Recently, in the match against DRX at the LCK Spring 2022, Faker officially set an unprecedented record by using 70 different mid lane champions throughout his career.
This number not only highlights the diversity in the champion pool of the “Demon King” but also shows that Faker is willing to create new metas for the League of Legends scene by choosing “unusual” champions in important tournament matches. So, let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit 5 “unique” champions that the “Nerf Saint” brought to mid lane in his career.
5. Nidalee
If we had to choose the first champion to mention in this ranking, it would likely be Nidalee. For long-time League of Legends players (from 2013-2014), Nidalee in mid lane is not a strange sight. However, at this point, if you pick Nidalee and demand to go mid, you will either get 4 reports or your entire team will AFK to let you “shine.”
But for Faker, this is perhaps the champion that left the most emotional impact. Nidalee was the champion Faker used to take down the strongest mid laner at that time, Ambition, helping the “Demon King” officially “step into the spotlight.”
4. Riven
This champion is not unfamiliar in Ranked games, especially often seen in the hands of one-champ players like Boxbox. The skill set and playstyle of this champion are not suitable for the current tournament meta. It’s not surprising that Riven seems to have disappeared from tournaments.
However, before falling into obscurity, Faker successfully used this champion at LCK Winter 2014. With 3 wins at a 100% win rate and an impressive KDA of 7.67.
3. Olaf
Speaking of Olaf, audiences worldwide, especially Vietnamese fans, cannot forget Faker’s solo-kill against G4’s Irelia at the 2015 World Championship – the season when SKT T1 claimed their second World Championship title. At that time, choosing Olaf to face Irelia – a champion that was quite strong in the mid lane – surprised both the commentators and viewers of that match and raised doubts about Faker’s decision.
But contrary to expectations, Faker proved why he is considered the “Number 1 Mid Laner in the World” by expertly handling the laning phase against G4 from the Bangkok Titans roster.
2. Taric
The penultimate position belongs to Taric, perhaps the least effective mid lane champion Faker has ever chosen in his career. Faker’s choice of Taric in Game 2 of the match between SKT T1 and Gen.G Esports at LCK Spring 2018 brought much disappointment to fans.
For those who may not know, at this time in the LCK, the playstyle of support or tank-oriented champions was trending in mid lane. Not only did it fail to bring any effectiveness for Faker during the laning phase, but Taric also seemed to make no significant contribution during team fights, apart from his ultimate – Cosmic Radiance compared to Braum on the other side. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that this choice somewhat robbed SKT T1 of victory against Gen.G.
1. Master Yi
The final position and also the most impressive champion in this top 5 ranking is Master Yi – “the king of Bronze” favored by players at that rank. Unlike the ineffectiveness of Taric, Faker’s choice of Master Yi in the mid lane brought a shocking surprise to the audience following that match during the ban-pick phase. By the end of the game, Faker’s Master Yi had an incredibly high KDA.
Unlike ranked games, deciding how to choose a champion in tournaments is extremely important. Sometimes, “unusual” picks may lack effectiveness, but Faker’s confidence in his choices is what is highly valued. We hope to continue seeing new yet equally “unusual” champions that Faker brings to mid lane in the future.