The last era of ad carries can be traced back to Season 2. From Seasons 3 to 5, the status of ADCs has been declining. However, the major changes to ADCs in Season 6 were seen by players as a sign that the spring of ADCs was about to arrive. But is that really the case?
At the beginning of this season, with the arrival of the new version, most ADCs underwent significant changes, leading many to believe that Season 6 would belong to ADCs. However, looking at the current format of the LPL league, traditional ADCs (those that only appear in the bottom lane) are performing poorly in matches, facing a harsh survival environment, and their contribution to team damage output is gradually decreasing. In the new season, ADCs’ output accounts for only about 20% of the total team output. Moreover, some traditional ADCs like Graves and Quinn have moved out of the bottom lane and are performing better in mid and jungle positions. It is still quite difficult for ADCs to turn the tide of the game on their own.
Data:
The above chart shows that the win rate of traditional ADCs is around 50%, which is not particularly impressive. This also indicates that the choice of ADC in the bottom lane does not significantly impact the outcome of the match.
Reasons
First, I believe the changes to the six major ADCs in Season 6 have greatly affected the status of traditional ADCs. The major changes to Graves this season, due to his unique basic attack mechanism and the special nature of his Q skill being cast against walls, have allowed him to perform better in the jungle. Quinn’s ultimate ability for quick support and excellent laning capability make her more suitable for mid and top lanes. Additionally, the unique passive of Jayce allows him to function as a semi-mage in the mid lane. These traditional ADCs have shifted roles due to their characteristics, leading to a change in the core damage output of teams. The traditional League of Legends composition primarily focused on mid and bottom as core damage points, while the jungle and top lanes generally featured tanks and semi-tank fighters providing control and serving as stable frontliners. However, the emergence of full AD carries will inevitably change the core focus from mid and bottom to mid and jungle, as resources in a match are limited and the core lanes will inevitably consume a lot of resources, leading to a decrease in ADCs’ resource share.
On the other hand, the introduction of new masteries has made the survival environment for ADCs even harsher. The burst damage from Thunderlord’s Decree has allowed a large number of assassins to return to the game, with champions like Zed and Talon posing a significant threat to ADCs’ survival. The enhancement of the Stormrider’s Surge mastery has allowed frontline fighters to easily dive into the backline. In this version, ADCs without mobility are hard to find on the battlefield (except for Miss Fortune). Additionally, with the introduction of new assassin items in the next version, it must be said that the nightmare for ADCs is about to begin.
So, based on the current situation where the status of traditional ADCs is gradually declining, how should traditional ADCs choose? I have made the following bold predictions.
1. Skill-based ADCs
Skill-based ADCs refer to those who primarily rely on skills for damage output and also possess good survivability. For example, Obama (Ezreal) has high skill damage and excellent mobility. Another example is the currently popular Iceborne Ezreal, whose outstanding kiting and poke ability have made blue Ezreal favored by professional players, resulting in a good win rate. I also believe Miss Fortune primarily relies on skill damage. Although she lacks mobility, as long as she can position her ultimate well in team fights, combined with heroes like Poppy who can protect against dives, her output is definitely sufficient.
2. Functional ADCs
These ADCs provide control for the team. The AD Kennen strategy developed by Fnatic in the S5 World Championship utilized this idea.
Kennen, who has no AD-enhancing skills, is quite weak as an ADC for damage output. However, with high attack speed, Kennen can instantly achieve a stun effect with his passive, and Fnatic’s goal was to use the hurricane flow Kennen to provide substantial control in team fights to assist teammates in dealing damage. Even if he doesn’t deal damage himself and gets focused down, providing control is enough. Therefore, perhaps Kennen can once again appear as a bottom lane ADC in the current meta.
3. Development of Bottom Lane Duo Compositions
One cannot help but recall the dominating duo of Malphite and Leona at the end of last season, which was almost always banned. Just thinking about it is terrifying. In the current version, where the status of ADCs in the bottom lane is precarious, if a bottom lane duo could be chosen instead, it might also yield good results. However, currently, after multiple nerfs, Malphite is no longer strong, and no other recognized bottom lane duo compositions have emerged. Therefore, this still requires players to explore.