The ninth season of League of Legends (LoL) is well under way, and with it comes a new set of rules for players looking to climb the ranked ladder. In this article, we will explore the different aspects of the S9 ranked system and examine which champions are currently thriving in the competitive scene.

Firstly, let's dive into the ranking system itself. The S9 ranked ladder is split into nine tiers: Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger. Each tier is then split into four divisions, with players needing to win a certain amount of games to progress to the next division. Once a player reaches the top division of a tier, they will have to win a promotion series to move up to the next tier.

Now, let's take a closer look at the champion pool. In the current meta, there are several champions that are performing particularly well in ranked games. One example is Akali, a high-mobility assassin who excels at picking off squishy targets. Another strong pick is Kai'Sa, a versatile marksman who can deal both physical and magic damage. Other notable champions include Urgot, a bruiser with strong dueling potential, and Yuumi, a support who can attach to allies and heal them while also dealing damage to enemies.

In addition to champion strength, it's also important to consider team composition and strategy. For example, having a strong frontline with tanks like Ornn or Sejuani can enable the backline to deal more damage safely. Meanwhile, champions like Yasuo or Zed can be effective split-pushers, drawing pressure away from other areas of the map.

It's worth noting that the S9 ranked system has also introduced a new concept called 'LP gains and losses.' Essentially, this means that a player's LP gains and losses will be adjusted based on their win rate and the average rank of their opponents. This is meant to prevent players from climbing too quickly or falling too far down the ladder.

Overall, the S9 ranked system offers a challenging but rewarding experience for LoL players. By choosing strong champions and working with their team to execute effective strategies, players can climb the ladder and achieve their desired rank.