Big Plays: Blue Buff Brawl

RiotPreeti·Nov 14, 2014·81 votes·115,670 views

Welcome to the Big Plays Spotlight! In this feature, we highlight the most epic plays, from meticulously-coordinated early tower dives to mind-blowing cross-map jukes.

In a close game, securing jungle buffs sometimes requires a little creativity and help from your team.

Krimen, a Plat V Lee Sin main, spots his blue buff in jeopardy thanks to his team’s ward coverage. Watch as Orianna and Quinn provide backup, collapsing onto blue and foiling the enemy’s counterjungle attempt as Lee Sin Q-R-Qs to secure blue and Safeguard out of danger.

We’d love to feature your biggest plays, so post a link in the comments below or submit your clip here!

260 Comments

CronowolfNov 14, 201479 votes

A big play video with Lee Sin... that's so original... thanks

ShinjusukeNov 14, 201424 votes

shhhhhh! Everything Lee Sin does is "outplaying" you, silly nonbeliever! Anyone who says otherwise is just a noob!

"LEE SIN HARDEST CHAMPION MUH SKILLSHOT" LeeSin

LaothenAmneterNov 16, 201432 votes

Its really hard to land a skill-shot when you can't see.

kanachoNov 15, 201441 votes

I don't think they look nearly enough at other champions. It seems like they pay too much attention to champions with high mobility, set-up potential, or juke potential (which mind you, most of this is built into their kits). Not everyone who jukes is setting your team up for victory. In this case I do agree that the Lee DID in fact play well, but where are the Anivias or the Syndras or even the Nautilus plays that can change the course of an entire game?

DracosKasuNov 15, 201410 votes

For me, I found those play common from Lee Sin. Sorry Riot but you need better show off then buff steal from Lee.

Sneaky SlinkerNov 15, 201442 votes

Riot posts this video highlighting how Lee Sin is incredibly secure as a champion and... outright ignores the elephant in the room, instead marking it off as a "big play".

Lee Sin? Is not balanced. Lee Sin is possibly the single most poorly balanced champion over a course of several years, compared to all other champions who've suffered from similar issues (Riot's balance team underestimating mobility as a factor of strength), such as Talon or LeBlanc, who they've accordingly nerfed into a respectable position by deleting their one reliable form of crowd control in both cases.

This guy? For whatever reason, his ultimate repositions the target by more than he is even capable of repositioning himself, and as we should be well-aware of by now (Blitzcrank, Alistar) repositioning is the hardest form of crowd control.

So, what gives, Riot? Mind explaining what's going on with this guy, or if you plan on changing anything to help him along in the seasons to come? Thanks for taking the time to read my post expressing a sum of the community's concerns for this champion and why we weren't as impressed with this Big Plays clip as we have been with the others.

Sacchi HikaruNov 16, 20144 votes

They left Lee alone for a long time because they didn't exactly know how to nerf him without killing him, but people started crying for Lee Sin nerfs real badly, then they made a massive list of patch notes to rework him, and the resulting public outcry was even greater, so they pulled the changes back and made several smaller changes to him accross several patches... And people are still complaining.

I agree that Lee Sin isn't exactly "the most balanced champion ever", but Riot has been trying hard to get the guy into a decent spot without gutting him, they are very aware of his problems and have been trying to fix him for a loooong time. If it was that easy, they would've done it already.

ForFoxSakesNov 14, 201434 votes

so... Lee kicks a player away with a skill that can't miss then runs. His team comes in to save him and he's gets a spotlight?

QRW RUUUUUUNNNNNN! "Outplayed!"

ShinjusukeNov 14, 201432 votes

All this proves is that Lee Sin has VASTLY more tools and mobility at his disposal than he should. The player's fast reactions are praiseworthy to be sure, but seriously? The amount of power that champion is allowed to have is just disgusting.

plebianoverlordNov 14, 201410 votes

but the amount of skill it takes to fully utilize this mobility is insane. you can't just throw Lee Sin to some newbie and expect them to be anywhere near that good. therefore, not broken.

ShinjusukeNov 14, 201438 votes

Oh no, I'm not implying they're unskilled, though I would heavily disagree the skill level required is "insane". People have been pretending he's like 3x harder than he is to justify his ridiculously overloaded kit since his release. Saying it doesn't make it so.

He's still a ridiculously overpowered champion (he's been in the top 3 junglers, usually the top jungler, since his release years ago for a reason), but that's not to say people aren't skilled users of him. I just think the overwhelming majority of the work is done by the champ itself. He's got a disgusting amount of mobility and a disgusting amount of answers to any situation. A good Lee Sin never has to fight a battle he doesn't want to, and that's just plain bad.

