Hello, everyone! We’re back this week with yet another edition of our news updates regarding everything League of Legends related. Let’s get straight to it.
MSI
The 2017 Mid-Season Invitational has begun and the Play-In has almost concluded. Eight teams from every wildcard region were placed into groups of 4 in order to decide which two squads will face Team SoloMid and Flash Wolves in Round 2.
In Group A it looked like there was going to be a big fight for 1st place between Supermassive and RED Canids. That was not the case after RED Canids’ surprising loss to the Dire Wolves. In the end, Supermassive ended up qualifying for the next round after showing that they are a decent crew when playing around their AD Carry Zeitnot.
Group B was a similar case with the GIGABYTE Marines standing above the other teams. Lyon Gaming was a close second but the players on the Marines’ squad were definitely above their competition. Levi and Optimus, in particular, were really good and displayed a very high level of individual skill.
After the draw for Round 2 it was decided that the Marines will face off against Team SoloMid while Supermassive will play against the Flash Wolves. Looking at both match-ups the Marines definitely have a higher chance of causing an upset. Svenskeren has had the weakest Spring Split compared to his teammates and with Levi looking really good, that will be the Marines’ way towards victory. Flash Wolves have looked very dominant ever since the 2017 year started and it’s hard to imagine Supermassive upsetting them especially considering how limited their win conditions are.
LPL
MSI aside the LPL has also concluded with Team WE defeating Royal Never Give Up 3-0 in the finals to win their first LPL title. In nearly every game Royal displayed good play in the early game but past that, their macro play was lacking quite a lot and their coordination as off, making it easy for Team WE to win fights and skirmishes that would lead towards their victory. Condi was named player of the game and with good reason.
In Game 3 he single-handedly dismantled Uzi and made his impact on the battle very lacking. Time after time he would use his Rengar ultimate to catch him out and either take him down or force him out of team fights. With their win in the finals, WE will represent China at the Mid-Season Invitational.
LCK
The LCK Promotion Tournament also concluded with Ever8 making it into the LCK after taking down Kongdoo Monster. They will be joining the Jin Air Green Wings after the latter managed to re-qualify with their win over Kongdoo Monster.
Roster Changes
The biggest roster move that has occurred has been Doublelift rejoining SoloMid. Although he will not be playing during MSI, his addition to TSM’s roster and their intentions towards building a 6 man crew is big news for North America. If TSM won the Spring Split without him then adding him to the roster can only make TSM stronger. It will be very interesting to see which ADC is used in which situation.
Immortals also had a minor change with Jish leaving the team after spending the Spring Split with them as their Assistant Coach. Considering how the squad finished in 7th place, it’s easy to understand the thought process behind this decision.
Over in the European region Tabzz, Cinkrof and NaeHyun have announced their departure from Origen as well as their free agency. This comes as no surprise after the team’s relegation from the EU LCS. Tabzz and NaeHyun didn’t have a good split while Cinkrof’s sudden addition to the OG roster never really allowed him to show his skills as a jungler. With that in mind, it’s safe to assume Cinkrof may find a new crew, however the future is very unclear for Tabzz and NaeHyun. The former coach for Origen known as LeDuck has also announced that he will be leaving the team after his contract expires.
Over in the NACS Team Gates announced a new roster consisting of Max Waldo, CloudNguyen, Linsanity, Jurassiq and Clyde, however they were quickly eliminated from the NACS after losing their spot to CLG Black. In the EUCS both Pilot and Sprattel have left Paris Saint-Germain after the squad failed to qualify for the Promotion Tournament. Both of these players did not have a great split and it’s no surprise that PSG wants to change their roster.
Other minor roster swaps include Gillius leaving eUnited after the team failed to qualify for the NA LCS. Vardags who is a former ADC for Unicorns of Love has left KIYF Logitech. Former ADC for Gambit P1noy has left Millenium. Xuan has left Vici Gaming after the team’s relegation to the LSPL. Brokenshard has been appointed as the Head Coach after his stint with RED Canids at the Mid-Season Invitational. And finally, Schalke 04 have announced the departures of Vander, SELFIE and head coach Veteran.
Meta Changes
Not much has changed in terms of the meta of the game, however there were some interesting picks in the MSI Play-In stage. The top laner for RED Canids Robo picked some interesting champions in the top lane. First up was Jarvan IV who has been getting more and more attention after the buffs to his shield.
Teams are starting to take him as an early game fighter in the top lane that transitions into a tanky juggernaut later into the game. Grasp of the Undying does grant him the sustain he very much needs in lane. So far the pick has been effective but it does have its flaws as with any champion.
Another even more interesting pick by Robo was Darius. The thing that stops Darius from seeing more play is his lack of a gap closing ability. It’s easy for a skilled AD Carry or Mid Laner to kite Darius and make sure he doesn’t even get to touch anyone.
That being said Robo made it work and showcased that if played well Darius can have some effectiveness. He has always been a very dominant laning champion. Considering how good he is against melee champions and the importance of picks like Shen, Nautilus and Jarvan IV into the current meta, Darius might see more play going forward.
Hopefully, this review was useful, see you next time. Good luck!
