The confetti has already been swept up from the floors of the Prudential Center in New Jersey, but one League of Legends champion’s explosive impact is still resonating after becoming the only pick to hold a 100 percent presence rate during the 2023 LCS Championship.
Throughout the 2023 LCS Summer Split, Runeterra’s favorite Bandle gunner Tristana was a prime choice for multiple players across the competitive field in North America. During the postseason, however, she quickly became a top priority for every team after getting picked or banned in every match in the 2023 LCS Championship.
She was banned in 51 percent of all playoff matches and won 65 percent of her games played in the mid lane, according to competitive League stats aggregate Oracle’s Elixir. She was only played four times in her original role in the bottom lane, but she also ended up winning three of those matches as well.
Related: NRG miracle: Ex-CLG LoL roster dethrones Cloud9 to claim 2023 LCS Championship
Although she didn’t see any stage time in their incredible series against Cloud9, NRG used Tristana to great effect in their previous series vs. Team Liquid. The team’s veteran mid laner Cristian “Palafox” Palafox showcased just how strong the little yordle could be in different ways, whether it was taking over a teamfight or applying pressure through strong early laning and destructive turret-taking skills.
In professional play and solo queue alike, Tristana can be a multifaceted menace from the first minute onward due to her ability to push in lanes and take towers with ease, thanks to her Explosive Charge passive and active abilities. She cannot be left alone in lane to deal free damage to structures since she can tear through objectives in the blink of any eye, whether she’s looking to destroy an early tower or splitpush her way to victory in the later stages of a match.
Related: Only one champion was played in all 4 games of 2023 LCS Summer Finals
In teamfights, on the other hand, Tristana’s ability to reset her Rocket Jump after every kill can cause a deadly chain that can help her easily maneuver her way through a teamfight. She can jump in, take down a squishy enemy, and jump right out before she is locked down by a tank or other forms of crowd control.
She is also well-equipped to pair up with other forms of crowd control as her team chases down opposing players, making her one of the best AD carries to snowball a teamfight to a win. Overall, Tristana can be used in multiple team compositions, as long as they are built to compensate for her lack of AP damage and zone control.
Published: Aug 22, 2023 03:09 pm