Introduction: The S16 season has officially kicked off, and nearly all players have been paying attention to the recent confrontations. The LPL region’s matches have been highly competitive. Looking at the overall competition, there are indeed gaps in performance among the major teams, and no team has shown overwhelming dominance, with the leaderboard’s first place shifting continuously. After AL team successfully defeated IG team, they claimed the top position, and their top laner, Saint Gun, has become known as the LPL’s version of Faker with a vast champion pool. Throughout his career, he has played 88 different champions in matches. This has delighted many fans, confirming that the top lane is truly his best position.

LPL’s version of Faker, the champion pool master

Most players are quite familiar with Faker, widely acknowledged as the number one player in League of Legends. His professional career has been colorful, with both glorious highs and challenging lows. Although he has been active for over a decade, he remains at his peak, having won the World Championship three years in a row recently. He became the first player in LoL history to win six world titles and even dined alongside the South Korean president. What impresses everyone most is Faker’s immense champion pool; over the years, he has played 90 different champions, which is a huge advantage in the current global meta.

Recently, the LPL region has seen a player with a champion pool comparable to Faker’s, who is also a world champion. AL team’s top laner, Saint Gun, is a fan favorite; back when he was in SS team, he was a legend. Many thought he would fade away, but he rediscovered himself with EDG team, leading them to a World Championship victory and becoming the first domestic top laner in LPL to win the S series championship. In recent matches, AL team has maintained relatively stable form. Their match against IG became a hot topic among fans. Ultimately, they won 2-1 against IG and climbed to the top of the LPL standings.

In the crucial third game, top laner Saint Gun played a new champion, Yone, marking the 88th different champion in his career. It is well-known that having such a large champion pool in the top lane proves his individual skill. Netizens have compiled statistics showing his most used champion is Gnar, with 91 games — a significant lead compared to Jayce at 59 games in second place. A closer look at his champion data reveals Saint Gun’s versatility; he has even played top lane champions like Master Yi. Champions like Viego, Azir, and Pyke, typically seen only in off-meta versions, have also been part of his repertoire.

It seems the overall pace of the LPL region is becoming more stable now. The top-ranking teams have all shown strong performances. AL, JDG, and BLG teams are likely to secure three World Championship slots, while WBG might claim the last spot. Although WBG’s current results are not ideal, as an all-Chinese roster, their team synergy is improving. The most unfortunate is probably TES team, whose performance has sharply declined this season after losing their star player, Uzi. They have become a mid-tier LPL team with no real competition left.

Farewell thoughts

Who would have thought that Saint Gun has used 88 different champions on the professional stage? This might be the advantage of a veteran player, having played through many versions and experienced various playstyles. But it must be acknowledged that Saint Gun has probably been the most consistent competitor in the LPL region over the years. Also a veteran with over a decade of experience, he still manages to hold the top spot in the LPL rankings.

What do you all think about this matter, dear viewers?