Gnar
After the 12.5c patch was updated with a slew of game bugs fixed, the Irelia “Super Idol” team composition has risen strongly. In fact, this is one of the compositions with the highest top 4 percentage currently, whether using 4 Recycler or 4 Brawler. Naturally, with such popularity, Irelia will be a champion used by many players. However, when considering the pick rate alone, Gnar exceeds even the main carry with a 32% pick rate.
The reason for this super high pick rate is that almost all team compositions using Irelia need to go alongside Gnar. This unit not only provides a 2 Brawler effect with additional Attack Damage but also activates the Guardian trait, helping Irelia deal significantly more damage. Not to mention that Yordle compositions (both at thresholds 3-6) will also use Gnar to have a decent frontline unit in the mid-game, along with a considerable damage buff for the main carry with the Guardian trait.
Braum
Not only in the current meta, but even since the launch of season 6, Braum has been one of the most utilized frontline units in Teamfight Tactics. Braum encapsulates all the elements of a strong tank unit: a robust tribe-system, good base stats, and a wide-area crowd control ability. Therefore, even if he’s not in a Brawler composition or at a high activation threshold for the Guardian trait, Braum still brings great value to the team.
In addition to that versatility, another reason is the rise of Brawler compositions centered around Ahri and Ashe, which has also made Braum even more popular. Regardless of which main carry you use in a Brawler team, the prerequisite remains that they need to be protected as much as possible to unleash their abilities multiple times. Clearly, in the Brawler tribe, no one does this better than Braum, making this champion even more favored and contested.
Orianna
After Janna was removed, Orianna has perhaps become the most versatile support unit at the cost of 4 gold, so it’s quite understandable that this champion is widely used. With the 2 Mechanic effect, your team composition will gain a decent attack speed throughout the match and improve overall damage output. Even when used in compositions that deal significant magic damage, this attack speed also helps main carries regenerate energy much better.
Meanwhile, with the return of Mage and Mutant compositions, the importance of magic resistance has significantly increased. Orianna then appears as a perfect solution to counter Mage teams, as this unit provides considerable magic resistance with the Sorcerer trait. Furthermore, Orianna’s ability, Command: Shockwave, can push the carefully protected main carries of the Mage team into a bad position, making them easier to take down if executed correctly.