Riot’s Attempt at Champion Diversity in Competitive Play
Competitive pick/ban stats are often used to measure overall champion balance and diversity. Riot has made efforts to increase champion diversity with their 2015 patch notes, but have they succeeded?
Has Riot Really Succeeded in Increasing Champion Diversity?
Let’s analyze competitive pick/ban statistics from the inception of the LCS in 2013 to find out. Out of a total of 4532* competitive games played across all major regions, we can break down pick/ban percentages into tiers. Champions that appear in more than half of all competitive games are in the top tier. Below that, there are tiers for champions with less representation. This statistics allows us to see the overall champion pool percentage for each tier and compare them across seasons.
Stats Analysis
Looking at the stats, not much has changed across the top two tiers each season. Around 5% of the champion pool is consistently overrepresented in competitive play, while 15% are seen 25-50% of the time. The real variation can be seen in the lower tiers. In Season 3, around 35% of the champions were niche or temporary picks. However, that number has dropped to below 25% in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Additionally, the percentage of non-competitive champions (picked less than 2.5% of the time) increased from 32% in Season 3 to over 40% in the following two years. For 2015, the champions that were never picked or banned include Akali, Heimerdinger, Nasus, Rammus, Teemo, Tryndamere, and Warwick.
The Lack of Champion Diversity
Overall, the data shows that Riot has not been successful in promoting broader champion diversity in competitive play. While the champions that are strong in a given season change, the number of champions in the top tiers remains the same. The number of niche picks has decreased in the past two years, while the number of non-competitive champions has increased. Recent reworks may change this trend, as champions like Darius, Garen, Fiora, Mordekaiser, and Skarner have recently become more competitive after their reworks.
Possible Reasons for Lack of Champion Diversity
There are a few possible reasons for the decline in competitive niche picks. One reason could be that as Riot updates their champions, the gap between the strong and weak champions has become bigger. Another reason could be the increase in global awareness among regions, leading to fewer regional outliers. Lastly, the increase in the number of Chinese games could have influenced the data towards a Chinese bias.
Win Rate Analysis
In terms of win rate, champions with high pick rates tend to have more reliable win rates due to larger sample sizes. In 2015, Kalista has a win rate of 56.9%, which is higher than the win rates of other popular champions like Azir. Lucian also has an impressive win rate of 66%. Fizz, Nidalee, and Morgana have season-long win rates of above 54%.
Possible Balance Issues
Based on the data, there are a few possible balance issues to consider. Alistar and Kalista are currently too strong and might be must-pick/ban at Worlds. Squishy supports, other than Janna, are underrepresented in competitive play. Certain light fighters and AD casters are also underrepresented. Mages have varying levels of competitive use, with some being dominant while others are non-existent. The juggernauts who haven’t been reworked are highly underrepresented. Assassins like Akali, Talon, and Katarina are rarely seen in competitive play but have high potential in solo queue.
In conclusion, competitive pick/ban statistics are just one aspect of game balance and champion diversity. Solo queue pick/ban rates, win rates, and high-elo statistics are also important indicators. Riot’s targets for competitive diversity are unknown, but the data from this analysis can be useful in identifying champions that need adjustment.
Related keywords: champion balance, champion diversity, LCS, competitive play, pick/ban rates, champion pool, niche picks, non-competitive champions, reworks, win rate, balance issues, Alistar, Kalista, squishy supports, light fighters, AD casters, mages, juggernauts, assassins