TSM Underestimates Magic Damage Threat in Quarterfinals Match Against Gravity
In Game 2 of the Quarterfinals match between TSM and Gravity, TSM may have underestimated the magic damage threat of Gravity’s toplaner, Shen, and jungler, Elise, leading to a suboptimal item build for Lustboy.
TSM’s Suboptimal Item Build
At 20:44, Lustboy began building the components for Righteous Glory, finishing the item at 30:37 and then proceeding to sell Relic Shield in order to buy Talisman of Ascension by 43:04.
Righteous Glory is a wonderful item for many champions and many situations. It’s a Catalyst item, granting health and mana and has a passive that sustains you through the lane. Its active is a one-way speed up and AOE slow that works brilliantly when trying to engage in a fight.
However, in this match against Gravity, Lustboy’s item choice may not have been the best. Gravity was never significantly behind in gold and had a well-drafted team composition with strong disengage potential. Engaging with Righteous Glory could have failed or backfired for TSM.
Gravity’s Disengage Potential
Gravity’s team composition had several champions with abilities to disengage or counterengage:
- Braum’s Stand Behind Me (W) as a dash/escape, Unbreakable (E) to soak up damage and CC, and Glacial Fissure (R) for enormous CC
- Tristana’s Rocket Jump (W) as an escape and Buster Shot (R) for its knockback
- Urgot’s Terror Capacitor (W) for its shield and slow and his Position Reverser (R) for its defensive steroids, suppression, and displacement
- Elise’s Cocoon and Rappel (E) for their stun and her escape, respectively
- Shen’s Shadow Dash (E) for its CC and as an escape, and Stand United (R) for its shield and potential escape
In light of Gravity’s disengage potential and team composition, Lustboy may have benefited his team more by purchasing Aegis instead of Righteous Glory. Aegis provides defensive stats for Lustboy and his nearby allies, making it a superior buy in this situation.
Importance of Aegis
Aegis would have given Lustboy 200 health, 40 magic resistance, and 75% base health regeneration. It also provides nearby allies with 20 magic resistance and 75% base health regeneration. Aegis is a more cost-effective item compared to Righteous Glory and can be further upgraded to Locket, providing additional health and cooldown reduction, as well as an area-of-effect shield for the team.
By picking up Aegis, TSM could have increased their effective health against magic damage and mitigated some of the high magic damage from Team Gravity. The magic resistance aura from Aegis would have greatly benefited TSM, as a significant portion of the total damage dealt to champions was magic damage. The Aegis aura would have increased the team’s survivability and potentially turned the tide in their favor.
In Conclusion
Lustboy’s choice to build Righteous Glory may not have been the best decision in the match against Gravity. Picking up Aegis would have provided critically useful defensive stats for both Lustboy and his teammates, mitigating the high magic damage from Team Gravity. TSM could have greatly benefited from Aegis and the Locket shield afterward, improving their chances of victory.
TSM, Gravity, Quarterfinals match, Lustboy, item build, magic damage, Righteous Glory, Aegis, disengage potential, team composition, survivability, TSM vs Gravity, esports