This meta is one of the best conceivable meta for tanks, and yet..

PentaJump·Jan 2, 2015·2 votes·1,547 views

We are in an assassin meta. Half of our bans are used on assassins. Know what counters assassins? Tanks. And yet, no one is picking them.

27 Comments

Mal the RedJan 2, 20153 votes

Know what counters tanks?

item 3153

And assassins will get it 98% of the time.

Joe DreddJan 2, 20151 votes

And you know what damage is pretty shitty once you get armor and dont just stack warmogs? item 3153

PentaJumpJan 2, 20152 votes

{quoted}

And you know what damage is pretty shitty once you get armor and dont just stack warmogs?

item 3035

Mal the RedJan 2, 20152 votes

Then they get item 3035 and it starts hurting again.

Joe DreddJan 2, 20151 votes

maybe if you only got 1 armor item

supes the lostJan 4, 20152 votes

the bork on hit effect stacks with the armor pen, it makes it hurt quite a bit, even as a tank.

PentaJumpJan 2, 20153 votes

[{quoted}](name=Mal the Red,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=knuq9l6E,comment-id=0003,timestamp=2015-01-02T16:53:17.584+0000)

Know what counters tanks?

And assassins will get it 98% of the time.

Literally just Zed

{quoted}

Why is it one of the best conceivable metas for tanks currently? Care to elaborate? Assassins are bad against tanks, as tanks are theoretically too tanky for an assassin to significantly threaten. The tank forces the ADC out of the fight, while the assassin can't safely target the squishies since the assassin's team is too busy trying to deal with the tank. Champs like Cass have similar damage to the ADC though, and don't mind focusing the tank in a fight. But the meta is assassins. And tanks still aren't strong.

Mal the RedJan 2, 20153 votes

Pretty much every AD unit buys Blade of the Ruined King. It is everything they want. AD, Attack Speed, and Lifesteal, and a crazy powerful slowing active, all in one hyper-convenient item.

PentaJumpJan 2, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Mal the Red,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=knuq9l6E,comment-id=000300010000,timestamp=2015-01-02T17:20:21.384+0000)

Pretty much every AD unit buys Blade of the Ruined King. It is everything they want. AD, Attack Speed, and Lifesteal, and a crazy powerful slowing active, all in one hyper-convenient item.

In my opinion, itemization is the issue, yes.

{quoted}

This isn't anywhere close to the best meta for tanks. Tanks want a meta where teamfighting is the thing and AoE combos are the best way to teamfight.

Right now, we're in a pick meta. The best way to win is to catch someone out of position and delete them. No wonder we love assassins.

Don't get me wrong, tanks are in a pretty poor state right now.

This is an argument for assassins, but not an argument against tanks. It's not like anyone is saying "Well, I was going to pick Shen, but I picked Fizz instead." Bruisers or a variety of ranged champs are being picked top instead of tanks. Jungle is having a similar issue. Tanks aren't bad at picking people off. Rammus especially helps create picks. Shen saves people from getting picked off, and can also land a nice cc to pick someone off.

Kuroi86Jan 2, 20152 votes

Fiora JarvanIV Jax MasterYi Trundle Tryndamere Udyr Volibear Warwick XinZhao Yasuo Zed Outside of marksmen, these are the only champs that come to mind that would really benefit from Bork.

killd0zerJan 4, 20151 votes

Which assassins are buying this item? Zed only comes to mind.

Talon doesn't want it. Leblanc no Fizz no Eve not rly, nor a contested pick atm Akali no Ahri no Kat no Panth wants Hydra for more AD Shaco wants crit Maybe rengar? Khazix could I guess.

Most "assassins" aren't buying this item, and AD assassins would rather have Hydra for more burst.

ProfDrDeathJan 2, 20153 votes

Why is it one of the best conceivable metas for tanks currently? Care to elaborate?

Knight DevoutJan 2, 20152 votes

Because they blow up just slightly slower than fighters or squishies, but while being a lot less threatening. Tanks are good at locking down priority targets, they are garbage if the damage from the other team comes from top mid jungle adc AND support.

EDIT: except Maokai, because AoE %damage reduction never fails.

PentaJumpJan 2, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Knight Devout,realm=EUW,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=knuq9l6E,comment-id=0000,timestamp=2015-01-02T16:12:44.728+0000)

Because they blow up just slightly slower than fighters or squishies, but while being a lot less threatening. Tanks are good at locking down priority targets, they are garbage if the damage from the other team comes from top mid jungle adc AND support.

EDIT: except Maokai, because AoE %damage reduction never fails.

The thing is that mid lane isn't attacking tanks now. If an assassin focuses a tank, the team with the tank should win. Yes, tanks will be garbage if all 3 lanes are tank melters, but they're not. Mid lane assassins want to ignore the tank. And yet, tanks are really weak at the moment. What meta would be better for tanks than this one? (and no, don't say one without ADCs. ADCs will always exist)

Knight DevoutJan 2, 20151 votes

Why shouldn't they attack the tank? Assuming the backline is already running away from assassins, and their backline is following them to cover, they can kill a tank weakened by the aoe spells. And get away .

AccountaBilabudyJan 2, 20152 votes

tanks dont really counters assassins though. you think shen/nautilus/galio counter zed? not really. the only tanks that are strong are malphite and maokai.

karruckJan 2, 20152 votes

Tanks are generally slow moving and slow to attack and cant trade off dmg with fighters that well without giving up tanky items so just get a good fighter and tank him up a bit

SmokingPuffinJan 2, 20152 votes

This isn't anywhere close to the best meta for tanks. Tanks want a meta where teamfighting is the thing and AoE combos are the best way to teamfight.

Right now, we're in a pick meta. The best way to win is to catch someone out of position and delete them. No wonder we love assassins.

Don't get me wrong, tanks are in a pretty poor state right now.

UdoIkOSc4uJan 2, 20152 votes

AHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH WISH ASSASINS DIDN'T BLOW UP THANKS IN 1 SECOND MORE THAN SQUISHIES AHHAHAAHA

HarbardJan 4, 20152 votes

This thread just gave me cancer, but I'll leave two things before I die.

item 3153 item 3035

MrSlowDieJan 4, 20152 votes

item 3153 item 3071 item 3035 item 3070

AMYS GRAVEJan 4, 20151 votes

this^ tanks do not counter assassins with the ad itemization we have.

PentaJumpJan 4, 20151 votes

{quoted}

this^ tanks do not counter assassins with the ad itemization we have.

That's the point I'm trying to make, essentially. Tanks SHOULD be really strong in this meta, but they aren't.

Sire HippingtonJan 2, 20151 votes

we are in a adc/ranged squishy meta, which is countered by assasins. If you pick tanks(well, rather off tanks/bruisers) you get destroyed by those ranged champs.

However, hard engage tanks are still very strong and underated(besides mao, atleast in higher elos he's a popular pick) A malph to the face fucks ranged squishys aswell as assasins.

Kuroi86Jan 2, 20151 votes

{quoted}

We are in an assassin meta. Half of our bans are used on assassins. Know what counters assassins? Tanks. And yet, no one is picking them.

Tanks excel in a scenario that Assassins are weak in, team fighting. Many teams these days prefer going for picks, as it allows for split pushing, grabbing multiple objectives, and assassination.
For a team to excel against this with a team fight comp, then they must be dedicated to that strategy. Simply put, after laning phase, you never go anywhere without at least two of your team with you.