You promised a top lane tutorial, but you're just using Worlds as material for your videos?

Chapter 184: Not banning a single top lane champion? Is this really EDG?

"Unless you add someone to EDG right now, specifically to the top lane, making it a 2v1 situation in the top lane, and a total of 6v5, then EDG can win!"

Hao Kai's joke immediately drew laughter from the audience.

Jokes are jokes.

However, Haokai's words accurately point out the predicament that the EDG team is currently facing in this match.

That is, the top lane is constantly being breached, but there is no solution.

If EDG could find a way to deal with LGD's top lane...

Haokai wouldn't joke about adding someone to EDG so that it would be a 2v1 situation in the top lane.

Hearing Haokai's joke, Wang Duoduo also joked back:
"Six against five is impossible, but I think two against one in the top lane is definitely possible!"

"Oh! How is it a 2v1 in the top lane?" After commentating on two games with Wang Duoduo, Haokai had also learned to play the straight man and keep up the conversation.

"It's actually very simple. All of us here should have gone through this when we first started playing League of Legends!"

After a slight pause, Wang Duoduo continued in a serious tone, "EDG should use a 2-1-2 lane split, no jungler, then the top lane can have a 2v1 situation!"

Upon hearing this, the audience burst into laughter.

Wow, both the 21 and 2nd routes are here, awesome!

Of course, many EDG fans, after laughing for a while, couldn't laugh anymore.

After all, who wants their favorite team to be constantly ridiculed?

But this is unavoidable.

If you can't beat someone, you're bound to be ridiculed and teased.

There is only one eternal truth in esports competitions.

That is—in esports, being bad is the original sin!
Therefore, EDG fans no longer expect anything like a comeback from a 0-2 deficit to win 3-2.

They just hope EDG can win this game and not get completely wiped out by LGD.

If they really get swept 3-0, I wonder how long they'll be ridiculed by fans from other groups.

After all, when EDG dominated the LPL a few years ago, EDG fans offended all the other fan groups.

Settlement is also an unavoidable theme in esports.

No team can escape the reckoning.

Unless you can win all the time.

Is it possible?
After the laughter from the audience subsided, Haokai suddenly said, "I think it's really feasible for EDG's top lane to have a 2v1 situation. I'm serious this time. In matches a few years ago, it was quite normal for the side lanes to have 2v1 situations!"

"Oh, Teacher Haokai, do you mean changing the lane?" Wang Duoduo reacted relatively quickly.

"But because of the existence of the first blood tower, I don't think I've seen any lane swaps in this year's competition!" Wang Duoduo added.

“That’s right!” Hao Kai nodded. “But I think EDG can really give it a try. We’ve run out of options, so we might as well try anything!”

"Then I look forward to Coach Nofe hearing your advice!" Wang Duoduo chuckled.

After another round of casual conversation in the commentary booth.

Suddenly, the BP interface appeared on the large screen at the scene.

"Alright, everyone, the draft phase has begun for the third game of the LPL Spring Split playoffs semifinals BO5 between LGD and EDG!"

"In this game, LGD, who had the right to choose sides, actively chose the blue side."

"EDG is on the red side."

Let's take a look at both sides' drafts!

First round of BP.

LGD banned Graves, LeBlanc, and Shen.

EDG banned Titan, Elise, and Caitlyn.

The first three bans on both sides had just been completed.

Wang Duoduo immediately said, "I've discovered something very strange!"

"What's the matter?" Hao Kai asked curiously.

"EDG banned three champions in their first three picks, and surprisingly didn't ban a single top laner!"

Wang Duoduo continued, "Of course, Nautilus can be played top lane. But if Nautilus is banned in a match against LGD, it will definitely be PYL's support Nautilus, not Zhou Shen's top lane Nautilus!"

“Yes!” Hao Kai nodded. “Even if Zhou Shen doesn’t play tank top lane much, the opponents would be more than happy to see him play one. They would never ban tank heroes specifically to target Zhou Shen!”

"That's interesting. Fiora, a champion that Zhou Shen never used to be able to play and would always be banned in the first round, is allowed in this game. I wonder if LGD will pick Fiora in the first round!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than LGD secured the Rengar on the first floor of the blue team's base.

"Oh, LGD didn't pick Zet's Ashe on the first floor, but instead chose to pick Rengar."

In the first game, LGD directly picked Ashe on the first floor of the blue side.

Because EDG's AD carry player, Zet, is a pure Ashe specialist.

Without Ashe, Zet's strength drops by half.

Therefore, when playing against EDG, picking Ashe is basically a substitute for banning her.

It's a pick that offers great value for money.

However, in this game, LGD did not pick Ashe on the first floor of the blue side, but instead gave Ashe to EDG.

"LGD probably still thinks getting Rengar is more important!"

With Graves and Elise both banned, Rengar is arguably the strongest jungler left!

"As for Ashe, she's not exactly a top-tier pick in this patch, but she's quite important to EDG."

"In comparison, LGD still prefers to get the meta jungler Rengar first!" Haokai said.

It's EDG's turn to pick players.

EDG picked Ashe and Lee Sin on the first and second floors of the red side.

"As expected, Ashe is a champion that EDG will pick if you give it to them!"

"Then among the remaining junglers, there aren't any really good ones. There's only Gragas, Lee Sin, and Rek'Sai, none of them are considered top-tier junglers in this patch!"

