Even expert players can't salvage a meta-obsolete hero: Lanling King.

Data reveals everything and never deceives players. By analyzing it, you can understand a hero's role: Is it popular? Is it a niche, high-end hero? Is it supported by skilled players? Or has it been abandoned by the current version? Pick rate doesn't lie; it symbolizes popularity and rank classification. Low pick rate but high win rate proves that top players are quietly working hard. He is generally difficult to master, not everyone has the talent to control him, or it may be due to limitations in the output environment. Teammate synchronization and five-person cooperation are essential to achieve the ideal effect.

Conversely, heroes with very low pick and win rates are beyond saving, ignored and left aside until the developers have a moment of mercy and have time to strengthen and rework them, at which point they might return to the spotlight. The high-level ranked matches are more realistic, with solo play and no team play allowed. If you ignore the advice and still use them in fights, you will bear the consequences. In Season 43, there were three heroes in a state of decline, one of whom was a once recommended assassin for beginners. Can you guess who it is?

Lanling King

The stealth mechanic, once feared by all, has become easily countered after years of reforms. Area damage, self-protection equipment, teammate positioning, vision devices, and target lock control are all their nemesis. There's a ninja in the Rift who relies on this mechanic to ambush squishy targets, instantly killing them after they reappear before disappearing without a trace. Lanling King's pick rate is only 1.7%, and his win rate is 46.9%, which shows how pathetic and miserable he is. There are many posts on the forums pointing out the room for improvement, mechanic rework, and numerical changes. In Season 43, warriors and tanks still dominate. After such a long period of decline, it seems that the developers have forgotten about him, as he was never mentioned in the live stream.

The drawbacks are significant, stemming from two factors: firstly, his own survival is precarious, and secondly, the environment dictates that his base stats are insufficient, putting him at a disadvantage from the start. Furthermore, the current meta favors early-game dominant heroes. Previously, he possessed ample invasiveness, using stealth and strong buffs to counter-jungle. Now, weakened and relegated to late-game power spikes, isn't this testing everyone's survival instincts? If the gold difference is even, failing to secure kills upon entering a fight guarantees a counter-kill. Moreover, in team fights with numerous enemies, how can Lanling Wang, with his single-target burst damage, bypass supports and tanks to eliminate marksmen and mages? Supports have Xing Zhao, mages have Zhonya's Hourglass, and marksmen have Blade of Despair—what threat is there?

Image source: Internet