Perkz thinks jungle is still the strongest role at MSI 2021

Cloud9 mid laner Luka “Perkz” Perković believes that jungle is still the strongest role in the game moving into the 2021 Mid-Season Invitational. 

In a recent interview with Ashley Kang, Perkz addressed the state of the jungle and how he still thinks it’s the most impactful role in the game. Despite recent jungle changes on patch 11.9, Perkz thinks that junglers will have the biggest impact at MSI and be the key role in teams’ victories. Furthermore, Perkz mentions that he and Cloud9 are still figuring out the meta going into the tournament and that “a lot of things are playable right now.”

So far in season 11, jungle has been a strong role and has seen specific champions performing well in both solo queue and on the professional stage. The meta has revolved around fast-clearing junglers with lots of mobility. Champions like Hecarim and Udyr have been the highest-priority picks in the jungle and made it hard for teams to control the role. 

As the meta will likely develop further going into MSI, Perkz is still convinced that jungle will be the strongest role. 

“Jungle is definitely super imbalanced still,” Perkz said. “Jungle is the strongest member in your team and whatever he picks you kinda have to pick around it.”

Perkz and the rest of Cloud9 will go up against DWG KIA at the MSI in the group stage. In this match, the team might get to feel the big impact of junglers as DWG KIA’s Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu is known to take over the map in a jungle-focused meta. At the 2020 World Championship, Canyon showed how a jungler can be the main carry of a team and was awarded the MVP for his superior play. 

Jungle changes might force new meta at MSI 2021

As potentially the strongest role in the game, the jungler that gets ahead usually has a lot to say in how the result of a match will be. A fed jungler in the season 11 meta has been able to control the pace of the game and snowball against the opponent. For the MSI patch, Riot has tried to shake up the jungle meta by nerfing Turbo Chemtank and Hecarim. But it still looks like junglers at MSI will be able to dictate the map. 

Looking at the current solo queue ladder, some junglers are still dominating in terms of win rates. Even though Hecarim seems to be out of the picture with a 45.91% win rate, others are starting to take over. A champion like Xin Zhao has suddenly become an S-tier pick in solo queue and is expected to have a big presence at MSI as well. 

By looking at solo queue histories from the MSI participants, it’s clear that Xin Zhao is being practiced and might take over the spot in the meta that Hecarim has left. Other champions that could see priority at MSI are Taliyah, Nocturne, Volibear, or maybe even Evelynn.   

When does the MSI 2021 start?

MSI 2021 is right around the corner and will start on Thursday, May 6. On the first day, all 11 teams will hit Summoner’s Rift and start the group stage battle. The show will kick off with the anticipated matchup between Cloud9 and the defending world champions DWG KIA.