Say, what ever happened to the variety. We used to have so much in season 2 and some of season 3. but as of recently we lost a lot of it.
What went from questioning a person or a pro player about their champion pool, it used to be interesting. Some people would say this, or that or the other thing. Ask a top lane main what their favorite top lane was and you got a varied answer between so many things. from Shen to Malphite or Kennen, Renekton, Vladamir, Irelia, Rumble, Olaf, Singed, Darius, Jayce, Jax, Elise. Supports ranged from Alistar to Sona, Janna, Blitzcrank, Taric, Leona, Thresh, Lulu, or Zyra.
But what happened. Top lane has practically narrowed down to an abysmal four champions. Irelia, Jax, Lee sin, and Renekton (sometimes a Riven. sometimes.)
Supports are the biggest offenders, I did experiment one game where I banned Thresh, Leona and Morgana. I didn't say a word in draft pick about it. ( I know, I know, Scumbag Free. Report. But go along with me.) I called jungle and took it. The draft process went along as usual. Top was picked, Marksman, Mid. Then supports were picked. A Malphite support and a Nami. NOW. Nami I expected. but I was kind of thrown by the malphite. I expected maybe a Sona (Remember her?) or an Alisar. But no, a Malphite. (btw, they did terrible in lane.) My point is. there are only like 3 supports and Nami if there is NOTHING else available. Karma is coming up in the ranks recently which is nice to see.
Now, Mid lane isn't as bad, this is the second most varied role in the game. with a total of currently 9 champions being circulated often. Being Syndra, Ryze, Zed, Ziggs, Orianna, Yasuo, Nidalee, and Soraka.
Marksmen are pretty bad in current times too. With a downside of 6, upside of about 9 being played regularly. and the upside is counting champions that have the potential to rise up from the ashes but probably won't soon. But for now the champions that are really played are Caitlyn, Jinx, Lucian, Graves, Draven and Ezreal. And this makes me really sad being I was an adc main last season and I miss seeing Tristana and Twitch, Even Vayne has fallen from her pedestal. What happened to Varus anyway? I miss the Marksman that don't rely on heavy Ad scaling on abilities and just wanted to auto attack really fast and crit really hard. Botrk went from being broken on everyone, to balanced, to practically never bought anymore.
Now we have reached the jungle. MY domain. Jungle has seen so many changes since season 2 it's no wonder a lot of the champions arent played anymore. The game we knew of winning teamfights has turned into a game of sieging for towers. The jungle that was made for ganking and snowballing lanes has turned into a selfish place for farm and getting fed. since the removal of heart of gold and the addition of a lot of gold generation options. the jungle has changed from being poor and trying desperately to be a tank to being one of the richest rolls to take. Toplane has become an island (as if it wasn't before.) went from being a fortess early game to being just as vulnerable as any other lane. NOW, after that rant I will get to picks. Jungle has fluctuated through the seasons. From the season 2 and 3 tank jungle. To the preseason 4 NO jungle. To the early season bruiser jungle. Then the tanks took over again. Now we have the Feral take over upon us.
I would just like to see some of people trying things and trying to bend the meta, not just play the same 4 champions over and over.