Worlds 2022 High 20 Gamers Checklist

Worlds 2022 is simply across the nook, so I figured why not proceed the venerable custom of arbitrarily rating the highest 20 gamers to the total extent of my biases and receiving hate for it for weeks on finish?

Signal me up!

Anyway, right here’s the record:

#20: C9 Berserker: From Apprentice to Grasp

The one NA participant on this record, regardless that he’s a Korean import, Berserker’s efficiency from the beginning of this yr to his eventual championship run has been nothing wanting exemplary.

The previous understudy to T1’s Gumayusi, Berserker has been vastly superior to each different bot laner in NA, and simply carried Cloud9 to their first championship in fairly a while together with his elegant positioning in teamfights.

Strengths: Excellent teamfighter

Weaknesses: May look higher than he really is due to NA competitors

Key choose: Aphelios

#19:  MAD UNF0RGIVEN: Unmatched Potential

UNF0RGIVEN has been one in every of my favourite gamers to observe this whole yr.

One of many few bot laners to have your entire Infinity Gauntlet of meta ADCs inside the summer time break up and playoffs, UNF0RGIVEN’s season was minimize abruptly quick by shortcoming from his solo laners within the playoffs.

He’s an entire bundle when it comes to versatility, laning and teamfighting who appears to be restricted solely by his teammates’ run of type.

Out of all Western gamers at Worlds, my cash is on him to carve out a reputation for himself after styling on his Asian counterparts on this event!

Strengths: Can play each single ADC within the meta, Good laning, Nice teamfighting

Weaknesses: First Worlds, First time enjoying in opposition to Japanese groups

Key choose: Twitch

#18: RNG GALA: The PentaKing

GALA has had a steady season since profitable MSI this yr, narrowly making it to Worlds by beating out huge names similar to Doinb and Tarzan in LPL Regionals.

Whereas his Lucian has been completely terrifying on this summer time break up, he has seemed shockingly lukewarm on different champions all through LPL playoffs.

Though GALA stays top-of-the-line teamfighters on the earth, in addition to the best Kai’Sa participant of all time, his laning has not precisely been top-tier, and he has been vulnerable to getting abused by different gamers additional down this record.

Strengths: Monster teamfighter, Monster Lucian, Finest Kai’Sa participant of all time

Weaknesses: Subpar laning

Key picks: Kai’Sa

#17: RNG Xiaohu: The Spring Tiger

The second-greatest participant of all time!

No less than in my e book…

Then why is he ranked so low, you ask?

As a result of Xiaohu’s declare to greatness doesn’t come from sheer mechanical brilliance like another GOAT contenders like Rookie or Uzi.

Xiaohu has had a decisive return from his MSI championship, inserting 4th within the common season and selecting up the All-Professional 1st Staff this summer time break up.

Although he did get outpaced by EDG within the playoffs, he managed to get himself to Worlds following a prudent sequence versus DoinB’s LNG, the place he as soon as once more demonstrated his capability to acknowledge and play to win circumstances.

Whereas Xiaohu is rarely rated as extremely due to his lack of sensible mechanics, his capability to competently play a large assortment of champions and playstyles make him a way more terrifying participant than any hotshot rookie with loopy montages.

Strengths: Excessive IQ, Versatile, Win situation evaluation

Weaknesses: Mediocre laner, Struggles in high-skill matchups

Key picks: Galio, Taliyah

#16: TES JackeyLove: The Lunatic Famous person

Look I do know what you’re pondering…

Does JackeyLove deserve a High 20 spot after one of the most egregious Zeri ints that cost his team the championship in Game 5?

Nicely… no. However I can clarify…

See, JackeyLove has really been fairly constant, by his mediocre requirements, all through this break up. His well-known laning proficiency stays top-of-the-line, if not the most effective, amongst all ADCs within the event, and he nonetheless has the flexibility to utterly shutout the enemy bot lane and win the sport by sheer laning expertise.

His teamfighting has improved as effectively; there have been a number of occasions inside playoffs the place he was in a position to clutch out some huge teamfighs on Zeri and save his workforce from precarious positions.

Nevertheless, Jackey nonetheless hasn’t grown out of the lunatic positionings that has plagued him since his rookie days, and remains to be very vulnerable to going aggressive at occasions and simply inting away the sport on the most inopportune moments.

Strengths: Monster laner, Versatile champ pool

Weaknesses: Will get caught randomly, Aggressive positioning in teamfights

Key choose: Draven

#15: TES Wayward: The Cocky Rookie

The 2022 LPL Spring Rookie of the Break up, Wayward is a sensational prime laner that may flip heads at this yr’s World Championship.

