One of the champions that has not only given players headaches but even the “father” of Teamfight Tactics – Riot Mortdog – since her release in Season 5 is LeBlanc. The mechanics of this champion turn out to interact extremely well with the combination of Guardian Angel – Blue Buff – any damage item (Archangel’s Staff, Infinity Edge, Infinity Blade). Every time LeBlanc revives from Guardian Angel, she can chain her abilities continuously just like in the URF mode.
However, as strong as she is, it doesn’t mean LeBlanc can’t be stopped. First, let’s talk about items. According to some high-ranked players, the Shimmering Trap is currently the best item to counter LeBlanc. However, with the mechanism that brings the owner to the target, one must consider carefully when using this item. It will only be most effective if the owner has enough damage to finish off LeBlanc quickly and The Deceiver does not have Guardian Angel.
One of the champions that interacts well with the Shimmering Trap to take down LeBlanc is Mordekaiser. At 2 stars, this champion deals 650 damage, and at 3 stars, that number skyrockets to 5000. But as mentioned above, if LeBlanc has Guardian Angel, this method will be ineffective; otherwise, consider the plan a failure.
Another champion that interacts well with the Shimmering Trap to control LeBlanc is Warwick. A meta currently being tested is Warwick with 3 Archangel’s Staffs (1 dark – 2 regular). But if he manages to get the Curse Archangel’s Staff, Warwick might consider adding another regular Archangel’s Staff and a Shimmering Trap to heal, deal damage, and stun when diving into LeBlanc.
Another champion that counters LeBlanc quite well is Ryze. With a starting energy of 20/50 compared to LeBlanc’s 0/50, Ryze has a significant advantage as he will definitely cast his spells earlier. Moreover, if Ryze also has the Dark Blue Buff, LeBlanc will be easily locked and killed if players arrange their formations properly.
In the case where LeBlanc has the Dark Blue Buff (+30 energy) and Ryze does not, the Ancient Sorcerer might consider replacing it with the Frozen Heart (+15 energy). Ryze’s energy at 35 when entering the match will still be higher than LeBlanc’s (only 30 if carrying the Blue Buff). However, using Ryze to disable LeBlanc still requires a damage dealer, such as Draven, to eliminate The Deceiver as quickly as possible.
Finally, there’s Syndra. Her abilities in Season 5 are quite similar to those of Lee Sin and Sett from Season 4 and 4.5, which knock opponents away and deal area damage. Plus, Syndra has an initial energy of 50, and if she adds a Dark Blue Buff, she can continuously throw opponents and has the added stun mechanism. This champion will be extremely powerful as Syndra will most likely be positioned at the back and will encounter LeBlanc early. The remaining challenge is how players arrange their pieces.
These are some viable names to counter the current LeBlanc “The Chain God” meta. However, having champions and items is one thing; players must also focus and arrange their formations appropriately to execute strategies smoothly.