Week 3 in the EU, and wow, it's obviously been a while since I actually played if I don't even know who Thresh is, and there's new Sona art. It makes her look way too much like Corki in the portrait window. I am always so critical of the art in this game. Also, if I didn't mention it before, the last week and this week, the 'analysis desk' actually has really helpful breakdowns of the games afterwards with guest analysts xPeke, Hosan, and others. It's probably too high-level of breakdowns for the regular LoL player, though. I mean, "stop feeding" is most of the analysis the people in my ELO need.
Copenhagen Wolves vs Fnatic
---CW bans: Kassadin, Kayle, Thresh---Fnatic bans: Lux, Nidalee, Vi---
CW: Singed, Xin Zhao, Elise, Caitlyn, Sona
Fnatic: Shen, Volibear, Katarina, Miss Fortune, Leona
Rough times, CW.
Gambit Gaming vs Giants
---GG bans: Elise, Kennen, Mundo---Giants bans: Kog'Maw, Xin Zhao, Shen---
GG: Renekton, Nassus, Kayle, Ezreal, Thresh
Giants: Akali, Volibear, Twisted Fate, Caitlyn, Sona
Finally, some fresh picks! And overall, a nice game. Giants won a few team fights, but GG won the last one.
Against All Authority vs Copenhagen Wolves
---aAa bans: Lux, Kayle, Vi---CW bans: Nidalee, Elise, Shen---
aAa: Renekton, Xin Zhao, Orianna, Ezreal, Sona
CW: Singed, Volibear, Syndra, Varus, Thresh
Nice first blood, CW, but your losing streak continues.
Evil Genuises vs Fnatic
---EG bans: Vi, Kassadin, Caitlyn---Fnatic bans: Lux, Xin Zhao, Thresh---
EG: Renekton, Volibear, Anivia, Ezreal, Sona
Fnatic: Blitzcrank, Kayle, Katarina, Miss Fortune, Leona
You read that right, Blitzcrank top, they're basically running two supports. And you'd think that would make it a super interesting game, but somehow, no. It is super boring, Fnatic wins. Let me just explain the gameplan in words so you don't waste 45 minutes trying to watch it: at this level of play, as I've discussed before, it comes down to possibly one single ten second team fight at the 45 minute mark. Before that, it's just jockeying for position while not getting caught out for unnecessary deaths. By 45 minutes, the only two people doing appreciable damage are the AP and AD carries. Top lane is usually just a damage soak, or maybe a diver at that point, and by bringing Kayle as their jungler, Fnatic has a lot of their protection covered for that ten second free for all. Blitz can pull enemies off carries or drag a enemy carry into the group, and has decent tankiness with the manashield and health items.
Dragonborns vs Giants
---DB bans: Kennen, Twisted Fate, Elise---Giants bans: Draven, Thresh, Xin Zhao---
DB: Kha'Zix, Kayle, Vi, Ezreal, Taric
Giants: Akali, Volibear, Ryze, Caitlyn, Sona
This game was fun. It was also 18-18 in kills at 45 minutes. It really felt like DB just let it slip, though, so the ending was a bit weak. The rest was plenty good, though.
Fnatic vs Against All Authority
---Fnatic bans: Lux, Shen, Xin Zhao---aAa bans: Thresh, Kayle, Vi---
Fnatic: Malphite, Volibear, Diana, Miss Fortune, Leona
aAa: Renekton, Jarvan, Cho'Gath, Kennen, Sona
There were some fun fights, and I want to say this was an exciting match, but... not really. Fnatic just tips the scales in their favor at about 30 minutes.
Dragonborns vs Copenhagen Wolves
---DB bans: Elise, Twisted Fate, Kha'Zix---Giants: Vi, Kayle, Thresh---
DB: Xin Zhao, Amumu, Jarvan, Varus, Lulu
CW: Shen, Cho'Gath, Lux, Caitlyn, Zyra
What, DB, didn't you watch the game CW had against aAa just the day before where they got first blood at that exact spot? Finally, there's a very cool fight where everyone blew everything, which was magnificent to behold because of the number of glittery circles on the ground and one or the other colored team running away from the circle. Also, watch for the initiate at the end on the Cho'Gath while he's laughing under his own tower, and DB's ADC chasing onto the enemy fountain to get himself lasered to death.
Giants vs Against All Authority
---Giants bans: Lux, Thresh, Elise---aAa bans: Kennen, Ryze, Kayle---
Giants: Xin Zhao, Volibear, Twisted Fate, Caitlyn, Zyra
aAa: Renekton, Vi, Nidalee, Ezreal, Sona
Zzzz. Didn't even get to see very many nice Nidalee spears, though aAa won ...eventually.
