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If you’re a League of Legends enthusiast, you should know about the champions from Ionia. Also known as “The First Lands”, it’s a place with tremendous beauty.
The inhabitants of this archipelago lived in scattered settlements until the wars that ravaged Valoran brought instability to this sacred place. However, Ionia has managed to stay neutral in most of these wars. At least, this was the situation before the Noxian forces stepped on the archipelago.
The wars that made Ionia a brutal place to live in were not going unnoticed by the bravest citizens. Ionian Champions have decided to bring back the peace in their lands. The warrior monasteries and provincial militias were insufficient to keep off the Noxian forces. Therefore, Ionia used the help of other neighboring realms, such as Demacia. Although, it has to be noted that even with their help, the war crimes Noxians committed were rigorous, to say the least.
Find out which champions were brought to Summoner’s Rift from this sacred place, their backstory, and the difficulty of their playstyle. Also, you’ll find out the lore of Ionia if you’re interested in the story of League of Legends.
Bottom Line Up Front
Ionia is a place that brought many strong and sustainable champions into the game. Over the previous several seasons, RIOT has released multiple champions from Ionia that deliver various gaming experiences.
Therefore, it’s only suitable for you to learn about their backstory and gameplay to enjoy them to the fullest. Also, it’s good to learn the itemization they use, the role they are primarily played in, and the best Rune Pages for them.
The champions that take their roots back from Ionia can be played in several roles. A total of 20 champions are directly related to Ionia, and several more have an indirect relation with The First Lands. Continue reading to find out more about the champions that originated from Ionia.
Ionia – The dark relations with Noxus
Ionia indeed was one of the most idyllic places in the world. The archipelago had an unnatural beauty, simply creasing with glory and magic. However, things changed quickly when Noxian generals and warriors stepped their feet on these islands.
The war was started by the militaristic nation of Noxus, who wanted to conquer as much land as possible. The Ionians were considered a peaceful nation who wanted nothing but stability. However, the faction was too weak to defend itself against the terrible invaders and suffered heavy casualties.
The invasion started in Navori, leading to many attacks on innocent civilians. The Noxians would not stop until they slaughtered the best warriors Ionia had to offer. Finally, after five excruciating years of invasion, the war ended. A huge factor in this outcome was Jericho Swain, who ended the occupation of Ionia when he was elected to govern the Noxian empire.
There was a second invasion shortly after, with Sion joining the cause of Noxus. The resistance from Ionian heroes such as Irelia, Akali, Kennen, Yasuo, and Karma has been more than enough to turn the battle around and resist the occupation. The wars have molded the best warriors of Ionia, and we will discuss them thoroughly in the upcoming parts of this guide.
Ionian Champions
There were several hints above about which champions have origins from Ionia. We have no doubts that you knew about Irelia, Karma, and Akali. However, if we said that champions like Yasuo, Yone, Jhin, Kayn, Sett, Shen, Zed, and Xayah all have direct relations with Ionia, you would be in awe! The academies of Ionia have also produced champions like Syndra, Varus, Rakan, Master Yi, Ivern, Lee Sin, Wukong, and Lillia.
All the champions mentioned have different roles on Summoner’s Rift. Also, their skill cap varies tremendously based on their abilities. Let’s go in-depth about their lore, abilities, and playstyles.
Easiest Champions from Ionia
Master Yi
The Wuju-style champion, also known as Master Yi, is probably the easiest champion to conquer in the game. Master Yi has a close connection with Wukong, who was his student back in one of the villages of Ionia. Yi was trained by Master Doran, who also built the staff of Wukong.
Master Yi is a champion that relies mainly on dealing basic attack damage. He also relies highly on attack speed to shred through enemies by dishing out multiple autos per second. Master Yi’s abilities allow him to deal AoE damage (Alpha Strike), double strike with his passive and heal himself with his W.
Two things make Yi almost unkillable in team fights. The first one is the ability to dodge slows when he casts his Ultimate, which also grants him movement and attack speed. The second one is the reset of Alpha Strike after an enemy kill/assist.
The difficulty of Master Yi is low because the champion’s gameplay consists of you focusing on your target and implementing a bunch of basic attacks. It’s true that the Ultimate grants you the ability to dodge slows from the enemies, but you need to be careful about other ccs such as roots and silences. In the late game, especially with Lethality builds, Yi is a force to be reckoned with.
The bonus true damage granted by his Wuju Style ability adds to the superiority of his basic attacks. On the other hand, if you find yourself in a low health situation, you can use Meditate to regain your health. If the enemies attack you while you perform this ability, the damage you receive from them will be reduced.
