Boards›Gameplay

PSA: Top isn't weak, nor is it unable to carry...

DuskDaUmbreon··6 votes·689 views

...Your picks just suck.

Honestly.

If you're picking an assassin top right now (or, honestly, ever), you're wasting everyone's time, and you might as well surrender. If you're picking a diver, skirmisher, or whatever the fuck Yasuo Riven Pantheon and Fiora are, you're wasting your team's time.

This is especially true if your jungler and/or mid already locked in an assassin/Yasuo. Double assassin comps only work if they have 2-3 marksmen, and no hard CC. Triple assassin comps only work if they only pick marksmen, and none of them are Tristana or Xayah, because those two are good against assassins.

Besides, if they pick a tank, you're going to be completely and utterly if you're any assassin but Akali, because you won't even get to win lane. And she'll be useless if their jungler actually decides to gank, because she'll get stunlocked and blown up.

If you're locking in a mage top...Well...I have no idea why you'd do that to yourself. Most mages don't work top, except into Darius...another champion not worth picking. Or Teemo, I suppose. I'm pretty sure mages do well into him. But, in general, don't waste everyone's time by going a mage top.

If you're going a marksman....why? I mean, sure, some of them do well top. But not enough. And you'll lose hard if they counterpick you. No, your range advantage does not help you against Nasus. It really doesn't. Nasus will just stack regardless, then nuke your face, while you're unable to run or even attack him back when he W's you.

So...who is worthwhile top?

Most tanks. Especially the super tanky ones. Notably Shen, Ornn, and Maokai. Seriously. Pick one of these two, and laugh at your easy win.

Some juggernauts are good right now. Kled is still good, I believe. Nasus and Urgot are great right now. I think that Garen is relatively good right now as well. Avoid Darius, Illaoi, and Renekton: even if they stomp lane, they won't be carrying. Mordekaiser is good if you main him (Or at least play him frequently, and not into Teemo or other range). But, let's be serious: nobody but me, Mordepool, and Malicious Metal actually plays him. Like...nobody at all.

I, personally, believe Kayle is in a good spot right now as well, but only really because she bullies easily and scales well, while still remaining useful with her ult. Teemo's relatively good. Gnar is an obnoxious piece of crap that's somehow always strong.

If, somehow, proper picking doesn't help you, try practicing more. Your strategy or runes could also be off.

Of course, though, this won't help if one of the enemy team goes 7/0. But, especially with Shen, you'll be able to help stop them from going to shit.

Finally, remember that carrying =! doing the most damage or having the best score. You can have a very, very average score (2/1/1, for example) and still carry. Carrying is independent of score. Carrying is causing the victory. A Nasus that goes 2/4/3, but takes their entire toplane while they're busy over an ocean drake, carried the game.

9 Comments

redniwediS2 votes

Top changes rapidly alongside each patch, and the complaints don't really keep up. There was a time very recently where you just couldn't impact the game as a Top laner, unless you play a super heavy snowball champ and manage to snowball. Lucky for us that time has passed.

I give it a couple months before people finally stop complaining.

xToxicOsirisx2 votes

{quoted}

Finally, remember that carrying =! doing the most damage or having the best score. You can have a very, very average score (2/1/1, for example) and still carry. Carrying is independent of score. Carrying is causing the victory.

I wish more people thought like this. Just because you have a little utility doesn't mean you're the teams support, nor does it mean that supports can't carry.

CamilleRule341 votes

Avoid illaoi because she only has the highest winrate in top rn

DuskDaUmbreon1 votes

Does she? I thought she was still shit-tier right now. My mistake.

I still don't see much carrying from her, though. Dominating lane, yes. But, even then, she's less carrying and more just making someone completely useless.

The only times I've seen her do well in a teamfight are when the enemy team doesn't walk away when she ults, and she sustains out of her ass against them.

CamilleRule341 votes

{quoted}

Does she? I thought she was still shit-tier right now. My mistake.

I still don't see much carrying from her, though. Dominating lane, yes. But, even then, she's less carrying and more just making someone completely useless.

The only times I've seen her do well in a teamfight are when the enemy team doesn't walk away when she ults, and she sustains out of her ass against them.

illaois strength rn lies mostly in Klepto, actually. People are taking klept and then getting free swag every time they W someone, and I believe it procs on the spirit. People are maxing E and using the huge gold lead from klept on top of illaois lane dominance to get very far ahead. This generally makes illaoi press on top lane so hard the jungler HAS to respond to her, and we all know how well that turns out post 6, more often than not. With the changes to rift too, coordinating with your jungler to take it, illaoi can easily press down to tier 2 tower.