A cocky, emote-spamming child with the scary mechanics to again them up, Wayward has a penchant for locating inventive teamfighting angles in clutch conditions.

Though I feel he might want to develop additional to shed himself of his rookie naivety, his uncooked mechanics and his capability to run over the sport when enjoying robust facet, ought to already make him a fearsome proposition for any workforce at Worlds.

Strengths: Nice laner, Nice teamfighter

Weaknesses: Too aggressive, Inexperienced, First Worlds

Key Picks: Gnar, Irelia

#14. T1 Zeus: The Saving Grace

The prodigy that has saved T1 afloat amidst a strange season, Zeus is available in at #14.

An especially highly effective laner that may additionally operate as a weakside participant, Zeus permits T1 to pivot into top-focused drafts given how unhealthy Gumayusi has been enjoying this yr.

That being stated, T1 doesn’t appear to comprehend that, placing him on Ornn responsibility throughout the finals, and ending up getting swept…

Strengths: Finest Jayce participant on the earth, Monster laner

Weaknesses: Staff doesn’t mess around him as a lot as they need to

Key choose: Jayce

#13: JDG Lacking: The Quiet Storm

The best ranked assist on this record, Missing will certainly not be lacking from making this record!

Hehe… anyway…

Lacking has been quietly instrumental in Jingdong Gaming’s ascent to the championship this yr, proving to be a key contributor together with his proficiency on enchanters.

One explicit factor to notice when watching Lacking is the accuracy of his ultimates on champions like Nami or Yuumi.

I see skilled helps both toss these ults out haphazardly or miss folks altogether, however Lacking has an excellent finger on the heart beat with regards to utilizing ultimates at simply the best moments in essential choke factors throughout the map.

I imagine his prudence with huge final spells was one of many huge the reason why JDG have been in a position to comeback in opposition to TOP in these 10 video games within the playoffs.

Strengths: Finest Nami on the earth, Excels at enchanters, Good teamfighter, Good laner

Weaknesses: Isn’t recognized for his have interaction helps

Key choose: Nami

#12: RGE Comp: The Finest within the West

The best ranked Western participant on this record, Comp is available in at #12 after selecting Finals MVP in Rogue’s first ever championship!

A teamfighting monster whose laning has improved as a consequence of his assist’s excellence on enchanters, Comp is the definitive win situation for Rogue.

His efficiency in opposition to G2 within the Finals was fairly as near excellent as anybody may ever get, going immortal while sweeping the very workforce that tormented him for years to lastly clinch the chip!

Strengths: Monster teamfighter, Nice laner

Weaknesses: First Worlds

Key choose: Caitlyn

#11: RNG Breathe: Most Underrated

I really feel like folks don’t fairly perceive simply how good Breathe is…

I imply, they know he’s good however simply how good precisely?

He’s ridiculous.

Whereas he wasn’t obtainable to play throughout RNG’s MSI run this yr, Breathe has come again in for summer time break up and picked up simply the place he left off final yr. A very world-class prime laner who is ready to play tanks in addition to carries, there are actually no holes in Breathe’s gameplay.

I’ve solely seen him get crushed by 369, who you’ll meet additional down this record, and Bin, who might be the most effective prime laner in your entire world.

Strengths: Nice teamfighter, Strong laner, Versatile pool

Weaknesses: Staff doesn’t mess around him sufficient

Key Choose: Akali

#10: TES Knight: The Golden Left Hand

For another participant, getting tenth in this type of record might be a profession accomplishment.

For Knight, it’s a stunning disappointment… 

Probably the most effective Chinese language-born participant of all time, The Golden Left Hand has been spinning on all cylinders all break up, main TES to a 14-2 document within the common season.

He’s terribly well-known for his Sylas, which is banned in opposition to High Esports 48% of the time…

Let that sink in, groups are so fearful of Knight embarrassing their whole households on this champion, it’s banned virtually half of his video games…

An especially highly effective participant with as a lot versatility as carry efficiency, Knight was largely lukewarm in his pivotal video games in opposition to JDG and childhood pal Yagao throughout the 10 video games they performed in opposition to one another in playoffs.

Whereas he appears to excel at melee, playmaking champions, he has seemed fairly in contrast to himself on different picks similar to Lissandra.

Given his unhealthy run of type within the playoffs it will likely be attention-grabbing to see how he shapes up for Worlds.

Make no mistake, as excessive as he already is on this record, Knight normally belongs a lot greater.

