Riven's at 46% wr atm in korea

Looks like a typical samplesize issue - if the Graph is correctly labeled then this is the statistic for 70-80 games and the sharp increase from a stable 54% winrate for 30-70 games is likely explained by Riven's decreasing popularity in high elo (the higher the elo the less she is picked in Korea as they have a strong preference for meta champions).

[{quoted}](name=Frontline Fury,realm=EUW,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=GLaijLEh,comment-id=00010000000100010000,timestamp=2018-06-26T22:29:03.109+0000)

Really? How about you compare them to Draven mains?

They have been struggling a ton recently. The main issue is that their playstyle is no longer valid - they have to play very differently if they want to succeed, and as such the majority of them fail to do so.

I think this is the case for Riven mains as well.

The fact it is such a huge playerbase IS the problem - once you practice a playstyle enough, that playstyle is ingrained in your muscle memory - you block off other potential playstyles from your own creativity and stick to what is, to you, tested and true.

I can use my own experience with champions as another example: I had always played full attack speed Aatrox or W max tank Mordekaiser. Occasionally i'll face other players that go full AD Aatrox and somehow succeed (which is impossible for me to recreate, as i can't stop playing as if i was full attack speed) or Mordekaisers that go full AP, max Q first and snowball off the face of the earth.

Riven has a massive playerbase. All these players have learnt how to play her at some point, and that playstyle has been largely unchanged since season 2.

But recently, other champions like Camille have become monstrously much stronger than the majority of champions in their class. They outclass everybody else, including Riven, because they are a lot more flexible, their playerbase much younger and thus quite a lot more flexible.

I've seen a few Riven mains find great success with Aftershock in top lane - they don't necessarily snowball through kills, but they consistently outfarm and outroam their opponents - besides always putting a lot of pressure on the lane and NEVER dying.

But those are only a few. The majority of the Rivens i face are stuck with the old playstyles that used to work perfectly up until a couple patches ago. The usual CDR / damage rush, the usual all-in no brakes playstyle. The same basic attack bullying and Q timing. They all play the exact same way, for better and for worse.

There are two main issues:

1: Riven players have twice the average games played than the likes of Camille (as you've used her as an example) in this season alone. Suggesting that (Average) Camille players are better on Camille than average Riven players on Riven is ridiculous.

2: Your entire theory is entirely speculative, subjective and not founded in any type of statistics - her Aftershock winrate for example is really nothing to write home about.

3: You don't understand that Riven is and has always been about adaptability AND playstyle. Especially more experienced Riven mains understand this as Riven has had quite significant differences in how she was optimally played over the past (from brut/ionian/hydra over GB/BC, Lethality to the varying resurge of bruiser Riven. The thing is that Aftershock for example is not so amazing in general as you say as it's only optimal in specific matchups that have lots of burst that you also do not usually want to trade with - eg Jayce and Kennen. It's absolutely amazing in those but usually not very good. That is true for several different runes (Aery/Comet is great for trading frequently, Klepto against tanks if you want to somewhat safely snowball etc etc), but you are clearly mistaken if you think that there is this one optimal playstyle for Riven that stupid Riven mains have not yet found.

Point is, the problem IS that Riven has such a huge playerbase. Nobody is capable of thinking outside the box because there're so many people agreeing on what is the "right" way to play her, and anyone that tries to suggest anything is condemned and excluded for "doing it wrong".

You have never been on r/rivenmains. These are very common opinions on a bunch of viable keysxtones Kleptomancy (k against tanks, not ideal). Grasp (good for lane dominance against melees). Aftershock (good against specific matchups that you want to all in but can't trade frequently). Aery (constant trading). Comet (constant trading). Conqueror (usually very good choice for top). Fleet Footwork (debatable is currently being explored). Electrocute (mid/jgl situational certain matchups as alternative to Aftershock). Predator (heavy roam, lots of fun but generally not ideal). Hail of Blades (has to be explored post buff probably actually viable alternative to Electrocute top). Spellbook (Chinese Riven main uses this, has gotten recent interest).

The thing is that you are clearly clueless to how the Riven community works - the usual reaction to any somewhat innovative idea is actually completely overhyping it until realizing that it actually is just situation/playstyle dependent at best. Have you been there when dekar tried Ignite/Smite Riven? Do you really think that idea was being 'condemned'? Hell no, I bet you that half the sub has inted tons of games trying that.