Even after parting ways with 4 out of 5 members from the roster that participated in the 2020 World Championship, DragonX has surprisingly shown impressive form as they enter the new season. The young lineup of the former LCK champions in 2018 has recorded 2 wins and 1 loss after 3 matches, but what stands out more is the way they play.
With a team largely composed of rookies, DRX clearly isn’t putting too much pressure on themselves for the Spring Split title, and they have demonstrated a bolder and somewhat “crazy” playstyle. In their recent match against Nongshim RedForce, Pyosik – the Jungler and the only remaining member of DRX 2020 – locked in Udyr, a champion that has been out of the professional scene for 2134 days and is in dire need of a “major surgery” from Riot.
In the context of DRX trailing NS in game 1, the choice to lock in a champion that has been absent from the professional stage for 2134 days was indeed a risky move. However, this champion, known for his “clunky” playstyle, surprisingly proved to be highly effective in Pyosik’s hands.
DRX’s Udyr boasted an impressive KDA of 2/0/16, serving as the key player in the team’s comeback against Peanut and his teammates. Experts believe that Pyosik’s choice of Udyr was not a “random pick,” but rather a clever strategy to counter Samira – a marksman champion currently favored in the LCK.
Although lacking mobility, Udyr, with his kit that allows him to engage the enemy team while providing decent damage and tankiness, can pressure Samira out of team fights. For a marksman like Samira, being unable to maintain distance from her opponents greatly restricts her damage output.
Ironically, right after the second game between DRX and NS ended, DragonX’s social media promptly issued a warning: “Please don’t test him (Udyr) in solo queue!” This was due to concerns that Udyr in the jungle could become a new trend that less skilled players might experiment with… leading to a clear prospect of “rank degradation”.
As mentioned, with a somewhat outdated and repetitive skill set, Udyr has long ceased to be a viable choice for most League of Legends players, whether in ranked solo or professional play. In theory and according to statistics, Pyosik delivered a flawless performance, but in the match against NS, Udyr’s critical weakness was also humorously exposed:
In the post-game interview, Pyosik jokingly shared when asked if Udyr should be picked in ranked: “If your team has a solid top, mid, and bot, then picking Udyr is fine.” So it’s best not to touch this champion unless you have mastered its power, or else you might end up like some player who fed 1/17, which would be unfortunate.