"Of these heroes, Ai Luoli chose the Blind Man, which she is more skilled with!"

"After all, it's a do-or-die situation. I have faith in my signature Lee Sin!" Wang Duoduo said.

then.

LGD picked Varus and Karma on the second and third floors of the blue side. "LGD also went for an AD carry, picking Varus, a champion that imp has used a lot this year and is very skilled at!"

"Then this Karma pick is a 'wavering' pick; it could be either support or mid lane!" Wang Duoduo said.

“Yes!” Hao Kai nodded. “LGD’s ability to use Karma in a flexible style is also thanks to Wei Shen’s style change in the past month or two!”

"The old GodV would definitely not have played Karma, a mid-laner who might be considered a bit of a 'play-it-or-play' type!"

"But now that LGD has an additional carry in the top lane, it's fine for Wei Shen to just drift around in the mid lane. He's not worried about not having anyone to deal damage and carry!"

Hao Kai's words can be considered a way of "gilding" Wei Shen's reputation.

Wei Shen's style change was actually somewhat forced.

Wei Shen's current skill level doesn't support him playing the kind of carry mage who farms in the early game and carries in the late game.

Playing like this against weak teams is okay.

But when you encounter a strong team, especially if their mid laner is also skilled.

If Wei Shen continues to play a farming-focused carry role, the team is likely to collapse.

You were down a man in the early game, how come you didn't collapse against strong teams!
Of course, Hao Kai was right about one thing.

Zhou Dian played a significant role in Wei Shen's successful career transition.

It's because top laners can deal damage and carry the game.

Mid laners can confidently play team-oriented and utility heroes.

Otherwise, are we going to put all the burden of output on the ADC alone?

Wouldn't that become a four-protect-one situation?
Past experience has proven this.

Four-to-one support is not feasible!

In any team, there are three lanes: top, mid, and bottom. At least two of them need to have carry potential to support the remaining lane as a support player.

However, judging from Wei Shen's current playstyle, he seems to be playing rather carelessly these days.

But not just any team can play like that.

A typical example is EDG in the first game.

Let Scout play Karma mid, and EDG will just give up!
Back to BP.

In the last pick of the first round, EDG locked in Lulu on the third floor of the red team.

Seeing this, Haokai immediately said, "This Lulu must be a support. EDG won't be able to switch roles this game!"

"I think it'll be Lulu as support!" Wang Duoduo added. "EDG suffered from Karma in the first game, so they definitely won't be going to pick Lulu in the mid lane again!"

"Letting Scout play Lulu is such a waste of Scout's abilities!"

"really!"

Hao Kai wholeheartedly agreed.

We've moved on to the second round of draft picks.

EDG banned Taliyah and Braum.

LGD banned Ryze and Syndra.

As soon as both sides finished banning their heroes, Wang Duoduo immediately said, "Something's not right. EDG's performance in this game is really off!"

"Something's not right?" Hao Kai hadn't realized what was happening yet.

"EDG's bans!" Wang Duoduo exclaimed. "If they don't ban a single top lane champion, is this still EDG?"

"Wow, there really wasn't a single top lane champion banned!"

"Compared to EDG's previous matches against LGD, where they would ban three, four, or even five top lane champions, it's quite unexpected that they didn't ban any this time!"

Not only the commentators found it unexpected.

In the live broadcast room of the event.

Many viewers who hadn't noticed this detail before were also quite puzzled by EDG's bans in this game after the commentator mentioned it.

【Wait, what does EDG mean? Don't they treat Zhou Shen like a human being?】

[Damn, when did my great Zhou Shen become so powerless? He can't even get a single ban?]

Is this some kind of "what's the point" attitude, a complete surrender?

[Possibly! Since even banning five top laners still won't work, it's better not to ban any and give the other lanes a draft advantage!]

[That makes sense, but wouldn't that be too disrespectful to Zhou Shen? Who would let Zhou Shen play all his signature heroes when playing against LGD?]

[Oh no, this is so disrespectful to God Zhou, I think God Zhou is going to be angry!]

[Zhou Shen is very angry, and the consequences will be severe!]

I have a feeling that Zhou Shen's methods in this game will be extremely bloody!

[Hey bros, what hero do you want to see Zhou Shen play this game?]

[That's definitely Fiora! Zhou Shen's Fiora hasn't been seen in ages!]

[It has to be Camille! Those long legs are so cool when she kicks!]

I think it's Jayce who's suffering. When he's angry, he has to fire his cannon, fire his cannon hard!

There's something wrong with you!

【.】

Back to BP.

In the second round, the red team chooses first.

EDG chose Gragas on the fourth floor of the red side.

"Gragas, top order!"

"EDG has picked a top laner who can initiate team fights, and Gragas is also a very good champion in terms of survivability!" Haokai said.

He had already assumed that Mouse would be under pressure again in this game.

Upon hearing this, Wang Duoduo quipped, "As for Gragas's ability to withstand pressure, it depends on whether he runs into a cannon!"

"Haha, that's true!" Hao Kai laughed immediately.

In the first game, Mouse's Gragas was brutally beaten by Zhou Dian's bizarre top lane Tristana. He still vividly remembers the way he was beaten.

"Will Zhou Shen pick Tristana for top lane again?"

(End of this chapter)