Introduction: The S15 season is underway, and most players have been paying close attention to the recent confrontations. With all major regions having finished their matches, the world’s eyes are now on the World Championship. The fierce contest for the top 17 spots between IG and T1 has attracted worldwide attention, causing ticket prices to multiply. However, it seems the training intensity from both teams hasn't been particularly high lately. Since the end of the third stage, players from both sides have entered an off-season break, with few returning to regular practice. T1’s support player Keria has been practicing Quentyn and Vi recently — could this mean he’s exploring new strategies?
Most players are quite familiar with T1, a veteran powerhouse from the LCK region. Over the years, their overall popularity and reputation have been very high, consistently achieving excellent results annually. Even if they don’t win the LCK title, they often make it to the final stage of the World Championship. This season, the LCK region underwent significant format changes, resulting in T1 facing Gen.G in a crucial knockout round, ultimately failing to reach the final. They entered Worlds as the LCK’s fourth seed and had to face LPL’s IG in the first round to compete for a spot in the main event.
The opening match was a blockbuster, instantly ramping up excitement. Fans eagerly hoped for an intense showdown between the two teams, as either making it to the main event was expected given their great potential. It was assumed both teams would train intensely during this period, but it seems they have been relatively relaxed. After the third stage ended, players entered a break period, with very low activity on their Korean server accounts and almost no practice. Checking T1’s training status, only Keria has logged into his account recently, while the rest have been inactive since the 21st.
During these recent training sessions, Keria surprised many by using some unusual support champions. First, he played support Quentyn, a champion typically seen in the top lane and rarely played elsewhere. He practiced with the Unsealed Spellbook rune and posted decent results. He also tried Vi as a jungle support. Although they won that game, his impact was limited. With Electrocute and full damage items, it felt somewhat odd for a support role. As the “Dr. K” of the LCK, opponents should definitely be cautious of his unique tactics.
Looking into IG’s recent training, their players have mostly stayed away from the team base, taking a break. Perhaps they realize their win rate in the top 17 clashes isn’t very promising, leading to a somewhat lax attitude. Many hope IG can succeed in this tournament, as this year might be the most popular and high-profile for the LPL region. With the event hosted locally and top teams participating, if the outcome mirrors the S7 season, the LPL could face a major decline. This may explain why they’ve been assembling a top-tier practice squad recently, pooling talent from all regions to keep the trophy at home.
Keria, known as the “Dr. K” of the LCK, certainly has a reputation. He usually drives T1’s early game tempo, so the LPL region should keep an eye on his movements. Previously, he showed impressive engage plays with support Elise. This time, he might truly bring out support Quentyn on stage. Given that champion’s tankiness and crowd control, it could be a game-changer in his hands.
What do you all think about this situation?