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Deep in the Rift: Kittyball (feat. SK vs MYM Week 4 LCS)

Every week, I will showcase one team with either an interesting or well-executed lineup, and analyze how they work. From the champions to the matchups, as well as its pros and cons, this article aims to help readers understand the pro scene better, and possibly even incorporate these strategies into their own games.

Irelia. Morgana. Corki. If you have been a fan of the League of Legends competitive scene, then these names should be very familiar to you. These three are some of the champions who have been extremely popular during Season 2. However, today you would barely even see them being hovered around in champion select. The meta has shifted greatly, and unfortunately some of the superstar picks weren't able to adapt. Sure, you might see them once in a blue moon, but it is more for the surprise factor now.

So when SK Gaming chose Rengar, another sought-after champion last season, was picked, I personally got excited. Especially so since prior to that, ocelote went for his Orianna, and immediately got myself flashbacks of the wombo combo potential of those two. What I liked even more are the three other champions chosen to work around this concept, and how each of them fit in perfectly. With that in mind, let us take a look at SK Gaming versus Meet Your Makers during Week Four Day Two of the European LCS. 

 


 

Picks and Bans

Let us first look at how it all started. SK banned champions that are used immensely by their opponents, taking out a level of comfort from them. MYM, on the other hand, made bans that more like due to their power level rather than player preference. It also removes threats that could hinder their strategy, which is made obvious as the drafts went on.

SK stealing Shen away from Mokatte severely narrowed the MYM jungler's choices, since his top two picks were now gone. In response, MYM immediately took the AoE CC-oriented duo lane of Varus and Zyra for strong early game harass and safe disengages in case they get ganked. SK's next picks were Sona and Orianna, typical for the team, giving them AoE engages in teamfights, particularly Orianna, who could deal tons of damage from afar at the same time. 
    
The next two picks for MYM were interesting. Not the obvious Jayce, of course. His long-range poke and heavy burst on melee is a welcome addition to any team. It was the Skarner that definitely got everyone's attention. This is when the bans from MYM received greater value, for Skarner is easily kiteable, even with the speed bonus from Crystalline Exoskeleton. This throwback pick gave the team a pick-off option, and taking one out right before the big teamfight is definitely what they wanted.

The last two picks from SK were definitely a sign that they are throwing caution to the wind. The Vayne simply meant that they are sacrificing the usual strong early game of the team, hoping her late-game potential would carry them in the end. The Rengar looked like an answer to the nostalgia pick of Mokatte, but when you look at the team as a whole, it made perfect sense. The last pick of MYM in the form of Ryze was a direct counter to the Night Hunter, as well as providing as sturdy frontline for Jayce and Varus to get behind.


Execution

 

I would assume that you have watched the game at this point (the link's right there), but if not, well that's okay too. By this point, you already know who won. The big question though, was how well the team composition of SK was executed.

To be honest, they were having quite a tough time making it work. Even with the immediate first blood onto Kubon, they really weren't able to capitalize on this advantage. During the early game, ocelote and hyrqBot failed to do the KittyBall combo a lot of times, which resulted in them going even with MYM thoughout the game when they should be having a bigger lead.

Fortunately for SK, two good things happened to them around the mid to late game: the Vayne gamble was a success, and while MYM's Skarner pick failed. Orianna and Vayne were prime targets for Impale, Mokatte just can't reach them. Command: Dissonance and Condemn from the carries themselves were enough peel, in addition to Crescendo, Bola Strike, and Shadow Dash. 

Suffice to say, it was the raw power of the champions themselves, not the combo, that gave them their victory. It was kind of sad; if they managed to pull the move off, they would've won much earlier and flashier, instead of trundling around and teamfighting, hoping they would get ahead. Still, the team comp osition itself is fascinating to warrant a deeper study. It even doubles as a history lesson in LoL meta.

 


 

KittyBall: How and Why

At its core, the combo requires only two champions: Rengar and Orianna. Orianna uses Command: Protect on Rengar while unseen by the enemy. Rengar activates Thrill of the Hunt, sprints towards the clumped opponents. The Orianna player presses R, and boom. Surprise. What this allows a team to do is they force the other team to get paranoid. They are forced to buy more pink wards and Oracles, immediately creating an impact on their economy. It also gives the team using it a very quick engagement tool, as Rengar's ult gives him a lot of movespeed, meaning sudden initiations and catching enemies off-guard are highly doable.

What made SK's KittyBall combo more beautiful were its supporting characters. Shen allowed the team to splitpush, forcing MYM to either fight undermanned, or sacrifice map control, which was what the Polish team relied on most of the time. The big ninja also gave Rengar another ult to carry with him, as the only thing scarier than an invisible Shockwave is an invisible taunt to lock everybody up longer.

But wait, I haven't even gone to the bot lane yet! With Nyph and his addiction to flash Crescendos, the enemy becomes unable to act even longer. If the players could time it right, they will have 3 seconds worth of crowd control, while almost everyone in the team could whack them up. And Vayne? She's the silvery icing on the cake. Being able to take down single targets faster than anyone, she's the perfect cleanup champion and when snowballed, become unstoppable. Just ask CandyPanda and his 9-0-8 score.

As to answer why they use this team comp, especially at this stage of the LCS? Ocelote said in a the post-game interview that they "needed more balls, literally." Make no mistake, this is a team comp for those who would take a huge risk. Their ults mean everything to them. A few of them missing would definitely spell disaster, as their power level severely drops at that point, unless the Vayne has enough items to carry the team.

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Strengths and Weaknesses

The KittyBall comp is strong against team who prefer a full-blown 5v5 matchup. It will have an initiation advantage most of the time, due to the speed that the ball could be delivered, even if Rengar is rendered visible. Dive comps might have a chance against them, but it depends on who engages on who.

However, strong poke comps and one with insane amounts of mobility could negate the power of the KittyBall completely. Long-range CC from champions like Lux and Xerath could tear their enemies down before they get a chance to get close, AD carries such as Caitlyn and Ezreal could easily get away from the AoE, and junglers like Lee Sin and Nautilus could either stop you in your tracks, or kick you away from your destination.

 


 

Recommendations and Final Words

Since the main team comp is based on just two champions, you could easily try this in ranked duo queue. You could even play Rengar in the top lane ala Westrice or Caomei, but you lose wider map control in doing so. If you want to play this as five and would like other options, I suggest Zac. He has the same annoyance abilities like Shen, and could deal more damage over time, but you lose splitpushing power. As for the duo lane, Tristana and Lulu are good alternatives. The former has the same hypercarry potential, with better mobility and peel, but less single-target damage. The latter has great utility on its own, and her Wild Growth is a great addition to the combo, even granting a slow aura onto Rengar.

So there you have it. SK's cute and deadly KittyBall. Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you have any positive or negative constructive feedback, just type away in the comments section below, and I'll see you fellow summoners next week.

 


 

You could also follow me at @moveslikejuaber and rant from there ;)

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