Dignitas’ Rich Presents Solution to Counter K’Sante in LCS Summer Split
It’s been three weeks since the start of the 2023 LCS Summer Split in North America, and the League of Legends meta is beginning to take shape. Two top lane champions, K’Sante and Renekton, have emerged as popular picks, but Dignitas may have found a solution to counter them.
According to League Fandom, out of the 45 games played in the LCS Summer Split so far, only 10 top lane champions have been contested more than once. K’Sante and Renekton account for 45 percent of those picks.
K’Sante has had the upper hand in the head-to-head matchup, while Renekton has faced more losses against the Pride of Nazumah. Only Golden Guardian’s Licorice hasn’t tried his hand at K’Sante yet, with all 10 players having at least one game on Renekton.
In the Spring Split, K’Sante was picked almost twice as often as the next-most-picked champion, Sion. However, teams are now beginning to explore alternatives to the dominant top laner. Dignitas’ Rich, an ex-Heroes of the Storm star, has been making waves in his debut LCS season with various top lane picks.
Rich has played six different champions in nine matches so far, including K’Sante along with Poppy, Jax, and Quinn, with differing levels of success. His Illaoi game against NRG on June 30 drew attention, showcasing that there are other options to face K’Sante while also highlighting an alternative build for Illaoi.
In most matchups, players usually complete the Iceborn Gauntlet Mythic item, then move on to tier two boots and Black Cleaver, but Rich took a different approach. He went straight for Black Cleaver, allowing him to reduce K’Sante’s armor. This allowed Illaoi to stay in close range and deal significant damage thanks to the bonus movement speed gained from attacking.
The Black Cleaver rush is best utilized against tanky champions in the top lane, especially melee opponents like Sion or Darius. It helps Illaoi keep up with them if they try to back out.
Illaoi’s Test of Spirit ability provides effective poke, and when combined with the enhancements from Black Cleaver, most bruiser champions can’t afford to stay within range of her tentacles for too long. This gives Illaoi lane priority, and if the opponent teleports back to base, she can punish the move by taking map control.
Afterwards, Rich completes his boots and builds the Iceborn Gauntlet. He also purchases a Stopwatch and immediately rushes a Gargoyle Stoneplate for the active shield and magic resistance. These items, combined with Illaoi’s Tentacle’s Slam ability, provide incredible sustain.
In the late game, positioning becomes crucial for Rich. He looks for the perfect Leap of Faith to counter burst damage, as showcased in the final fight against NRG where he wiped out multiple opponents with a combination of Tentacle slams.
As K’Sante continues to be a top pick in professional play and ranked games, Rich has presented an alternative option to counter the dominant champion. However, it’s important to note that positioning is key for Illaoi to succeed in teamfights.
Next, Dignitas will face Evil Geniuses on July 5 as they strive to secure a spot in the Summer Split playoffs. We can expect to see more unique champion picks from Rich as the season progresses.