Has anyone else realized that the only melee champs played anymore are tanks?

Weiner the Pooh·Oct 15, 2016·11 votes·1,263 views

In Worlds and even in standard ranked, the only times a melee champ is picked is when they are a tank, doesn't that say something about the state of melees in the game?

28 Comments

WoonStruckOct 15, 20167 votes

Because you can't function as a melee champion in this obscene damage meta without significant defenses.

Armor pen, only overloaded/over-tuned APs being played, and Fervor make any non-tank melee extremely unreliable, especially in teamfights.

EedatOct 15, 20166 votes

Lies. I main MonkeyKing and have no problems

WoodakoodashoodaOct 15, 20163 votes

People down voted you because you aren't on board the "EVERYTHING THAT IS RANGED IS BROKEN!" train.

Us monkeys gotta stick together.

Mira Arya EntheOct 15, 20165 votes

People downvoted him because personal experience is a bad point of reference. I could say Shyvana is 100% fine, there is no problem with ranged champions or Rylai's and Frozen Mallet isn't overtuned on certain champions just because I do well on Shyvana. But that is bullshit.

I could say that bows work better than guns just because I am better at using a longbow than a gun. Also bullshit.

Just because he does okay on Wu Kong doesn't mean anything for the overall balance of the game, proplay, general statistics or 95% of player experience.

PocketbombOct 15, 20164 votes

Exactly. It's called anecdotal evidence and it's a conversation ender, not starter. How is anyone supposed to react? "Oh well some rando silver likes a melee champ, I guess they are fine."

Sightless66Oct 15, 20161 votes

The thread started with some random silver making a bullshit claim that only tanks were played in ranked based on nothing more than "has anyone else noticed", so it's not like this guy is breaking precedent. The only competitive tanks are Poppy and Trundle (played against each other), and Rek'sai in the jungle (if we're calling her a tank). The main melee is Rumble. In ranked play, the claim is complete and utter bullshit and people are happily playing non-tanks all day without a single care in the world.

When a thread starts with a completely disregardable claim made based on personal evidence in complete disregard of actual playrates, how else is it supposed to continue?

CrazyBear1987Oct 15, 20166 votes

Well melee champions in general kinda have to be tanky if they dont have a built in escape plan cause they have to be in the thick of battles, and are resposible of skill shot blocking and taking in all the damage that would be given to their teamates instead. Lee sin is a jungler and fighter, but build tanks items for survivalbility. The amount of damage that can be received in game are over the average health that can be gained through levels.

So yea, if your melee focused, expect to be tanky, cause if your not your just a burst away from being the first to die imo. (based on observation as Alistar Aatrox Blitzcrank

Edge of DaybreakOct 15, 20166 votes

Well when riot nerfs the majority of the melee bruisers, assassins, and junglers what do people expect? Can't balance for low elos without making high elo stagnant as hell.

ModWulf HelhammerOct 15, 20161 votes

Additionally, nerfed them largely due to player outcry

Sightless66Oct 15, 20164 votes

If we were looking at evidence, we'd see that the melee top laners that we see are, in order by playrate, Riven (not a tank), Irelia, (not a tank), Darius (not a tank), Malphite (tank), Renekton (not a tank), Yasuo (not a tank), Rumble (not a tank), Fiora (not a tank)... need I go on?

Even in competitive, you're seeing some Poppy vs Trundle, but even in the jungle we're seeing Lee Sin and Olaf at about the same rate as Rek'sai for the jungle, and Rumble is one of the kings of competitive top-lane. This is one of the most tank-free competitive periods that we've seen in a couple years. Even the supports have shifted off of playing tanks.

I get disliking the state of melee-ranged matchups, but can we at least keep our criticisms and complaints based in reality? There is plenty enough to complain about without having to make up stuff about playrates too.

Weiner the PoohOct 15, 20161 votes

Poppy and Trundle aren't tanks? Right, and all Lee and Olaf totally aren't built straight tank or one offensive item into tank, not at all.yeah and Rek Sai isn't a tank either, I mean, she's only built straight tank, not a tank tho. And I'm not making anything up. You pick a melee carry and try to team fight and not get blown up in one second because the enemy mage and adc can 100-0 before you can get close.

Sightless66Oct 15, 20161 votes

And I'm not making anything up.

Oh really? You specifically said that people aren't playing anything but tanks in ranked. Playrates, like the ones I cited, prove you completely wrong. So, if you're saying that you're not making up this claim about only tanks being played in ranked, then show me some evidence. Show me playrates that prove me wrong. Prove that you didn't just pull this out of your ass.

Poppy and Trundle aren't tanks?

I'd call Poppy a tank for sure, but Trundle is debatable. Regardless though, they're not the most common melees in competitive play. Rumble is.

Lee and Olaf totally aren't built straight tank or one offensive item into tank,

Do you know what a bruiser is? They build tanky with a bit of offense. They don't have a CC focus. They aren't defensive. They are primarily valued for their ability to kill carries. They're not tanks.

Tanks are a class of champion, and Olaf/Lee don't fit into it. Bruisers. Learn what they are.

Also, straight tank Lee? Have you even been watching this tournament? Seriously man.

Rek Sai isn't a tank either,

Yeah, she is. That's why I differentiated her from Lee and Olaf. They're seen more than her. The bruisers outstrip the tank.

