The LPL has shown why it's the top region in League of Legends at the moment.
With more teams securing their slots into the playoffs for the LPL Summer Split, we've decided to take a deeper look into the current meta surrounding the top region in League of Legends right now. The LPL has won the last three major Riot Games tournaments with Royal Never Give Up winning MSI back-to-back while EDward Gaming was last year's world champions. Of course, it isn't a stretch of the imagination to say that it could be partly down to the meta and how it's been implemented in the LPL playstyles.
While the meta has shifted since the spring, there are still some familiar faces that are cleaning up the group stages. The likes of Nautilus are just one of the few champions that have been a staple in the LPL this season. He has made the support role his own this season, almost hitting the same number of appearances in the spring with two more weeks of games to go. Gwen was another go-to in the top lane during the spring season. However, that's not the case now as she has since been replaced by Gnar due to the nerfs she received over the weeks.
In the other three lanes, we've seen a significant improvement when it came to the top five picks in the spring. Viego was the third most-picked champion then and is currently leading the charge in the jungle. Ahri has also bounced back from being fifth to leading the way in the mid-lane. While Jinx is still seen as a top pick in certain cases, her pick rate hasn't been the same with Aphelios taking over as the most popular AD carry.
Gnar
Much like the LCK, Gnar has been a reliable pick for the top lane during the LPL Summer Split. He's been picked 114 times so far while being banned out in 67 games. Given his versatility in multiple comps, Gnar is seen as a stable pick for many teams, which also shows in his win rate. Of the 114 games that Gnar has been picked, he's won 60 games while losing another 54 in the process. While the win rate of 52 per cent seems fairly average, it is clear that he is only viable with certain playstyles.
Of the 17 teams in the LPL, only nine have managed to have a positive win rate with Gnar in their line-up. This included seven in the current top 10 LPL Summer Split rankings as well as two teams in the bottom half, Thundertalk Gaming and Bilibili Gaming. Both teams have a better-than-average win rate whenever Gnar is picked, which also shows in their current rankings in 11th and 12th respectively.
Viego
The Ruined King is back once again to dominate the jungle in the Summoner's Rift. While he did make over 100 appearances in the spring, he has since eclipsed it. At the current time of posting, Viego has made 175 appearances in the summer split, making him the most-picked champion in the LPL by far. This could be down to all the small buffs he's been getting over the fortnightly patch updates, which has since made him a beast.
Of course, his win rate of only 48 per cent doesn't justify the claims that he is the best pick for the jungle. While it is still a fairly tight race with 84 wins to 91 losses, the fact that Viego has been picked in almost every other match goes to show how viable he is in today's meta. He's got great range as well as initiation and escape mechanisms, making him an annoying jungler to face against.
Ahri
While Ahri has seen more bans than picks this season, she has still been able to be the most picked champion for the mid-lane during the summer split. In 196 games, Ahri was banned 116 times, which goes to show her potency in today's meta. This is further proven in her 80 matches picked as she won 50 of the games played. She also has the second-highest win rate amongst all mid-lane champions at 63 per cent with only Sylas leading the way at 67 per cent despite being picked for 20 games less.
Her versatility in terms of crowd control, damage output, self-healing, as well as great mobility. This makes her a great mid-lane pick that is capable of not only winning her lane but also offering great advantages when ganking the side lanes. The likes of JD Gaming and Top Esports have made great use of Ahri over the past few weeks with both teams having positive win rates when having her in their line-ups.
Aphelios
As the second-most picked champion in the LPL, the Weapon of the Faithful has been chosen 134 times while only being banned for 15. This goes to show that many teams are capable of playing with him in the line-up while the team opposing probably has no issue facing Aphelios. But while he remains the second-most picked champion as well as the most-picked in the AD carry role, his win rate is very much average at this point.
Having won and lost 67 games respectively, Aphelios' win rate sits at a comfortable 50 per cent. This would usually mean that he is either a great pick-up for a specific playstyle and comp or he just fizzles out. Many of the top teams like RNG, Top, and JD have been able to utilise Aphelios to great effect. All three teams have positive win rates whenever Aphelios is in their line-up, which goes to show they know how to play around him as the main damage dealer.
Nautilus
The Titan of the Depths has been the only mainstay in the LPL this season, being the most-picked in both the Spring and Summer Splits. As dependable as ever, Nautilus has been one of the best support picks in the LPL for quite some time now and it has come to light this season. He has played 110 games so far while only being banned 64 times. However, his win rate is something that remains to be desired, sitting at only 45 per cent.
With only 49 wins to the 61 losses, it goes to show that while he may be the most reliable support champion, the team composition may not seem to think so. The likes of Renata Glasc, Senna, and Braum have shown that they are capable of dishing out great damage as well as providing balance to the line-up.