The 2020 League of Legends World Championship kicks off in under two weeks and the Worlds patch is hitting live servers very soon.
The Worlds patch is usually one of the most exciting of the year because Riot wants to guarantee the game is in perfect shape for the largest event of the year. Every year brings a new meta that sees a few champions dominate the picks and bans phase.
Last year, Pantheon, Qiyana, and Xayah were prioritized heavily with Pantheon in particular enjoying a 100% pick and ban rate throughout the main event. It looks like Riot is doing everything it can to prevent a similar situation this year, but nothing is guaranteed.
Akali will be hard to deal with during LoL Worlds 2020
Akali will receive a damage nerf on her Five Point Strike (Q) for patch 10.19, which will take away some of her power. Riot is looking to avoid a dominant assassin that can be played in both the top and mid lanes, but it’s most likely not enough to keep the Rogue Assassin from Summoner’s Rift.
Akali will still be viable because of her flexibility. Most of the mid laners set to compete at LoL Worlds 2020 are experts on utilizing her mobility and dive potential. Akali can also be flexed into the top lane, which makes her even more valuable during champion select.
Akali has been difficult for Riot to balance ever since her rework in 2018. The assassin has become a pocket pick for many aggressive mid laners such as Rasmus “Caps” Winther and Zhuo “Knight” Ding, who will both be able to tear through opponents on Akali if given the chance.
We might also see players like Martin “Wunder” Hansen and Jang “Nuguri” Ha-gwon pick her up in the top lane, forcing other teams to use a ban on her. G2 especially seems like a team that would like to abuse Akali in either lane.
Lucian can be flexed into several lanes at LoL Worlds 2020
Lucian will most likely be the strongest flex pick going into Worlds. He was heavily prioritized in several regions during the playoffs, mainly being picked for top and mid lanes. Lucian is known to be picked in the bot lane so he might be a triple flex, though other marksmen will most likely be prioritized instead of him.
Lucian will see a decrease in his attack damage per level in patch 10.19, but it’s not necessarily enough to shut down his strong early game. His trading power during the early levels is some of the strongest in the game, which can be abused in almost any matchup. Lucian can be picked against mages in the mid lane, while he is also able to dominate the top lane against tanks and bruisers. He is an all-around great pick for teams who want to snowball through the early game.
Ashe will be reliable in the bot lane
Ashe seems to be staying in the meta and should remain a big priority. While Riot will be buffing the likes of Vayne, Sivir, and Aphelios on patch 10.19, it shouldn’t be enough to knock Ashe off her throne.
The priority on Ashe has been big from most teams throughout the summer split, because of her safe laning phase and heavy utility during the later stages of the game. She is an all-around good pick for the bot lane, even though she might not be the most flashy and fun champion to watch.
The marksman champion pool for Worlds seems to become a bit bigger, giving bot laners more variety in champion select. Fans should still expect to see most of the focus be on Ashe, and to a lesser degree Caitlyn.
