Patch Rundown: Worlds 2016

Riot·Sep 27, 2016·1 votes·45,400 views

The road to Worlds has diverted and altered its course throughout the year as League of Legends continues to evolve and redefine itself. Metas have shifted as champions have fallen in and out of favor. The teams who’ve managed to adapt the quickest have one final hurdle to overcome: the Worlds meta.

As the regions begin to mesh and practice with each other, strategies will become more refined and more polished. To break down what's to come, Dash, Scarra, Sheepy, and Zirene have gathered to discuss the patches leading up to Worlds and how Patch 6.18 will manifest on the year’s grandest stage.

The top lane is no longer affected by lane swaps as they have largely been eliminated from the game. The old island is back. As are its duelists.

Junglers have largely stabilized around a couple power picks. With standard lanes making a return, major swings in the early game will revolve around the jungler’s every move once again.

Assassins in mid lane are a thing of the past, but some players still have tricks up their sleeves and bushes to hide in. The overhaul of mages has reintroduced a wide array of champions to the lane. Mid should feature a colorful roster of champions.

While Teleport has been nerfed, bot lane still serves as the prime target for hungry laners and junglers. The duos will have to be just as cautious as ever as the world’s best take their aim.

To see how these changes will come into play, tune into Worlds on September 29 as the best players from around the globe gather in San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Theater to kick off the 2016 World Championship.

56 Comments

Andy GuoSep 27, 20168 votes

doesn't matter C9 wins world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LET GO MEME TEAM FOR LIFE!!!!!!!!! CRUSH SKT AND SEE HOW THE KOREAN FANBOYS WILL REACT TO THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ThunderspamSep 27, 20163 votes

YEAH BBY LES GO

sparksam2000Sep 27, 20161 votes

GOTTA SHOW THEM WHOS THE BEST BBY

SteadygoingSep 27, 20163 votes

Well, i guess you gotta have some faith right?!? I'll give some major props to them if they can beat SKT. But that should be their goal....beating SKT, not winning Worlds. They wont' come close to that. Sorry to burst your bubble.

ThunderspamSep 27, 20163 votes

Let me guess... TSM fan...

Andy GuoSep 28, 20161 votes

it not faith it call team spirt cuz when I watch every cloud 9 game I believe that they can win C9 for LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MEME TEAM HERE THEY COME to WORLD to CREATE EVEN MORE MEMES!!!!!!

FowusSep 29, 20162 votes

skt hasnt even been looking that great

sparksam2000Oct 17, 20161 votes

just wanted to troll xD im still a c9 fan but i dont think that they might haave been able to win worlds with does korean teams up there ;)

HecticZzSep 27, 20163 votes

Weird how you assume he's a TSM fan. So if somebody says anything negative about TSM I'll assume hes a C9 fan too. : ^ ) The irony when TSM and C9 orgs are very close and you just sound salty C9 lost the finals.

On a side note, I do believe C9 can defeat SKT during the group stage, 2-0 even.

ThunderspamSep 27, 20161 votes

I know their close it was a joke lol I like and respect both teams as they are both very good. I was upset that C9 lost, but more because CLG now goes to worlds where IMT is by FAR the better team. Last year i took all of my old Lego bricks and made a 86 x 86 board into a TSM logo and i have it hanging by my bed so you know i like both

coeurloyalSep 28, 20161 votes

I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I'm still not convinced that IMT is clearly the better team. It's been twice in a row now that they came into Split finals with everything going for them and they still choked. They may have better individual talent and great team play to rival CLG's, but if CLG comes back in form--which they very well could--I don't see IMT being clearly better. Maybe somewhere on the same level.

Keep in mind, I really dislike CLG--this is not fanboyism speaking. I just don't see IMT standing in a clearly higher tier than them, and IMT has yet to prove that they truly are on a higher level. While their track record is short, it's been consistent.

ThunderspamSep 28, 20161 votes

Well put, ill take it

EleshakaiSep 30, 20161 votes

IMT is a team who looks really good when playing those weaker than them, but really bad when playing those better or equal to them. I don't want them going to Worlds because, as fun as they are, I think they'd be a trainwreck at Worlds since they clearly don't know how to deal with opposition.

