The first stage of the LCK group stage has officially begun. On the last match day, the domestic powerhouse GEN debuted against DRX, a team near the bottom of the league. The outcome was never in doubt, as GEN comfortably swept 2-0 to kick off the new season with a win. Their league power is indeed extraordinary. Despite Sanshu’s many errors, GEN’s three main players are very strong, suggesting that GEN will rule the LCK once more this year.

On the same day, another match featured NS versus BFX. This game wasn’t particularly exciting, but since NS’s mid laner is Scout, many LPL fans were eager to see his performance. However, after this match, there’s no doubt that Scout’s form is poor. NS was shut out by BFX without any resistance. Let’s briefly review this BO3 to see just how badly the young player is performing now.

In the first game, Scout played Taliyah. At 5 minutes, the duo pushed the wave and moved into the river to control vision, aiming to help the jungler secure the dragon. But Scout was pushed in first, and Vicla’s Ahri came to assist early, starting a fight before Scout could use his ultimate to help. The jungler died, and then the AD carry was also killed. BFX’s Ana was off to a 2-0 start. By 15 minutes, Taliyah, known for strong support, was still the earthbind spirit with 0 kills and 0 assists.

Although BFX is a dark horse, their macro play isn’t strong enough. They still gave some chances in the mid game, but Diable’s Ana was too fed, and NS couldn’t handle him in team fights. He consistently cleaned up in every battle. After a hard-fought 34 minutes, BFX won the first game. In the second game, Scout’s performance was even more abstract. His signature Orianna faced Vicla’s Sylas, and by 5 minutes, Sylas hit level 6 first and chased Orianna to the tower for a solo kill.

Scout clearly panicked here. He pulled the ball back onto himself, but if he had used his ultimate, Sylas wouldn’t have been able to catch him. Instead, he used an empty ultimate, giving the opponent a chance for a solo kill. The mid lane disadvantage was huge, causing the turret to fall early. Although the top and bottom lanes had advantages, his teammates couldn’t compensate. Scout fed both the enemy mid laner and jungler heavily. The match ended at 28 minutes, with Scout’s Orianna finishing 0-5.

Vicla achieved an impressive 15-4 stat line over two games and was named POM against Scout. From Scout’s debut performance, it’s clear he’s playing terribly, comparable to his time at JD last year. If he can’t adjust, his career might end after this season because the LCK is full of emerging talents. Veterans who perform poorly quickly lose their spots, and NS also has a substitute mid laner.

After NS’s loss, the gap between the Elder Dragon and Baron groups suddenly widened. In four opening matches, the Elder Dragon group has won three times, while the Baron group has only one win by GEN. The current score is already 1-3 behind. When T1 picked NS, they probably didn’t expect this team, which boasts three international MVPs, to perform so poorly. If this momentum continues, it seems the Elder Dragon group will win the playoffs.

Among the 10 teams, only T1 and HLE have yet to make their debuts. However, today these two teams will face off. Former T1 top laner and AD carry will compete against their old team. It’s uncertain if HLE can beat T1. Personally, I think it’s unlikely. Although HLE changed their AD, Peyz performed well at the K Cup. If they continue to improve during the offseason, HLE might still have a chance, but beating the current T1 seems difficult.

Conclusion:

Among the former LPL “Three Saints and One Emperor,” except for the retired Doinb, the other three have recently been struggling. It seems this era is truly ending. Scout’s poor form makes it hard for NS to achieve good results. Among current champion mid laners, he might be the weakest. Even Xu Ge has been stepping up recently, moving beyond the “regional” level.

So, what do you think about Scout’s current strength?

Feel free to leave your comments and discuss!