Whenever League of Legends players load up into ARAM lobbies, there is always a mad scramble for specific champions on the board.
Whether you’re looking for massive range from Caitlyn or game-changing crowd control from Veigar, these picks are usually prioritized by any and all summoners. But early in Patch 13.8, which went live yesterday, April 19, three tough champions have skyrocketed in ARAM win rate. Unfortunately, though, they are also three picks that people aren’t looking to play in the first place.
Shen, Ornn, and Sion all sit in the top five in ARAM win rates right now, with the three tank champions hovering over a whopping 55.7 percent, according to League stats aggregate U.GG. Unfortunately for them, they are also some of the lowest-played champions in the game mode, with their play rates all under 5.7 percent.
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Tank champions are always essential to a successful team composition since they can use their superior durability and sustainability to soak up damage in the front for their teammates. They usually bring a good amount of crowd control as well, making them a perfect choice for squads that need a reliable and easy form of engage.
Unfortunately, these tanks aren’t the most entertaining champions to play on the Howling Abyss. They aren’t flashy and they don’t require in-depth mechanical skills. They are much more straightforward to pilot, but in ARAM, macro strategies matter a lot less than on regular Summoner’s Rift.
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This means that some tanks are boring to play in a “for fun” game mode, especially for those who are used to playing flashy AD carries, mid laners, and junglers. As a result, most of these champions are skipped on and replaced by other champs, even though they might not be as reliable or useful in a five-on-five, front-to-back teamfight environment.
So if you’re looking at the collection of picks on the board in your next ARAM game, you might want to take one for the team and choose that one tank champion that could mean the difference between a win and a loss.