Strengths: Sylas monster, Monster teamfighter, Good laning, Good roamer, Champ ocean

Weaknesses: Struggled on low useful resource picks in direction of the top, Lukewarm playoffs

Key Choose: Sylas

#9: GEN Peanut: The Lynchpin

Peanut is coming off top-of-the-line splits of his whole profession! It’s fairly formidable to see the younger, flashy Lee Sin prodigy of 2015 being lauded for his Poppy and Trundle play in 2022, however hey, that’s simply the way it goes generally!

Armed with among the finest laners on your entire planet, Peanut has been the engine behind GenG’s early and mid video games, and has been a vital bridge to get his laners into their merchandise spikes the place they’re nearly invincible as a workforce.

Strengths: Early recreation engine, Good on summer time meta junglers

Weaknesses: May battle if meta switches to farm heavy junglers, May look higher than he really is due to laners

Key Choose: Poppy

#8: JDG 369: The Dwelling Cheat Code

369 is just the most effective prime laner at Worlds.

Make no mistake, he’s not the most effective prime laner in the world (that might be Bin, who sadly couldn’t 1v9 his manner right here) however, however a daunting proposition for any workforce to should cope with.

369 lit up LPL Summer time Playoffs by selecting weakside tanks like Ornn and Sejuani… and continuing to solo kill his opposition left, proper and middle…

Primarily, he is sort of a cheat code that you simply used that you would be able to’t inform your mates about. His workforce advantages from having a frontline and utility together with his picks, however as a substitute of struggling the drawbacks, additionally they know he would possibly simply kill the enemy carry with they ever misplay in opposition to him.

Strengths: Finest weakside participant on the earth, Monster laning, Nice teamfighting, Monster have interaction, Nice versatility

Weaknesses: Has not been enjoying many carries this break up

Key choose: Sejuani

#7: JDG Hope: World’s Greatest Shock

We come off 369’s Hype Practice straight into Hope Station.

Hope has been a revelation by LPL playoffs, managing to distance himself from all of the unbelievable ADCs in his area to return out because the champion.

He was somebody I didn’t have a specific eye on this yr, so you could possibly think about my shock as I noticed him merely tearing aside huge names like JackeyLove together with his elegant laning and teamfighting.

Versus JackeyLove, who nonetheless hasn’t tempered his aggression regardless of his veterancy, Hope has razor-sharp instinct, and is consistently in a position to tow the road between optimistic aggression and guarded passivity.

Actually, Hope is significantly good, and alongside Missing, they could simply be the most effective bot lane at this event.

In case you are like me, and also you didn’t actually know who Hope is and don’t see a motive to get hyped off of him, belief me, you’re in for an enormous shock.

Strengths: Monster teamfigher, Nice laner,

Weaknesses: None

Key Choose: Lucian

#6: JDG Kanavi: Carry Jungle Extraordinaire

The truth that #6 by #8 are all JDG gamers ought to inform you one thing in regards to the power of Jingdong Gaming…

However hey! Perhaps I’m simply BiASED.

Kanavi is just wonderful and I daresay he was the most important motive why JDG have been in a position to pull off these anime-level comebacks in opposition to TOP throughout these 10 video games. A carry jungler who managed to steadiness it out with efficient ganking, Kanavi is actually unbeatable when he’s having a great recreation, type of like Damwon’s Canyon.

One thing I observed in these teamfights in opposition to TOP was how he performs his bruiser champions like assassins, intelligently stepping into small pockets of imaginative and prescient and leaping out at simply the best time to choose off a squishy, warping your entire teamfight in only a matter of seconds.

Strengths: Nice carry jungler, Nice versatility, Nice have interaction, Good ganker

Weaknesses: Forces picks that generally backfire like Bel’Veth

Key Picks: Vi, Kindred, Karthus, Bel’Veth

#5: EDG Viper: The Foremost Character

The worldwide heartthrob of final yr’s World Champions, Viper makes it again to Worlds in true Viper trend – incinerating every part in his manner.

Regardless of not with the ability to clinch the summer time title, Viper remains to be the most effective bot laner in China and has been ever since he received imported from Korea.

From laning, to teamfighting, to positioning, the person merely excels in each aspect of ADC skillsets in a wonderful maelstrom of expertise, the likes of which I’ve hardly ever seen from the ADC place.

EDG will probably be counting on this guardian deity to develop into the primary workforce since SKT to win back-to-back World Championships, and with Viper on the helm, it’s not too inconceivable…

Strengths: Godlike teamfighter, Godlike laner, Monster versatility, Can play non-ADCs

Weaknesses: Completely nothing.

Key Choose: Aphelios

#4: GEN Chovy: The Excellent Participant

Ah… can’t look ahead to the Korean fanboys to see their lord and savior ranked so low…

Look man, Chovy is nice. Chovy is nice. Hell, he’s actually the most effective laner this recreation has ever seen…

That being stated, he does have good teammates round him and the summer time meta was undoubtedly suited to his tastes.

