ADCs are generally the primary targets on Summoner’s Rift. Because they’re late-game carries, everybody else is trying to shut them down early. The jungler regularly comes to gank your lane, the mid laner does the same job, and the top laner can use Teleport to ruin your day. So how do you deal with this? What are the safest ADC picks you can go for in season 12 to avoid this problem?
The short answer is Ezreal, Sivir, Tristana, Samira, and Ziggs. I recommend you to go for either of these champions if you’re struggling to stay alive in the bot lane. All of them have some sort of an escape mechanic, making them really great safe picks in League of Legends.
But let’s dive deep and see why exactly these are the five best ADC picks in season 12!
1. Ezreal
Ezreal is undoubtedly the safest marksman in the game. Not only does he have his E to get away from trouble, but all of his damaging abilities are long-ranged too. This means that if the Ezreal player is smart, he can get himself out of every sticky situation.
But let’s start at the beginning. Ezreal’s E, Arcane Shift, is a mini Flash ability on a 10-15 seconds cooldown. It teleports Ezreal in a chosen direction, allowing him to dodge abilities from his attackers.
Arcane Shift can be used to create plays in the bot lane or outplay your opponents. You should never waste Ezreal’s E on farming minions or pointless trading. Sure, you can use it while traveling from the base. But it’s very important always to have it ready, no matter the matchup. You never know when you might need it!
On the other hand, all of Ezreal’s abilities can be cast from a safe range. And even if Ezreal is matched against aggressive laners such as Draven or Leona, he can still farm minions from a distance.
The same can be said for his W+Q or W+R combo, which are the two main ways to synergize Ezreal’s abilities. So if you choose to play Ezreal in the bot lane, know that as long as you’re playing smart, your enemies can’t overpower you!
Also read: Best Late Game ADCs
2. Sivir
Sivir is my go-to ADC pick in season 12 when I’m auto-filled in the bot lane (I’m a mid laner). She’s an extremely safe champion and such a tilt to the enemy team. You can almost never stun Sivir, and you can’t catch her either. But what makes her so safe?
For starters, Sivir’s E, Spell Shield, is one of the most valuable abilities in League of Legends. Seriously, this spell is so useful that it single-handedly makes Sivir one of the safest ADC picks in the game. Once Sivir activates it, the Spell Shield blocks the next ability that would otherwise hit Sivir.
Now, Spell Shield can block every ability in the game, but it doesn’t block basic attacks. It doesn’t matter whether Urgot casts his R or Annie flings her Q at Sivir – the Spell Shield negates all damage and all effects.
But since it can block any ability, it takes skill to know when to use it. Because it’s much more valuable to block Ashe’s ultimate than her W. But if you have that under control, then you’re going to be unkillable.
The other component of Sivir’s safety in the bot lane is her ultimate. Once she hits level 6, Sivir can use her On the Hunt. This ability grants a burst of movement speed to Sivir and her allies, making it impossible for the enemy to catch them. So no matter what kind of trouble you’re in, simply press your R, and you’ll get out of there in a second!
Sivir also benefits from the range of her Q, Boomerang Blade. And if you’re going the lethality build, you won’t even need to get close to deal damage.
3. Samira
When Samira was released, she was utterly obnoxious. Not only did she have insane damage (she still does to some extent), but she was also unkillable. Honestly, no other ADC pick has as many defensive tools as her, so she’s definitely your pick if you’re looking for safety in the bot lane.
Now, what makes Samira a safe champion?
Let’s start with her E, Wild Rush. Samira’s dash isn’t just a regular dash. Instead, it’s an ability that she can basically spam in a fight. It resets with each champion takedown, so Samira can dash left and right to avoid damage and CC.
The crazy part is that Wild Rush was actually usable on friendly targets and not only on enemies. On launch, Samira could dash right to her support if anything bad was happening near her. She could then score a kill or an assist and use the ability again to dash to her enemy. And even though that’s not the case anymore, Samira’s E is a really handy tool to have.
But the biggest reason why Samira is such a safe pick in the bot lane is her W, Blade Whirl. When people first witnessed this ability, the forums went on fire. It’s basically Yasuo’s W, but on steroids.
Once activated, the ability shields Samira from ANY kind of attack. It blocks all incoming spells, including ultimates. But what’s really valuable here is the fact that Blade Whirl is an AoE effect. And this means that not only can Samira protect herself, but she can also protect her support.
If we just add the amount of lifesteal Samira has after the early game, we can quickly realize why she is one of the safest ADC picks in League of Legends!
Also read: Best Bot Lane Duos in League of Legends
4. Tristana
Everybody who plays Tristana knows her two biggest strengths in the bot lane – high burst damage and reliable escape. And when you have two of those things at the same time, you’re looking at a pretty safe champion!
Now, you can say that Tristana’s only safe characteristic is her W, Rocket Jump. And you wouldn’t be wrong because this ability allows Tristana to quickly jump out of a fight to a safe distance. It also resets with a champion takedown, which means that Tristana can use it multiple times in the same fight.
But, I would also remind you of her ultimate, Buster Shot. Buster Shot damages the targeted enemy, but it also pushes him back. In fact, it also knocks every champion in close range to the primary target. So, you can use it to keep your opponents away.
Tristana’s R is typically used to finish off an enemy and not as an escape mechanic. And true, you should use it to burst someone down. But if you’re on the back foot trying to run away, then you should use Buster Shot to push your enemies away and stay alive.
In the end, both of these tools, Rocket Jump and Buster Shot, make Tristana one of the safest ADC picks in season 12. And you should definitely play her if you struggle to deal with aggressive junglers and laners!
5. Ziggs
Even though Ziggs is not an AD champion, he is one of the best ADC picks in season 12. He’s been such an influential pick in the bot lane meta this year that it’s crazy why aren’t more ADC players maining him.
The thing that separates Ziggs from all marksmen is the fact that his damage comes from his abilities and not auto-attacks. Because of this, Ziggs can safely farm throughout the game, even if he’s pushed to his turrets. He doesn’t have a problem dealing with aggressive laners because he can practically spam his Bouncing Bombs.
But the key reason why Ziggs is such a safe pick in the bot lane is his W, Satchel Charge. Ziggs can use this ability to deal damage, knock up enemies in the air, destroy turrets, and, yes – escape sticky situations.
The best way you use Satchel Charge if you’re looking to escape on Ziggs is to place it right beneath Ziggs’ feet. The placement really matters since it determines where it will launch Ziggs once he deactivates it.
For example, if Ziggs stands at the edge of his Satchel Charge, the ability will only throw him a bit forward. But if he stands closer to the center of Satchel Charge, it will launch him much far forward.
It’s also useful to place Ziggs’ W in between him and his enemies so that you get a double effect. You’ll jump forward, and you’ll push your enemies backward.
In any way, you can use Ziggs to basically go AFK farming in the bot lane. He is reliable, safe, and always useful to this team. And even if you aren’t winning, you’re going to destroy turrets!
Those were the top 5 safest ADC picks in season 12!
