League of Legends Season Two World Championships

Over the years, the competitive gaming industry has been filled with ups and downs. It was not until Riot Games, the developers of online computer game League of Legends, began promoting their own competitive scene that the industry started to pick up steam. After running the competitive scene for over two years, League of Legends ended its second season of competition with a grand championsip tournament held in October 2012 in Los Angeles, California. At a financial loss to the company, Riot Games organized the tournament with an unprecedented total pot prize of $2,000,000 and $1,000,000 awarded to the first place team.

The top five picks for the League of Legends Season Two World Championships were the champions Ezreal, Shen, Sona, Karthus, and Maokai. An interesting note is that these five characters would make a great team if all chosen at once. Within the game are five player roles to be assumed by the five members of a team. These five champions were very popular for their dominance playing a specific role and were thus chosen often. The champions following the top five are more sporadic with their roles.

The top five bans during the event were Alistar, Jayce, Orianna, Skarner, and Blitzcrank. Factors involved in banning include those that counter the team, champions considered overly strong, and knowledge of the opposing players (i.e. if a certain player is known to be a master of a speific champion, a common practice is to ban it). For this reason, it is imperative for top players to be able to play multiple champions at a competitive level.

Picks20

15

10

5

Season 2 World Championships Top Picks

Ezre

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Shen

Sona

Karth

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Lee

Sin

Evel

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Kog’

Maw

Xin

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Zyra

Yoric

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Zile

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Cass

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Alist

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Leon

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Ola

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Vlad

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Ryze

Jayc

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Nunu

Skar

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Blitz

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Oria

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Dr. M

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Irelia

Taric

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Mor

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Jax

Lux

Miss

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Mal

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Noct

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Vayn

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Udyr

Nida

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Sora

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Ahri

Rive

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Sing

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Lulu

Amum

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Dian

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Trist

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Champions

Bans

4

8

12

Season 2 World Championships Top Bans

Ezre

al

Shen

Sona

Karth

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Mao

kai

Twist

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ate

Lee

Sin

Evel

ynn

Kog’

Maw

Yoric

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Alist

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Ola

f

Vlad

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Jayc

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Nunu

Skar

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Blitz

cran

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ivia

Oria

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Irelia

Mor

gana

Shyv

ana

Jax

Lux

Cho’

Gat

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Sivir

Gan

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nk

Mal

phite

Nida

lee

Gra

gas

Ahri

Dian

a

Drav

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Kata

rina

Champions

Top 5 Picks Top 3 Bans

1 1

2 2

3 3

4

5

Ezreal, the Prodigal Explorer, is a ranged champion capable of dealing powerful magic and physical damage. His long range and mobility in the form of a short range teleport make him a force to be reckoned with on the playing field. Ezreal’s ultimate spell, Trueshot Barrage, allows him to blast an energy wave that travels across the entirety of Summoner’s Rift.

Alistar, the Minotaur, is a heavy defensive champion specializing in supporting allies and roaming the arena to disrupt enemy lanes. He is able to heal his allies, as well as knock his foes around with a pulverizing headbutt and ground smash in his arsenal. Alistar’s ultimate, Unbreakable Will, clears all effects disabling him, and significantly reduces incoming damage for a short duration.

Jayce, the Defender of Tomorrow, is one of two champions capable of switching between long range and close quarter combat. Jayce’s ultimate, Mercury Cannon, changes Jayce’s weapon from a hammer to a cannon, granting him long ranged attacks and a new set of abilities for his new weapon. This ability makes Jayce a very versatile fighter in the League of Legends.

Orianna, the Lady of Clockwork, is a long ranged champion specializing in dealing magical damage. She controls a ball which she uses to damage foes as well as shield her allies. Orianna’s ultimate ability, Command: Shockwave, allows her to create a powerful shockwave from her pet ball’s location, dealing heavy damage and displacing all enemies hit.

Shen, Eye of Twilight, is one of a few ninjas present in the League of Legends. While not able to deal as much damage as many other champions, Shen excels in his defensive capabilities. His Shadow Dash ability allows Shen to protect his allies by forcing enemies to attack him. Shen’s ultimate, Stand United, allows him to shield an ally and teleport to them from any location on the map.

Sona, Maven of the Strings, is a ranged support champion. While capable of dealing a fair amount of magic damage, Sona excels instead in supporting her allies through heals and passive stat enhancements. Sona’s ultimate spell, Crescendo, allows Sona to temporarily incapacitate foes by forcing them to dance for a number of seconds using her instrument.

