The Mid-Season Invitational play-in stage for League of Legends concluded on Sunday, May 7. This phase of the tournament determined the three teams that will advance to the bracket stage. After a series of matches, we now have a clearer picture of the current meta and what to expect moving forward.
Here are the most popular champions picked in the MSI play-in stage:
Most-picked League champions at MSI 2023
Aphelios was the most frequently picked champion during the play-in stage, chosen a total of 13 times out of 25 games. PSG Wako and LOUD Route were the two players who favored Aphelios the most, each playing him in five and four games respectively. With the limited number of bans, it’s likely that Aphelios will continue to be a popular choice in the bracket stage. Other notable picks include Jinx, Rakan, and Zeri, each played in 11 games.
K’Sante had the second-highest number of games played, with 12 appearances. The top lane champion was also played as a mid laner once, resulting in a win for GG Gori. Despite a drop in priority in the Spring Splits, teams still value this pick highly.
The bot lane meta didn’t see much variation, although Lucian has made a strong comeback, with a total of 15 bans. This champion is definitely one to watch out for in the future.
Most-banned League champions at MSI 2023
Lucian may be a highly banned champion, but Kennen and Vi take the lead with an 88 and 92 percent presence rate respectively in the MSI meta. Despite nerfs, Vi remains one of the most effective engagers in the game, thanks to her point-and-click ultimate and tankiness. Kennen has gained popularity, especially in Eastern regions, due to his high AoE damage and safe laning phase.
Kennen has also achieved a perfect win rate at MSI, along with Blitzcrank, Darius, Galio, Nocturne, Swain, Rell, and Sett.
Another champion to keep an eye on in the bracket stage is Draven. Although he hasn’t been picked yet, he has been banned 11 times. With skilled Draven players like G2 Hans Sama at MSI, his priority may increase.
Other champions with multiple bans but no picks include Varus and Rumble, indicating specific matchup concerns for teams.
Highest KDAs at MSI play-ins
While KDA may not be the most crucial stat, it can indicate the reliability and strength of a champion. Cassiopeia achieved the best KDA throughout the play-in stage, with a rating of 14.0. However, this was mainly due to one win by LOUD Tinowns against DetonatioN FocusMe. Nidalee followed closely with a 12.2 KDA, but maintaining high numbers may be challenging as the competition intensifies. An unexpected champion, Ornn, also had an impressive KDA of 9.0 in a single game played by GG Licorice.