League of Legends is a game with a staggering number of champions. They each have their strengths, weaknesses, and playstyles. For many players, the variety of options can be overwhelming. Sometimes, it's tempting to focus on one champion or role that feels comfortable and familiar. This approach, known as being a "one-trick pony," has both advantages and disadvantages.
In this blog post, we'll explore this topic in detail. Whether you're a seasoned player looking to refine your strategy or a newcomer trying to find your footing in the game, understanding the pros and cons of one-trick pony play can help you make the most of your League of Legends experience. Maybe it may help you climb the ranked ladder easier.
Let's start with a few examples of well-known OTPs (One Trick Ponies)...
Tyler1 - A popular streamer and content creator, Tyler1 is known for his exceptional skill with Draven, a marksman champion. He has played Draven almost exclusively for years and is widely regarded as one of the best Draven players in the world. Nowadays, some would say he would not be considered a one-trick pony but he rose to popularity mostly due to his Draven gameplay in the past.
Doanel (also known as Dantes) - A well-known streamer who mostly became popular due to his amazing Hecarim gameplay (considered one of the best Hecarim players in the world). His streams and videos are popular among players who are interested in improving their skills with this champion.
Cowsep - For sure the most popular Master Yi player overall, Cowsep is a respected member of the League of Legends community who has made a name for himself through his exceptional Master Yi gameplay and his educative, entertaining content.
With a few examples shown, let's get straight to the pros!
Pros
Mastery
By focusing on only one champion, you can become very skilled at it and master its nuances. This can give you an edge over opponents who don't know the champion as well as you do. It also helps you learn the matchups way easier, giving you an advantage over others as if you played thousands of games with the same champion. Chances are you know the matchup better than your lane opponent does. You can also intimidate your opponent with a level 7 champion mastery icon.
Consistency
Since you are playing the same champion repeatedly, you become more consistent in your performance on that one champion. If you play dozens of games on the same matchup, you most likely have certain aspects memorized already and you can use this to your advantage. This can be especially helpful in climbing the ranked ladder as consistency is one of the key factors to maintaining a decent enough win rate.
Less Stress
If you only play one champion you don't have to worry as much about counter-picks or adapting to different team compositions. This is because you are playing that same champion you love to use so much. This can make the game more enjoyable and less stressful as players will focus on working with one champion. This makes it easier to enjoy the overall gaming experience.
Easier Climbing
One-trick ponies can climb the ranks slightly easier because of the decision to master one champion instead of focusing on multiple. It helps because the focus on perfecting one champion wonât be as divided as focusing on several. This will improve your gameplay as your singular champion of choice will have all the attention it needs to be all the best it can be.
Making a Name
As shown in earlier examples, there are a lot of one-trick ponies that rose to fame due to their ability to play a certain champion. It's noticeably easier to make a name for yourself if you focus on one champion and exceed at playing it, especially when you get to higher levels of the ranked ladder. Itâs simply easier to become recognized when you have mastered your favorite champion. This is especially true when the champion you play is not something often seen.
Limited flexibility
Playing only one or two champions means that you may struggle in situations where itâs not so ideal. For example, if your champion is banned or picked by the enemy team, you may have to dodge or play something you're not so comfortable with. This same situation occurs when you have to force yourself into a bad matchup or a bad team composition for the sake of champion or role compatibility.
Boredom
Playing the same champion or role over and over again may be fun for some players but for others, it may become boring. This can lead to burnout which will have an impact on your gaming experience. So, if youâre prone to boredom, choosing more than one champion to work with is a good way to switch things up.
Fear of change
While you might enjoy playing your beloved champion, League of Legends is a game that keeps changing to grow and maintain a healthy roster of gamers. Usually, League has a patch every two weeks. Sometimes, certain patches can have a major impact on champions. If you happen to play a champion thatâs become victim to a crippling nerf, you may find yourself at a disadvantage.
One good example would be Aatrox. His rework completely changed the champion and how heâs being played. It was enough to prompt a certain Challenger Korean Aatrox OTP that renamed himself to âDontRemakeAatroxâ right after his rework got announced. When it happened he completely quit League of Legends.
Predictability
Some opponents can easily predict a one-trick pony's champion choice and playstyle. Such players will have an easy time countering them during gameplay. This can be frustrating for the one-trick ponies player, especially in higher elo where they are known. In some cases, they even get target banned. They may even struggle against better players who know how to adapt to their playstyle.
In conclusion, being a one-trick pony in LoL has its pros and cons. While expertise and consistency are all benefits of specializing in a single champion, the limited champion pool, predictability, team dynamics, and boredom are potential downsides. Ultimately, it's up to each player to decide if being a one-trick pony is the right approach for them. Itâs something completely dependent on what the person does expect from playing League of Legends. If you desire to play with better teams then the best League of Legends Boosting service can be a safe and fast way to reach the rank you want to get.