Yi is played mostly in the jungle, so if you manage to pull off a few successful ganks and gain a jungle lead, you will most likely carry the game. Here are our proposals on the Rune Page and the best itemization for Yi.
Domination
- Hail of Blades
- Sudden Impact
- Eyeball Collection
- Treasure Hunter
Precision
- Legend: Alacrity
- Triumph
Itemization
- Berserker’s Greaves
- Guinsoo’s Rageblade
- Blade of the Ruined King
- The Collector
- Death’s Dance
- Wit’s End
Wukong
Yi’s student, Wukong, does require in-depth knowledge to be mastered. The original name of this champion was Kong. After starting his studies with Master Yi, the sensei decided to rename him Wukong. Master Yi implemented the effect of the Wuju style forever in his name.
Wukong is played mostly on the top lane and in the jungle. He does rely on dealing physical damage, primarily through his basic attacks, but Wukong does possess damage-dealing abilities. His Q empowers his next basic attack to deal more physical damage, while his E does AoE damage to surrounding enemies.
Wukong is mostly famous for his ability to become invisible and leave a deceptive clone behind him. This skill enables Wukong to approach the enemy without being seen, allowing him to dash to a targeted enemy with his next ability, Nimbus Strike.
The appreciation of Wukong in team fights is because of his Ultimate – Cyclone. Most of the knowledge you must possess as a Wukong player is when to use the ultimate. The Ultimate makes Wukong extend and spin his staff around, knocking enemies caught by the wave. Success is almost guaranteed if you properly deceive the enemies with your clone and cast your ultimate in the middle of the team fight.
Apart from positioning, Wukong doesn’t require a lot of skill to play. However, you have to make the proper Rune page choice and the correct itemization to endure the team fights. Here are the best choices for both features.
Precision
- Conqueror
- Triumph
- Legend: Alacrity
- Last Strike
Resolve
- Unflinching
- Bone Plating
Itemization
- Plated Steelcaps
- Black Cleaver
- Death’s Dance
- Sterak’s Gage
- Ravenous Hydra
- Chempunk Chainsword
Karma
The support champion has gained much popularity in season 12 due to her utility as support. Karma is the reincarnated soul of Ionia, and the champion appeared during the Second Invasion of Ionia. At 12 years old, Karma unlocked the memories of her previous lives, giving her the nickname “The Enlightened One”.
As a support champion, the one knowledge you need to possess to play Karma is precision. The pokes that come from her Q – Inner Flame can be used to position your ADC in a better place in the bot lane. The bindings from her W – Focused Resolve allow you and your ADC to lock the kill or at least force summoner spells from your enemy. Finally, the shields and movement speed from her E – Inspire enable you to chase or run away from a potential gank.
However, the force of Karma is found in her Ultimate, which is available at level 1. With the ultimate, Karma empowers the usage of the next ability. For Example, Inner Flame does more damage and leaves a mark that damages the enemy champion after a short delay.
Her empowered Focused Resolve heals Karma and prolongs the duration of the root. The usage of R + E allows Karma to apply Inspire to nearby allied champions, providing shields and bonus movement speed.
Sorcery
- Arcane Comet
- Manaflow Band
- Transcendence
- Scorch
Inspiration
- Biscuit Delivery
- Cosmic Insight
Itemization
- Ionian Boots of Lucidity
- Shard of True Ice
- Redemption
- Staff of Flowing Water
- Ardent Censer
- Chemtech Putrifier
Sett
Sett is primarily known in Ionia because of his fierceness and savage strength. He began as a humble character, but he gained notorious popularity because of the strength he showed in the pits of Navori. After climbing the ladder of injustice, Sett came to the top of the pits as a free man.
Sett is a champion mostly utilized at the top lane. He uses brute force to “get his way”. Even the way he deals damage seems aggressive and brutal due to his rage bar. His passive allows his right punch to be faster and stronger, dealing significant damage to enemies. Moreover, Knuckle Down is an ability that boosts Sett’s subsequent two basic attacks based on the enemy’s maximum health bar.
The next ability, Haymaker, grants Sett a shield as he deals AoE damage in a cone shape in front of him. His Facebreaker allows Sett to pull the enemies located on the opposite sides towards him. Finally, Sett’s ultimate launch him in the air with an enemy champion, slamming them into the ground.
Sett is an easy champion to play due to his basic abilities. The most challenging part of Sett’s kit is his E ability, which requires you to time and pulls in enemies on either side. Also, there is little skill required to aim his Ultimate, which is devastating when used in team fights.