PocketbombOct 15, 20162 votes

I guess it depends what you mean by tank, I don't consider Lee Sin a tank, but he usually only builds one or two damage items. But yeah there are fewer bruisers being picked, seems like they're outclassed by some of the meta picks in top lane, Kennen, Gnar, Vlad and Jayce can punish so hard. But Irellia has been in a few games, Trundle too.

The DeckownerOct 15, 20161 votes

trundle is usually only picked against poppy btw

DunkinNoobsOct 15, 20162 votes

Irelia isn't a tank.

TalinisOct 15, 20162 votes

The only melee at worlds are tanks because the ranged advantage is a SUPER strong advantage in the game that riot nor the players give enough credence to. It's not just that the melee needs at least 1 mobility to equal the enemy simply having range, but a wealth of other tools beyond what the range advantage champion provides to make up for the fact they can't safely waveclear and can't siege or poke. Siege and poke both of which are super powerful tools as how many poke and siege stand offs there are. Melee who aren't front line tanks are 100% useless unless a fight breaks out or for split push.

If they don't provide 100% - 0% kill threat then they are at a huge disadvantage in lane and will get zoned (and even if they have threat, will get zoned with enemy jungler presence) and that will easily get one team ahead. Always enjoy how casters say a player is losing lane when they are 20 CS behind at 10 minutes but a fizz who is only 20 CS behind is praised for being really good and Fizz being snowball champion that is kind of sad. What's worse is while he is very strong late game, he also can't stall the game out like other late game mids who can wave clear for days. Glad he is getting a number of lane tools and other tools coming up and hopefully other melees who are weaker can hopefully get some as well.

APrinnyDoodOct 15, 20163 votes

The only melee at worlds are tanks

Are they? The main melee we see in top lane is Rumble, and we see some Irelia. We see Poppy and Trundle, but only played against each other. I'm not really seeing many matchups where they're putting tanks up against ranged champions.

It looks more to me like the ranged matchups in worlds have mostly taken tanks out of top-lane play. I'm not seeing where this idea that tanks are suddenly the only thing that gets played is coming from. Hell, bitch about Rumble being the only melee to get played and I'll be first in line to complain with you, but why the fuck are tanks getting picked on?

Weiner the PoohOct 15, 20161 votes

Oh cuz poppy and trundle aren't tanks

APrinnyDoodOct 15, 20162 votes

Rumble, Lee Sin and Olaf (aka, the champions who all see more play competitively than both Poppy and Trundle put together) aren't. Your entire premise that "tanks are the only things played anymore" is complete horse crap. You have 3 tanks played in Worlds. Poppy, Trundle, Rek'Sai (and Trundle is literally only played to counter Poppy). Aside from that, bruisers and a melee mage rule the roost. The tanks have been cucked by damage champions.

BananaJannanaOct 15, 20161 votes

Then explain MasterYi Jayce Evelynn Ekko Irelia Khazix Rengar Yasuo Zed MonkeyKing Talon

Weiner the PoohOct 15, 20161 votes

Yo hasn't been seen since tank yi. Jayce is ranged. Eve isn't popular, Ekko is played full tank, Irelia is two items tank, The only time Rengar has done well in worlds in recent memory is as a tank and that was by balls. Kha hasn't been in use, even in standard play for atleast 3 patches. Yasuo hasn't been used since tank Yasuo. Wukong is almost never picked, same for Vi, and when she is she's straight tank except warrior. Talon and Zed haven't been used forever, especially not now because of high damage long range high wave clear miss who can burst them before they get in range.

BananaJannanaOct 15, 20162 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Pumpkin Kinq,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=tgnyxJUZ,comment-id=00040000,timestamp=2016-10-15T12:31:00.434+0000)

Yo hasn't been seen since tank yi. Jayce is ranged. Eve isn't popular, Ekko is played full tank, Irelia is two items tank, The only time Rengar has done well in worlds in recent memory is as a tank and that was by balls. Kha hasn't been in use, even in standard play for atleast 3 patches. Yasuo hasn't been used since tank Yasuo. Wukong is almost never picked, same for Vi, and when she is she's straight tank except warrior. Talon and Zed haven't been used forever, especially not now because of high damage long range high wave clear miss who can burst them before they get in range.

You said "in standard ranked," they're all used in standard ranked btw bruiser is not equal to tank

Weiner the PoohOct 15, 20161 votes

He's not tho, outside of 1 tricks Yi is never seen.

BananaJannanaOct 15, 20161 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Pumpkin Kinq,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=tgnyxJUZ,comment-id=0004000000000000,timestamp=2016-10-15T14:53:19.940+0000)

He's not tho, outside of 1 tricks Yi is never seen.

you're saying you've never seen those champions in ranked?

Weiner the PoohOct 15, 20161 votes

Once every 100 games. I think I've seen one yi in all my ranked games.

BananaJannanaOct 15, 20161 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Pumpkin Kinq,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=tgnyxJUZ,comment-id=000400000000000000000000,timestamp=2016-10-15T15:18:58.704+0000)

Once every 100 games. I think I've seen one yi in all my ranked games.

I like how you stick to Yi after I asked if you've seen THOSE (plural -> I'm referring to all the ones on my list) champions.

BGHOct 15, 20161 votes

Yes I have to agree, its kind of ridiculous, I can't play ANY melee carry champions because the second you go in you die and no one is there to peel for you or tank for you or even initiate team fights etc. So I'm stuck being a fucking tank and let the RANGED carries do the work. It's just stupid, I've always loved playing melee more than ranged yet they suck donkey dick.