Unconventional Picks at League of Legends Worlds 2019
The League of Legends World Championship always brings unexpected picks and shifts the meta. This year’s Worlds is no different, with pro players choosing champions that may seem unusual in standard games.
These picks are not just for show; they are chosen for specific strategies and draft synergies. They expand the players’ horizons and show that sticking to the standard meta is not always necessary.
5) ADC Sona
ADC Sona was a popular pick a few months ago, especially when paired with Taric. However, Cloud9’s Zachary “Sneaky” Scuderi took a different approach by playing Sona alongside Tahm Kench. Although they fell behind against Griffin’s ADC Garen, it was an unconventional choice.
4) Mid Malphite
FunPlus Phoenix’s mid laner Kim “Doinb” Tae-sang surprised everyone by picking Malphite against GAM Esports. Despite being a counter to standard mid lane mages, Malphite helped FPX win because it was a response to GAM’s mid lane Kled pick.
3) ADC Kayle
Kayle is usually played in the top or mid lane due to her burst damage and wave clear. However, SKT’s Park “Teddy” Jin-seong took her to the bot lane as an ADC against Fnatic. Teddy achieved a 9.0 KDA and SKT secured the win.
2) ADC Zoe
Another unconventional pick was G2’s Luka “Perkz” Perković playing Zoe in the bot lane against Griffin. Unfortunately, Perkz fell behind against Griffin’s Xayah and Rakan bot duo, resulting in a loss for G2.
1) ADC Garen
Garen has been picked as an ADC seven times in the Worlds main event. Fnatic’s Martin “Rekkles” Larsson was the first to choose him, followed by Griffin’s Park “Viper” Do-hyeon and Hong Kong Attitude’s Wong “Unified” Chun Kit. Among the three bot laners, only Viper achieved a positive win rate with Garen.
These unconventional picks show that pro players are willing to think outside the box and that there is room to innovate in the competitive scene.
League of Legends, Worlds 2019, unconventional picks, ADC Sona, Mid Malphite, ADC Kayle, ADC Zoe, ADC Garen