May's ranking of top laners: Ma Chao leads by a wide margin, while Ya Lian is nowhere to be seen. (Part 3)

If we categorize the warriors in the T1 tier as mainstream, then the T2 tier is an overrated team, a hypothetical powerhouse, all show and no substance. Their mechanics look intimidating, but if you fight seriously, you'll find yourself struggling inexplicably. Unfortunately, the members placed in this position are Yang Jian and Hua Mulan.

T2: Mulan, Yang Jian, Mi Yue

Mulan is known for her versatility and high skill ceiling. She can switch freely between light and heavy sword forms, focusing on attack speed and silence with her light sword, and charging and combo attacks with her heavy sword. Her gameplay has been optimized. However, like Shangguan Wan'er, her fate is fraught with misfortune. Despite her flashy mechanics, she is easily defeated. No matter how skillful you are, you can't withstand Angela's direct, burning attacks. While you're charging up, your opponent thanks you for the increased accuracy. Yang Jian's Howling Celestial Dog can ricochet, instantly teleporting within your field of vision to strike you in the face, causing stun. Then, her ultimate ability turns her into a giant vampire. Unfortunately, the top lane advantage isn't as significant as the jungle resource advantage, as the latter has a higher positioning, causing the top lane to gradually lose its original status.

Mi Yue, having just received the West Sea Dragon King skin, is facing a revamp where she's expected to participate more in team fights. Even her scoring criteria have changed, making her path to power-up quite bumpy. While some consider her a high-level mage, experienced players disagree. She requires slightly higher skill ceiling across all ranks and needs time to be accepted. The skin and new look will undoubtedly boost her popularity. Currently, she has an 11.4% pick rate and a 51.97% win rate across all ranks; a 10.7% pick rate and a 53.22% win rate in the peak 1350 ranking; and a 12.5% pick rate and a 52.52% win rate in top-tier ranked matches. Players are still adjusting; she's not considered strong, but she's not weak either.

T3: Arthur, Lu Bu, Sun Ce

Tier 3 is truly unsettling. It's like a primitive state, unchanged mechanics, and fixed gameplay. For example, Lu Bu's crowd control, Damo's ambush and wall-pushing, Sun Ce's boat-ramming. Arthur is the one who broke out of his niche, with a high margin for error, but he's considered beginner-friendly here. Across all skill levels, his pick rate is 12.8%; in the peak 1350 ranking, it's 5.8% with a 48.72% win rate; in top-tier ranked matches, it's 9.6% with a 48.48% win rate. The fiercer the competition, the smaller the room for growth.

Image source: Internet