Current Meta>Assassins

[quote=gwadzila]So this is just something me and a friend were considering. Since so many people love tanky DPS and large group fights (at least in the NA servers, not too sure about EU meta), this means that assassins are basically only good for pub stomping. For example, let's take [icon=kassadin size=20]. A great assassin with his ultimate and huge burst. However, [icon=kassadin size=20] has the problem that he needs to get in and get out quickly. This is fine against someone like [icon=ezreal size=20] who will die quickly to [icon=kassadin size=20]'s ninja burst, allowing [icon=kassadin size=20] to get in and out quickly. However, a full combo won't kill the [icon=irelia size=20] with a Trinity Force and Guardian Angel, or the [icon=nunu size=20] with a Rod of Ages and Banshee's Veil. Now obviously you still have the main AD carry on their team who will be a lot less tanky, but since group fights are so popular, if the [icon=kassadin size=20] jumps in to kill the [icon=ashe size=20], he'll get CC'd down and picked off. Plus, [icon=kassadin size=20] preys on mages, so [icon=ashe size=20] isn't a very good choice for him in the first place. This is why you don't see [icon=kassadin size=20] in any of the pro games - He gets completely shut down by the meta. Let's see another champion that has been slapped because of the current meta - Akali. Yes, she does fall off late game, but from level 6 to about level 13 she can carry extremely hard, snowballing the game for her team. So how is she countered so badly? Mostly the same ways Kassadin is countered. Akali requires single targets to be most effective, which doesn't fit the meta in any way because people love to stay together constantly after the laning phase. The thing that makes Akali different from Kassadin is that she's an anti carry, not an anti mage, meaning Ashe actually would be a prime target for her. But when the Ashe is hiding behind Jarvan and Warwick who instantly jump on anyone who attacks her, she can't get much done. Yes, she has Twilight Shroud, but in the thick of 5 people, there's generally enough AOE to kill her if she doesn't get out quickly. What about assassins that don't have similar problems to Akali and Kassadin or actually fit the meta? Evelynn used to be an assassin that fit the current meta for her ability to roam, but even then she was very counter-able and now has been nerfed into the ground, so I can't really talk about her. Poppy isn't viable because she counters herself with her terrible ability to farm, not letting her truly carry. Irelia and Nocturne fit the meta because they had very adaptable builds, allowing them to build tankily if they so chose. Malzahar has the assassin tag, but is more of a burst mage. He can fit the meta well because he has the ability to push very effectively and has a lot of utility with his ultimate. Twisted Fate can do very effective poking plus he has a ton of utility in his ultimate. I do understand that some of the things countering assassins has to do with smart play, but really they can't survive in this meta. What do you think and if you agree/disagree, why and how could we make this better?[/quote]

[quote=Dante Rebellion]"Poppy isn't viable because she counters herself with her terrible ability to farm" I disagree. Unless you are building poppy full burst AP she has a strong farming power with a spamable Q which can and should be used on quickly last hitting minions "Malzahar has the assassin tag, but is more of a burst mage. He can fit the meta well because he has the ability to push very effectively and has a lot of utility with his ultimate." Not only that but he is also a health shredder, he is a counter to the current NA meta. EU meta is: 2 AP Carries, 1 Off-tank (CC Heavy, like jarvan and alistar), Ranged carry + Support As you can see it is not as beefy as NA meta however works better as dreamhack has proven. There currently is no real place for melee carry's in the meta.. if you want to melee it has to be a beefy melee which can be considered the tank.[/quote]

[quote=theBMB]ya I agree, especially about the akali part since I used to play her alot, but I found that even though she rolls head in mid game and is great for pubstomping, the tankiness of team comp in NA makes things really difficult for her, which means that even if I do pick up the kill, I will be CC'd and die, ultimately getting me a 1:1 K/D, which isn't bad, but isn't good either. The assassin has definitely become harder to play in recent months simply because there aren't as many targets you can pick off with one or two combos.[/quote]

[quote=Wintermond]I still don't get how everyone thinks that offtanks are the current meta, because this is simply wrong. You will find offtanks in every Meta, since they are proven to be the best melee DPS Champions. Assassins are Anti-Carrys, this means they go for the enemys carry. Not for the Offtank. Occasionally you will find an Offtank carrying a game(Talking about the classical carry as the main DD and biggest threat in a Team-Fight), but your Team is just very bad if it comes that far. If you are a good anti-carry with a good team you can pick off the enemys carry without bigger problems and even in a classical teamfight situation you will ahve enough burst to shut down the enemys carry. If you did this you fulfilled your role, even if you die afterwards. Poppy is super-viable atm because her passive is OP and Gp10 Items allow her some independency from farming.[/quote]

[quote=Trophycase]Kassadin was a huge part of the EU meta before his gigantic nerfs, almost an autoban/pick, the reason you don't see him is because he is lackluster, not because of the meta.[/quote]

[quote=theBMB][quote=Wintermond] I still don't get how everyone thinks that offtanks are the current meta, because this is simply wrong. You will find offtanks in every Meta, since they are proven to be the best melee DPS Champions. Assassins are Anti-Carrys, this means they go for the enemys carry. Not for the Offtank. Occasionally you will find an Offtank carrying a game(Talking about the classical carry as the main DD and biggest threat in a Team-Fight), but your Team is just very bad if it comes that far. If you are a good anti-carry with a good team you can pick off the enemys carry without bigger problems and even in a classical teamfight situation you will ahve enough burst to shut down the enemys carry. If you did this you fulfilled your role, even if you die afterwards. Poppy is super-viable atm because her passive is OP and Gp10 Items allow her some independency from farming. [/quote] the problem is that when 3 members of the enemy team are offtanks, 1 member is a tank, and the other is a carry, even if you do manage to pick off the carry you still have 4 beefy champions to deal with that deal a decent amount of damage.[/quote]

[quote=JunSupport]Kassadin is great in EU, though his nerf did hit him in the right spots. His new W active is a nice buff. Akali has always been viable. Shaco still in lower tiers, but is an amazing early to mid game champion when played properly. Also, note that Xin Zhao and Vayne are designed as assassins too. I think your definition of Assassin is too limited.[/quote]

[quote=Searz]Vayne is no longer tagged as assassin.[/quote]

[quote=JunSupport]Oh really? She was a few days ago. Well, Xin Zhao still is. :P EDIT: WRONG. I have the LoL client open right now. Vayne is still tagged as an Assassin. Haha @ Searz.[/quote]

[quote=Searz]No offense, but saying "haha" over that seems a bit immature.. Riot themselves said that they were gonna remove that tag from her since they don't want her to fit that role. The whole "assassin" part of her was what made her OP.[/quote]