We’re more than halfway through the 2019 Spring Split in most League of Legends regions. It’s been an exciting split with lots of strategies, champion picks, and creative rule manipulations.
That being said, the meta has evolved significantly this year. Initially, there was a lot of carryover from Worlds 2018 because the preseason didn’t introduce many new champions. However, players have adapted to changes like minion bounties, turret plating, Karthus damage, and new crit items, resulting in more diversity in the meta. This is a good time to step back and evaluate the state of the professional meta.
Five Key Takeaways About League’s Competitive Meta in 2019:
Early Game Matters
Matches are finishing faster than ever before. According to League stats site Games of Legends, average game times have been around 32 minutes, similar to the end of Worlds 2018. Although game times increased slightly in Patch 9.2, they have since gone down to under 34 minutes. This is considerably faster than the 35 to 38-minute games we saw in previous years. Riot’s changes to increase the pace of the game, such as more dragon spawns, reduced vision, and emphasis on early-game objectives like turret plates, have made teams with strong early games more likely to win.
Solo Lane Carries
Power is heavily concentrated in the solo lanes. The tank meta is virtually nonexistent, so top laners are playing champions like Jayce and Kennen, while mid laners favor Zoe and LeBlanc. With the return of the mage meta and nerfs to Irelia and Akali, mid laners with more traditional champion pools have an advantage. We may even see the resurgence of champions like Azir and Zed.
Ranged Champions Dominate
Ranged champions are incredibly dominant in the current meta. Players have realized that they can control waves and contest for turret plates with ranged champions, giving them an early advantage. On Patch 9.3, eight out of ten of the most popular champions are ranged. Although ranged champions have weaknesses, such as being squishy and falling behind without early leads, teams believe that their ability to secure early turret plates outweighs these drawbacks.
Coaches are Being Creative
Team coaches have become exceptionally creative in season nine. They have explored various strategies, from abusing minions to no-farm lanes, to gain an edge in the game. This creativity has extended to champion picks as well, resulting in higher champion diversity compared to last year. Even traditionally weak champions like Sylas are being played at the highest level. The variety of viable champions in multiple roles makes the game more exciting to watch.
Crit ADCs Will Have Their Day
Although the resurgence of crit ADCs hasn’t occurred yet in Patch 9.3, we believe it’s just a matter of time. Lucian and Ezreal continue to dominate the meta, with Sivir being a popular choice for crit bot lane. However, as teams discover which compositions work best with crit champions, we can expect to see more variety. When playoffs arrive, objective control and teamfighting will once again be crucial, making crit ADCs a viable option. Champions like Tristana and Caitlyn, with their ability to pressure turret plates, should not be underestimated for long.
In conclusion, the professional meta in 2019 Spring Split has seen significant changes. The early game has become crucial, solo lane carries are prevalent, ranged champions dominate, coaches are being creative, and crit ADCs will have their time to shine. Stay tuned for more updates and exciting developments in League of Legends esports!
League of Legends, esports, Spring Split, competitive meta, early game, solo lane carries, ranged champions, coaches, crit ADCs