League of Legends continues to dominate as the worlds leading MOBA game and is quickly becoming the new flagship title of competitive gaming. One of the reasons for the games massive success is the regular introduction of new content; specifically, new Champions.
We take a look at the 10 most played champions in League of Legends for January 2013. Who are the most appealing Champions in the new year? Take a look below; you may find a few you’re not expecting.
10 
Nidalee 
Nidalee, one of the few Champions that is scary enough to make players avoid the brush. Whether she’s running around in her normal form or pouncing around the map as her dreaded Cougar; Nidalee is a force to be reckoned with in almost any role on the League of Legends battlefield.
Nidalee is amongst the top solo laners in League of Legends; having an arsenal of abilities that allow her to push any lane at incredible speeds. Although she’s one of the most mobile Champions in the game, this is also one of her biggest issues as she’s a regular target of enemy Junglers once she reaches levels 3-4. This is due to her excellent ability to harass enemy Champions; reducing their minion kills and keeping them on the back foot.
9 
Xin Zhao 
An adept Jungler and excellent initiator Xin Zhao is one of the few League of Legends that can adapt to almost any team makeup. Most consider him to be a tanky DPS assassin with excellent abilities for chasing down stray Champions and other solo targets.
It doesn’t matter what Champion you’re playing, if you’re retreating and a Xin Zhao is on your heels; you’re probably screwed. Not only is he able to chain CC if unchallenged, he can also take a lot of punishment and refresh many of his abilities with his W skill.
8 
Cho’Gath 
There is nothing more fearsome than the sight of a fully grown Cho’Gath. A complete monster on the battlefield; Cho’Gath is one of the deadliest tanking Champions in the League. Supporting Cho’Gath’s excellent tanking abilities is some of the most impressive sustain in the entire League; making him a perfect Champion for almost any role on the battlefield.
His Ultimate Ability, Feast, allows Cho’Gath to consume a target on low hit-points. Stacking Feast not only provides Cho’Gath with extra health but he grows to become the biggest Champion in all of League of Legends.
7 
Graves 
Many consider Graves to be a hybrid of some of the most popular AD Champions in League of Legends. He utilizes abilities that feature mechanics similar to many other AD Champions in the game. His Q ability can be compared to a hyrbid of similar abilities available to Miss Fortune, Ashe and Cait, while is E ability can be compared with Vayne and Tristana’s escape tools.
His Ultimate Ability, well that’s another story. Collateral Damage is a cone attack that is similar to the combined Ultimate Abilities of Miss Fortune and Tristana. This amazingly impressive selection of abilities makes Graves an AD force to be feared in any strong League of Legends team.
6 
Miss Fortune 
One of the most visually pleasing Champions in League of Legends, Miss Fortune is as deadly as she is attractive. Whether she’s laning with a partner or supporting a team fight, her slows and AoE damage is not something to underestimate.
Arguably her deadliest form of attack is the combination of two abilities; Make it Rain and Bullet Time. Launching Make it Rain bombards Miss Fortune’s enemies with a hail of bullets from the skies, slowing their movement and causing a moderate amount of damage. With their movement speed reduced she moves in with Bullet Time and launches a barrage of bullets in a cone in front of her, reducing anything in its path to dust.
5 
Caitlyn 
Arguably one of the most annoying AD carry’s in the game; Caitlyn has always been one of the most popular Champions in the League and it’s not hard to figure out why. She has some of the longest ranged abilities in the game, making her a very easy Champion early game. Where other Champions struggle to finish off minions and retreating Champions, Caitlyn excels.
Her Ultimate Ability is quite often considered one of her weaker aspects but it can be a great way to gauge your opponents abilities. A long-range sniper attack that can seek out a target from huge distances and can only be blocked by another enemy Champion. Will a friend come to their aid or will your final shot finish off that retreating Ziggs?
4 
Nunu 
Everybody’s favorite cuddly snowman. Well, not really a snowman and not all that cuddly either but Nunu has always been one of the most played Champions in League of Legends. Widely regarded as one of the best Jungle Champions in the game, Nunu is able to hold his own in practically any situation thanks to a great amount of sustain and some incredibly annoying abilities.
He’s not the strongest Champion you’ll come across in League of Legends but his ability to hinder the offensive capability of his opponents is second to none and a large reason why Nunu takes the number 4 spot on our most played Champions in January.
3 
Lee Sin 
Lee Sin is probably on of the most hated Junglers in all of League of Legends; I know I can’t stand seeing him flying kick me out of nowhere before ripping me apart. Lee Sin is a very mobile Champion and with the correct Summoner in control; his abilities can flow together in an almost rhythmical fashion.
Originally considered to be a bit of a troll pick Lee Sin became hugely popular after his ratios got some attention. Since that time he has become one of the games most used Junglers thanks to his ability to stack incredible amounts of damage while still maintaining his ability to take anything his opponents send his way.
2 
Taric 
As I read his name back to myself I can feel the rage building, coursing through my veins like an injection of pure adrenaline. Although his cool exterior and softening facade make Taric appear to be a minor threat, his abilities and prowess on the battlefield do quite the opposite.
A great support to have beside you in lane, and quite a formidable tank; many consider Taric to have one of the most annoying CC abilities in the game. At the simple push of a button Taric is able to stun his opponent for over a second. Couple this with his healing ability and you’ll find yourself successful in a lot of games with Taric at your side.
1 
Ezreal 
The most played League of Legends Champion for January 2013 is also one of the most popular of all time, the Prodigal Explorer Ezreal. Known for his unique method of burst damage and extremely strong middle-game, Ezreal has more than one trick up his sleeve. He’s able to shift over walls and has an ability list designed for harassing his opponents; not the kind of Champion you want to lane against.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Ezreal is his Ultimate Ability; Trueshot Barrage. Extremely useful in ARAM (all random, all mid) and a great tool for finishing of retreating Champions or stealing Baron Buff, there’s nothing more satisfying than a corner to corner kill.
We’ve got an exciting selection of juicy content here on MMOAttack. We have some great tips on becoming a become a better League of Legends player, we have a summary of the history of League of Legends and an introduction to the latest champion, Thresh the Chain Warden.