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An Analysis of Champion Diversity in NA LCS 2014 Summer Split

Daen·8/25/2014, 8:11:59 PM·35 votes·13,402 views

Hi everyone,

I am really interested in this stuff and wanted to share what I've been working on, so...here goes.

This data was pulled from the official eSports website, and the sample includes 112 games. Here's the important stuff:

  • Each champion that was played in a given role is listed along the top/bottom/sides, the matchups are the numbers in the spreadsheet.
  • The champion headings show how many times a given champion was played during the split and what percentage that was.
  • Higher numbers/darker colors mean the matchup happened more often.
  • Higher size than average = good
  • Lower magnitude than average = good

#General Statistics

  • 73 champions were played, which is 61% of the total number of champions.
  • 52 champions were played more than once, which is 43% of the total number of champions.
  • 33 champions were played more than five times, which is 28% of the total number of champions.

#Top Lane Diversity

http://i.imgur.com/hes4MON.png

Top Lane diversity by patch (download to view properly)

Size: 19 | Average: 16.4 Magnitude: 10 | Average: 17.4

  • Shyvana vs Jax happened in 10 games (9%) across the split.
  • The majority (83%) of top lane matchups included a champion other than Shyvana, Renekton, or Lulu.
  • Less than a quarter (24%) of top lane matchups did not include Shyvana, Renekton, or Lulu.

#Jungle Diversity

http://i.imgur.com/9q6OhhA.png

Size: 14 | Average: 16.4 Magnitude: 31 | Average: 17.4

  • Elise vs Lee Sin happened in 31 games (28%) across the split.
  • Less than half (48%) of jungle matchups included a champion other than Elise, Lee Sin, or Evelynn.
  • The vast minority (9%) of jungle matchups did not include Elise, Lee Sin, or Evelynn.

#Mid Lane Diversity

http://i.imgur.com/cptD8IS.png

Size: 24 | Average: 16.4 Magnitude: 9 | Average: 17.4

  • Orianna vs Syndra happened in 9 games (8%) across the split.
  • The majority (87%) of mid lane matchups included a champion other than Orianna, Syndra, or Yasuo.
  • The minority (39%) of mid lane matchups did not include Orianna, Syndra, or Yasuo.

#Marksman Diversity

http://i.imgur.com/FzMlWCB.png

Size: 13 | Average: 16.4 Magnitude: 15 | Average: 17.4

  • Lucian vs Twitch happened in 15 games across the split, which was 13% of marksman matchups.
  • Less than a quarter (23%) of marksman matchups included a champion other than Lucian, Kog'Maw, or Corki.
  • The vast minority (13%) of marksman matchups did not include Lucian, Kog'Maw, or Corki.

#Support Diversity

http://i.imgur.com/wccvjLp.png

Size: 12 | Average: 16.4 Magnitude : 22 | Average: 17.4

  • Morgana vs Braum happened in 22 games (20%) across the split.
  • Less than half (48%) of support matchups included a champion other than Thresh, Morgana, or Braum.
  • The vast minority (6%) of support matchups did not include Thresh, Morgana, or Braum.

Such edits, very wow

52 Comments

RiotSweet8/25/2014, 8:27:15 PM21 votes

This is great Daen. +1

RiotRiot Nitsuabo8/26/2014, 4:11:42 PM5 votes

This is great stuff! Since you've obviously put a lot of time and thought into this topic, let me pose a question to you:

Using your plots (or some other analysis of the data you collected) how would you quantify the "health" of the meta? There are a lot of ways to think about this, and I'd love to hear your take on it.

Thanks for sharing your work!

SerBlaise8/25/2014, 8:50:34 PM4 votes

So it looks like marksman and top lane are the most diverse, with jung and Sup as least and mid...unsurprisingly...in between. XD

Tahalden8/25/2014, 9:20:37 PM3 votes

This is amazing stuff, Daen! Thanks.

It would be really interesting to compare these kinds of graphs between the different regions. Now, I do realize it's a cumbersome, and timely job to put this stuff together. But a man can dream! Would be a great way to compare different regions in terms of what champions they prefer, see if there is link with the "meta" (whatever meta means in anyone's definition :-p), figure out if there's a similar line of dominant picks in each region, etc.

Looking forward to some more in-depth analysis on this stuff! Cheers!!

COWMANOFCOWS8/25/2014, 8:41:12 PM2 votes

I think it would be easier to draw conclusions from this data if it only displayed first picks on the left side and the responding picks on the top. In essence, there are 2 thresh+morgana boxes, it would be better if, instead of both boxes showing 21, they would show 2 different numbers that summed to 21. These two numbers corresponding to how many times each was the first pick.

Cardbox frog8/26/2014, 2:07:22 AM2 votes

I really admire all the time and effort put into making this.

My only complain is that this analysis doesn't seem to take into account the patches changes that were made during the split. Certain champs probably changed a bit since the begging of the split. Gragas is probably the biggest example that comes to mind.

bbbbates8/25/2014, 8:17:37 PM2 votes

I like it

billbob438/25/2014, 10:22:09 PM2 votes

I really like the Magnitude/Size. I wonder if past splits would be better for analysis than other regions. That way you can look at larger trends in the game over comparing specific lanes. I might try this later see what season 2 or 3 shows.

Also do you have the number of how many different champs total were used?

Caoil8/26/2014, 7:26:45 PM1 votes

My favourite match this split was the Voyboy pick Talon into Ziggs. It was an exciting game to watch that work out so well for them, and Curse was able to play differently based on that pick. I thought it was a nice move away from the cookie-cutter LCS games I'm used to seeing.

UnHoIy8/25/2014, 8:52:18 PM1 votes

I think it's pretty awesome!

falln8/25/2014, 9:11:57 PM1 votes

cool info, would like to see how this lines up with champion bans. kassadin was only played in 13% of games but his presence mustve been looming over 80+% of them

Earl Eulrich8/25/2014, 10:10:05 PM1 votes

nice work, but without including bans it´s not to telling I´m afraid.

Hyrum Graff8/26/2014, 3:00:34 AM1 votes
  • The minority (39%) of mid lane matchups included a champion other than Orianna, Syndra, or Yasuo.

I think that should read,

  • The minority (39%) of mid lane matchups did not include Orianna, Syndra, or Yasuo.
Destínum8/26/2014, 11:30:03 AM1 votes

What about Swain in top lane and Zilean as support (or where those only in EU)?

Nebuul8/26/2014, 5:22:08 PM1 votes

To me, the main thing missing is pick-or-ban. I would love to see a second series of statistics that counted pick+ban rates instead of just pick rates.