Game Analysis 02/15

Context: 100LP Master in NA. lolchess Patch 11.3

Starting item: Bow

Stage 2

Stage 2-2 board

In-game thoughts: I have been playing bow start into Kayle most of the time, so I was angling that way. I leveled at 2-1 because I can slam Sunfire Cape and go for a 2-cost chosen since I haven’t seen any chosen yet.

Here, I bought the Maokai, Rakan, Veigar, sold Sharpshooters, and played 3 Elderwood 2 Keeper

Post-game analysis: I definitely buy the Maokai chosen here, but I thought for a while if I should go for Veigar + Rakan pair and play Elderwood. Alternative play: buy Maokai and keep playing 2 Sharpshooter for damage. I can sell Elise pair to hold Veigar, but since I don’t have any Veigar/Asol item components, I can wait until carousel or Krugs to commit.

Carousel

I was forced to pick between 2-cost Belt and Chain. I was still aiming for Kayle so I picked up Belt thinking it could be a Zeke’s component. I think Chain might have been better since it’s really bad to get extra Belts.

Lucky Lantern: Belt + Reforger. Getting another belt here feels pretty bad, but at least I can slam and reforge a Warmog’s.

Stage 2-6 board:

In-game thoughts: Playing 2* units is better than playing 1* units (Fiora + Jarvan > Lulu + Annie), but pick up the Mages anyway.

Post-game analysis: Lulu + Annie might actually be stronger than Fiora + Jarvan and it lets me stack up Veigar faster. Losing Keeper buff is pretty big though, so it’s a close call.

Pros:

• I get to move Sunfire to Rakan who can apply it better than Jarvan (tankier unit, probably holds it for a while)
• 2x Veigar ults to stack him up more, 2x Lulu knockup might be better than Fiora riposte.

Cons:

• Weaker board in terms of stats, risks the win-streak. Keeper buff = 150 shield on Fiora + 300 shield on Veigar, Maokai + 225*2 shield on Keepers = 1200 HP!!

Conclusion: Playing Fiora + Jarvan is better.

Stage 3

Stage 3-1 board:

Items: Sunfire on board. Free components: 3x Belt, Bow, Sword.

In-game thoughts: I decided to level for Annie (3 Mage) and give her Warmog’s as it can be reforged. I kept the other three components.

Post-game analysis: I probably should have also slammed Zz’rot Portal as I leveled to keep my winstreak, and getting the Voidling is really good for that. I didn’t slam items because I was still considering a Kayle angle with Zeke’s + Bow component, but at this point in the game I should probably give up on that given my item components.

Alternatively, I could have put Giant Slayer on Xayah but then I’m stuck with a Belt that isn’t very useful, and I need to start building items for Veigar/Asol. With the Zz’rot play, I can go for Gunblade (Rod) or Tears off carousel.

Conclusion: Level for Warmog’s Annie is fine, but should slam Zz’rot to guarantee streak. Bow and Belt aren’t great components in this comp anyway. Also, commit to Elderwood at this point.

Stage 3-4 board:

In-game thoughts: Sold Annie for Nunu (6 Elder) and put the Warmog’s on Maokai as I will probably sell him at 4-1. Brawler chosen is not good enough and I will want to roll for 2* Veigar. I also got the Rod off carousel for Gunblade.

Post-game analysis: I definitely need to have slammed Zz’rot. I also needed to reposition Xayah, Rakan, and Nunu to protect the Lulu. I ended up losing my streak here because of these two mistakes. Otherwise, my direction is pretty much set here. I scouted and saw no one was playing Asol or Elderwood, so I can go for 3* units.

Stage 4

Stage 4-5 board:

In-game thoughts: Went for tear off carousel as I don’t have any of that component for Veigar. At 4-1, I rolled to find a new chosen and 2* my board. I found an Elderwood Nunu, so I am potentially looking for 9 Elderwood. My items from Wolves were 2x Cloak, Glove, Chain.

I slammed Dragon Claw but I was really dizzy as I had too many item components.

Post-game analysis: Should have slammed Zz’rot, as mentioned before, especially as it can help keep my 3-win streak. It can go on Nunu or Rakan. If I am going for 9 Elderwood, using up both Cloaks is a mistake. However, I think it’s a bit risky to go for 9 Elderwood, since I will be rolling at level 7 for my 2-costs and I have a <1% chance to hit Ornn. Given the information I have, I think I should play for top 4 since I have meh items for Veigar. Thus, I think Dragon Claw ended up being fine here. I greeded the Tear for Blue Buff, but maybe making HoJ is ok. In any case, having 5 components is incorrect.

Conclusion: DClaw Nunu is fine. Make Zz’rot to keep streak. Play for top 4 and don’t go for 9 Elder.

Stage 5

Stage 5-7 board:

In-game thoughts: 5-1 rolldown was pretty meh, bench was full but I kept seeing Nunus in shop. Items: Got a Rod and Spat from creeps, so my components were Bow, Chain, Belt, Rod, Tear, Glove, Spat. Glove Rod Tear were all useful components, so I reforged the Bow Chain Belt. I ended up getting a Titans from Reforger.

I made Mage Spat and a Jeweled Gauntlet. Other spats aren’t very useful so I felt like this was the only play.

Stage 5 carousel was an Elder Spat.

Post-game analysis:

Possibly better to also reforge the Warmogs + DClaw as Warmogs falls off late-game. If I made Zz’rot, I would have been able to reforge it here as well. Mage Spat Xayah seems like the best play in the moment, but I should have dropped down from 8 Elder to play 5 Mage as my end-game board. Maokai is not doing anything for me.

It also took a while to hit all my 3*s to the point where the spike wasn’t helpful because of my bad items. Top 3 is fine.

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Post-game learnings:

With Reforger, I should aggressively slam items for streak. I had a full Zz’rot for at least one stage, which would have made a big difference in my HP and econ. It also could have helped me be less confused after creep rounds.

I also should have committed to playing Elder much sooner, but should not have greeded for 9 Elderwood as it caused me to play weaker boards. 5 Mage 6 Elder would have been significantly stronger.

I also tilt-rolled at lv 7 to complete my 3* units, but I got burned. I had some HP to spare so I probably should have controlled myself there.

Overall, my macro play was ok but I should have evaluated my board in context of my streak. I played my strongest board for most of the mid/late game, but I fell behind too much in the end game.