G2 eSports, FunPlus Phoenix, Griffin, or Other: Who would win with Garen?!

That's all I ask! Who would win with it against whom and with what composition?

#Background According to the Leaguepedia Champion Match History, Garen has won...once. Undeniably the least used champion in competitive League for very obvious reasons. He runs in, freeze frames, asks you how he got in this situation...next thing you know you hear whatever that gong sound is from The Undertaker's theme in wrestling, you're asleep and hellooooooo Paddle Star.

#Why these three teams? Basically they are the best teams I could think of that would be willing to throw one game to try (and maybe one game to ever appear in the LCK). If I had to even power rank teams on success in diversity and willingness among the core 4 regions (Because Vega Squadion, Vaevictis, and Detonation FocusMe all exist too among many more), the three noted would be 1, 2 and 3 in no particular order.

#What do I think? Team: G2 Player: Jankos (Jungle) Opponent: Excel eSports

So I sorely believe that lane Garen doesn't work in the competitive light at all. There's a stark difference between "I'm making it predictable!" and "You have no Flash (or Mana)! I am a living Hecarim!" when charging in with his Q - Decisive Strike. Given how aggressive meta game has evolved for the past year or so and with the choice rune in Predator, all I think is to make it work is as simple as don't build like a mega tank. Or do but depend on the rest of your team to get you to a point of supremacy.

Why XL? Personally I feel they are one of the worst teams among the core 4 sitting nice and comfy with 100 Thieves and like 2 teams bottoming the LPL. I also don't believe in Caedrel to do anything about the pick when it comes to the select carry matchup, especially if Garen were to be a counter (and final) pick to something. If we're using the current timeline as well, I would think it to be a good point to prey on Hjarnan's absence as well as Mickey's live and die playstyle. The existing lack of synergy in the team in general would make for even a meta comp to be swiftly thwarted even if Garen doesn't exactly pop off; the goal is for Garen to win mind you.

The mock draft is where things would get interesting. For this, I established G2 on Red Side and the goal is to composition around Garen being one of the AD threats.

##G2 Bans Phase 1 | Phase 2

##XL Bans Phase 1 | Phase 2

##G2 Picks 2 2 4 5 7

##XL Picks 1 3 3 6 6

The most notable considerations I made with this draft included:

• Target ban on Hjarnan
• Ignore Expect
• Bank on Caedrel getting Lee Sin
• Prevent extreme CC conditions
• Post 9.12 yet stubbornness will still allow various presence
• Sona/Taric strat still hasn't been nerfed or effectively countered

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In closing, while unlikely he'll be of any relevance any time soon EVER, I felt this would just be a good mental exercise to analyze what it would take to make the...uh...Might of Demacia...win? I've never known his title. I just know he can hold the world up.

So what do you think, even if it's just who makes it work the best. [garen-swing]