TL;DR
- EU Masters revealed Heimerdinger-Yuumi bottom lane with exceptional poke and zoning capabilities
- Pantheon support emerged as viable alternative to Pyke with global pressure and similar itemization
- Taliyah returns to jungle meta with strong early clear and mobility advantages
- Ornn transitions to jungle role with unique item upgrade mechanics reducing downtime
- Western teams show creative draft approaches while Asian teams maintain traditional styles
The ongoing EU Masters tournament has become a crucial testing ground for strategic innovations that could define the competitive landscape at the 2019 League of Legends World Championship. This regional competition offers valuable insights into champion viability and team compositions that may emerge on the global stage.
Among the seven participating teams in the play-in stage, Excel UK distinguished themselves with a flawless undefeated record, earning direct qualification to the main event. Their success was significantly bolstered by introducing unconventional champion selections, particularly the surprising deployment of Heimerdinger paired with Yuumi in the bottom lane position.
Excel UK demonstrated the potency of their innovative strategy by decisively defeating Rogue Esports Club during the second day of competition. The Heimerdinger and Yuumi pairing creates an unconventional duo that delivers exceptional poke damage in the bottom lane. While vulnerable to early ganks during their initial levels, this combination excels in two-versus-two laning scenarios, effectively zoning opponents through superior area control and sustained harassment.
The creative drafting philosophy continued throughout the play-in stage, with Excel UK introducing Pantheon in the support role. Pantheon’s global ultimate provides unparalleled map presence for assisting teammates, while his inherent damage output makes him a genuine threat in skirmishes. Support Pantheon typically follows similar itemization patterns as support Pyke, focusing on lethality and utility items.
Professional players are rapidly adopting these emerging trends. In solo queue environments, G2 Esports support player Mihael “Mikyx” Mehle has been extensively practicing both Pantheon and Pyke, indicating potential competitive adoption.
Heimerdinger, Pantheon, Taliyah, Ornn may enter LoL Worlds meta
EU Masters also introduced significant innovations in jungle pathing and champion selection. Throughout most of the summer split, teams globally maintained relatively consistent jungle options with limited variation in champion pools.
Following several months outside the competitive meta, Taliyah is making a notable return to jungle rotations. This champion possesses exceptional early jungle clearing capabilities combined with high mobility across the map, enabling rapid transitions between lanes and objective control.
Ornn is undergoing a surprising role transition into the jungle position. Traditionally played as a top laner with occasional flex potential to support, Ornn now embraces the jungle challenge. As a tank jungler, Ornn requires reaching level six before significantly impacting lanes, but his unique passive ability to upgrade items directly in the jungle reduces recall frequency, allowing earlier lane presence despite his level requirements.
The champion selections showcased at EU Masters possess significant potential to influence the Worlds meta, particularly since the international tournament occurs within the same region. Teams including Team Liquid and Cloud9 are currently bootcamping in Europe ahead of the competition, while Asian squads remain in their home regions for preparation.
The impending clash between regional metas presents fascinating strategic dynamics. Western teams appear inclined toward creative, explosive approaches in drafting and gameplay, whereas the critical question remains how Eastern organizations will counter these unconventional strategies with their typically methodical, disciplined approaches.
The 2019 League of Legends World Championship commences on October 2 with the play-in stage, where these meta innovations will face their first international tests against diverse playstyles and regional preferences.
Action Checklist
- Practice Heimerdinger-Yuumi bottom lane coordination and early game safety measures
- Master Pantheon support roaming patterns and ultimate timing for maximum map impact
- Develop Taliyah jungle clearing routes and gank timing optimization
- Learn Ornn jungle item upgrade sequencing and level six power spike utilization
No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » Excel UK, EU Masters display new meta champions before Worlds Discover how EU Masters innovations with Heimerdinger, Pantheon, Taliyah, and Ornn could reshape the 2019 Worlds meta