Chapter 161: Right off the bat, they're messing around?

In just a few sentences, the bans/picks were settled, with G2 locking in their double pick of Spider and Bard.

Not picking Janna wasn't because it's weak; they just felt there was no need to ban one of their strong combos so early.

Bard + Sivir is already enough to handle the lane; after all, Season 6 just began, and all teams' understanding of the meta still needs improvement, so the bottom lane can't pull off too many fancy plays yet.

At this stage there is no second round of bans, so there's no need to worry that a position left unpicked in the first three will be targeted in a second round; coaches without issues generally prioritize grabbing strong champions before considering counter-picks, and in this situation, using a pick-instead-of-ban approach to disrupt the opponent's system building becomes especially important.

Of course, coaching levels vary as well, and not every coach can grasp such a complex ban/pick mind game.

CLG secured Ezreal and Troll in the final few seconds of pick time.

Liang Yan smiled upon seeing this:

"Interesting, ultimate flex, the opposing coach's level isn't low."

"Zikz was originally their assistant coach, only promoted by management this year, and he is also a key factor in CLG's MSI runner-up finish."

Ka Lao Si's expression turned slightly serious, his brows faintly furrowed.

As Liang Yan said, the opposing team's pick of Troll is a bit tricky, given they already have Ryze.

Both Ryze and Troll can play two positions; Ryze can flex between mid and top, while Troll can flex between top and support.

Ka Lao Si couldn't quickly figure out how the opposing team would allocate lanes.

Ka Lao Si even felt that the opposing team hadn't decided on their lane distribution either, and were waiting to see how G2 would make their last two picks.

"Emm..."

Ka Lao Si's brain was about to overheat.

Missing Tang Anna's analytical help had a big impact on Ka Lao Si.

Having to synthesize multiple data points within just a few tens of seconds, then clear his thoughts and make a decision, was still no small challenge for Ka Lao Si, but there was no alternative—he had already asked, and each team can only have one coach.

Then, at that moment, AP spoke:

"Coach, is it very difficult?"

"Do you have any ideas?"

Ka Lao Si countered.

"Can I have Hu li?"

AP spoke in a consultative tone, but his determination was very clear.

Ka Lao Si did not immediately agree.

Although Hu li is recognized by the training group as a pickable champion in any system of the current patch, and AP's proficiency is high enough, picking him here would make our lineup too soft; if we don't secure an early advantage, mid-game combat power would easily become very weak, whereas looking at the four positions already revealed by the opponent, no matter what their final pick is, with Ezreal and Rek'Sai as a base, their mid-game strength is relatively strong.

While Ka Lao Si was considering, Liang Yan made the decision for him:

"Hu li can be taken.

"But top lane needs to add Pantheon, so that our top-mid-jungle strength will be sufficient.

"Then Lao Zhang will mainly play early to mid-game in this match; if we drag it into late game, we'll give some economy to Wen Xi to eat, and the lineup will be completely fine."

Lao Zhang actually hasn't played much Pantheon.

However, this champion's operation is simple, its playstyle is also simple, so practicing it doesn't require too much effort.

"Wow! Pantheon?!"

In the LPL broadcast room, ColiN let out a startled exclamation upon seeing G2 lock in Pantheon on the fifth pick; the other two commentators also slightly widened their eyes.

Glancing at Su Xiao Yan seated beside him, he exclaimed in surprise:

"Su Xiao Yan, I'm not entirely sure if I should ask, but in this patch the top lane strong champions... probably don't include Pantheon, right?"

"Probably not."

Su Xiao Yan nodded and said,

"Based on the Korean server's high-rank play, the relatively strong top laners in this patch should be champions like Jayce, Kennen, and Rumble; for tanks and fighters, it's Nasus and Poppy, and there's also a situational pick of Troll. Pantheon... if I recall correctly, its win rate should be under fifty percent, making it a bottom-tier champion."

"So is G2 just messing around?"

"Well, even if placed in the European league, G2 would still be considered one of the most fond of messing around; their playoff lineups have always been somewhat different from others."

"Wow, daring to make such a choice on the World Championship stage, and even as the opening match, G2 this team really has big hearts. Okay, G2's lineup is now fully locked; next we'll see how CLG's final pick will respond to G2's messing…… ah?!"

"Ah?!"

The three commentators all lost their voices.

"No…… CLG, you too?!"

"Twisted Fate…… good heavens, how are we supposed to split the lanes?"

"Locked! Good heavens, I didn't expect CLG to also pull off a big mess!"

The audience in the broadcast room also got hype.

【Red hot and fiery, dazed and confused, hahaha】

【Let's get it started!】

【No, when did NA also become a messing-around region?】

【Noobs pecking at each other, fun!】

【Indeed fun, high-level matches always just feature those few champions; still, watching Europe and America clash is more interesting.】

【In terms of messing-around strength, this game NA > EU!】

【Just thinking that one of these two teams might make the quarterfinals makes me feel awful all over, really terrible……】

At the same time, on-site.

At the moment CLG locked in Twisted Fate, the on-site audience erupted in an uproar.

On the big screen, both sides' lineups were already locked; players were quickly swapping positions, while the coaches from both sides had left the player benches and come to the center of the stage to shake hands.

After the position swap was completed, both sides' lineups were fully determined.

G2, blue side

ban: Dragon King, Tahm, Karma

top lane: Island, Pantheon

jungle: Firrrrre, Spider

mid lane: Perkz, Hu li

ADC: Zven, Sivir

support: Mithy, Bard

coach: ocelote

CLG, Red Side

ban: Nidalee, Caitlyn, Syndra

top lane: Darshan, Ryze

jungle: Xmithie, Rek'Sai

mid lane: Huhi, Twisted Fate

ADC: Stixxay, Ezreal

support: Aphromoo, Trundle

coach: Zikz

The North American commentators on site were shouting incoherently, their speech speed as fast as pouring beans from a bamboo tube, their tone filled with tension, which added a hint of gunpowder smell to the already heated on-site atmosphere.

"Well, no matter what, both sides' lineups cannot be changed, the battle is about to begin, so let's see what sparks will fly when the two teams, after picking two seemingly non-mainstream lineups, clash in the canyon!"