Precision
- Conqueror
- Triumph
- Legend: Alacrity
- Last Stand
Resolve
- Unflinching
- Second Wind
Itemization
- Plated Steel caps
- Blade of the Ruined King
- Sanguine Blade
- Sterak’s Gage
- Titanic Hydra
- Thornmail
Hardest Champions from Ionia
Lee Sin
The blind monk is truly a gem in the Summoner’s Rift. He became a monk in Ionia at a young age, and he was perceived as a reckless but talented child. Lee Sin had one wish: to learn how to call upon the dragon spirit. On his first try, he unleashed the dragon’s rage in a wild kick, resulting in the paralysis of his instructor.
On the second try, along with the lessons of Udyr, Lee Sin invoked the dragon spirit. However, it did not end nearly well for him. The tempest of flames engulfed him, searing his skin and burning the sight from his eyes. The monk is mainly played in the jungle role. Lee Sin takes a considerable amount of your time to be mastered but is worthwhile due to his incredible impact on the early game.
His Q – Sonic Wave is a skill that projects a wave of sound to locate his enemies. When Lee Sin hits this ability, he can quickly dash towards the enemy affected by Sonic Wave. His W – SafeGuard allows Lee Sin to dash towards a target ally and grant a shield.
Also, the ability works on minions and wards. His E – Tempest enables Lee to smash the ground and send a shockwave that deals magic damage. If Tempest hits an enemy champion, Lee can reduce the movement speed for 4 seconds on them.
His Ultimate, Dragon’s Rage, is probably why Lee is utilized as a jungler. The powerful kick sends the enemy away from you, dealing damage and knocking up everyone on the path. The difficulty of Lee Sin is contained in the proper usage of his Q – Sonic Wave and the right way of using his Ultimate.
The Ultimate does not require skill to be cast, but it requires knowledge in utilizing it. He is considered a flashy and face-paced champion who can be hard to catch if you have good mechanics. Here is the build and the Rune Page we recommend for Lee Sin.
Precision
- Conqueror
- Triumph
- Legend: Tenacity
- Last Stand
Inspiration
- Magical Footwear
- Cosmic Insight
Itemization
- Plated Steelcaps
- Black Cleaver
- Death’s Dance
- Maw of Malmortius
- Sterak’s Gage
- Guardian Angel
Irelia
Also known as the Blade Dancer, Irelia was the main hero of Ionia in the Noxian occupation. Irelia used all of her fighting abilities to defend her homeland, granting her the role of resistance leader and figurehead. To this day, Irelia is known as the most prominent and bravest citizen in Ionia. Her role on the Rift is tricky, as her flashy engages and bursts take some time to learn.
Irelia relies heavily on her abilities to make flashy plays, but most of her damage comes from her basic attacks. Irelia’s Q allows her to dash towards a nearby target while dealing damage.
If the target dies or is Marked, the cooldown of Q – Bladesurge refreshes. Her W – Defiant Dance charges a strike that deals more damage the more you hold the W button. Irelia takes reduced physical damage during the charge, letting her avoid huge amounts of damage.
The Flawless Duet is an ability that can stun enemy champions if they are caught in between the two blades. Irelia’s ultimate sends her blades flying before her, causing damage to each enemy hit. Afterward, it forms a wall that damages and marks enemies that go through.
Apart from her Q, which is a point-click ability, Irelia needs mechanical knowledge to be efficient. The stun performed by her E is hard to hit due to the delay and accuracy needed. Her Ultimate also needs some mastering regarding when and how to utilize it properly. You need to possess high mechanical skills to be a flashy and hard-to-kill Irelia top laner.
Precision
- Conqueror
- Triumph
- Legend: Alacrity
- Last Stand
Resolve
- Unflinching
- Bone Plating
Itemization
- Plated Steelcaps
- Death’s Dance
- Blade of the Ruined King
- Wit’s End
- Guardian Angel
- Sterak’s Gage
Akali
The Rogue Assassin requires lots of patience to master her abilities and learn how to use them properly on the Rift. Trained by Kennen and Shen, Akali learned the much-needed skills to be a successful ninja. Her appearance in the second invasion of Noxus helped Ionia turn the war around.
Akali relies heavily on dealing magic damage from her abilities. This is why she is one of the hardest champions to be mastered. Her passive allows Akali to empower her next auto attack with bonus range and damage.
The Five-Point Strike or her Q ability throws five kunai towards an enemy, dealing damage based on her bonus AD and AP. Twilight Shroud grants Akali invisibility in a cover of smoke, but if she attacks an enemy from the cloud, Akali reveals herself briefly.
Shuriken Flip is an ability that kicks Akali backward while firing a shuriken forward at her enemies. If a shuriken hits an enemy, Akali can re-cast the ability and dash towards them. Perfect Execution, or her Ultimate, launches Akali towards an enemy dealing huge amounts of damage. Akali can cast her ultimate a total of 3 times.
