Samira & Ashe rapidly rise into League meta after mega AD carry changes
Riot GamesSamira and Ashe have proven to be the two big winners of League of Legends patch 12.5b as the mega AD carry changes shake up the meta. Zeri and Jinx have been gutted with their win rates reflecting that, while Lucian is climbing the ranks alongside others.
The AD carry meta so far in League of Legends Season 12 has been defined by three picks: Aphelios, Jinx, and Zeri. The latter two have been popular with pros and casuals alike, while the former has been a menace in the hands of experts.
There’s been very little room for other picks to break in outside of niche combos. However, that’s all changed after League patch 12.5b, which shifted the AD carry meta drastically.
Gone are Jinx and Zeri — the latter definitely — with Samira, Ashe, and even Lucian taking their place near the top of the meta.
Riot GamesAfter being rendered irrelevant via a number of targeted nerfs plus adjustments to Immortal Shieldbow, Samira now stands at above 50% win rate for the first time in months. Her 51.28% win rate after LoL patch 12.5b is the highest climb of any champion, up nearly 3%.
Ashe has also nudged over 50% after hovering around 49% for some time, while Lucian is rapidly approaching the break-even point.
Despite all the adjustments, the untouched Vayne remains the highest win rate AD carry at 52.15%. Twitch and Miss Fortune round out the podium, with Samira in fourth.
However, it’s the slide from Jinx with her Q nerfs and Zeri’s complete obliteration that will shake up the meta more.
Zeri’s win rate has gone from 50.18% to 49.35%, but the big pointer is her banrate has basically been halved in just a matter of weeks from more than 60% to under 30%.
Jinx has also fallen by around 0.3% to stay just above 50%. She’s still one of the most popular AD carries with a pick rate of nearly 25%, so more nerfs could be coming.
Riot GamesAphelios has also plummeted to become the worst AD carry in solo queue with just a 45.60% win rate. The fall from 46.31% isn’t a big one, but it’s still punishing casual players despite the Weapon of the Faithful’s pro play dominance.
The changes are yet to be reflected in pro play, but with playoffs in most regions just around the corner, a changing of the guard could be coming. Other champions like Varus might also see some play after their buffs too.
Whether Samira and Ashe’s rapid rise will continue into March 30’s League patch 12.6 remains to be seen, but players are slowly adjusting their bot lane habits around the string of changes.
