Need a solid, dependable mid laner.

NemeBro·Jun 6, 2015·1 votes·1,913 views

So in ranked play I typically prefer to go either top or mid lane, as they are the lanes I usually perform best in, but I've run into a problem mid.

I'm a freelo-abusing scumbag who uses Cho'gath mid. If I don't know my laning opponent, I always lock in Cho'gath, simply because he is a very reliable pick who isn't easy to counter.

But as many of you likely know, Cho has recently been getting banned a lot. Now I'm not complaining about that, he's a very strong champion and can be frustrating to deal with, but the issue I have is that I don't really have another mid laner I'm comfortable first-picking.

Some of the other traditional mid picks I have are Annie, Diana, Mordekaiser, Syndra, Vel'koz, Yasuo, and Zed. Annie I've considered as a possibility. Diana I'm not sure about, not really played her in a real game yet. Mord is, along with Vel'koz, probably the mid-laner I'm best with after Cho, but the issue with Mord is that he brings no utility to the team and I can't really rely on my team to compensate for his weaknesses in Yolo Q. Syndra I'm just fucking awful with. Vel'koz is the reason I bring this up, because Cho was banned and I first-picked Vel. I ended up having to lane against Zed, lol. Yasuo is reliant on his team to proc his ultimate too much for my tastes, and I don't really want to force my team to try and compensate for the lack of AP damage mid lane by picking Zed or Yasuo. I can't just assume they can make up for it effectively in another lane.

So, any ideas guys?

42 Comments

7ha7guy777Jun 7, 20153 votes

Ranged cho'gath ( Malzahar )?

IGotScuttleCrabsJun 7, 20153 votes

I'd say Karma
Good poke and wave clearing and once you get a big ap item your Mantra Q hits like a truck. Then between your shield and optional Mantra W you're deceptively durable.

Don't play her though. I like no one know how good her mid lane is.

LuggJun 7, 20151 votes

That's the problem though, people don't know she is good mid and you get reported for trolling.

Vistha KaiJun 7, 20151 votes

After her change? Nice joke.

Frank327Jun 7, 20152 votes

Karma's poke damage is purely based on Q and mantra-Q which hasn't changed.

Karma's strongest all-in has always been E-W into mantra-Q when the root from W hits. This combo has gone from 220% AP scaling to 250% ap scaling since the rework and it still has massive base damage.

Sure, she lost damage in her mantra-E and mantra-W but if it's damage you're going for then Q is the skill you want to use mantra on.

Vistha KaiJun 7, 20151 votes

They gutted her options for no apparent reason. That's reassuring.

Frank327Jun 7, 20152 votes

Actually she has more options now. The idea behind karma is choosing which of your spells to mantra to get different effects. Before the patch every single mantra ability added damage and a small extra bonus. Now mantra Q does damage, Mantra W increases root duration and heals you, mantra E increases the shield both individually and teamwide. So you could say mantra has become MORE versatile, not less so.

So in the late game, considering you're building as a carry:

Mantra Q: Big nuke Mantra W: 3.25s root, which might actually be the longest in the game Mantra E: could easily get as big as 800hp shield on one target, 400hp shield on the rest.

Vistha KaiJun 7, 20152 votes

Do you know what used to be "the idea behind Karma"?

Having options that were in opposition to a spell's original purpose. Damage - Heal, Haste - Slow, Protection - Destruction.

What we've got now is pretty disheartening. Damage - More Damage, CC - Longer CC, Shield - Bigger Shield.

They took the penultimate part of Karma's identity and the last that left of it isn't any different from Heimerdinger's Upgrade. All you do is nod in approval.

For the sake of the next guy. Shut up. I'm really tired of this mainstream conformism crap.

She has NO options. Not. Even. Single. One.

SnugglePuggle94Jun 8, 20151 votes

She's still fun to mid even if some of her damage is taken away. In fact I wrecked an Orianna with her the other day mid lane.

Vistha KaiJun 8, 20151 votes

If Orianna was ever in position to get hit by Q, then somebody out there needs to git gud more than I expected.

SnugglePuggle94Jun 8, 20151 votes

She was good at maneuvering but I was too and found spots to hit her.

ScreamPasteJun 6, 20152 votes

AP Riven.

NemeBroJun 6, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Riven.

Oh yeah dog? AP Riven is viable now?

ScreamPasteJun 6, 20152 votes

item 3100

Vistha KaiJun 7, 20151 votes

item 3285

Only Play DariusJun 6, 20152 votes

Ahri Annie Heimerdinger Lux will always be well rounded, safe picks for mid.

NemeBroJun 6, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Jelly Mac,realm=NA,application-id=WEuoGbmp,discussion-id=ApcfxXfl,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2015-06-06T23:34:20.015+0000)

will always be well rounded, safe picks for mid.

