From the Early Champion Associated with Faker
Perhaps those who have followed Faker since the old days are no strangers to Ryze – a champion whose skill set seems hard to influence in team fights but becomes extremely dangerous in Faker’s hands. In fact, after Faker used the champion Ryze, this name has been placed on Riot’s “nerf” list many times. To the extent that after a few rare returns, Ryze has almost disappeared from the professional scene. Nevertheless, Ryze remains a frequently chosen champion in solo queue due to his impressive crowd control and burst damage abilities.
However, in recent times, Faker has leaned more towards a playmaking style and has rarely touched Ryze except for certain special matches or under favorable conditions. Notably, Ryze has recently been buffed, and according to statistics from the League of Legends community, this is only the fourth time in the history of League of Legends since this champion’s release that Ryze has received a buff. In previous instances, this champion was either untouched or only had a minor reduction in some stats. This is quite a unique factor for a champion closely associated with Faker and one of the long-standing icons of the League of Legends community.
The Community Is Also Surprised by Faker’s “Favorite”
The League of Legends community is also quite surprised because no one expected Ryze to rarely receive buffs like that. However, it should also be noted that Ryze is one of the champions considered “out of meta.” This concept refers to champions whose skill sets may fit various strategies but can hardly be utilized in any playstyle. Regardless of how adjustments are made, the skill systems of these champions are fixed. Unless a complete rework wipes everything out and starts from scratch, there is no way to influence the skill set of these champions. Other champions in a similar situation to Ryze include Lee Sin and Thresh.
– “Buffing Ryze? I’m not complaining, just surprised”
– “Worlds is coming. It’s normal for Lee Sin to get buffed in the next patch since it’s happened every year”
However, even with the buffs returning, it may take more time for Ryze to re-enter the professional scene. Nevertheless, in the future, if given the chance, Faker may bring back this champion that has been linked with his brand during the early stages of his legendary League of Legends career.