Recent data from Games of Legends reveals an intriguing shift in the ADC meta for professional League of Legends. Jhin has emerged as the most picked champion in the bot lane, surpassing traditionally popular picks like Aphelios, Kai'Sa, and Varus. This change has sparked curiosity among fans and analysts alike, leading to discussions about the current state of ADCs in competitive play.
Why is Jhin Dominating the Bot Lane?
- Utility in a Low-Damage Meta
According to insights from Riot August, a trend has been observed: when overall ADC damage decreases, utility-focused marksmen like Jhin, Ashe, and Varus see a significant increase in popularity. These champions offer valuable crowd control and playmaking potential even when their damage output is relatively lower.
Jhin's kit exemplifies this utility-focused approach:
- His W provides a long-range root
- E offers vision control and slows
- Ultimate can slow enemies from extreme range
- The Canary in the Coal Mine
Some analysts view Jhin's prevalence as a warning sign for the overall health of the ADC role. When Jhin and Ashe are frequently picked, it often indicates that traditional scaling ADCs are struggling to reach their power spikes effectively.
- Item Changes and Build Flexibility
Recent changes to ADC itemization have impacted the viability of crit-focused builds. Jhin's unique passive allows him to benefit from AD and crit chance differently than other marksmen, potentially making him less affected by these item adjustments.
- Counter to APC Bot Lanes
While the prevalence of AP carries in the bot lane has somewhat decreased, Jhin remains a strong pick against these compositions due to his long-range and utility-focused kit.
The Bigger Picture: ADC Role Health
The dominance of Jhin raises questions about the overall state of ADCs in professional play:
- Are traditional hypercarry ADCs struggling to scale effectively?
- Have recent item changes disproportionately affected certain ADC playstyles?
- Is utility becoming more valued than raw damage output in the current meta?
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While Jhin's rise to prominence is certainly noteworthy, it's important to consider the broader implications for the ADC role. As the professional meta continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see if other marksmen can adapt or if we'll see further shifts towards utility-focused picks in the bot lane.