Beforehand given the title The Uncrowned King, Chovy lastly managed to win an LCK championship, after six makes an attempt on the trophy.

With each different participant on this record, it’s about how their strengths make them certified to be right here. For Chovy, it’s about how any intangible nook and cranny prevents him from being the automated finest participant on the earth…

If you happen to ever tried to show an AI program to play League of Legends optimally, it should finally come out to a mode that’s most harking back to Chovy’s.

Nevertheless, excellent play isn’t the one factor that constitutes profitable championships – Chovy would know that, as a result of for all his excellent play, that is the primary time he has a trophy to point out for it.

If the meta stays on Azir and Ahri he will probably be nice, however I’m fearful for him and GenG if it swaps over to extra roaming type mid laners.

Strengths: Best laner of all time, Good versatility

Weaknesses: Not very clutch, Struggles for affect on low useful resource mids

Key picks: Azir, Akali

#3: TES Tian: An Unbeatable Early Sport

The very best jungler on the earth, who in all actually deserved to win the championship for his efforts, Tian is available in at #3 following a break up which fetched him the MVP award in LPL Summer time 2022!

He appeared to have landed in a great meta for him and rapidly discovered his place facilitating his carries, turning into a really highly effective early recreation engine that merely destroys groups earlier than the 15-minute mark.

His genius pathing and talent to smell out potential dives and ganks properly complement his laners’ highly effective, but unreliable, aggression, creating an ideal storm that makes TES probably the most effective early recreation workforce on the earth.

Strengths: Monster ganker

Weaknesses: Will endure if meta switches to farming junglers

Key Choose: Trundle

#2: JDG Yagao: Candy Vindication

Ahh.. I can hear the pitchforks from right here…

IMAGINE RANKING YAGAO OVER CHOVY?!?! REEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Lemme clarify…

To start with, neither Yagao or Chovy is definitely the most effective mid laner on the earth. That will be my hero Rookie who, similar to Bin, fell tragically wanting 1v9ing his manner into this event.

Secondly, Yagao is coming off a career-defining playoffs on his highway to securing one other championship for JDG, displaying his ability on a myriad of various types and champions.

If you happen to took the nameplates off, I might have mistaken him for his childhood pal Knight!

It’s heartwarming for Yagao, who is consistently in comparison with and laughed at due to his obvious inferiority to his childhood pal, to lastly shut the haters up and actually hole Knight in 10 straight video games to take house the trophy in probably the most contested LPL splits ever.

He’s even occupying a slot on this High 20 record that might usually be reserved for Knight, which works to point out simply how good this man has been enjoying within the closing stretch of the playoffs!

Whereas Chovy is a greater laner and arguably even a greater teamfighter, he’s considerably restricted by his reliance on hard-scaling mid laners that make use of his very good mechanics.

The rationale why I’ve Yagao ranked greater than his Korean counterpart is his capability to play low useful resource mid laners in addition to the arduous carries, which significantly will increase JDG’s drafting efficiency, particularly when paired with a carry jungler like Kanavi.

Strengths: Godlike versatility, Excessive IQ, Nice have interaction

Weaknesses: Streaky participant, Momentary run of type might need fallen off in Worlds

Key picks: Taliyah, Ahri

#1: GEN Ruler: And One to Rule Them All

The Season 7 Worlds Finals MVP is again, and is seeking to cement himself as the best ADC of all time with one other Summoner’s Cup.

With GenG freed from all of the COVID circumstances that plagued them in spring, Ruler has been transcendent this break up, selecting up the LCK MVP award en path to his first ever home championship.

Heralded as the most effective teamfighter on the earth, Ruler has reached a stage of robotic precision in huge 5v5 conditions that I’ve seldom seen all through my years of watching League.

His capability to micromanage cooldowns, intelligently purchase targets, house accordingly is second to completely nobody, and he has been the first motive for GenG steamrolling by the common season.

Though the present meta is vastly totally different from the Ardent Censor meta the place he received his first World championship, the technique stays the identical – mess around Ruler in any respect prices.

A mix of unbeatable teamfighting acumen together with best-in-class teammates places Ruler as a frontrunner for Worlds 2022. Not solely that, however given GenG’s playstyle of prioritizing the bot lane, if his workforce have been to win ultimately, it’s greater than doubtless Ruler finally ends up with a second Worlds Finals MVP – a feat that no different participant has ever completed within the historical past of League of Legends esports.

Strengths: Godlike teamfighter, Good laner, Versatile pool

Weaknesses: Is just not very aggressive

Key picks: Zeri