Karthus, the Deathsinger, is a powerful ranged champion specializing in dealing large amounts of magical damage. Karthus is notorious for his Death Defied ability, which allows Karthus to remain active for a short time after death, allowing him to cast spells freely. Karthus’ ultimate spell, Requiem, allows Karthus to cast a devastating spell that damages all enemy champions in the game.

Maokai, the Twisted Treant, is a heavily defensive champion that has found his niche in the jungle between lanes rather than in any of the lanes themselves, an act known as “jungling”. His exceptional mobility and ability to disrupt foes make him a difficult opponent and a true terror in and out of the jungle. Maokai’s ultimate ability, Vengeful Maelstrom, allows him to absorb damage dealt to his allies and release it back at his foes.

David LiDAI 523 Information Design I

TroguFall 2012

Sources:http://leaguepedia.com/wiki/Season_2_World_Championship/Picks_and_Bans/Group_Stage

http://leaguepedia.com/wiki/Season_2_World_Championship/Picks_and_Bans/Bracket_Stagena.leagueoflegends.com

The League of Legends Season Two World Championships spanned two weekends, and saw a total of twelve teams competing for the $1,000,000 prize. Qualifier tournaments were held around the world in preparation of the Championships to bring out as much competition as possible. Of the twelve qualifying teams, three were from the U.S., three were from Europe, and six had come from Asia.

The grand finals of the tournament came down to Korea’s Azubu Frost versus the Taiwanese Taipei Assassins. After an exciting set of games, Azubu Frost, the favorites to win the tournament, was defeated by the Taipei Assassins, which was considered a large upset.

The first part of every game is picking and banning champions. First, each team alternates banning choices with three bans available each. Banning a champion renders it unavailable for use by either team for one game. Next, the two teams alternate champion picks, with one champion per player.

With a roster of over one hundred unique champions to choose from, naturally certain champions will be favored over others in competitive play. Roughly half of the cast of the game were played in the event, though certain champions were indeed much more common than others.

Champion picks are based on a number of factors, including the player’s team composition, enemy team composition, selected bans, personal skill, and the current state of champions in the game (Frequent patches can bring significant changes to champions).

The below graphs show the most common picks (green) and bans (red) throughout the Season Two World Championships.

League of Legends is an online PC game that pits two teams of five players head to head in an arena called Summoner’s Rift. On opposite corners of the arena are the two teams’ bases, in which is the Nexus. The primary objective of the game is to defeat the opposing team by destroying the enemy Nexus. Each player begins the game by choosing from a list of characters (called champions) and must acquire gold by either defeating “creeps” (neutral creatures or those affiliated with either team for this purpose) or defeating other players, which awards the most gold. Players use this gold to purchase powerful items over the course of the game to combat the enemy team.

The game environment is divided into three subsections, referred to as lanes which the players divide themselves into. Throughout the game, small creeps are generated in each lane for both teams as a gold source and to aid in attacking the opposing base. Along each lane are also turrets which will attack enemy players.

The Event The Game The Competition The Data

Ezreal, the Prodigal Explorer

Shen, Eye of Twilight

Alistar, the Minotaur

Jayce, the Defender of Tomorrow

Orianna, the Lady of ClockworkSona, Maven of the Strings

Karthus, the Deathsinger

Maokai, the Twisted Treant

Attack

Difficulty

Spells

Defense

Rising Spell Force

Power Chord

KiStrike

MysticShot

Hymn of Valor

VorpalBlade

Essence Flux

Aria of Perserverance

Feint

TrueshotBarrage

Crescendo

Stand United

ArcaneShift

Song ofCelerity

ShadowDash

DeathDefied

LayWaste

Wall ofPain

Requiem

Defile

SapMagic

Arcane Smash

TwistedAdvance

VengefulMaelstrom

SaplingToss

Trample Pulverize

Headbutt

UnbreakableWill

TriumphantRoar

To The Skies! Shock Blast

Lightning Field

Thundering Blow

Hyper Charge

Mercury Cannon Mercury Hammer

Acceleration Gate

Hextech Capacitor

ClockworkWindup

Command: Attack

Command:Dissonance

Command:Shockwave

Command:Protect

Season Two World Championships W/L:11-13

Season Two World Championships W/L: 8-10

Season Two World Championships W/L:12- 4

Season Two World Championships W/L: 7-9

Season Two World Championships W/L: 9-6