Because when keyboard warriors comment on matches, they need to point out at least one “war criminal” from the game, right? Someone has to have played poorly, or the team composition has to be unreasonable to criticize.
But in these finals among all ten players, there were simply no “war criminals.” FRY’s team members performed without major issues. Beyond criticizing them for being “cowardly,” “sleepwalking,” or having “zero impact all game,” there were no real flaws to target.
As for FRY’s champion selections, hindsight showed they didn’t work, but when initially picked, who could have said they were unplayable?
Especially in game two—without FV team’s inspired lane swap, who could have predicted how the game would unfold?
Since the core problems remained elusive, corrections became impossible.
Even keyboard warriors couldn’t imagine how to win—that fact alone was absurd.
Zhao Xuming silently sighed and closed his phone browser, though the match hadn’t yet resumed.
This intermission seemed unusually long. Having reached match point, officials likely wanted to give FRY more time to adjust—whether stabilizing their mentality or discussing strategy, at least adding some suspense to the match.
Zhao Xuming turned to Crétien: “Do you think… FRY still has a chance?”
Crétien’s expression darkened. After a long silence, he finally replied: “Hopefully they have some secret weapon hidden away.”
Zhao Xuming fell silent.
He could tell even Crétien was at a loss. Ionian had specifically sent two balance team analysts to help with strategy, yet FRY’s tactics were still crushed by FV team. What could be done?
Both understood clearly what a 3-0 loss would mean, so neither mentioned it, continuing to watch in mutual silence.
Though key official figures holding power over the entire game’s fate, they could only sit in the audience placing all hope on FRY team.
Zhao Xuming felt melancholic and confused.
How had a perfectly fine World Championship Finals turned into this?
…
Finally, after an intermission noticeably longer than the previous one, competition resumed.
This time FV team chose blue side, with draft order unchanged.
FRY’s coach exhaled in relief. Clearly, after discovering FRY couldn’t handle Chaos Fate, FV had chosen blue side to force a ban from FRY.
Since FRY had already decided to ban both Chaos Fate and Wing Blade, it made no difference. Moreover, being red side allowed them to observe FV’s first pick and analyze their composition for counter-picks.
For FRY’s strength-focused strategy, their goal wasn’t selecting the best composition but avoiding the worst one. As long as FV didn’t secure another “intellectual domination” draft like the previous two games, FRY could accept the outcome.
“Coach, what do we ban?” a player asked.
FRY’s coach considered. With Chaos Fate and Wing Blade taking two ban slots, they’d need to release two of FV’s signature champions they’d previously banned.
After brief deliberation, he decided to release two champions currently unplayed by any professional team.
“Release Windblade and Spirit Smith. Ban Chaos Fate and Wing Blade.”
Windblade was an assassin with multiple dashes and excellent AOE damage, known as a pubstomping god in IOI.
The issue: its early-game stats were lacking. Whether played top or jungle, it would get destroyed by opponents. Only when experts used it for stomping lower-skilled players, accumulating massive economy and gear advantages, did the champion feel playable.
Spirit Smith was an unpopular support that could switch between spirit and physical forms. It passively provided gold and experience to a teammate, with an ultimate allowing an ally to temporarily enter spirit form—immune to physical damage, reduced crowd control duration, and increased movement speed.
The problem: this champion was clunky without mobility or poke, with extremely short range. As a support in bottom lane, early laning was extremely difficult, potentially getting completely dominated.
While common in solo queue, these champions were virtually unplayed professionally due to their abysmal early strength. Picking them essentially forfeited early game tempo.
FRY’s coach had researched FV team extensively, knowing these were their signature picks, which he’d consistently banned before.
Now considering options, releasing meta champions for FV to grab would be too difficult. Better to release two signatures instead.
The coach estimated FV wouldn’t take both—doing so would implode bottom lane and jungle early game, making the match unplayable even with mastery until late game.
Even if they took one, FRY could gain advantage in at least one lane. With early leads and no major draft issues, losing would simply mean being outclassed—nothing to be upset about.
After consideration, he released both signatures.
FV team, as expected, didn’t grab either signature champion. Instead, they first-picked top lane Molten Ancient.
This champion had appeared before—high durability with crowd control but hardly first-pick worthy. Being merely a utility piece, it didn’t warrant building compositions around.
“Are they hiding strategy by choosing a flexible top laner?”
“Or since Wing Blade and Chaos Fate are banned, nothing’s worth first-picking?”
FRY’s coach couldn’t understand first-picking Molten Ancient—the champion wasn’t high priority.
With FV choosing this, FRY could secure two champions they wanted.
FRY’s coach immediately had them grab confident mid and bottom lane champions. Both were versatile with solid stats that players mastered well—essentially counterpick-proof.
Meanwhile, FV selected a utility ADC and the released signature Spirit Smith.
After three picks, FV had chosen three utility players with no clear carry.
