Are completely oppressive/noninteractive lanes healthy for the game?

Zayll·2/14/2019, 9:41:34 PM·1 votes·746 views

Certain champions have laning phases that are so oppressive and/or noninteractive that is removes the agency of the player matched up against them, at least in the 1v1. Is this healthy for the game?

Teemo Mordekaiser HeimerdingerKarma all have laning phases (in the top lane) that negate the opponent's ability to play the game. Nasus Gangplank and Singed want to actively avoid fighting/actually playing out a contested lane in favor of simply farming. All of these champions share the common trait that you "must" get jungle help or a counterpick to contest them in lane, at least in the majority of matchups. I think it severely hurts the game experience when the first 8 to 15 minutes of your game are mostly out of your control. For clarity's sake, I'm not claiming these champions are overpowered or unbeatable, nor am I arguing that lane bullies like Renekton Pantheon Sion shouldn't exist. I'm suggesting that maybe there should be some change(s) made to inject more counterplay into these types of very low interaction matchups.

Full disclaimer, I main top lane and Rito thinks it's funny to make me pick in the first phase in over 70% of my draft (normal and solo/duo) games.

3 Comments

Oleandervine2/14/2019, 9:45:13 PM1 votes

I mean you're asking a question with an obvious "Yes" answer. It's like asking if eating rat poison is fatal.

Smurfraka2/14/2019, 9:56:38 PM1 votes

Nasus is the only one of these champs who shouldn't exist, and Heimerdinger could use some tweaks. Gangplank and Singed are more interactive and both have good room to outplay or be outplayed. Gangplank also doesn't have a lot of tools to peel you off, sustain, or poke you down (he has to give up his Q to harass), so he's easy to deny CS to. Teemo Karma both fall off (Teemo in the sense he can't teamfight well). Mordekaiser has some clear weaknesses and I wouldn't say he's that oppressive. Lane bullies are fine if they have room to mess up and become less useful as team goes on, but champs that are unpunishable and just stat check you are awful.

Hayaishi22/15/2019, 12:29:52 AM1 votes

They made an article about Heimerdinger the other day so yes Riot is perfectly fine with how cancerous some champions are.