Now that the new Yorick is coming out and is basically the best split pusher/pusher in the game since he can spawn his own minions at a constant rate, I started thinking, "Is the current meta really this set in stone? Is the current game plan really the only way to play? Is there a different way to play?" I was sent on a "spiritual video game journey" through my mind. League of Legends has basically been set in the standard Deathball, "Kill the enemy in a unique way before they kill you" meta for about 5 Seasons. Now, I must ask, is this the only way to play the game? With the new Yorick coming out with mechanics that allow him to split push like a mad man, I have come to ask, "Has anyone actually tried a pure Rat team composition?" Allow me to explain.

Back at the beginning of the age of MOBAs, we had Dota, the original. A common mod that no one likely expected to explode as much as it did. However, over time, the game did explode and it became a huge thing. Eventually, a strategies came into play and they were typically divided into two categories: Deathball and Pushing/Rat. The very act of pushing is, of course, necessary to win, but the extremity of how much pushing is what separated these categories of strategies. Deathball focused on winning fights in order to then push as a reward for fighting, while Pushing/Rat focused on pushing lanes that the enemy was not present in as a reward for so skillfully predicting the enemy and avoiding them. They were direct opposites. League of Legends came to be after Dota exploded into existence (and Dota 2 soon afterwards, but this isn't all that much about that) and LoL was fresh into the market. It kicked off with some Dota players and the invention of strategies began. After a year or two, Deathball had settled down as king in LoL and it has been ever since. Pushing/Rat strategies had been abandoned.

However, in the beginning of Season 5, a small glimmer of light from the grave of Pushing/Rat came into existence. This came in the form of Zz'Rot Portal, an incredibly powerful item that could very well be on the flag for Pushing/Rat strategies. While the stats it provided weren't amazing for combat purposes, it's active ability to essentially create a minion spawner that lasted for a full blown 150 seconds or until destroyed was incredibly boosting to Pushing/Rat strategies. Unfortunately, interest in the item only really bloomed in the form of a turtling item to prevent enemy pushes while an Inhibitor was down or something of the sorts. People were too scared to experiment too far with the item since Deathball had been around for so long and they didn't want to try out new things to boost their gameplay. Now, with the Yorick rework on the horizon, the topic is again opened up to the community. Can Rat League be a thing?