Moreover, this bottom lane duo seemed doomed in both laning and teamfights. While signatures deserved respect, bluntly speaking, Spirit Smith’s current stats didn’t belong on the professional stage.
FRY’s coach frowned, feeling both optimistic and concerned.
“Are they saving jungle and mid for last?”
“No matter. Our current draft handles any jungle/mid combination early game. With even development, teamfight odds are at worst 50-50.”
“Take top and jungle to complete our comp. Stormlord for top—can bully Molten Ancient in lane and splitpush late, forcing difficult decisions. Get a strong jungler to prevent enemy targeting.”
“Save support for last. Against their bottom lane’s laning weakness, we can pick lane-bullying support or roaming champions to pressure with jungle.”
“The former crushes lane, the latter helps jungle build advantage. Either choice gives us better composition.”
FRY’s coach suddenly gained confidence.
Mainly because FV forced their signature Spirit Smith, creating massive bottom lane weakness FRY could exploit through either laning or roaming pressure.
Furthermore, FV’s ADC was utility-focused, unable to carry late game. Even with Spirit Smith’s gold/experience buffs, it couldn’t close games.
After this round, FRY’s coach felt supremely confident—already half-victorious.
FRY’s top laner instantly perked up too.
Having had zero impact last game, this time with a strong pick against a tank meant huge playmaking potential!
FV team made quick decisions, locking a powerful bottom lane support and Windblade!
FRY’s coach went from smug one second to wide-eyed disbelief the next, thinking he was seeing things.
FV had actually picked two support champions?
Windblade was definitely jungling, meaning one support had to go mid—but either support mid seemed ridiculous!
One was pure crowd control without durability or damage—useless with gold.
Spirit Smith mid was even more absurd since it couldn’t lane, benefited nothing from solo lane economy, and critically wasted its passive gold generation.
FRY’s coach paused five seconds.
Partly confused as the script deviated from expectations, partly waiting for opponent timeouts.
This FV draft seemed like a misclick—too quick, were hands shaky?
Five seconds passed without opponent pauses.
Thoroughly confused, FRY’s coach realized he had one support pick left without flexibility.
Either choose lane-dominant support or roaming support for tempo.
After consideration, he believed FV’s Spirit Smith must still go bottom.
Decisively: “Take roaming support. We have mid, bottom, jungle early advantages. Create tempo through support roams to crush them early. ADC stay safe, tower hug if needed—Spirit Smith can’t threaten you.”
Champion select completed.
Domestic stream chat exploded with question marks—nobody understood FV’s strategy.
This composition couldn’t win lane or teamfight—utterly incomprehensible.
Domestic casters tried explaining:
“I think this comp puts supports mid for resources to roam more, using crowd control with Windblade to create leads. Spirit Smith bottom helps ADC farm better while providing late-game insurance…”
Clearly, even casters couldn’t grasp this strategy, forcing game knowledge explanations.
Instantly proven wrong.
FV swapped Spirit Smith to mid lane!
Until game start, no position swaps—FV clearly intended the Spirit Smith-Windblade mid-jungle combination!
Now all casters fell silent, unable to rationalize.
Spirit Smith was designed purely as support—mid lane unviable. Even forced mid would get destroyed by enemy laners.
This transcended player skill—champion mechanics simply didn’t allow it.
Yet FV locked it without timeouts, believing it workable.
Previously FRY-supporting audiences hoping for comebacks unknowingly shifted to FV.
Everyone wondered: how exactly would Spirit Smith function mid?
…
The game began.
FV started cautiously, warding river to prevent invades.
Though Windblade had multiple dashes with mediocre dueling, level 1 power was respectable. Combined with Molten Ancient’s early tankiness and CC, FRY didn’t dare invade. Both sides farmed separately.
Having been outplayed twice, FRY desperately wanted safe starts—just normal gameplay this time.
However, FRY’s mid laner quickly noticed issues.
“Where’s their Spirit Smith?”
Expecting to bully the enemy support, after safely farming several minions, he suddenly realized nobody had arrived mid.
Waiting briefly with no appearance, he began pushing waves into tower unchallenged.
As minions reached turret, Spirit Smith and Windblade emerged from jungle. Windblade instantly cleared the wave with abilities before diving back into the jungle.
FRY’s mid laner sent question marks.
???
What’s happening?
Obviously they weren’t engaging him—just clearing waves then leaving.
Windblade had multiple dashes, zipping through jungle swiftly while Spirit Smith trailed behind, helping clear camps and minions while funneling resources to Windblade. The support passively generated bonus gold and experience for the jungler.
FRY’s mid laner stood confused in lane.
With no opponent, he could only farm. Yet whenever pushing to tower, FV’s Windblade would emerge to safely collect the wave.
FRY’s mid tried wave management, but Windblade would appear after farming jungle to aggressively clear minions regardless of positioning, eating and running immediately after.
Even as mid tower took damage, Windblade seemed unconcerned—eyes only on minions and monsters!