Pantheon has been the Highest Winrate Mid-Laner Since 6.6

Steel Blossom·May 18, 2016·1 votes·1,304 views

I only have one thing to say about this---WHY??? Not "hur dur dur OP why is this even OK I have 20 IQ", but why, why is he doing so well? I remember that I played Pantheon when I first started League and had a lot of fun, and I really wonder what makes him strong now. Is it the snowbally meta that people have been bitching about everyday, the fact that ranked games have better coordination with Dynamic Boost, or some secret new build path? I love Pantheon thematically, and kinda want to pick him up again. Pls, almighty Board, tell me why Panth has become viable now!

30 Comments

VasilisGreenMay 18, 20161 votes

Who plays Pantheon Mid?

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20161 votes

He does have about half the pick rate of normal mid laners

VasilisGreenMay 18, 20161 votes

why is it that i've never seen Panth mid? I've never seen him in normals, i don't play ranked, i am too salty about the DQ...

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20163 votes

I've personally never seen him either, which is why it's kinda interesting. Also, what's DQ? I've only ever heard of Dynamic Boost*[slayer-jinx-wink]*

VasilisGreenMay 18, 20161 votes

well, let's not start talking about the Dynamic bullshit right now... i am tired of this shit and i also need to sleep really badly.

Steel BlossomMay 19, 20161 votes

lol gn buddy

JafarThePandaMay 18, 20161 votes

I also heard bard jungle is now a thing in 6.10 and it's at a 62% winrate with people who have done 125+ games played.

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20161 votes

So you mean it's because only his mains play him...?

archerno1May 18, 20161 votes

Cause he has low playrate mid. Very low. Usually played by his mains , who are amazing with him so their high performance hold high winrate.

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20161 votes

Interesting.

LauchmelderMay 18, 20161 votes

Pantheon trashes a certain midlane a(bomination)ssassin. Starts with Z and ends with ed and is pick/ban atm.

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20161 votes

I actually don't know if that's true. Pre 6 Zed can farm with Q, relatively safely, and be a tiny bit behind in farm, but Pantheon can't exactly push, or he'll risk getting ganked. Post 6, though, Zed can actually dodge Panth's stun with his ultimate, and just completely turn the fight on Panth.

LauchmelderMay 18, 20161 votes

I'm fairly sure panth can block Zeds deathmark damage.

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20161 votes

[slayer-jinx-unamused] His passive blocks autoattacks and nothing else...

LauchmelderMay 18, 20161 votes

Tower shots get blocked as well.

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20162 votes

towershots are technically the tower's autoattacks lol

inStasisMay 29, 20161 votes

Also blocks on-hit effects like TF's gold card or Yasuo Q as long as it doesn't go through a minion/teammate first (since his Q's applies on-hit to first enemy hit).

archerno1May 18, 20161 votes

[{quoted}](name=Steel Blossom,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=gWebEUIa,comment-id=00030000,timestamp=2016-05-18T22:00:44.310+0000)

I actually don't know if that's true. Pre 6 Zed can farm with Q, relatively safely, and be a tiny bit behind in farm, but Pantheon can't exactly push, or he'll risk getting ganked. Post 6, though, Zed can actually dodge Panth's stun with his ultimate, and just completely turn the fight on Panth.

Zed has no chance against Pantheon on lane cause he lacks sustain and pantheon is a bully. Its not just Zed. Pantheon can trash Yasuo, Katarina, Fizz ,Ekko and most careless mages. Only issue is, he doesnt scale well into late game and mid laners are needed mostly for late game.

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20161 votes

Zed's different from everyone else you listed because of his manaless long range Q. If he's willing to give up some CS pre 6, and Panth tries to all in him, he can still come out of that matchup with a kill or two. I can see Panth destroying everyone aside from Zed though, since Zed's lane safety is honestly pretty unfair.

VasilisGreenMay 18, 20161 votes

How exactly does Pantheon trash Zed? i really have to know your thoughts on the matter....

CalabokMay 18, 20161 votes

Highest rated from the 3 times someone played him at mid haha!

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20161 votes

lol he actual does have a couple hundred games in mid, surprisingly. It's pretty interesting too how people thought he should be a top laner, actually--when I first picked him up in s3, I immediately thought that he should be played mid because of that ult, since in mid lane he can ult two lanes and basically the entire jungle, whereas top lane limits his ult so much.

BeatzBoyFTWMay 18, 20161 votes

0.89% playrate.

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20161 votes

Probably why....

masterdragon481May 18, 20161 votes

I think there are a few factors contributing to his success. Note that some of these changes occurred long before patch 6.6, but it takes a while for a champion to rise to the top in a consistent manner, so all of these changes despite occurring much earlier are probable the reasons for his rise to power. Its also likely we will see nerfs/a rework for him some time soon; his kit offers very little counterplay but also has poor comeback mechanics from both a winning and losing perspective. But I digress.

First, teleport nerfs means his ultimate has much more impact that it did previously. Whether he is using it to get back into lane or to gank top/bot is irrelevant.

Itemization changes were huge. Maw giving armor pen (and protection against mages), stereks (for mostly the same reason), death's dance, Ghostblade, etc were all huge increases in pantheons damage and survivability.

Immobile champions mid. When you look at popular mid laners, lux, viktor, velkoz come to mind. These guys get destroyed by pantheon's point and click, gap closing cc and the previously mentioned item changes help ensure panth will survive long enough to kill. He is also a good counter to talon/zed that are popular mids due to his passive.

But these are just guesses.

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20161 votes

Most of the things are all very interesting and convincing, but...Talon is popular mid? I always thought that I was special in being a Talon onetrick, QQ item 3070

inStasisMay 29, 20161 votes

Maw and Sterak's share a CD (Lifeline).

I wouldn't get Sterak's anyways because while the health and shield are nice, the base AD bonus doesn't benefit you at all except for a small increase on your basic attacks.

LiveYiOrDieHardMay 18, 20161 votes

I just picked him up because imo he's secretly god tier right now.

It's pretty much impossible to lose your lane (outside of jungle ganks of course) Corrupting potion is stupidly overpowered on him Thunderlords is stupidly good on him He absolutely loves the the snowballing meta, games end before he falls off, and if he ganks a lane a couple times with his ult that lane will start snowballing to godmode too He can actually build some tanky items and still instagib people because of how stupidly high damages are in league right now

Steel BlossomMay 18, 20161 votes

That sounds about right lol, and you've also made me want to play Mandrop Jesus again!

FourVsFiveMay 19, 20161 votes

He very strong now cause u are not givin much time to react to his ult. when he first came out u had like 2 or 3 seconds to react. I been seeing some carry games he really good.