Gangplank Scaling: Grade S
Yes. Gangplank is one of the strongest late-game champions in the game. Grade S, Best late, in The Scaling Codex.
Reviewed for League of Legends Season 16 (2026).
Verdict. One of the global-ultimate exceptions. All abilities scale massively with more damage items.
Why Gangplank gets an S
Powder Kegs chain into each other, shred through defenses, and deliver full-build damage to several champions at once. He can deal ranged area damage without standing inside the dangerous part of the fight, and every damage item makes the barrels hit harder.
Cannon Barrage adds map-wide reach. He can contribute to fights he is not standing in: covering a carry crossing the map, zoning an objective pit, or cutting off a retreat two lanes away.
Gangplank still has to land the barrel chain
If you cannot connect the kegs in a real fight, you are holding six items with no way to deliver them. That is the whole difference between a Gangplank who earns this grade and one who does not.
The global rewards prediction too. It has travel time and a duration, so it needs to be cast where the fight is going rather than where it currently is.
You are in every fight on the map. Aim the barrage where the fight is going, not where it is.
Common questions about Gangplank scaling
Does Gangplank scale well into the late game?
Yes. Gangplank is one of the strongest late-game champions in the game. Grade S, Best late, in The Scaling Codex.
What holds Gangplank back?
If you cannot connect the kegs in a real fight, you are holding six items with no way to deliver them. That is the whole difference between a Gangplank who earns this grade and one who does not.
What is the late-game rule for Gangplank?
You are in every fight on the map. Aim the barrage where the fight is going, not where it is.
How this grade was judged
The grade weighs range, target access, sustained and burst damage, crowd control, mobility, durability, healing and shielding, resets, cooldown structure, objective and formation control, split pressure, and how well the champion survives a long fight. Builds and forms that scale differently are graded separately. This is Vambient's gameplay evaluation of coordinated late-game fights, not a win-rate calculation. Full methodology.
Related champions
- Why Ambessa is also Grade S
- Why Aphelios is also Grade S
- Why Aurelion Sol is also Grade S
- Why Azir is also Grade S
- See the full Grade S tier
The grade measures one thing: how much a champion can influence a coordinated late-game objective fight once both teams reach full builds. It does not measure early strength, snowballing, or win rate. A weak late-game champion still wins by ending the game first, which is what the rest of the library teaches. How the grades are decided.