Starting with Zaozi Ge, a dream lineup

Chapter 173 Team Composition Game, Mutual Schemes

Seeing the three people on the live stream screen exchanging meaningful glances and hints, I noticed their expressions.

The viewers weren't buying it, and wave after wave of comments flooded the screen.

"So you three were implying I was a champion top laner? You've got it now!"

"To be honest, WE is probably the most unfortunate team this year, letting go of such a great top laner."

"??? Haro, whom we released on EdgG, also performed brilliantly, didn't he?"

While the three commentators were rambling on in the live stream, the equipment setup at the competition venue had been completed, and the director notified them to switch channels and enter the ban/pick interface.

As the rousing music of the Spring Finals began, the cheers from the audience rose in waves.

Why are LPL's best-of-five matches always so strong?

There's a reason for that.

In a best-of-five series, any coach who has come from the LPL will choose a relatively mature and stable lineup for the first game. This lineup could be one that the team has been well-integrated throughout the season, or one that has recently been developed as a surprise or unconventional strategy.

This is why teams from other regions are often able to gain the upper hand and win the first game when they encounter LPL teams.

Teams with poor mentality are likely to have their mentality collapse after this game, and then sleepwalk through the next four games.

Coach Kim has been working in China for many years, and RNG is no exception. RNG is currently enjoying great popularity and high morale.

If IG can win the first game, then IG's chances of winning this best-of-five series against RNG will immediately jump from 30% to 50%.

IG cleanly and decisively defeated the super team, and everyone's form and confidence are back. However, if RNG takes the first game, they might not be able to withstand the pressure.
In the first game, IG had a lower score in the Spring Split, so they got the right to choose sides first and got the red side.

This version is unlike the S7 World Championship version, where the red side would suffer a huge loss.

Conversely, in this version, the red side has a unique counter-position that can provide excellent support to the player in that position.

There are no heroes that absolutely need to be picked, so naturally, the red team has a greater advantage.

IG, the blue side, banned Kai'Sa, Karma, and Ornn.

RNG banned Taliyah, Varus, and Trundle, which Ning had been practicing a lot in ranked games recently.

With Trundle banned, it was obvious that a jungler would be needed, and Letme naturally helped Xiangguo lock in Olaf, the meta jungler.

"Wow, IG's three bans are pretty impressive. Since the match against RW, Karma hasn't been allowed to be picked. As for Uzi's Kai'Sa and Letme's Ornn, these are champions that can't be picked in the LPL right now."

Miller nodded and said.

"No, actually, you can see that RNG made these three moves with good planning. They took Ning's Taliyah and Trundle, and directly locked in Olaf for Mlxg, which is all about early to mid-game jungle invasion."

Dolls with a deeper understanding of the game immediately offered different perspectives.

"Here, they directly dragged Ning into the jungle, preventing him from leaving the map, thus helping TheShy in the top lane and Rookie in the mid lane. RNG's strategy is all about dominating the lanes."

The baby had barely finished speaking.

IG immediately locked in the top pick of the patch, Swain.

The revamped Swain is extremely strong in this version. As a mid-lane champion with both high pick and ban rates, Rookie is confident in playing him well.

According to the newly compiled pre-match data, the entire LPL used more than 40 different champions in the S8 Spring Split, while RNG alone used as many as 72 different champions.

In contrast, the average number of mid-lane champions across the league, except for IG which has 58, fluctuates between 30 and 40. This is because the game updates are so frequent that many champions that would never normally be seen in the mid-lane have suddenly become viable.

Swain can effectively counter several well-known utility champions in the mid lane, such as Sion and Malzahar.

In recent matches, thanks to the balance adjustments to talents and the fact that various teams have developed and mastered the game version, some optimal and strong lineups for the current version have been established.

The top lane is gradually showing signs of shifting towards warriors, and as such, Olaf, with his stronger fighting ability, is undoubtedly more suitable to appear than other herbivorous or tanky junglers.

In the eyes of many viewers, RNG's first move was a "pick instead of ban" strategy.

Rookie's Swain and JackeyLove's Caitlyn were both immediately locked in, making for an extremely well-balanced lineup.

But now the problem immediately falls to RNG. It should be noted that Caitlyn's pace is very fast in the early and mid-game. Olaf's strong jungle fighting ability does not mean that he is strong at ganking.

Picking the female police officer is clearly a move to pressure RNG in the early game.

"Should we go all out in the early game or play it safe in the mid-to-late game and fight IG?"

Standing behind the crowd, Chris asked.

"Let's stall for the first game, dampen IG's spirits, and avoid fighting them."

Upon seeing the policewoman, Li Luo smiled. IG's choice of the policewoman couldn't be clearer: they wanted to fight RNG.

But I won't fight you, I'll make you angry!
Hearing Li Luo say that, Chris also flipped through his notebook and quickly finished the draft, finalizing the lineups for both sides.

Rng (blue side) vs ig (red side)

Top Lane: Vladimir vs. Gnar
Jungle: Olaf vs Sejuani
Mid Lane: Ryze vs. Swain
ADC: Ashe vs. Caitlyn
Support: Tahm Kench vs. Morgana

In version 8.7, both teams paid attention to several minor changes and developed their own tactical systems accordingly.

The fast push strategy with Caitlyn, pioneered by the IG team, is a good example.

The combination of Caitlyn and Morgana's fast wave clear, along with Swain and Sejuani's teamfight initiation capabilities, makes them extremely dominant in the early and mid-game.

This was also one of SKT's signature tactics in the LCK Spring Split, leaving KZ with absolutely no chance to fight back.

At first glance, RNG's lineup has a Renaissance feel to it. Putting aside the fact that IG has gotten Banner of Command, how will the top and mid laners clear the wave?

Take TheShy's Gnar in the top lane, for example. His terrifying pressure can make Vladimir suffer for a long time.

"If I'd known it was a toad, I would have picked Janna."

Seeing RNG's support pick, Baolan muttered to himself, but there was nothing he could do; the counter pick on his side still had to be given to their top lane carry.

IG's lineup dictates that they definitely need a counter-pick to counter them, and giving it to any of the positions—mid, top, or jungle—will have a good effect.

But the bot lane suffered a lot. After farming gold like crazy with Jacklove in the early games of the Spring Split, Baolan and Jacklove's status plummeted after TheShy stepped up in the mid-game.

Rookie, the team's senior member, often patiently guides the two players in ranked games, telling them they should give up more resources.

Therefore, IG's bot lane was completely a victim of tactics, especially in the first game of the Spring Finals.

To some extent, Morgana is actually countered by Toad.

Anyone hit by Morgana's Q can be easily eaten by Tahm Kench's W skill and taken down immediately.

(End of this chapter)