In the first Super Classic of the LCK Spring 2024, Gen.G made a remarkable comeback to win 2-1 against the new champions of the LoL scene – T1. This victory was somewhat surprising, especially when looking at game 1 where T1 maintained a ruthlessly effective playstyle. In game 1, T1 needed just one team fight to secure victory. However, in the remaining two games, Gen.G demonstrated excellent performance, while T1 struggled with their game execution, especially in the decisive game 3 after allowing the opponent to gain numerous advantages from the start.
However, it can be said that Riot has also “contributed” significantly to T1’s loss against Gen.G. At first glance, it is evident that in games 1 and 2, T1 seemed to experiment with various playstyles as they did not use their preferred champions or banned strong champions that suited their opponents. This was a serious mistake by T1, but perhaps they did not anticipate that with Riot’s adjustments and the new map, the Red side would become so powerful.
The Red Side Dominates and Offers More Diverse Playstyles
As of the matches on January 18 (Vietnam time), 5 games had taken place between the two matchups in the LCK Spring 2024. The Red side achieved a 100% win rate. This statistic is indeed quite concerning since both matchups were between teams that were nearly evenly matched. This means that there was no significant disparity in team strength. However, Riot’s adjustments to buffs and the map have made the Red side more unpredictable.
First, there is the addition of a bush near the top river area and the removal of the wall blocking the area from the Frog Temple to the bottom river. This factor makes it easier for the Blue team to be caught off guard when attacking the top or bottom lanes. However, if coming from the Red side, there are not only new “gank lane” paths that are hard to predict, but the opponent also cannot control vision effectively. For instance, Zeus was ambushed by Canyon at least once in game 3 by controlling the bush in the middle of the top river.
Next is the new Rift Herald buff. Previously, each team only needed to attack at least 2 times to control the Eye of the Herald, and this buff was not a serious issue. However, the changes to the buff now require teams to adapt their formations. In reality, the new Herald is very powerful. T1 only needed to have 6 Voidlings to push all the way to Gen.G’s third tower. But this created some issues for them.
The new Herald is very powerful and being on the Red side allows this team to have two strategies. If the opponent tries to stop the Herald (as T1 did in games 2 and 3), the Red team (Gen.G) will focus on transitioning to the bottom lane and taking all the dragon buffs. Gen.G actively executed this strategy, especially in game 3 when they let Canyon and Lehends continuously roam to the mid lane. After Chovy became strong enough, he would rotate down to the bottom lane to help Peyz become even more powerful. This way, Gen.G almost completely controlled the path to the Dragon.
Consequences
With the removal of the wall in the bottom lane, the path to the Dragon is also clearer. At that point, Gen.G, with a bottom lane advantage, can easily execute their strategy. Coupled with support from strong dragon souls (Infernal Dragon and Chemtech Dragon), Gen.G forces T1 into fights while being pressured. The new Herald forced T1 to give up dragons, but giving up too many dragons meant they lost crucial power boosts against Gen.G’s high-damage lineup.
Of course, the players from both T1 and Gen.G have shown that they are trying to harness their strengths on the new map and counter their opponents, but Gen.G also did not execute effectively when they were on the Blue side.
Not to mention, the new map with gaps opening on both sides of the Mid lane also helps the Red side defend the first Mid lane tower better. A prime example is the decisive winning team fight in game 1 for T1 when they allowed Gen.G to engage first and Oner along with Faker came from behind. In that match, T1 also let Gen.G control the Dragon, but they fully exploited the Herald buff to take all of Gen.G’s outer towers very early.
It is almost certain that Riot will not make immediate changes to the newly updated adjustments unless there are issues that go beyond their control. However, it is clear that from a previously weaker position, the Red side is experiencing a strong resurgence in the new season. Perhaps, Riot intended to balance both sides, but in reality, it is showing signs of backfiring and directly affecting the outcomes of matches in the professional environment.