After the first round-robin of MSI 2022 Groups Stage ended, here is what we have learned thus far.
With the Groups Stage of MSI 2022 halfway done, we have learned quite a bit about the teams and the meta we are seeing. It seems like a lot of new builds and champions have seeped into the new meta and some old comps. Here are our takeaways from MSI Groups Stage Thus Far.
- Read More: MSI 2022 Power Rankings
MSI 2022 Groups Stage Takeaways
We have a few takeaways from MSI 2022 thus far. These include takeaways in terms of teams and the meta. Let’s talk about the main ones in our opinion.
1. The Competition in Group B
Barring RNG, the group is very competitive, given all 3 teams are at 1-2 going into tomorrow. PSG, IW, and RED are showing that they are equally strong coming from their respective regions. All three teams are showing different styles, and each of them has had a decent showing thus far.
The expectation is that they will all lose to RNG the second time around, but this is a three-way race, and it’s as close as possible. At this moment, given how the 3 teams have beaten different opponents, either of them could get out of the group tomorrow. So the end of Group B tomorrow will be the best group stage of this MSI that we can guarantee.
2. Umbral Glaive
With the buff of Umbral Glaive, we are seeing a lot of champions pop up, building this item and going the lethality route. In particular, we have seen more Graves, Pyke, and Jhin. Graves jungle has emerged back into the fray with the change of umbral glaive and it’s causing a huge shift in terms of vision control.
As most pro players and analysts will tell everyone, vision is one of the most important parts of professional play. With Umbral Glaive, it’s easier to deny vision and that is making a lot of headway in this current meta. Look forward to teams having more of a priority on these champions building the item in terms of picks and bans for the rest of the tournament.
3. Really Strong Champion Picks
Based on what we have seen so far, it seems Lucian, Wukong, and Gankplank are really high priorities in the meta. Wukong has been a very aggressive jungler and with his change that allows him to cross terrain with his W, he has become a high pick priority. His skirmishing and team fighting abilities also lend to this surge of priority.
On the other hand, Lucian and Nami were always strong picks but Lucian is definitely the stronger of the two. This champion, when he gets a lead, is just a terror to deal with and it’s showing in these games. At this point, Lucian is a must-ban or pick.
Gangplank is also a high-priority champion but it’s more on the banned list. In the games he has been left open, it has been a problem for the opposition to deal with. Expect him to be banned for most of the games remaining.
Other than that, we have seen a variety of picks pop up in different lanes so it has been very interesting to watch the tournament with all the teams having their own read on the meta.
4. The Dominance of the Lead Dogs of Each Group
It really comes as no surprise that the top teams in each group are dominating their opponents thus far. T1 and RNG are not letting up while G2 looks to have stepped up. Everyone would have expected Group C to be a bit more competitive but G2 is showing they are here to win. With these teams imposing their supremacy, it is clear that they are the top teams going into the Rumble Stage.
In Conclusion
These are our main takeaways about MSI 2022 thus. We expect more developments in the meta to come along with each day. The first spots of the groups are almost confirmed but the 2nd seed from Group A and B are still up for grabs. It’s more Group B than others as though.
With that said, MSI 2022 Groups stage will run until the 15th as the remainder of the games will take place and we will find out our six MSI 2022 Rumble Stage teams.
