Champions that enforce the meta

Fflarn·1/16/2017, 1:27:42 PM·1 votes·1,226 views

Let me preface this by saying I'm not a good league player. I'm over 40 and have no real aspirations to make it to challenger or play the game professionally. I'm happy to putter around in Silver and improve gradually and have fun while doing so, I am aware that if I can't carry a game when I win my lane, then I'm at the right elo.

With that out of the way, I do get bored playing the same champions over and over, and as a top lane player I feel like the acid test for taking a champion top has to be the question: Can this Champion survive a good Riven?

So here let me clarify, this is not a post that Riven is OP or needs a nerf. It is simply that her kit is very good with very high damage and mobility, as well as two CC's, and any champion you take top lane has to potentially deal with it.

So while I'm comfortable taking tanks, since she probably can't burst me down I can play safe and just farm, or taking ranged champions like Jayce or Kennen where I can stay at a safer range with some disengage tools, and even then a small mistake can mean a quick death on those ranged champs. Try to take something squishy and melee ranged like an assassin or some fighters, and it seems like an unwinnable situation for you as long as the Riven is decent and your jungler doesn't tilt the lane in you favor.

To me, Riven is the champion, more than any other, that enforces the top lane meta (aside from a certain champ that probably is/was a little imbalanced), because to step outside of it is likely going to be heavily punished if they face a Riven, and Riven is popular enough to be a fairly common pick. Is this a bad thing? Not really, more champion diversity and options would be nice, but I don't think Riven needs any nerfs or changes.

Are there other champions in different lanes that also enforce the meta? It seems like Mid and bot are more flexible in their champions,

7 Comments

venomous frost1/16/2017, 1:43:07 PM1 votes

Most melee fighter matchups vs riven are largely decided by skill.

I've never had a problem vs a riven, and I main Tryndamere . You just have to know the matchup. For me it's not getting hit by herd 3rd Q and being full fury, if I can do that I win the 1v1. I outtrade her lvl 1 with AA + E, from lvl 2-3 I just straight up lose, and after that I can win given above mentioned circumstances.

The boring part is where she gets 30%+ cdr and can just run away from you whenever she wants, at that point you just have to either dive her or dive other lanes.

AnOstrichWithPMS1/16/2017, 1:44:58 PM1 votes

{quoted}

Let me preface this by saying I'm not a good league player. I'm over 40 and have no real aspirations to make it to challenger or play the game professionally. I'm happy to putter around in Silver and improve gradually and have fun while doing so, I am aware that if I can't carry a game when I win my lane, then I'm at the right elo.

With that out of the way, I do get bored playing the same champions over and over, and as a top lane player I feel like the acid test for taking a champion top has to be the question: Can this Champion survive a good Riven?

So here let me clarify, this is not a post that Riven is OP or needs a nerf. It is simply that her kit is very good with very high damage and mobility, as well as two CC's, and any champion you take top lane has to potentially deal with it.

So while I'm comfortable taking tanks, since she probably can't burst me down I can play safe and just farm, or taking ranged champions like Jayce or Kennen where I can stay at a safer range with some disengage tools, and even then a small mistake can mean a quick death on those ranged champs. Try to take something squishy and melee ranged like an assassin or some fighters, and it seems like an unwinnable situation for you as long as the Riven is decent and your jungler doesn't tilt the lane in you favor.

To me, Riven is the champion, more than any other, that enforces the top lane meta (aside from a certain champ that probably is/was a little imbalanced), because to step outside of it is likely going to be heavily punished if they face a Riven, and Riven is popular enough to be a fairly common pick. Is this a bad thing? Not really, more champion diversity and options would be nice, but I don't think Riven needs any nerfs or changes.

Are there other champions in different lanes that also enforce the meta? It seems like Mid and bot are more flexible in their champions,

play heroes of the storm, you will have a blast

you can be champs that are 3 weaker champs (for splitpushing) at once, or champs that dont even go into combat themselves but rather globally support, or even champs that take 2 players to play

SEKAI1/16/2017, 1:47:33 PM1 votes

Garen is supposed to counter her pretty hard.

Doesn't seem like it in practice though.

five oh tree 1/16/2017, 2:07:52 PM1 votes

Kled Just play this monster and you'll pray to god they pick riven into you.

Brighton1/17/2017, 12:00:58 AM1 votes

Riven wouldn't exactly be the champ I would consider one that enforces meta. I believe Renekton was that champ at one point where if you couldn't survive against Renekton you weren't a top laner.

Fflarn1/17/2017, 12:40:13 AM1 votes

Thanks for participating. I wasn't asking how to beat Riven, I have a couple ways of handling her fine (although one of them just got nerfed). Tryndamere and Garen aren't really out of solo queue meta, though less common. And yes, Tryn has to be careful early but quickly outscales Riven given that his ult nullifies her ult, but that is a rather special case. Garen can beat Riven, it's whomever plays their Q the best gets ahead, but I tend to favor Riven in the match-up as she can stun him as he runs towards her and shield dash away.

Renekton is a strong early bully as is Riven, but whereas he falls off, she scales much better. She can also burst you much harder than Renekton can. It's not about being able to play top lane, but rather what champions you can take top.

For instance, if I wanted to play Talon or Twisted Fate or Aatrox top for fun, I'd be willing to give it a go against Renekton, but I think there is zero chance they can do anything against a Riven except die, or hug tower and pretty much have flash blown on cd.

Of course, I could always be wrong.

I'll have to try Kled out.