Again, the player's reaction speeds and quick thinking are definitely commendable, the fact that this "big play" is even possible is not, and is evidence of a distinct balance problem with Lee Sin. The player didn't bait around the Irelia, or manipulate cooldowns or damage in a meaningful way, he just did basic Lee Sin stuff as fast as he could and got way more results than he should have from it.

A trend amongst the Lee Sin community: literally anything they do utilizing even the most basic part of his way overloaded, over-mobile kit is "outplaying" someone. You don't see Caitlyn's saying "outplayed" for landing their Qs, or Nasus saying "outplayed" for farming his Q. It's a unique trait of Lee Sin mains to think just using his skills is indicative of major skill, and, while it's annoying, it's not the fault of the players. It's the fault of a champion design with way, WAY more tools than almost any other champion, and flashy, fight-changing ones at that. Thats what I'm getting at.

I in no way meant to imply the player lacked skill.

Fading AloneNov 15, 20148 votes

I believe the last paragraph applies to Master Yi users as well. :q

ShinjusukeNov 15, 201421 votes

True enough, but I don't think anyone deludes themselves into believing that Master Yi does many "plays" (said from someone who has Yi in his top 5 most played champs). At most, you can Alpha-dodge stuff, or swap targets to better manage your resets in a fight.

Meanwhile, the Lee Sin community be like "LOL I SHIT BETTER PLAYS THAN YOU PLEBS MY CHAMP SO HIGH SKILL" every time they manage to find their Q key twice.

SabimaruNov 15, 20146 votes

Well if you'd like to talk crap about it, I guess you can pull the same thing off? If not, I guess you have no right to be dissing Riot's champion design choices or this guy's skill.

ShinjusukeNov 15, 201417 votes

Yes, I can. And yes, I have, more than once. Lee Sin isn't nearly as hard as they pretend, and most people past a few games can do things like this guy did (provided they're decent players as a whole).

He's not a hard champion, he's just a flashy one. He gets more bang for his buck out of EVERY one of his skills compared to most/all champions, and frankly isn't that hard to play.

So yeah, I'll talk crap about it. Like I said, the player reacted quickly which is cool and all, but nothing particularly special besides "He played Lee Sin the way only Lee Sin is OP enough to be played". No ill-will at all meant to the player. Just tired of Riot completely ignoring an OP champion and adding to the mentality of "LEE SIN SUCH OUTPLAY SO HARD MUH SKILLSHOT"

DriftSidewaysNov 15, 201430 votes

Lee sin uses 3 skills in this video... and is under half life..... Also 3 people focused down a half life Irelia.

Half life 3 confirmed

CookieWolfAlpha3Nov 15, 201422 votes

I have these type of fights. With my brother. Over a TV Remote. Thank you for looking at this comment.

OhBHAIJAANNov 15, 201454 votes

You kick your brother into the TV just to steal the remote?

tickdricklezNov 16, 201431 votes

I kick the remote into my brother to steal the TV.

Im Good JanglerNov 14, 201421 votes

I'm pretty disappointed with this to be very honest. How is this classified as a big play? Anyone who understands Lee Sin would agree this is very basic. The only thing that was impressive I guess was the smite timing, but other than that this is a very obvious play that most Lee Sins should see instantly.

BadnikNov 15, 20143 votes

So, you, as Lee Sin, will instantly see, as the enemy team is invading your jungle and stealing your blue, that you can Q Irelia, ult her into your blue buff, take your Q onto Irelia who is now behind the blue buff and smite steal your own blue?

KuijanoNov 15, 201424 votes

Technically, as Lee Sin, you wouldn't see anything. You would just sense that the enemy team is attacking your blue buff....

hi5guy13Nov 15, 201416 votes

Riot, we're kinda getting sick of the juke plays with only Lee Sin and Katarina. The only other plays are supports setting up team fights, and sure that's great too, but can we see something different for once? How about that amazing 2v4 with jungle and mid lane? A global snipe to win the team fight? Anything but another juke, because we all get that they can do it because they were made to.

koolblitzNov 15, 201415 votes

3 ults, a heal, and 2 flashs translated into a blue buff for lee and a kill for purple basically

TehemaiNov 15, 201413 votes

It's lee sin... Everyone and their grandmas have seen millions of lee sin plays. I wouldn't even call it lee sin plays anymore, it's more like playing lee sin. This new season better see him fall off for other junglers otherwise we're in for yet another year of lee sin jungle or ban in every game.

Chaotic ReksNov 14, 201412 votes

[deleted]

NinjaBunnyNov 14, 201422 votes

logged on to downvote... ignorant af, there not gonna show a "play" where jesus comes down and smites everyone 50 times... Zilean don't got time for that