Meta Watch: Dealing with Viktor, Gangplank & Blitzcrank

While the western pro scene has finished up the Spring Split and crowned new kings, you can be sure that here at Meta Watch, we’re far from done.

Continuing our endeavors, here are three more champions that we will help you beat in your games.

Viktor – Hasta La Vista, Baby

Seeing increased play in both pro leagues and soloQ, Viktor has risen up as a surprisingly solid control mage. After being picked thrice in the LEC finals between Rogue and Mad Lions, this comes as no surprise. However, there are some very clear weaknesses in his kit that stop him from being S-tier.

First things first. Viktor fits the description of a typical mage. Immobility, scaling and very minor peeling tools. This description should instantly scream using assassins against him. Most of his hardest matchups are champions with multiple mobility tools and gap closers. Ekko, Talon or even Tristana come to mind here.

Since Viktor scales extremely well, it’s imperative you take him down early on. Viktor tends to do very well in matchups where he’s safe from enemy engage options, and becomes an extreme menace when the teamfighting starts. Because of his extremely strong waveclear with his upgraded laser, picking up waveclear to match this can help you become the roamer your team needs.

Just be sure not to take free hits during the laning phase. Find your champions’ strongest all-in powerspikes and utilize them to perfection, or as Viktor would say, “with utmost efficiency”.

Gangplank – Yarr Harr, Fiddle-Dee-Dee!

The absolute classic toplane blindpick, who has never truly left the meta. Facing bad Gangplank players is an absolute joy, as they are extremely punishable with their lack of mobility and comeback tools. Facing a good Gangplank is an utter nightmare, and sometimes feels impossible to play against. So what exactly is the answer to such a strong blind pick?

Your first option is to pick up powerful soakers of damage. Ornn, Riven and Garen all fit the same idea: They can survive the incoming onslaught of Parrrrleys coming your way, and proceed to all-in at level 6, where Gangplank is at his weakest, as his ultimate simply does not help him win 1v1s.

Another option is to simply do what he does, but better. Champions like Vladimir, Rumble and Ryze can very quickly take over the lane as soon as they pick up their first items, as they will simply answer poke damage with even more poke damage. We don’t see these champions often, as toplaners who play these champions are rare, but they’re exquisite answers to the pirate captain.

Most champions have a “golden counter”. Today, and once again, that counter is Yorick, who can completely destroy Gangplank in lane, which is why Gangplank mains have started banning Yorick ever since the buffs. After all, you simply can’t orange death.

Blitzcrank – Hooking your LP

Released all the way back in 2009, and never having truly changed, Blitzcrank is a classic champion who will never not be played. With a relatively one dimensional kit, that being hook-to-kill, you’d be surprised how much thought can go into playing him, and how much thought can go into playing against him.

In lane, playing against Blitz can be extremely scary, especially when playing immobile mages like Lux and Nami. It can feel extremely daunting as one misstep might get you killed. That’s why it’s usually wise to stay away from such champions when picking against Blitzcrank. The only possible exception to this is Morgana, who can use her spellshield to block hooks and such. The timing on this can be pretty iffy though, so be sure you’re confident picking her up.

Champions that do well into him are usually ones that simply don’t mind being hooked, like Tahm Kench, Braum and Alistar. These champions excel at soaking up damage on the frontline and can easily be used to simply block the hooks when necessary. Alistar is given a fresh backline to engage on when he gets hooked. In this case, Blitzcrank indeed is fired up and ready to serve, just not the team he intended to help.

While we wait for the next big event for League of Legends, all we can do is play some more SoloQ, and hopefully we will have given you more information to help you take out the top champions. Of course, you can expect more from us in the future, in the next edition of Meta Watch.

Also read:

• Meta Watch: Dealing with Jayce, Braum & Urgot
• MAD Carzzy on going to MSI: “This time we won’t choke, that’s for sure”

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Image credit: Riot Games