In a recent patch by Riot Games they announced that they were removing the diminished effect of Liandry’s Torment for area-of-effect and damage-over-time spells. This was an instant buff for champions like Malzahar and Swain who have multiple damage-over-time abilities. I hadn’t gotten a chance to play since the new patch, so I found some time this morning to get a game in. My mentality going into the game: get my first win of the day bonus.
I was fourth pick, which is low enough that I could end up not getting the role I want to play. However, I ran into a spot of luck. As our team captain was choosing bans I started writing “I would like TF mid please” and just as I pressed Enter to send that message he banned Twisted Fate. Now the team quickly assumed I would be playing mid or raging because the guy had banned the champion that I wanted. This actually worked out well because we had three champions picked and the enemy team showed who their mid lane would be before I was forced to pick.
The enemy mid picked Lux. I had played a game recently as Malzahar where I was against a Lux and I felt like I had done rather well against her. With the recent changes to Liandry’s Torment I wanted to see how it would play. Based on the opening to this game I would say “very well”.
Xin ganked my lane fairly early and got red buff down on Lux. After Lux used Flash I made sure to land as many spells as possible and threw down Ignite. I watched as it ticked and ticked. She hadn’t put a point into her shield yet. You know, that shield that is designed to prevent damage-over-time damage? Ya, she hasn’t put a point into that yet. At the last second Lux used Ignite on me under the tower and I put my Malefic Visions on her. Lux disappeared from view and I escaped tower radius with enough health to survive the Ignite. Lux, however, was not as fortunate. First Blood!
Lux comes back to lane with a second Doran’s Ring, no wards, no boots. I should also mention at this point that her Flash is on cooldown for another three minutes. I tell Xin Zhao and we just auto-attack Lux to death. I pick up the kill and listen as bot lane dies. I wanted to reprimand them for dying, but I knew that would just cause our team to spiral out of control.
After I recalled from mid I see bot lane engaging the enemy again. I start running. I actually bought upgraded boots to make it to the tower faster. Xin was down there helping them, but Vi counter ganked, eliminating the advantage that Xin was providing. I watch as Twitch falls, then Taric, and the enemy team is throwing everything they have at Xin. Xin sees his opportunity and pounces back on Miss Fortune. He drops her, but puts himself out too far. I Flash into range and drop my silence across the other two remaining enemy champions. My Visions picks up the kill on Vi, and I still have enough in my arsenal to finish off Thresh. Double kill. I’m 4-0 and just getting warmed up. The next time I double kill in bot it puts me to 8-0 and I’m Legendary.
When I get back to mid lane I was level nine compared to Lux’s six. I was able to bully her so hard. The only thing I missed out on was Xin kept taking my blue buff. He tried to hand it off twice, but both times he managed to steal it from me. It actually just got humorous near the end of the game because my team could see that I was beast-moding this game, but I kept running out of mana! Xin felt so bad for taking blue! My second death came when all of my abilities were off cooldown, but I just didn’t have enough mana to cast anything and Miss Fortune’s auto attacks were hitting harder than mine. OP.
We were grouping around Baron, but the enemy team knew we were there as Vi started to run back from top as soon as I got close to her. I threw my silence at her, which took her Flash and put us in a better position for taking Baron. However, my team had reacted correctly and were invading the enemy team’s top jungle. We caught Miss Fortune and Nasus as they tried to transition to top lane. We easily won the team fight and swung over to pick up a free Baron. This was the first time I got blue buff because I actually pinged Xin away and said “I’ll solo it, thanks” to which everyone just laughed.
Now that I had Baron and blue buff I called for everyone to push out bottom lane. We had them group in the bush at blue buff while I pushed bottom lane solo. The enemy team was in the lane, but they were playing back. Thresh was the only one manly enough to step forward. I see him trying to get in position to land a hook. I throw my silence down so he won’t have that option. Drop my pool. I get Vision and my ultimate on him and watch as his health melts to nothing. Dominating!
At this point my team just about shrugs their shoulders and comes walking out of the bushes. With Thresh down they have no threat of catching us out, especially with Xin Zhao on our team. They also lack a way to peel for Miss Fortune. We walk up, melt the turret and take the inhibitor for free. We rotate mid and do the same thing. Our creeps are there, so we push up and take the Nexus turrets. The gg’s start rolling in and the game is over. Taric thanks me for carrying and gives me honor. What a nice chap!
