T1’s Major Victory Over Gen.G Reveals a Critical Weakness
Returning to the LCK, facing their nemesis Gen.G, T1 continued to experiment with Smash, and it was clear the community anticipated a tough match for T1. However, in this confrontation, T1 secured a nail-biting victory. Notably, the playstyle T1 adopted was one that Gen.G had successfully utilized: the entire team focused on a single AD Carry.
Setting aside the fact that T1 had rarely employed this strategy previously with Gumayusi in the starting lineup, T1’s current strategy demands all four remaining members to support Smash to the fullest. Even when Doran was playing Rumble, he was merely a secondary damage source, fulfilling his role by effectively using his Rocket Rain ability.
In the third game against Gen.G, commentators noted a moment where Keria canceled the animation of his auto-attack to avoid stealing a kill from Smash. Furthermore, throughout all three games, Keria did not roam significantly but instead remained close to his AD Carry at all times.
This playstyle certainly suits Doran and Faker—players who are well-accustomed to the role of playmakers and supports. However, for Oner and Keria, this strategy inadvertently restricts their impact on the game.
In game three, a more suitable combo for T1 would have been Viego – Galio, yet they opted for Wukong – Galio to prevent Smash from sharing resources with Oner. Keria, on the other hand, merely moved around Smash and hardly engaged in any vision-gaining roams typical of a support born in 2002.
T1 Will Likely Continue to Use This Playstyle Moving Forward
If T1 continues to utilize Smash in the future, this playstyle may persist. This is because the champions that Smash excels on require substantial resources (Ezreal, Kai’Sa, Zeri). The AD Carry has yet to demonstrate the ability to perform independently. Even with Keria’s diligent support, Smash was outclassed by Ruler in all three games.
Therefore, the current playstyle may represent a significant shift for T1. However, it could also be a “double-edged sword.” Just as Gen.G became a “victim” in international tournaments for relying entirely on their AD Carry is a prime example.