The Honor of Kings Clash is a premier local tournament in the Philippines, organized by Level Infinite and Timi Studios. It highlights the best teams from the region, setting the stage for those who aim to compete in Invitationals. In this article, we’ll dive into the draft analysis of Game 1 from the semi-finals matchup between Blacklist (BLCK) and Revamp-LForg (RVMP), exploring the strategies and picks that made this game interesting.
Banning Phase 1
In the first banning phase, Blacklist focused on removing two powerful heroes: Arli and Heino. Heino is a strong pick in the current meta due to his impressive waveclear and the safety provided by his ultimate, Fate Rewind. With no nerfs in sight, banning Heino was a strategic choice to limit Blacklist’s options. Arli, on the other hand, received recent buffs that increased her damage scaling, making her a potent threat. Her enhanced passive now deals physical damage, making her even more effective than before.
Revamp countered by banning Zhang Fhei and Da Qiao. These heroes are top-tier support picks in the meta, and removing them from Blacklist’s pool was a smart move. Zhang Fhei and Daqiao provide significant safety and utility, so banning them limits Blacklist’s options for reliable support.
Picking Phase 1
In the first picking phase, Blacklist (BLCK) started by selecting Dolia. This choice prevents Revamp-LForg from picking this versatile support, forcing them to consider their options more carefully.
Revamp-LForg responded with Pei and Mai. Both heroes are strong early-game picks. Pei, though nerfed recently, remains favored for his ability to dominate the early and mid-game. Mai is a reliable choice due to her safety and powerful burst damage.
Blacklist then chose Princess Frost and Musashi. Musashi is a surprising pick, as he’s not frequently seen in high-level play. However, he excels in solo queue with his targeted crowd control and skillshot mitigation. Princess Frost complements this pick by adding extra crowd control and benefiting from Dolia’s reset abilities. This combination indicates that BLCK is focusing heavily on crowd control in their draft. They’ll likely need to address their damage output in the second phase.
Revamp-LForg concluded their first phase with Mayene, reinforcing their focus on picking off enemies. Mayene’s burst potential supports their strategy for aggressive, high-damage plays. Revamp’s draft shows strong pick potential and damage output but may need additional support or a tank to complete their composition.
Banning Phase 2
In the second banning phase, Blacklist (BLCK) targeted Lian Po and Sun Bin. By banning Lian Po, they limit Margaux’s options for effective roaming supports, as Lian Po is a strong pick for that role. The ban on Sun Bin is particularly strategic since it’s one of Margaux’s main champions. With these bans, Revamp-LForg faces fewer viable support choices.
Revamp-LForg responded by banning Sun Ce and Biron. These bans aim to disrupt Chammy1’s preferred picks. Sun Ce and Biron are favorites for Chammy1, so removing them narrows his options. Allain and Dharma are still available, but BLCK’s ban on Biron, who offers strong early-game presence, shows they want to prevent Revamp from gaining an early advantage.
Picking Phase 2
Revamp-LForg selected Di Renjie to complete their draft. Di Renjie fits well with their composition because he can handle himself without needing much support. His skill, Imperial Order, lowers the enemy’s defenses, which helps with burst damage and aligns with their aggressive strategy.
Blacklist (BLCK) responded with Lady Sun and Allain. Allain provides a solid frontline and is tough to kill, making him a great match against Mayene. This pick also adds a tank to their lineup. Lady Sun brings the much-needed late-game damage dealer to BLCK’s team, known for her consistent output and strong performance as the game progresses.
Revamp-LForg finished their draft with Athena. Athena is an intriguing support choice because she can disrupt the enemy jungler and steal resources with her smite. This pick adds an extra layer of strategy by potentially denying BLCK key objectives and providing additional control in the game.
Overall draft analysis for BLCK
Blacklist (BLCK) has a well-rounded draft that balances frontline strength, crowd control, and damage output. With Allain and Musashi as their bruisers, they can effectively absorb damage and protect their backline. Dolia and Princess Frost provide essential crowd control to disrupt Revamp-LForg’s engages, while Lady Sun offers reliable late-game damage.
This draft is designed to support a front-to-back strategy, allowing BLCK to sustain their damage output and control the pace of fights. Overall, BLCK’s composition sets them up to excel in both team fights and objective control.
Overall draft analysis for Revamp
Revamp-LForg’s draft initially focused on early game pick-offs with Pei, Mai, and Mayene, aiming to capitalize on their burst potential. Di Renjie adds valuable resistance reduction, enhancing their ability to take down targets quickly. However, the inclusion of Athena is a surprising choice, meant to hinder BLCK’s gold income and secure objectives with her smite.
The challenge lies in Revamp’s lack of a strong late-game carry and insufficient waveclear, which could struggle against BLCK’s scaling and gold advantage. Without a solid late-game presence, Revamp may find it difficult to match BLCK’s sustained damage and control as the game progresses.
Who won the draft?
BLCK won the draft analysis in this game due to their well-rounded team composition, which was better suited to handle RVMP’s strategy. BLCK’s draft offered strong front-to-back team fighting with consistent damage from Lady Sun and solid frontline presence from Allain.
In contrast, Revamp’s draft struggled because it lacked a clear late-game carry and effective waveclear. Although Margaux did well to deny camps and apply early pressure, Revamp’s composition couldn’t scale effectively into the late game. With too many assassins and insufficient late-game options, Revamp faltered against BLCK’s growing gold advantage and better team cohesion. Overall, BLCK’s balanced draft and execution proved superior, securing their victory despite Revamp’s initial promise.
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