Matchup Analysis: Olaf vs Skarner

Introduction

Olaf and Skarner. Two of the most premier Jungle champions in the meta right now that seemingly came out of nowhere. After a 0% presence in Patch 8.1, Skarner skyrocketed to a 100% presence rate come Patch 8.3, a very rare stat for champions to hit. Olaf, on the other hand, went from a 0% presence in Patch 8.2 to an 87% presence come the most recent Patch 8.5. The rise of these two champions I believe go hand in hand, and they share some similarities and a lot of differences. I’m going to dive in why these champions are coming back into the meta, and then look into the specific matchup that has seen tons of play in professional play.

Skarner OP?

The Crystal Vanguard was slowly creeping into competitive play and has fully arrived with a 100% presence rate in the pick and ban phases of LCS. Skarner resides in the Jungle mostly and is one of the most effective gankers in the entire game. This is because of the Keystone Predator which has helped Skarner rise in the ranks. Through the use of the speed boost that is given through Predator, as well as other components like your W ability and Righteous Glory, you can easily catch an enemy out of position or catch anyone who is trying to run away. This large amount of movespeed combined with his ultimate means that Skarner can kill almost anyone because he can drag them back with his ultimate into the entire team. This kind of pick potential forces basically every champion to buy a QSS, which is extremely detrimental especially for AP mid laners who basically give up an entire item slot just to be able to use QSS.

Skarner has been getting a few buffs as well and they have all culminated into what is a very strong champion. With the removal of Tracker’s Knife, Skarner can finally go a damaging Smite, which means he is going to win any and all fights that are around a Spire he controls. With the removal of Tracker’s, Skarner became that much stronger in the early game and, coupled with his already powerful clear speed, he is able to abuse and bully out most Junglers in the early game.

For the reasons of his extremely effective ultimate combined with Predator, as well as Skarner’s ability to bully out most people in the early game, Skarner is definitely one of the best champions in the game. You should definitely be looking to add this champion into a composition that can make use of his pick potential through his ultimate or into a composition that can fight early around objectives and the Spires.

Olaf OP?

Olaf has a fairly similar story to that of Skarner and also shares many of the same strengths. Olaf is another Jungle champion who excels at early game pressure and fast clearing of the Jungle. Through the use of the same keystone Skarner uses, Predator, Olaf is able to chase down all enemies who dare try and take him on. Additionally, unlike Skarner who is able to be slowed and stopped altogether through CC, Olaf can simply use his Ultimate which negates all CC effects on him for the next 6 seconds. This makes Olaf a very effective chaser and is one of the hardest champions to get away from after he has popped Predator and has you in his sights. Additionally, his Q, Undertow, gives Olaf a near permanent slow effect if he can continue to land the ax.

Another thing Olaf has in his favor is his strong early game. His Q is able to do an immense amount of damage if Olaf can land consecutive hits on an enemy champion. Additionally, his Q gives him the ability to fast clear many camps and his passive makes his Jungling even more effective at lower amounts of HP due to the bonus attack speed it gives Olaf. This makes Olaf a very strong skirmisher in the early game, especially after he picks up his Predator boots and once he hits level 6. For reasons similar to Skarner, Olaf is quickly becoming one of the premier Jungle champions in the game.

How the Matchup Plays Out

Currently, Olaf is being picked as a counter to Skarner. Skarner's sudden rise in competitive play saw teams look for an immediate answer and currently the best answer to Skarner is Olaf. One big reason why this is the case is because Olaf’s ultimate is, in essence, a miniature QSS, which means Olaf does not have to save a slot for QSS. Another reason why Olaf is being picked into Skarner is because of his early game prowess. Currently, Skarner has a lot of power in the early game, but nobody bullies the early game like Olaf. Olaf is able to successfully keep the enemy Skarner in the Jungle, and can usually win a 2v2 skirmish. For these reasons, Olaf is seeing much more play, almost exclusively as a Skarner counter. This has seen some effects in the pick and ban phase. Instead of teams blind or first picking Skarner, a lot of teams try and wait until the enemy Jungle picks a different champion, or they alternatively try and ban the Olaf in order to ensure the counter pick does not occur.

Conclusion

Both of these champions are seeing sudden comebacks in competitive play. Skarner and Olaf have both benefited greatly from the removal of Tracker’s knife, as well as the addition of the Predator keystone which has made their chase potential that much better. If you are going to pick up Skarner, look out for the Olaf counter, as Olaf has a very successful time against the Skarner. Alternatively, if you’re an Olaf player, look to counter the enemy Skarner by fighting them often and early.

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