LoL’s current most-played champ has one commonality with most-banned pick of Patch 13.13

Electrifying the Summoner’s Rift, one auto-attack at a time.

Image via Riot Games

Over the last month, League of Legends players have witnessed the rise of two popular champions in today’s current competitive meta, an ascension caused by the same powerful item shared by both mid lane mages and AD carry picks alike: Statikk Shiv.

Through League‘s Patch 13.13, Kai’Sa and LeBlanc have become the most-played and most-banned champions respectively. The Daughter of the Void currently leads all champions with a 31 percent pick rate in Platinum rank and higher, while the Deceiver is getting banned in 36.1 percent of her games in the same skill bracket, according to stats aggregate U.GG.

Related: One LoL champion can pull off ridiculously long-ranged Statikk Shiv procs thanks to passive

Although they are played in different roles, both champions have one common link with each other: Statikk Shiv. The iconic legendary has become one of the most-utilized items in the game due to its unrivaled ability to clear waves with a single auto-attack. It is also highly recommended for picks with high mobility, since its Electroshock passive charges up with movement and attacks.

Because LeBlanc and Kai’Sa are both champions with plenty of mobility, they can charge up this passive very quickly and clear out a wave with ease. By using this item to push out their lane, they can roam to their side lanes and gank for their teammates at a moment’s notice, while other, more traditional mid laners are stuck farming under their turret in the meantime.

As a result, Riot Games nerfed Statikk Shiv for Patch 13.13 by removing the extra AP damage ratio when damaging minions, while also lowering the AP damage ratio against non-minions by 20 percent.

Even with these changes, LeBlanc and Kai’Sa players are still building Statikk Shiv due to its effectiveness in both the mid game state and the later stages of a match when wave control is much more important.

About the author

Tyler Esguerra

Lead League of Legends writer for Dot Esports. Forever an LCS supporter, AD carry main, with more than five years in the industry. Sometimes I like clicking heads in Call of Duty or VALORANT. Creator of the Critical Strike Podcast.

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