5. Galio (43 times, win rate 65.1%)
Since its rework in Season 7, Galio has become a champion with a playstyle very suitable for LCK teams. Its stable laning against many mages as well as its ultimate that supports team fights helps Galio maintain a solid position in any meta.
For a player with such skill and vision as Faker, Galio is truly an unbeatable choice. Therefore, this champion naturally always ranks among “the Demon King’s” favorites. Evidence shows that Galio has been consistently picked by Faker in tournaments from 2017 to 2021. However, since this champion does not belong to the “carry” group, Faker rarely brings it into decisive matches.
4. LeBlanc (46 times, win rate 78.3%)
As one of the champions that made Faker famous in the early years of his career, LeBlanc is undoubtedly a “trump card” for this player in most matches with its incredibly elusive abilities. At one point, when played by Faker, LeBlanc had a win rate that was nearly absolute and maintained an undefeated streak for over 2 years. This led SKT T1’s opponents to always dedicate a ban to this champion.
This is also one of the few champions Faker has used since its debut in the professional arena until now in the 2022 LCK Spring. Therefore, it is truly a pity that Faker’s LeBlanc has never been chosen as a championship skin for Worlds. And for those who don’t know, with its elusive skill set, LeBlanc is considered one of the hardest champions to play in League of Legends. Thus, Faker’s skills are truly exceptional, even as he seems to be stepping into the twilight of his career.
3. Ryze (72 times, win rate 62.5%)
Riot Games has been urged by the community to design a Faker Ryze skin to showcase the power of this champion in the hands of T1’s Mid Laner. This is enough to affirm that the Ancient Mage is truly linked to Faker’s brand.
The fact that Ryze has been reworked and weakened multiple times over the years is also believed by gamers to be due to Faker’s outstanding performances with this champion. In one interview, Faker admitted that Ryze would be his chosen champion if it was a life-or-death match. Similar to LeBlanc, Ryze in Faker’s hands has also had a 12-game undefeated streak from 2015 to 2017.
2. Orianna (72 times, win rate 63.9%)
In the legendary 10k gold comeback of SKT T1 against EDward Gaming at Worlds 2017, Faker’s Orianna executed a 4-man Command: Shockwave that helped turn the tide of the game. This is a typical example of why Orianna is always a choice for many teams in decisive matches.
For Faker, it is no exception; Orianna has been used quite frequently by the “Demon King”, especially in BO3 and BO5 matches when the opponents banned all Mid Lane champions in the meta. Although he may not be the most impressive Orianna player, Faker has consistently demonstrated reliability and effectiveness whenever he uses this champion in crucial matches.
1. Azir (101 times, win rate 67.3%)
Completely superior to any other champion, Azir is the most frequently used choice by Faker throughout his career. Like Orianna, this champion is used regardless of the meta, has excellent scaling capabilities, and can create game-changing moments in team fights.
In the 10th and 11th seasons, when his skills were no longer overwhelmingly superior to other Mid Laners like in his peak, Azir was seen as a very suitable choice for Faker. There were times when T1’s Mid Laner almost exclusively spammed this champion throughout a certain period while still maintaining the necessary effectiveness. Azir is also among the champions with a championship skin for SKT T1. However, this skin does not belong to Faker but is owned by former player Easyhoon.