Note: This article was written before the newest Twisted Fate changes were announced. For the most recent updates, check Riot Phroxzon’s Twitter here.
Original Title: AD Twisted Fate Still Looking Good Despite Nerfs
As new nerfs targeted Twisted Fate so shortly after his ascent to power, many feared that he had been dealt a bad hand once and for all. However, he must have had an ace up his sleeve, because Twisted Fate, particularly his AD variant, still seems to be playing things out as well as ever. Take a look at his recent changes, and how his standings and pro play are doing in response.
[See also: Janna is About to Become Even Stronger]
Nerfs
Yes, Twisted Fate was nerfed. But many of the effects may have missed AD Twisted Fate.
According to the 14.4 Patch Notes, Twisted Fate’s “attack speed growth decreased, W blue card damage decreased,” and “E damage decreased.”
Note that with both Pick A Card (W) and Stacked Deck (E), the nerfs target only the AP ratios. While this will certainly have some impact on hybrid builds, AD Twisted Fate is largely unscathed, outside of a few points of damage here and there. When examining commonly built items in this guide by Sarmenti or 14.4 pro builds, Guinsoo’s Rageblade is the only standard build item that provides AP.
The base attack speed growth, though, is a much bigger deal. Since AD Twisted Fate deals damage through on-hit effects, his attack speed growth matters quite a bit. However, he seems to have pushed through despite this, and continues to win consistently. This can be seen through his current standings and pro play.
Current Standings
Win Rate
For the purposes of examining AD Twisted Fate’s win rate, this analysis will be limited to TF Top and Bot; his Mid Lane build usually involves more AP items. According to U.GG, Twisted Fate currently stands at a 53.24% win rate Top and 52.71% Bot.
In both cases, this is an incredibly respectable win rate. In fact, it is the second highest win rate out of any Top laner. As for Bot, he ranks fourth behind Senna, Seraphine and Nilah, once again placing him in very high standing.
Pick Rate
Despite his proven ability, Twisted Fate’s stellar win rates would still be in vain if his newfound player base was dissuaded by the nerfs. So, what are his current pick rates? From U.GG, his pick rate Top is 2.5% and Bot is 7.6%. His ban rate overall is 36.9%. By both metrics, he is still in the minds of many players. But, how does this compare to before?
Pick Rate Progression
Back in Patch 14.3, which is about two weeks after Twisted Fate’s AD changes, his pick rate was 1.77% in Top lane and 3.5% in Bot lane, according to METAsrc. Now, in 14.4, his pick rates are listed as 2.60% and 7.07%, respectively. Not only is this an improvement, but his popularity has more than doubled in Bot lane. Even after the nerf, people are only continuing to play him more and more. Twisted Fate is still certainly growing in popularity.
Pro Play
Although there are few tournament games for Patch 14.4 so far, AD Twisted Fate has already secured a couple wins in this area. Michael “Qwacker” Zou won with Twisted Fate Top during Spring NACL, and Brock “BoilTheOil” Hanson also won top in the ACL. These are the only two 14.4 TF Top games so far, and both were victories.
However, Twisted Fate Bot is not looking quite as great. With only one game played by Jacob “Prismal” Feinstein in the NACL, he also has one loss.
While three games is certainly not enough to tell for sure, the fact that AD Twisted Fate has already picked up two early wins is promising. Additionally, the fact that pro players are confident in continuing to pick Twisted Fate is a positive indicator for his strength. Only time will tell if this trend continues throughout games and leagues.
Overall
AD Twisted Fate seems to be in a good spot, particularly in regards to his Top Lane performance. Even a set of nerfs hasn’t stopped the dice from rolling in Twisted Fate’s favor. How long will his newfound streak of luck last?
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