In the 2023 League of Legends season, the bot lane meta has been largely stagnant with only a limited pool of ADCs dominating the scene. Despite Riot introducing new champions into the fold with the latest ADC item changes, U.GG reports that there are currently only eight marksmen with a pick rate above 10 percent in Masters Elo and above.
However, out of the eight, only three marksmen have a positive win rate and Xayah is the only one with a win rate over 52 percent. Surprisingly, the two bot lane champions with the highest win rates are unconventional choices: Yasuo and Karthus.
According to U.GG, Karthus has a win rate of 53.71 percent over 2,000 games, while Yasuo has a win rate of over 55 percent in just over 1,100 games. Although both champions are niche picks, they perform well in certain bot lane matchups.
Karthus is a magic damage champion who can guarantee more balanced damage output in team compositions. As a bot laner, he gets the bulk of the resources, making him a formidable carry in a match. His passive ability, Death Defied, allows him to continue dealing damage after his death, making him a valuable asset in teamfights. Additionally, his ultimate ability, Requiem (R), can deal massive damage to the enemy team, making him an ideal pick for starting fights or securing objectives.
Yasuo, on the other hand, is a strong counter-pick against ranged champions or teams with multiple projectiles. His Wind Wall (W) neutralizes enemy projectiles, giving him an advantage in trades. Additionally, he has been indirectly buffed by the recent ADC item changes, making him a more formidable pick in the current meta.
Although the number of games played for Yasuo and Karthus is relatively low, their high win rates suggest that they are strong niche picks that players should be aware of. With no major shifts in the bot lane meta expected in the near future, we may see more players opting for unconventional choices like Yasuo and Karthus in the coming weeks.
