I honestly love the fact that Mages are now viable in the Bot Lane.

Igglet·1/8/2017, 6:23:42 PM·52 votes·2,939 views

Unpopular opinion here (didn't seem that unpopular before Ziggs Bot became meta, though), being able to take Mages in the Bot Lane instead of Marksmen is a really good thing. Brings a bit more diversity to the table. I get that some people don't like it and I personally also don't like the fact that the main reason why Mages are viable in the Bot Lane is because Marksmen are in such a bad spot, however, I gotta admit, if Riot started supporting bot lane Mages, that'd make me so happy.

72 Comments

Limmie1/8/2017, 7:02:59 PM21 votes

I think it's great that mages are going botlane, and ideally (big emphasis in ideally) I'd like to see every champion being viable anywhere. It sure makes games more interesting, both to watch and to play.

That said, I don't want to see mages botlane just because ADCs are so bad. Right now it's a good thing for the wrong reasons.

Primaquarius1/8/2017, 6:28:16 PM13 votes

Ziggs was viable bot lane since his SC remake. It just took a couple of high profile players to make it meta

Serevas1/8/2017, 6:27:47 PM12 votes

It's mostly just Ziggs because of his tower pushing ability. A large part of the desire of ranged physical damage is fast turret taking.

shalexade1/9/2017, 2:08:42 AM10 votes

ADC's are very good at the role of pushing down towers.

Ziggs is very good at pushing down towers.

Therefore, Ziggs can step in and do the same role as the ADC.

Most mages however, aren't very good at pushing down towers.

Therefore, you shouldn't be replacing ADC's with mages who aren't good at pushing towers.

Gotta understand how it works before you can break it.

Onkel Malte1/9/2017, 12:20:18 AM5 votes

I've played Ahri bot for a while now and it was pretty fun. Also Cassiopeia with Morgana was a nice combo bot, which I tried out several times.

There are ADC's who actually don't struggle by being solo in a lane. Jhin Varus Ezreal Corki Lucian are played Mid lane every now and then. Quinn Graves Vayne made it into Top lane.

So I think it would also be nice if Mages could go bot for a change :)

Jeanne fan club1/8/2017, 8:35:53 PM4 votes

As a mage main, I really don't like these changes. If a marksman can be easily replaced in the bot lane, then where do they belong? sure like 5 of them can play in other lanes, but what about the ones with weak early game who cannot survive without a support? Where exactly would a Tristana or an Ashe be played if mages bot were viable?

This just creates a whole new set of problems, we have already had a markman rework, if they get completely replaced then what exactly is the point of having them in the game?

Jaygo411/8/2017, 8:05:11 PM4 votes

You already had mid laners in the support spot, do we really need 2 mages bottom?

doiminat0r36001/9/2017, 1:18:26 AM4 votes

Correction: You love the fact that seige mages are going bot lane.

Mages dont have very much pushing power except a few of them, which is what makes those few strong.

ForgiveColour1/8/2017, 7:04:33 PM3 votes

Yeah now imagine if picking a marksmen or ad assassins or melee would be viable pick in the mid lane

I love how mage mains are such hypocrite

Lellistair1/9/2017, 5:49:47 PM2 votes

Mages have always been viable bot

item 3303

NekoniClaws1/9/2017, 8:52:37 AM2 votes

Not sure if Ziggs is good bot or if it's just his overall 54.3% winrate. That's a 10% higher chance of winning, and I'd estimate a ~40% higher chance of being a pain in everyone's sides.

Lux's winrate is 48-something percent as a support, and Taliyah's is 45%. Lux only appears to do better because of her killsteal(tm) Ult.

And it's not just mages coming bot, it's everybody. As soon as Ziggs was discovered to be 'good bot' I stopped seeing anything resembling meta botlane. Is it a winning tactic? Yes and no.

On one side you have a higher chance of winning the game of champion select. When I play support I try to counter the whole team- it's easy to nullify me. My midlaner sees you've gone Ziggs, and counterpicks you, when they infact get counterpicked. The toplaner counterpicks your Nasus support, when they also get counterpicked. Once you've won this game, be sure to act like it was superior skills, <sarcasm>because it totally was.</sarcasm>

On the other side, botlane is not stupid- the ADC is literally everyone's favourite target and we know this. When faced with something unknown, wombo-combo or with high kill potential we go defensive. And we can farm or pull of a 'sustain' lane. Even against Ziggs. Yes, playing defensively is stupifyingly boring, you've ruined the game for us and we might just FF so we can -leave- (congrats?) But if we stick it through, we'll have a lategame-carry and a utlity-support-- and you won't.

So yeah, personally, I disagree that mages are strong (it's just Ziggs)- but the IDEA of early-game champs in botlane has spread- and I hate the style of play it's forcing botlane to adhere to practically EVERY GAME. =(

Incarceration1/8/2017, 8:16:02 PM2 votes

I don't. I would rather have diversity within uniform.

Top Lane: Fighters- Splitpushers (creates pressure), Teamfighters (Able to fight by flanking, locking onto a target, etc) Tanks- Initiators (Uses CC to initiate a fight), Peelers (Defends the high priority allies) Jungle: Fighters- Teamfighters, Peelers Tanks- Peelers, Initiators Mages- Enchantors (creates pick potential like Elise Cocoon), DPS (sustain damage), Peelers, Burst (kill off a target when the time is right), Poke ADCS- DPS, Burst Mid Lane: Assassins: Burst, Splitpushers Mages: Enchantors, Disruptors (creates pick potential in a wider form like Anivia Wall) Sustain, Burst, Peelers, Poke AD Carries: Marksmen- Poke, DPS, Support: teamfighters, initiators, peelers, enchantors, disruptors

This is what I mean.