What is Lethality in League of Legends?

Lethality is a statistic that often confuses new players in League of Legends. It appears on many items and champion builds, but understanding exactly how it works isn't always straightforward.

Lethality is a statistic for champions who deal attack damage. In simple terms, it helps these champions cut through their enemy's armor. The mechanic was introduced in 2017, and it's different from regular armor penetration because it reduces armor by a set amount instead of using a percentage.

In this article, we'll explain what Lethality does, which champions typically build it, and how it differs from armor penetration.

What is Lethality?

Lethality was introduced in update V6.22, changing the way armor penetration works. The statistic gives you flat armor penetration, which means it reduces enemy armor by a fixed amount rather than a percentage. This makes it different from percentage-based armor penetration items.

When you have Lethality, it treats your target's armor as being lower for damage calculations. For example, if you have 20 Lethality and attack an enemy with 50 armor, your damage is calculated as if they only had 30 armor. The actual armor value doesn't change for anyone else, just for your damage.

Lethality is most effective against squishy champions like mages and marksmen who don't build much armor. Against these low-armor targets, Lethality lets you deal nearly full damage with your attacks and abilities. However, it becomes much weaker against tanks and bruisers who stack armor items, where percentage-based armor penetration becomes more valuable.

Lethality vs Armor Penetration

Lethality and armor penetration both help you deal more damage through enemy defenses, but they work in different ways. Regular armor penetration works a bit differently. It treats the target's armor as if a certain percentage lowers it. This percentage depends on the item or ability used.

The key difference comes down to how they calculate armor reduction. Lethality removes a fixed amount regardless of how much armor the enemy has. Armor penetration removes a percentage, so it becomes more effective against heavily armored targets. For example, 35% armor penetration removes 17.5 armor from a target with 50 armor, but removes 105 armor from a target with 300 armor.

Some of the Best Champions for Lethality Builds

Certain champions benefit more from Lethality than others. Assassins and long-range attack damage champions make the best use of this statistic because their kits are designed around dealing burst damage to priority targets.

Assassins like Zed and Qiyana are perfect for Lethality builds. These champions excel at eliminating squishy targets before they can react. For Zed, a typical Lethality build includes Eclipse, Voltaic Cyclosword, Axiom Arc, Serylda's Grudge, and Edge of Night. Qiyana players usually build Umbral Glaive, Profane Hydra, Axiom Arc, Serylda's Grudge, and Edge of Night.

Long-range AD champions, such as Senna and Miss Fortune, also benefit from Lethality. These champions can poke enemies from a safe distance while dealing significant damage. Senna typically builds Umbral Glaive, Eclipse, Serylda's Grudge, and Edge of Night to maximize her poke damage. Miss Fortune's Lethality build often includes Youmuu's Ghostblade, Eclipse, Serylda's Grudge, and Edge of Night, allowing her to play as an AD caster with her abilities.

Final Words

Lethality is a powerful statistic for attack damage champions who want to deal maximum damage to squishy targets. It reduces enemy armor by a flat amount, making it most effective against low-armor champions like mages and marksmen. Lethality works best against squishies, while percentage armor penetration becomes more valuable against tanks who stack armor items.

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