Akali is difficult to learn because players need to synchronize their abilities perfectly. If you want to run away from a team fight, the Shuriken Flip can be used as a flash across the wall while still having a vision. Moreover, you need to have fast reflexes if you hide in the cloud of smoke to dodge incoming enemy abilities. Overall, she requires high mechanical knowledge and “quick fingers” to make efficient plays as Akali.
Precision
- Conqueror
- Presence of Mind
- Legend: Tenacity
- Last Stand
Resolve
- Second Wind
- Overgrowth
Itemization
- Sorcerer’s Shoes
- Shadowflame
- Zhonya’s Hourglass
- Rabadon’s Deathcap
- Lich Bane
- Morellonomicon
Zed
Known as the Order of Shadow leader, Zed will show you no mercy. This assassin is widely known as the Master of Shadows, and if you played him, you would know precisely why he has that nickname. Zed and Shen were colleagues in the Kinkou Order, both nurturing a respectful rivalry toward each other.
His biggest enemy is probably Akali, as she wants Zed dead for his actions towards the Kinkou Order, including the supposed murder of her father, Tahno. However, Zed saved Akali along with Shen when Jhin captured her.
Zed’s passive grants him bonus Magic Damage against low-health enemies. This enables Zed to get faster kills during skirmishes and team fights. His Q throws a shuriken from Zed and his Shadows, with the first enemy receiving 60% more damage than the ones behind him.
His W casts a Shadow that can mimic Zed’s skills for five seconds, such as his Shuriken Throw and Shadow Slash, the third ability Zed possesses. His E – Shadow Slash spins Zed around in a circle dealing damage. The passive of this skill is restoring energy whenever Zed or his shadows hit a mimicked ability on the same target.
What makes Zed so famous and dangerous is his ultimate. He becomes untargetable, dashing towards an enemy and marking them. At the original casting position of his ultimate, Zed spawns a shadow. This shadow can also mimic the abilities mentioned above.
For the next 3 seconds, Zed stores a percentage of all pre-mitigation physical and magic damage he and his Shadows deal with the marked target. At the end of this interval, a detonation happens that deals significant damage to the target.
Zed is hard to master because of the utilization of his shadows. They can be used as a flash escape from an enemy or as hunting ability. Moreover, his Ultimate is hard to utilize correctly because it requires great positioning and proper shadow control.
Zed can also use the shadow from his W and his Ultimate, making it difficult for the enemy to dodge his abilities. However, this is easier said than done as you will have to aim from 2-3 different points towards one single moving enemy.
Domination
- Electrocute
- Taste of Blood
- Ultimate Hunter
Sorcery
- Transcendence
- Scorch
Itemization
- Ionian Boots of Lucidity
- Edge of Night
- The Collector
- Youmuu’s Ghostblade
- Serylda’s Grudge
- Black Cleaver
FAQs
Question: What is Ionia?
Answer: Ionia is a land of unspoiled beauty and natural magic. This archipelago is known for its neutrality in the Valoran wars and the Noxian invasion that happened twice. Ionia has produced many champions on the Rift that are popular in the current meta.
The Noxian invasion brought out the best of the warriors that received training in different academies and military battalions Ionia possessed. Many heroes like Irelia, Akali, Zed, and Shen had to overperform to survive the invasion. This has brought them glory and success that was heard in the realms far away from Ionia.
Question: Which champions come from Ionia?
Answer: 20 champions come directly from Ionia: Ahri, Akali, Irelia, Ivern, Jhin, Karma, Kayn, Kennen, Lee Sin, Lillia, Master Yi, Rakan, Sett, Shen, and Syndra, Varus, Wukong, Xayah, Yasuo, Yone, and Zed.
However, some champions have indirect relations with Ionia, such as Bard, Lucian, Diana, Ryze, Nami, Riven, Soraka, Sona, etc.
Question: How did both of the Noxian invasions end?
Answer: Both Invasions ended in a victory for Ionia. However, the invasions have savaged this sacred place, resulting in many years of rebuilding. Even though the Ionians managed to push the Noxians back from their homeland, the empire faced enormous consequences related to the war.
Ionian Champions Guide: Summary
Ionia is widely recognized for its production of high-profile champions. Every League player knows about the role and importance these champions bring to the Rift. Whether you love the support role or prefer the relentless assassins, Ionia provides high-caliber champions for every role.
Every League fanatic wants to know the story behind their favorite champion. If your character has originated from Ionia, we hope that we have covered it thoroughly for you. If there’s anything else you’d like to learn please don’t hesitate to ask in the comment section below.