Sun Wu Ryuumoku1 votes

Dont know why bronze feel forced to give their games their game aknowledge as advice [zombie-brand-facepalm]

DuskDaUmbreon1 votes

Don't know why EUW thinks their gold is better than NA's bronze. Don't know why we bother to CS when we get ambient gold. See? I can come up with nonsense, irrelevant statements, too! :D

If you think rank matters, then I feel sorry for your loss. Because rank just doesn't matter.

Even if it does, though, guess what? I'm not talking to the Diamond+ population. Talking to the numerous bronze/silver/gold players that think they can't carry from top, when that's been proven wrong by people from Bronze 5 to actual pros.

Sun Wu Ryuumoku1 votes

Even if it does, though, guess what? I'm not talking to the Diamond+ population. Talking to the numerous bronze/silver/gold players that think they can't carry from top, when that's been proven wrong by people from Bronze 5 to actual pros.

nobody say u can't. But its hella harder, and u have do do at least twice of other roles. And chall (like Wicked, ICU...) don't agree with u.

If you think rank matters, then I feel sorry for your loss. Because rank just doesn't matter.

ofc rank matter, mainly in ur op.

okay so just look at this

If you're picking an assassin top right now (or, honestly, ever), you're wasting everyone's time, and you might as well surrender.

If u want to carry atm as a top u need to stomp ur lane most of time and pray for ur botlane to not get f*cked by this time. If u want to climb, U CAN'T just play a 0/0 as top (bot can) during laning phase.

Double assassin comps only work if they have 2-3 marksmen, and no hard CC.

its not true. In pro it would (and could even argue here). With double assassins u just have other game recquirement to win.

And she'll be useless if their jungler actually decides to gank, because she'll get stunlocked and blown up.

no she wont, she can easly roam. A tank a kill with her kill pattern.

Some juggernauts are good right now. Kled is still good, I believe.

he's a skirmisher/diver.

yeah he's... cause he can roam fastly.

Of course, though, this won't help if one of the enemy team goes 7/0.

And this is why top is so weak atm.

Gnar is an obnoxious piece of crap that's somehow always strong.

He's not even strong... he take too much time to scale, and he isn't a lane bully.

DuskDaUmbreon1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Ryuumoku no koke,realm=EUW,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=5KeJvt5j,comment-id=000200000000,timestamp=2017-12-18T19:24:25.479+0000)

And this (Of course, though, this won't help if one of the enemy team goes 7/0.) is why top is so weak atm.

Nobody can carry if someone goes 7/0, unless they also get similarly fed. Nobody in any lane is doing that. That has nothing to do with any class or lane at all.

He's not even strong... he take too much time to scale, and he isn't a lane bully.

Gnar

Not a lane bully

Pick one. He's a lane bully. Beats the shit out of people through sheer range, making him a lane bully. And even champs that do well into range suck against him, because his passive gives him hard CC and durability, which tends to beat those champions. He gets to have the strengths of a juggernaut (durability+damage+generally a lanebully) without having the weaknesses of one (no range, immobile, little to no hard CC).

More from Gameplay

3 Refunds per season, upvote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay764 comments
7,167
votes
3 Refunds per season, upvote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay156 comments
3,510
votes
UPVOTE FOR URF
Gameplay606 comments
2,440
votes
Yes plz.
Gameplay456 comments
1,721
votes
3 Refunds per season, up vote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay114 comments
1,716
votes
When is ANYONE at riot going to address the awful new player experience?
Gameplay634 comments
1,383
votes

More by DuskDaUmbreon

Fax your senators, call your representative, protest in front of your Congressmen's homes...
General Discussion32 comments
80
votes
Can we give Ignite the same damage indicator Smite has?
Gameplay42 comments
60
votes
It has nothing to do with ADCs:
Gameplay81 comments
31
votes
You know, Zoe's given me an idea... (READ FULL POST BEFORE COMMENTING)
Gameplay20 comments
26
votes
It's not that GA or Zhonya's are bad, per se...
Gameplay80 comments
24
votes
Fun fact of the day
Gameplay79 comments
23
votes