Recently, in the match against FearX, the players of T1 brought an incredibly “unique” choice, namely Ezreal as a Support in the hands of Keria. It should be noted that nearly 11 years ago, PoohManDu used Ezreal once when he was the Support for SKT T1. However, unlike Keria, PoohManDu and his teammates created lane swaps to utilize unconventional champions. Meanwhile, Keria purely used Ezreal as a Support. Moreover, SKT T1 with PoohManDu lost that match while Keria emerged victorious.
Putting aside objective factors such as FearX being too weak or T1’s strategy being too surprising, Faker and his teammates are showcasing a “one-of-a-kind” playstyle. And it is precisely the players they possess that are the most important foundation for T1’s “unique” gameplay to reach the highest level.
The individual skills are exceptionally high
T1 can currently be said to have some of the highest individual skills in League of Legends. Even Faker, who has been seen as being on the decline of his career, still delivers spectacular performances, notably in the recent 2023 World Championship against JD Gaming. The young players of T1 are beyond discussion. Oner and Zeus have expanded their champion pools to fit the team’s overall playstyle and the meta. Meanwhile, Gumayusi and Keria consistently display top-notch performance, maintaining stability throughout multiple seasons since their debut.
It is precisely the high individual skills that have allowed T1 to have a remarkably wide champion pool. Except for Faker, who still revolves around a few familiar choices (Azir, Orianna), each remaining player has used at least 4 champions in the LCK Spring 2024. Specifically, the duo of Keria and Gumayusi has used a double-digit number of bot lane combos and this number may continue to increase in the future.
The whole team is a cohesive unit
Gumayusi knows what he needs to do to allow Keria to “free up” to assist other lanes or use the champions that Keria prefers. Oner is always ready to cover Faker whenever he sees the enemy jungler missing from the map. Moreover, having played together for many years, the current T1 stars understand each other’s playstyles down to the finest detail. There are many situations where, as soon as they catch a glimpse of Oner in the bot lane, the GuKe duo will immediately push the wave to set up a perfect “gank” situation.
However, this sometimes causes disadvantages for T1 when a link in the chain is misaligned. A prime example is during Faker’s injury period. But now, the T1 players may be more aware of their importance in the team’s playstyle. They may also have more suitable strategies to maintain their performance and keep it at the highest level.
Faker’s leadership
If the above aspects can be formed through the process of playing and practicing, then Faker’s leadership is “one-of-a-kind” and is the most valuable gift that the young T1 players possess when they are promoted to the main roster. Under Faker’s macro management, T1 operates smoothly. Faker connects the young players, leading them to victory. He is also the spiritual leader and the only one who can harmonize the strong personalities of the talented young stars with the team’s playstyle.
Not to mention, being teammates with Faker also puts an invisible pressure on the young players to strive harder every day. Keria once revealed: “Before becoming a professional player, I wanted to have a career like Faker. But after becoming a pro, I don’t understand how Faker can maintain his performance over such a long time.” Faker’s professionalism is evident in his daily life and makes him “one-of-a-kind.”
Moreover, Faker, with his experience and composure, is always a support for his teammates in difficult situations, as exemplified in Game 3 against JDG at the 2023 World Championship. However, Faker will eventually have to end his career, and at that point, it is uncertain whether the uniqueness of T1’s playstyle will be maintained.