Attack range in LoL: melee vs ranged
Range is the invisible edge: if you hit from farther than your opponent, you can punish them without taking anything back. Here you see to real scale how much farther a marksman reaches than a melee, and why that changes every matchup.
How much farther each archetype reaches
Attack range is the distance at which your auto-attack reaches an enemy. It’s measured in game units, and the gap between classes is huge: a melee champion usually has 125 range (they have to be almost glued on), while a marksman reaches 525–600 and Caitlyn, the longest, hits at 650.
The chart draws it to real scale from the champion: a melee’s arc is a pinch next to a marksman’s. That fivefold difference is what lets a marksman land damage on a melee over and over while the other tries to close in.
That’s why range isn’t just another number: it defines who can punish without taking damage and weighs heavily in matchups. Each champion’s page shows their exact range next to the rest of their base stats.
Each archetype’s auto-attack range, drawn to real scale from the champion. A melee (125) has to get right on top; a marksman like Caitlyn (650) hits from over five times that distance. That gap defines who can punish without taking damage.
Why range wins lanes: kiting
The range edge is cashed in through kiting: hit, step back while your auto reloads, then hit again, always outside the opponent’s reach. A marksman who kites well hits a melee for free, because every time the other gets close enough to retaliate, they’ve already stepped back.
That’s why ranged vs melee matchups in lane are so thankless for the melee: minute to minute they eat damage every time they go to farm. The trade-off is that melees usually have more health, resistances or gap-closing tools (dashes, leaps, control) to close the distance at once.
Mobility is the flip side of range: a melee with a good dash erases the reach advantage in an instant. We cover it in the movement speed guide. And to see how a concrete duel resolves, test it in Versus.
FAQ
Which champion has the most attack range?
Caitlyn has the highest base auto-attack range in the game, at 650. Most marksmen sit between 500 and 600, mages 525, and melees usually have 125. You can see each champion’s exact range on their page.
Why does a marksman beat a melee in lane?
Range: it hits from farther and can kite (hit and back off) without taking damage. The melee eats damage every time they step up to farm. The melee’s compensation is more health, resistances or a dash to close the gap at once.