TL;DR
- TSM leads LCS with 48 unique champions played, six more than second-place CLG
- Broken Blade sets individual record with 12 different champions in top lane
- Strategic roster adjustments with Biofrost replacing Treatz proved crucial for team synergy
- Champion diversity creates draft phase advantages and makes opponents’ preparation more difficult
- Team Liquid demonstrates success with opposite approach, raising questions about optimal strategy
Team SoloMid has emerged as the LCS’s most strategically versatile squad, leveraging unprecedented champion diversity to position themselves for their first championship victory since 2017.
The organization’s trophy drought dates back to the 2017 Summer Split, marking three years of roster experimentation and strategic evolution. During this transitional period, TSM cycled through numerous player combinations while searching for the right competitive formula.
Their current configuration shows promising direction, highlighted by the strategic return of veteran marksman Yiliang “Doublelift” Peng to stabilize the bottom lane. Initially paired with promising rookie Erik “Treatz” Wessén, the team later made a mid-split adjustment by reinstating Vincent “Biofrost” Wang, a change that significantly improved team coordination and late-game decision-making.
Currently sharing second position in the standings following a statement victory over Cloud9, TSM has demonstrated exceptional draft flexibility. Their 48 distinct champion selections this split establish a new league benchmark for strategic variety.
- TSM – 48 champions
- CLG – 42 champions
- Dignitas – 40 champions
- EG – 40 champions
- 100 Thieves – 37 champions
- C9 – 37 champions
- Golden Guardians – 34 champions
- Immortals – 32 champions
- FlyQuest – 31 champions
- Team Liquid – 30 champions
TSM showing great draft diversity in 2020 LCS Summer Split
This champion diversity stems from contributions across multiple positions, with top laner Sergen “Broken Blade” Çelik leading the charge with 12 unique selections—the highest individual count league-wide.
Doublelift has similarly displayed impressive flexibility, mastering ten different champions in the bot lane. Interestingly, mid laner Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg stands as the sole TSM member not dominating his role’s diversity metrics. Despite his reputation for extensive champion knowledge, Bjergsen may be strategically reserving innovative picks for crucial playoff matches.
Teams with extensive champion pools gain significant draft phase leverage, forcing opponents to either ban broadly—weakening their ban strategy—or risk facing unexpected matchups. This approach particularly benefits squads like TSM that can adapt their strategy based on opponent tendencies and current meta shifts.
Common strategic mistakes include over-reliance on comfort picks, which makes teams predictable, and failing to develop backup strategies when key champions are banned.
Advanced teams optimize their diversity by systematically practicing off-meta picks in scrims and developing complementary champion combinations that work across multiple compositions.
The time investment required to master multiple champions varies by role—top lane typically requires 15-20 hours per champion to reach competitive proficiency, while support roles might need 10-15 hours for effective mastery.
Occupying the diversity ranking’s lowest position, Team Liquid presents a fascinating competitive case study. Despite their limited champion variety, TL maintains an impressive 13-3 record entering week 8, demonstrating that strategic excellence can sometimes compensate for limited flexibility.
Their relatively predictable style raises questions about playoff sustainability, as opponents have more focused preparation targets. The coming postseason will determine whether their specialized approach can withstand the increased strategic scrutiny of elimination matches.
This creates an intriguing strategic dichotomy within the LCS—TSM’s adaptive versatility versus Team Liquid’s specialized mastery.
Action Checklist
- Analyze your team’s current champion pool diversity across all roles
- Identify 2-3 additional champions per role that complement existing strategies
- Develop counter-strategies for teams with limited diversity like Team Liquid
- Practice draft scenarios with varied champion selections to build flexibility
- Create a champion mastery priority list based on meta relevance and team composition needs
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » TSM has the biggest champion pool among all LCS summer teams How TSM's champion diversity strategy propelled them to LCS success and what other teams can learn