Pachirisu NASep 28, 20163 votes

BALLS, BALLS, BALLS.

MKG OperaVanJavaSep 28, 20162 votes

[slayer-jinx-unamused] ,[zombie-brand-mindblown]

SlappybiscuitSep 28, 20162 votes

of steel

coeurloyalSep 28, 20163 votes

C9 has no Balls now. Not that they won't still have an Impact. [slayer-jinx-catface]

muchorojoSep 28, 20165 votes

REKAI IS A SHE. BAD SCARA!!![slayer-jinx-unamused]

TFBaamSep 27, 20163 votes

sleeper pick? kled obv

PandaPimpSep 27, 20162 votes

Can i have riot points summoner 4

Votable JesterSep 27, 201614 votes

Not if you misspell Rito.

1theK ExclusiveSep 27, 20162 votes

I have the Worlds spirit, I have the new 2015 summoner icon! WAIT, IS IT 2016 ALREADY AND NA STILL SUCKS? [slayer-jinx-unamused]

sad tilt b0ySep 27, 20167 votes

if you can't speak english, just speak your own so you don't look like an idiot. [slayer-jinx-catface]

Syd MeadSep 28, 20161 votes

[slayer-jinx-wink]

BeatzBoyFTWSep 27, 20162 votes

Wasn't interested in watching the Jungle video since it will always be Elise Gragas RekSai .

RiotZireneSep 28, 201612 votes

Not at worlds. Elise will be near the top, but there won't be any Gragas, and Rek'Sai will be much lower priority. Graves, Nidalee, Skarner, Zac, Olaf and many others will be played in their stead.

EROTIC RAID BOSSSep 28, 20161 votes

poor gragas he got rekt.

Mysticman89Sep 28, 201612 votes

Worlds scripted confirmed.

[slayer-jinx-wink]

GixiaSep 28, 20162 votes

Considering Elise was already considered a tier all to her own just below Gragas and Rek'Sai, I don't understand why she didn't also get nerfs when they did. Now it just goes from 2 junglers being clearly the best to 1 jungler just being better than the rest, which seems even worse.

coeurloyalSep 28, 20161 votes

It's still better. With the only clear top picks being Elise and Gnar, those two can be traded in pick/ban and each team will still hold at least one target ban. It really frees up the pre-game strats that can be worked around when blue side gets a free ban to spend.

GixiaSep 28, 20161 votes

How is trading Elise for Gnar any better than trading Rek'Sai for Gragas? If anything that seems worse. At least when you trade super strong jungler for super strong jungler, it's an even trade for both teams. Trading super strong jungler for super strong top laner just warps the top lane matchup.

coeurloyalSep 29, 20162 votes

It's better because by trading Rek'Sai or Gragas bans the second squad no longer automatically received a power duo like Sivir/Karma. Now, when there is (theoretically) only one clear S-tier in a given lane, it means teams can opt to either leave it open to trade the S-tier pick or ban it out and force an even pick/counter-pick from the A-tier for that position. It isn't much of a difference, but it at least gives teams an extra tool to work with in pick/ban.

At the very least, having less than two power picks no longer locks you into a binary choice between one or the other. It allows for a lot more flexibility in terms of pocket picks and slot variety. It should also split the ban priority between the two positions so that teams can pick where to put their power. If we see Elise get traded for a Gnar pick/ ban in every game, so be it. At least we aren't 100% guaranteed to see the same matchup in every single game.

Count BuffonSep 29, 20161 votes

Was it really a goal to have no Gragas at all? That's not what balance is. Still, it's going to be a lot better than Mordeplank 2015 (never forget). Mordekaiser Gangplank Fiora Darius [zombie-brand-facepalm]

Andy GuoSep 28, 20163 votes

c9 superstar jungle meteos will pull out his big green hulk and smash everyone butthole clean Zac Zac Zac Zac Zac

FowusSep 29, 20161 votes

sneaky fuckingGasm

prograhamSep 28, 20162 votes

I've played a lot of Eve, interested in seeing how her buffs play out if she gets played. I see she's big in KR, and should be cool to see how they play her. Part of me doesn't think she will be effective even with the buffs. Her weaknesses can be pretty easily exploited. On pro level(world's level) I just don't see what she has to offer.