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Why you should NOT play Darius/Morde/Gangplank/etc...

LGBTCute·10/10/2015, 12:30:33 AM·5 votes·1,625 views

I do pretty well as Gangplank. Why not? He's got a 100% pick/ban rate in Worlds right now, right?

Eh, it's not that. I've been playing Gangplank since Gangplank could shoot his own minions, and the "meta" was Gangplank Mid every game. I know my champ, even post rework. Pre-rework, I was STILL winning games reliably with Gangplank. I know his match-ups, his strengths, spikes, weaknesses, etc.

I see a lot of Darius in the top lane lately. Why not? Darius is OP right? Eh, I don't know. I tend to kick his butt, no matter which champion I'm playing. Here's what usually happens:

  1. I farm

  2. Darius tries to kill me, so I back up and farm under my turret

  3. Eventually Darius gets impatient and dives on me. I kill him.

  4. Darius comes back to lane with more damage. Repeat Steps #1 through #3, except sometimes my jungler gets the kill, and/or I also kill the enemy jungler.

  5. "Rito, Turrets OP, plz nerf"

  6. Darius build his Black Cleaver, which is notably NOT armor, so I stop farming minions, and start farming Dariuses.

  7. Darius wonders why the heck he's losing if his champ is OP. Darius wonders why Black Cleaver isn't helping him at all when that's what all the guides tell him to build.

Same applies to Riven, Morde, or any other "Flavor of the Month" champion. A player who just picks based on what's "OP" is going to be headstrong and arrogant. But he won't know his champion well, and he's going to lose thinking "I can just press qwer for freelo!" He won't know his matchups, or even different ways to build.

Another thing regarding Darius. When I get first kill on that Darius, and he returns to lane with armor, ignores me and starts farming under HIS turret, I get worried. I also caution my other lanes and watch for his teleport gank. There are some people who KNOW how to Darius. I never get cocky until I've checked his post-death strategy.

So, that's why you shouldn't play FotM champs, or believe anyone who says "Champion X is OP freelo!"

Here's why you SHOULD play Darius, Morde, etc.:

  1. You'll realize that Darius has terrible range and is slow and none of his damage matters when the enemy just ignores you. You'll feel useless as Morde while you wait for your teammates to initiate something. You'll see how weak Gangplank truly is as the enemy gives you Nasus-like respect and refuses to let you free farm. You'll get wrecked as Riven when the enemy team just buys armor and QSS, and plays around your combo cooldowns.

Playing those "OP" champs will just show you how easy they are to beat. You will eventually realize there are no OP champs, only OP players. Play the champions you know and love playing. Someday, you will have the same joy I feel, watching your "ignored for years" main get a 100% pick/ban rate at Worlds because the meta has shifted in his favor.

16 Comments

Lugg10/10/2015, 1:24:12 AM2 votes

Yeah, be sure to ignore Darius in a fight and let him penta your whole team. Useless Morde? I didn't know pentakills were useless. GP gets denied farm. Too bad his parley and barrels let him easily make up for the lost gold. While you are waiting to get that armor and QSS against RIven, she has snowballed enough to get LW and your armor is worthless now.

None of those champs are easy to beat. If they were, no one would play them. That's just common sense.

Maximum Morde10/10/2015, 1:06:15 AM1 votes

I'd totally play Morde, if he weren't permabanned.

Fredart10/10/2015, 1:05:11 AM1 votes

I miss sacing an ally's tibbers to secure the kill.

WinBoat10/10/2015, 1:46:07 AM1 votes

Darius sucks so hard against Range it's hilarious. With that said, he's the 2nd best tank probably in the game outside of Malphite who i'd say is number 1.

Darius is still strong tho, if he gets fed, it's a game changer but then again if any champion gets fed, it's a game changer lol........ I honestly prefer Riven the best cause unlike Darius, she gots like the best mobility in the game, can escape ganks, can gap close ranged champions like Teemo, Vlad, and Lulu with ease compared to Darius who is gonna be crushed by them unless he tries to suicide flash in and hope for a kill. Riven can jungle, in fact... I play Riven almost strictly jungle cause again her snowball potential is way better, her gap closers can make her get to anyone in the game almost unless she get's cced by an annoying Viegar and 1 shotted.

Also, Darius is slow as shit it seems, as I said above, he can't escape a gank, his only means is to hope he is fed enough to deal with a 1v2 situation. So yeah, I love Riven overall, but she isn't as strong like Darius against her melee counterparts anymore cause this juggernaut patch was her downfall. She needs struggles with any of the big tanks in the top, that includes volibear who just destroys people. Renekton who wipes house with her, Darius, maybe a good Ekko top, and of course Gnar. I think Nasus can destroy her too, after some stacks. Jax can outplay her with his dodge if he times it just right. So yeah Riven is better off jungle now, and it so works cause of her knock up and her stun. I love it really.

Going back to Darius tho, even tho I don't think he's toxic as op as people say he is, he is pretty strong. Again i think he may be the 2nd best tank, able to defeat nasus, garen, tryn, volibear and stuff. Just my opinion.

I don't think he needs a nerf, or any champion in the game really cause this game wasn't made for a 1v1, it's made for team fights. Darius weaknesses are obvious ranged champions at top, and ganks in which he can't avoid.

Overally, I'd say he's a good pick. Gangplank on the other hand. I think he's weak, i'm sorry. So many better top laners than gangplank.

VikingRaid10/10/2015, 5:37:00 AM1 votes

I'm still waiting for vladimir to be 100%pick/ban at worlds :)

Elkington VI10/12/2015, 5:23:48 PM1 votes

I play at the MMR where Darius is OP and you can't ignore him. Builds Cleaver into full tank and still bursts kids down.

Ralanr10/10/2015, 1:26:39 AM1 votes

I once had a Mordekaiser question how I (as Pantheon) was getting all of my kills since Pantheon isn't op.

Knowledge of your champ can go a long way.