The first three I've definitely considered, though I think if I played Heimerdinger I'd hate myself for the rest of my life.

Lux though? That's interesting. I mean, I figured she could probably fit into most team comps, but I didn't know she was considered a fairly safe pick. I might have to try her.

Only Play DariusJun 7, 20152 votes

With the tank meta, Lux has fewer assassins hunting her down and more tanks preventing anyone from getting near her.

Also because assassins aren't that strong, games are lasting longer. And Lux scales like a MOTHERFUCKER.

SnugglePuggle94Jun 7, 20152 votes

Diana Annie Lux Morgana Karma Zyra I've had success with mid

LuggJun 7, 20151 votes

Ahri Lux Lulu Morgana are all safe picks mid.

Vistha KaiJun 8, 20151 votes

Morgana's so safe you can fall asleep playing her. Not recommended.

ZeroAnarchyJun 7, 20151 votes

Ahri Diana Orianna

EndlessSorcererJun 7, 20151 votes

Orianna Karthus Ziggs Anivia Ahri are all pretty reliable. You need to know how to play the matchups, but they can generally beat or survive against most enemies in lane and they all scale quite well for teamfights and sieging.

Lulu Lux Morgana all provide a lot of utility for their team, so their performance can be pretty consistent.

DarkenedSoul420Jun 7, 20151 votes

Swain for short to mid range enemies KogMaw will out harass pretty much any other poke mage at level 6 Kog is one of my best mids right now, dont underestimate his damage potential as an AP mid

NemeBroJun 7, 20151 votes

{quoted}

for short to mid range enemies will out harass pretty much any other poke mage at level 6 Kog is one of my best mids right now, dont underestimate his damage potential as an AP mid

Ah that's the thing though, I'm specifically talking about first picking a mid laner when I don't know my opponent. If I do know my opponent I have more options, but I don't want to pick Koggy and then have to deal with a Zed or LeBlanc's bullshit.

SmolButSas3yJun 7, 20151 votes

One mid lane to rule them all > Leblanc

NemeBroJun 7, 20152 votes

[{quoted}](name=Shadow wraith 27,realm=NA,application-id=WEuoGbmp,discussion-id=ApcfxXfl,comment-id=0009,timestamp=2015-06-07T07:37:23.945+0000)

One mid lane to rule them all >

Actually a solid suggestion, if only because I'd only really be picking her if her main counter Chogath is banned.

Thanks everyone, this has been a big help with a lot of solid suggestions.

SmolButSas3yJun 7, 20151 votes

i main lb, took lots of practice but she pays off very well

SmolButSas3yJun 7, 20151 votes

if anyone needs any tips feel free to add me :)

TurquoiseYoshiJun 7, 20151 votes

Azir is good if somebody goes for assassin bans. And if you get used to him.

S2C2Xd9KOyJun 8, 20152 votes

***^^^^^^^ If you learn his mechanics the outplays are disgusting and the triple kills will rain down upon you

GodhriJun 7, 20151 votes

Safest First picks are: Azir Orianna Viktor . All of whom are capable of dominating or simply farming lane against virtually any opponent.

TurquoiseYoshiJun 8, 20151 votes

Azir does get rekt by LeBlanc though...

GodhriJun 8, 20151 votes

nope he doesn't. The moment she jumps in he can W E to knock up and then Q + R.

TurquoiseYoshiJun 8, 20151 votes

Eh. I've always felt like Azir was countered by LeBlanc and other assassins.

GodhriJun 8, 20151 votes

He's way too mobile for that.

M4nTiCoR3Jun 8, 20151 votes

Morgana

Morgana is almost always a safe go to pick mid lane. She has great anti-gank spells in her Q and E. She sets up ganks well for her jungler with Q and R. She has sustain with her innate SV passive. She brings some AP damage to the team with the right build, but really needs her team to clean up during and after her CC later in the game.

SnugglePuggle94Jun 8, 20151 votes

Heads up though, her E only absorbs magic damage. So if you are going against an AD laner, don't go all in unless you think you can get him, and you are most likely screwed if your low and trying to get away, because if they are coming after you, your shield won't work unless they actually do at least some magic damage.

M4nTiCoR3Jun 9, 20151 votes

The real reason E is anti gank is the CC immunity. The shielded damage is just a plus vs AP laners and junglers. Worth noting it's only good for CC immunity in an AD lane or vs an.AD jungler through.

Drunk RummateJun 8, 20151 votes

http://www.nerfplz.com/2015/05/2015-champion-tier-list-solo-queue_31.html

I recommend you read the above tier list and try out a few of the T1 or God Tier champions until you find one that fits your playstyle. Once you do, just grind out 50+ games on them and you'll probably start to win 60% or more of your games with them by the end.