LoL: Pro toplaner’s pool gets wiped out by enemies in Fearless Draft Game 1

Chau “YSKM” Shu Tak is a toplaner from Hong Kong, currently playing in the PCS with Frank Esports, who’s made a name for himself picking duelist champions. His pool largely focuses on the champs known in the Chinese community as the “five sisters” of toplane: duelists Fiora, Gwen, Camille, and Irelia, only swapping out Riven for his signature Jax. YSKM is very skilled at these picks, previously finding success with them in the LPL. So now, in the PCS Grand Finals, Frank Esports vs. Deep Cross Gaming, when DCG picked every single one of YSKM’s core picks in just Game 1, the toplaner was completely caught unawares.

With Fiora in toplane, Jax as their jungler, Irelia their mid, and Camille support, DCG had reduced YSKM’s pool to a puddle in just the first draft. Given the mechanics of the Fearless Draft format, they knew YSKM would be unable to pick any of these in the subsequent games of the best of five. His last duelist, Gwen, remained an immediate ban for DCG throughout the series.

YSKM is not, however, without any other picks. The only issue: his remaining most-played pick, and his eventual lock-in in that draft, K’sante, faced a tough matchup into known tank-buster Fiora in top. Lo “Flauren” Chak Kin actually went pretty even for most of the game into YSKM, but the rest of DCG was able to run away with Game 1, as Wu “665” Yi-Han’s Jax Jungle was able to snowball a huge advantage. With a lost Game 1 into a very unorthodox draft, and essentially nothing left to play toplane the remaining games, it looked dire for Frank Esports.

And dire it was. In Games 2 and 3, YSKM was forced onto uncharacteristic tank picks that did not fit the toplaner’s style. His username, short for “You Should Know Me” likely did not refer to knowing him for his play on picks like Sion and Udyr top, both of which he had only one career game on beforehand. DCG was left to draft freely, while FAK got swept in what turned out to be a 3-0 series, with Game 3 being an especially one-sided 25-minute stomp.

This kind of Fearless Draft exploitation of a unique player’s unique pool has been seen before. YSKM now shares this experience with fellow toplaner Simon “Baus” Hofverberg, also known as famous streamer Thebausffs. Baus, playing in the NLC with Marc “Caedrel” Lamont’s Los Ratones, encountered a similar scheme employed by Venomcrest in the NLC Playoffs Lower Bracket. There, it did not prove nearly as effective. Venomcrest’s Sion mid, Gragas jungle, and more, did take out some of Baus’ best picks, but he was able to pull out still more pocket picks he’d prepped, like a totally off-meta lethality Vi top. With Baus’ surprising depth, it was LR, the receiving end of this same Fearless Draft strategy, that was able to 3-0 that series.

Both Frank Esports and Deep Cross Gaming, having made it to the PCS’ top 4, will be heading soon to Asia Masters, a Tier 2 tournament for teams across the continent. There, in another Fearless Draft format, fans will look to see if YSKM will have to adapt his strategy to succeed. If so, hiding a few more secret picks up his sleeve may be exactly what his team needs.