Well, first we must look at what champions are available to us for Rat. These champions must be able to split push effectively, escape once they know of a coming threat, and preferably be able to build Zz'Rot Portal. There is also some other roles that can be filled in such a team strategy, such as incredible stalling and defensive properties. - We start the list with this potential candidate (at least currently). Evelynn can very effectively split push with her kit's innate and frequent AoE damage and her ability to easily escape enemies through her invisibility. She can build a Zz'Rot Portal. - Heimerdinger can push VERY effectively and Zz'Rot Portal is a strong purchase on him, but he isn't very good at escaping a situation at all. He would rather stand his ground and fight then run. However, Heimerdinger#039;s turrets are often too weak against a full team, so he isn't chosen in Deathball strategies. Enter Rat. Heimerdinger is an incredible siege and defender for a Rat strat. With some enemies distracted, Heimerdinger will likely not have to deal with the full team, so his turrets will survive much more frequently and his incredible area control takes effect. - Next, we have Kassadin. While he has much less potential AoE damage than others on this list and his wave clear isn't just amazing, his ability to escape aggression is nearly unparalleled thanks to his teleport. While it isn't a common purchase, he can very well build Zz'Rot Portal. - A minionmancer that has mobile minions, he can wave clear amazingly, control objectives incredibly well, and can build Zz'Rot Portal. Unfortunately, he cannot escape a situation, but his other strengths are so incredible, he might be worth picking up as a staller or objective control for a Rat comp. - The original Rat! Master Yi has been split pushing for generations. Using his sword made of swords made of smaller swords and his boots with swords attached to them while he wears socks probably made of swords with chainsaw blades, he can devastate enemy minion waves and towers while using Highlander to escape and kill towers. Zz'Rot Portal is a questionable purchase, but it could likely be done. - Nasus has kind of descended from his god-like late game identity to a tower eater. However, HE CAN EAT A TOWER REALLY GOOD! Zz'Rot Portal is an incredible purchase on him and he was made to kill minions and towers. He is not very good at escaping at all, but he is pretty good at dueling when the enemy is forced to come to kill him instead of vice versa, which happens a ton in Rat. I think Nasus is probably the only champion on this list that, when running Rat, should try to duel (but not anything more). - This is not what you usually use Pantheon for, but it can be. His ultimate, if you see the enemy coming, is incredibly strong at escaping a situation. His pushing is decently strong and he can build a Zz'Rot Portal. - Oh my gosh, I cannot stress how powerful Quinn is at split pushing, but YOU NEED PROPER VISION. Quinn's escape is interrupted by damage, but can be argued to be one of the best escapes in this list, so ward, ward, WARD! Zz'Rot is a VERY questionable purchase on her, but could be done in a more durable build and, of course being an ADC, she can push very effectively. - Bet you didn't see this coming! LITERALLY! HAHAHAHAAAA... ok. Rengar is actually really good at split pushing with proper use of his ultimate since it gives him a very effective escape and a huge range of vision to know exactly where the enemy is. Since we aren't playing Rengar here for the OHK, he can build a Zz'Rot Portal and can escape effectively. Being an AD Assassin that relies on AAs, he can also kill some minions and towers. - A new edition to Rat, Ryze's escape is incredibly strong and can function through damage and CC. His wave clear is actually exceptional and he can build a Zz'Rot Portal after some core items since his base damage is pretty great. - Another member of the original Rat crew, Shaco is pretty incredible at doing what he does. Known for his trickery and escapes and split pushing, it should be no question that Shaco can split push and be a good rat. Shaco can usually build whatever he wants if his build has a solid direction, so Zz'Rot is an option here. - Teamwork Rat! Shen was made to build a Zz'Rot Portal and can escape AND can push at a rate which can simply be marked as "Good Enough". His standard build can support Rat, with Titanic Hydra and Zz'Rot, so he doesn't take too much altering. - I don't need to explain this guy. - This may sound weird, but hear me out. After tons of buffs to the speed at which TK can use his ultimate to escape, with proper warding, he can escape just about any situation. With a Titanic Hydra, he can push very effectively as well. - Taliyah is pretty good at split pushing as is, so there isn't much need here to explain. Her Q gives her movement speed and damage and her R gives her a quick escape. Zz'Rot Portal is a weird purchase on her though, so it requires testing. - Teemo is good at being a Support for a Rat strategy. Rather than split pushing, it is smarter for Teemo to shroom near where his allies will be split pushing to assist in vision control and delay ganks. Teemo himself can also but a Zz'Rot Portal to place down once he is done shrooming. - Similar to Yi, Trynd has been being a Rat for generations. He can push easily, escape decently easily, and can build a Zz'Rot Portal. He is an elder of this strategy. - Tons of rats near the end of the champion list! Twisted Fate's ultimate is pretty good at finding out where the enemy is and comes with a free escape. His abilities allow him to push effectively and his passive really helps him farm those items he needs for this strategy. Zz'Rot Portal is a weird purhcase on him like Taliyah, but I guess Banner could be a replacement. - He's a rat. He can outrange towers. He has stealth. He's an ADC. He probably doesn't even need Zz'Rot Portal to be considered a Rat champion. - Can Xin Zhao still solo towers? If he can, defintiely place him here. - In two and a half weeks, Yorick will be the living definition of Rat. - We end our list we the bomb Rat most likely. While his escape potential is questionable and he will have trouble building Zz'Rot, he can finish off towers really quickly and push multiple lanes very fast. He is going to go in and either him, the enemies towers, or both are going to die.

For items, we have Zz'Rot Portal, Banner of Command, and... Ohmwrecker I guess. We also have Rapidfire Cannon and Statikk Shiv if you consider those Rat items.

So is this enough support for a Rat LoL? Has anyone tried it? Is Rat a good strategy? Can it work!?