the enemy team.  These champions are usually ineffective if the enemy team locks you down with CC or prepares to focus you in a team fight.  You want to be smart and tactical when approaching teamfights, and although front line battles can be won with these champions, it's usually more effective to prioritize the damage dealing enemy squishies.  Having teammates such as Sion or Maokai (as junglers) who build tanky, can lock enemies down, and be a good distraction synergize well as they try to be the center of focus. 1 v 1 dueling is your forte and CC your kryptonite.

 

Hard Hitters:

Sion, Mao'kai, Dr. Mundo, Renekton, Singed, Gnar (Mega Gnar especially)

When I say "Hard" Hitters, I don't mean they hit hard, but literally, "hard" and they "hit".  Hard in the context of being a beefy unkillable damage sponge, and hit as being able to land hard CC's.  These tanks excel in teamfights in being the focus of damage and leading the charge.  They can hard engage in teamfights due to their CC kit (stun, slow, knockup etc) and in teamfights serve many roles.  Usually it's to start a teamfight and try to stun someone so that your team can finish him or her off, but can also serve as the "iron wall" that blocks most of the damage.  These Hard Hitters can also serve to peel the ADC and Mid player if there's nobody to protect them.

When to Pick them:

When your team is currently like a glass house with a large cannon attached to it.  This is something common in soloqueue, as sometimes too many players tend to play the dps role.  And usually these Kha'Zhixs, Zed's, and Jayce's can do so much if they are leading the charge.  You pick these hard hitting champions to primarily to 1. be able to pick off champions with CC 2. soak up tons of damage and 3. act as the main target for damage in teamfights.  Try not to stand too far from the team and act like an assassin because you can only do so much damage with a "shield".

 

Utility:

Lulu, Lissandra, Kennen, Hecarim, Azir, Yorick, Vlad

Another interesting and easily misunderstandable name for this category.  Champions in this category are a sort of a hybrid of the above mentioned two groups.  These guys are useful at disrupting, dealing AoE, providing disengage/engage, and pack a punch as well.  Unlike the Carry top laners, these "utility" champions must try to target as many people as they can AND deal as much as they can.  Their role is versatile because they are good duelists, but provide utility that can greatly help teammates. For example, Lulu top laners usually prioritize building AP on her in order to dish out tons of damage, and shield as much damage as they can.  Her kit is integral in providing support fire to your teammates.  Kennen can be explained in one letter; "R".  I also put Azir in this category mainly due to his ult.  This form of disengage is disgustingly effective on engagers of the enemy team.

When to Pick them:

Too many single target assassins.  You mainly pick these versatile "Utility" top laners when your team has everything but CC.  This "role" requires a lot of mechanical thinking because you'll be in the middle of the fight.  You are to provide support fire and lock down targets with CC for your team to follow up (or to kill by yourself).  

I know I haven't listed all of the top lane champions in these categories, and it does not mean that those champions that are not listed are not included.  I think it can really help a team comp if you try to balance out the weaknesses and strenghts of it. This is certainly not infallible and just a way that has helped me become a better top laner for the past four seasons.  I hope this helps many of you reach the elo of your desire and dominate the top lane.