Faker’s Legendary Play Results in Azir’s Skyrocketing Pick Rate
Leauge of Legends Review
In the esports world, it’s not unusual for professional gamers’ successful strategies to inspire their fans. One such recent phenomenon is the explosion in Azir’s pick rate in League of Legends following an iconic display by T1’s Faker at the 2023 World Championship semifinals against JDG. This surge, however, has been accompanied by a sharp drop in win rates, leaving many eager players scratching their heads. In this analysis, we’ll examine the factors contributing to Azir’s popularity, the mechanics behind the champion’s winning streak, and what players can do to counter or utilize these strengths.
The Faker Effect: Azir’s Pick Rate Boom
Faker’s triumphant performance during the semifinals showcased an exceptional grasp of Azir’s abilities, highlighting the potential for success with this champion. As a result, Azir’s pick rate rose from 2.7% to 3.9% in Patch 13.22 in the U.S. alone (according to U.GG), with similar trends seen worldwide. This phenomenon isn’t exclusive to Azir: pro players’ exploits often lead to a spike in the popularity of a specific champion.
Despite the enthusiasm behind these rising pick rates, many summoners are discovering just how complex Azir is to master. Subpar performances from over-eager players have led to declining win rates for Azir both in North America and across the globe.
Azir’s Mechanics and Strategies: A Double-Edged Sword
Azir’s classification as a ‘hard to play’ champion stems from his unique mechanics, which can either seal victory or lead to a crushing defeat. Azir’s ultimate, the Emperor’s Divide, can be used both offensively to push enemies into your teammates for easy kills and defensively to create space during key moments. However, misusing or improperly positioning this ultimate can spell disaster, turning the tide of the battle in the enemy’s favor.
Despite this, skilled summoners effectively leveraging Azir’s abilities can consistently secure wins. Expert use of Azir’s Sand Soldiers allows players to deal massive amounts of damage and zone out enemies, while his passive, Shurima’s Legacy, can provide valuable map control and objective pressure.
Countering Azir: Adapt and Overcome
To counter Azir’s strengths, opposing players must focus on exploiting his weaknesses and shortening his effective range. Engaging in trades when Azir’s Sand Soldiers are on cooldown can yield successful results. Champions that can dive directly onto him, have gap-closing abilities, or can mitigate his damage through crowd control will fare better against the Emperor.
Strategically, keeping Azir in check involves controlling vision around objectives and capitalizing on crucial moments when his resources are limited. Maintaining split-push pressure is another way to put Azir’s turret-building passive to the test while denying his ability to constantly join team fights.
Future Predictions and Recommendations
As more players continue to experiment with Azir, we predict both pick and ban rates will stabilize as summoners grow accustomed to dealing with this powerful champion. However, those determined to emulate Faker’s gameplay must invest time and practice in mastering Azir’s mechanics to avoid contributing to the current trend of defeat.
For players facing Azir on the battlefield, remember to capitalize on his weaknesses by selecting champions with gap-closing abilities and focusing on timing engagements when he’s vulnerable. As the Azir
