The Wacky World of Mid Lane: Its History and Current State

 

Brief History:

Disclaimer: The picks of certain professionals do not necessarily happen chronologically and sometimes happen at the same time, they are there to illustrate a growing trend in their timeline solidifying a certain meta in a time period.

Since the start of League of Legends, the approach to the mid lane has been ever shifting. As it started with something as simple and innocent as Ashe mid, it eventually shifted into ability powered focused champions due to the meta being formed from professional players shaping the concept of what a mid lane should be such as Xpeke’s burst mages, HotshotGG’s Nidalee and even Froggen’s Anivia. It stayed this way for some time until the mid lane began to adopt the assassin, epitomized by Alex Ich’s Kha’ Zix. The low health-high damage high risk- high reward style of play got picked up by many a mid laner and stayed as a competitive standard for a while. These two styles of playing the mid lane crossed and switched places several times over the course of the seasons and both found international success. A new style was introduced when poke-centric mid laners such as Nidalee and Xerath were cornerstones for team comps. This style of play also became an industry standard during Seasons 3 and 4.This continued until League of Legends saw the rise of the tank meta where the assassins and poke champions were left ineffective. This meta and the removal of the Deathfire grasp made mid lane a tough position to be in, but the mid lane adapted and grew to be, once more, a place for mages with a mix of decent burst damage and consistent and spread out aoe damage. This went well enough for the position the mid lane was in but then…

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The Mid Lane in its Current State:

Over the last 3 patches or so the mid has seen some fairly big changes affecting the mid lane as a whole. Here are a few of the changes which have recently been implemented on the Rift and the effect on the mid lane they may bring.

The Runeglaive

As many of you may have already experienced, the Runeglaive enchantment, although doled out to help AP junglers deal more damage, has been picked up and abused by many a mid laner. Making Ezreal’s Q deal insane aoe and poke damage and making Oriana’s auto attacks even more painful. Even if this item was nerfed fairly early in its existence, it still poses a huge threat to anyone facing an opponent donning this powerful enchantment. Asides from its already beneficial effects, it adds to the versatility of the build of a champion. The smite can be used similarly to its use in the infamous TP and Smite Hecarim top with the laner building Trailblazer in order to duel more effectively. Aside from this mid laners can also opt to build purple smite to clear waves faster or chilling smite to slow an enemy providing extra crowd control and a small amount of added damage. Runeglaive gives mid laners a reason to get smite and grants them all the benefits of having it.

Needlessly Large Rod and Amplifying Tome

Last patch, a majority of the recipes of the core items of an AP mid laner have been changed to include Amplifying Tome. Aside from this, the price of the Needlessly Large Rod was lessened. Needless to say, this has a substantial effect on what build paths a player can take. Firstly the addition of Amplifying Tome to the item recipes adds a lot of diversity in the build of someone playing from behind. A mid laner forced to back early doesn’t have to spell out his item build if he only has 435 gold to spend. Conversely, a person who is ahead in his lane can buy an early Needlessly Large Rod to maximize the champion’s snowball potential. Overall, the changes to these two items add more build path diversity in the mid lane and will definitely be useful to those who play AP mid laners.

“Top Lane Champions” in the Mid Lane

Over the last few patches as well, there has been a rise in people playing supposed “Top Laners” in the mid lane. (Meaning tanks or fighters rather than mages and assassins) While this has not become the meta, picking “top laners” in the mid lane has, to an extent, an effect on the mid lane scene. This rise in play of these champions does have a solid basis for existing other than it just being a “flavor of the month”. For instance, the reason for the rise in people picking Irelia mid is to specifically counter the poke-centric Runeglaive comps that teams are building since Irelia has both the sustain to deal with all the poke and the hard engage to either kill the opposing laner or set up a gank for the jungler. Another reason for the rise in picking top laners in the mid lane (more so in the competitive scene and not regularly in solo queue) is to maximize the efficiency of summoner spells. Some champions synergize better with teleport therefore can take the role of top lane even if, traditionally, the champion is played in the mid lane (i.e. Kassadin) which leaves the team needing a fighter in the mid lane.

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Summary

In the last few patches we have seen the rise and minor fall of the Runeglaive, a change in items for AP champions, and unorthodox picks. By no means are these the weirdest changes to happen to the mid lane but it helps to keep ourselves aware and ready for whatever may face us in the Rift. Be it in this meta or in the meta three patches from now, nothing beats preparedness and awareness.

 

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