In the high-stakes professional League of Legends, a single champion pick can mean the difference between hoisting the Summoner’s Cup or watching from the sidelines. The League of Legends World Championship is the pinnacle of competitive play, where meta-defining decisions, draft flexibility, and strategic innovation collide. Teams spend months preparing, scrimming, and theorycrafting—yet often, it’s the timely choice of one champion that breaks the game open.
Think of Faker’s Ryze, Doinb’s Nautilus mid, or Canyon’s Nidalee jungle. These weren’t just standard picks—they were strategic weapons, tailored to team strengths and meta weaknesses. Let’s explore how just one champion pick can turn the tides at Worlds. From creating draft leverage to enabling signature playstyles, let’s get into the reasons a single pick can be the catalyst for championship glory.
1. Meta Breakers: Shifting the Power Balance
When a team pulls out an unexpected or undervalued champion that counters the existing meta, it can flip the balance of power. These “meta breakers” disrupt what’s considered optimal and force other teams to adapt on the fly—often without success.
A perfect example is DAMWON Gaming’s use of Lulu TOP at Worlds 2020. While most teams leaned into bruisers and tanks, Nuguri’s Lulu created space for hyper-carry compositions, making it nearly impossible to match their tempo. Similarly, Singed support by T1’s Keria in 2022 completely warped the red-side drafting.
Champion picks like these create a ripple effect, invalidating common compositions and compelling opponents to spend bans on unorthodox threats. This disrupts draft plans and leaves priority picks open. Mastering and deploying such meta-defying choices can anchor a team’s entire Worlds run.
2. Comfort Picks: Playing to Strengths Under Pressure
In the pressure-cooker environment of Worlds, comfort often beats theory. While analysts talk stats and matchups, pros revert to what they know best when the stakes are high. That’s why comfort picks can be championship-winning tools—especially in best-of-five series.
Take DRX’s Pyosik and his Viego during Worlds 2022. Despite nerfs and inconsistent prior performances, Pyosik piloted the champion with unmatched confidence, securing pivotal victories throughout the playoffs. The trust in a player’s comfort pick can rally a team, enabling cleaner engages, better synergy, and faster decision-making.
DRX’s Pyosik, LOL (image via Getty)Teams that empower their stars with champions they’ve mastered—regardless of meta trends—can unlock peak performances. Comfort translates to clarity, and in a game of milliseconds, that edge is priceless.
3. Draft Flexibility: Forcing Opponents Into Mistakes
A champion that can flex across multiple roles offers an immense draft advantage. It forces opponents to guess and react, often leading to suboptimal bans or mismatched lane assignments. One strong flex pick can create multiple winning conditions before the game even starts.
For instance, G2 Esports at Worlds 2019 used champions like Pyke and Yasuo in flex positions to confuse enemy drafts. Their ability to slot a single champion into mid, support, or top gave them an enormous strategic edge. This flexibility allowed them to counterpick late and ensure favorable matchups across the board.
Having one champion that opens up several playstyles makes a team unpredictable. It not only gives better draft positioning but also limits enemy comfort. A strong flex pick increases win potential before the game even loads.
G2 Esports, LOL (image via Getty)4. Targeted Counters: Exploiting Specific Player Tendencies
Sometimes, a champion pick is less about general power and more about surgical precision. Targeted counter-picks exploit specific tendencies of opposing players or teams. These picks shine when tailored to punish comfort champions or predictable team styles.
A legendary case is Samsung Galaxy’s Malzahar pick in 2017. Designed to shut down Faker’s influence in the lane, Malzahar offered strong lockdown, waveclear, and neutralizing power. It wasn’t flashy, but it accomplished exactly what the team needed to win the series.
These kinds of picks work best with thorough preparation. Analysts and coaching staff identify patterns in opponents’ champion pools or lane habits, then draft tools to disrupt them. A single calculated pick can dismantle the rhythm of an otherwise dominant team, creating room for an upset.
