The esports scene of League of Legends (LoL) remains more prominent than ever. This is also because of the regional and international tournaments cementing the game’s status as one of the biggest titles in the world of competitive gaming.
However, it’s not just the game’s popularity or the huge prize pool that made League of Legends one of most watched esports. There are also the iconic feats made by pro players in tournaments which stirred the hearts of millions of spectators around the world. To dive more into the world of LoL, here are 10 of the most unforgettable moments in LoL esports:
‘I trust you, Caps’
This iconic line was uttered by Fnatic’s Rekkles in their EU League of Legends Championship Series 2018 match against MSF, an esports team based in Florida. In the pick and ban phase, mid laner Caps was thinking about what to pick after anticipating the lineup of the opposing team. From out of nowhere, he thought of using Vayne due to her massive damage output in the late game.
Of course, his teammates questioned him about the pick as Vayne isn’t a typical mid lane marksman. Seeing that it is their turn to pick, Rekkles decided to place his trust in his teammate. Fortunately, Caps’ Vayne did wonders for Fnatic in that match.
ROX vs SKT in Worlds 2016
The semi finals match between ROX Tigers and SKT back in Worlds 2016 is considered one of the most exciting series ever. However, one of the series’ highlights happened in the second game where both teams got into a base race. It ended when ROX’s PraY managed to land Ashe’s ultimate to the backdooring SKT, giving them the opportunity to win Game 2.
ROX Tigers also won the game after that, but SKT finished them off by winning Games 4 and 5.
Faker’s Zed outplay
This feat happened in 2013 during the Korean OGN finals. SKT T1’s mid laner Faker battled against KT Rolster’s Ryu. The series was the decider on who will qualify for League of Legends World Championship (Worlds) that year.
Faker’s Zed outplay was one of the earliest instances where he showed potential of being one of the best League of Legends players in the world.
SKT T1’s Wombo Combo
This one happened in the group stages of the 2017 World Championship. SKT T1 was up against EDward Gaming with the Korean team struggling through a 10,000 gold deficit. Despite this, SKT T1’s Wolf and Huni pulled off the impossible and initiated a team fight against EDward Gaming.
The team fight started with Rakan’s The Quickness and Cho’Gath’s Rupture and Feral Scream. Twitch followed up with Venom Cask and Spray and Pray before Orianna used her Command: Shockwave. Jarvan IV finished the team off using his Cataclysm.
Chinese teams dominate Worlds 2018
Chinese teams Invictus Gaming (IG) and Royal Never Give Up (RNG) became one of the household names in the LoL esports scene in 2018, especially when the latter team established their dominance in regional and international events before Worlds. Both teams were considered favorites to win in the biggest stage of them all.
Unfortunately, RNG bowed out of the competition in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Worlds. Meanwhile, IG managed to win against KT Rolster, G2 Esports, and Fnatic to win the title.
KT Rolster and IG’s base race
A base race is when both teams are pushing through an open lane to be the first to destroy the opponent’s base. One nail-biting base race happened in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Worlds between Invictus Gaming and KT Rolster.
The Korean team is in danger of being eliminated from the tournament at this point. However, they decided to put up a fight against IG by making it to the opposing base first, much to the hype of spectators who were already on the edge of their seats. However, IG ultimately won the series.
‘General’ Dade commends his rival
The rivalry between sister teams Samsung Blue and Samsung White reached the world stage in 2014 when they faced off against each other in the semi finals. Blue was the favorite over White in this edition of Worlds but they got knocked out of the tournament 3-0.
After Samsung Blue’s defeat, mid laner Dade gave his jacket to his rival PawN as a sign of sportsmanship. White made it all the way to the finals where they won the 2014 title. Dade’s jacket was represented in the featured skin celebrating Samsung White’s victory.
xPeke’s backdoor
Have you ever heard of the term ‘The xPeke’? This term was inspired by the Fnatic player of the same name who used his Kassadin to destroy the enemy’s base at IEM Katowice back in 2013. xPeke managed to outplay two opponents as he destroyed their base while other players were fighting somewhere else.
Backdooring is no longer a popular tactic in LoL these days, but xPeke became a meme after pulling off that unbelievable feat.
SKT T1’s inhibitor rush
SKT T1 was still a fledgling team when they managed to qualify for the Worlds 2013. One of the first times this now-iconic team showed their skills is when they played their second game against Chinese team OMG.
The first game of the series ended with OMG winning but in the second game, the Koreans demonstrated superior tactics and dominated OMG. The game was quick: SKT T1 managed to push for the opponent’s inhibitors only 12 minutes into the match. That game showed the world how fearsome the Korean team was.
The Fnatic brush strategy
xPeke may have been one of the most iconic players of Fnatic, but the team itself managed to make themselves famous by employing a strategy where all of them hide in a brush and collapse on an unsuspecting opponent. The Fnatic Death Brush is what popularized the team aside from being known for its backdoors.
The tactic made its Worlds debut in 2016, but it didn’t work on everyone as TSM knocked them out of that tournament.
Every year, fans are treated to plenty of upcoming League of Legends events that are sure to bring more epic moments that will always be remembered. Even those who do not play the game but are familiar with how it goes are impressed by what pro players have shown in tournaments. These moments not only excite the player base but also inspire them to play the game better.