Here a video of master player Ultraman using Ez/draven, he face against Azir/Irelia 3 times. The first at 02:32, the second at 07:58 the last one at 30:14
This should give you an idea about how favorable the match up is when you face competent players rather than random netdeckers.
Most blade dance have on play effect, that already put you in tricky spot, you either have to accept the damage from the blades and sand soldier and use the removal on the units or use removal on the sand soldiers/blades in which case they still have the attack token and their units, either way you will take damage, Then there is Azir, with 5 health he is difficult to get rid off unless you have culling strike and that still cost 3 mana and they only need 2 to keep him alive. They also have homecoming to recall captain Farron and any big unit that you get from Tri-beam.
So yeah Ez/Draven have the tools to counter Irelia/Azir but they also have the tools to play around the counters.
Great guide you covered the most important aspects of the deck.
There is one statement that I don't agree with however and that is saying that EZ/Draven have a favorable match up against Azir/Irelia, the match up is a pretty even one because contrary to other aggro decks Azir/Irelia can protect their unit from removal.
Aphelios took some brutal nerfs, so even if they hit other decks, I doubt that we will see him back at the top. As for Twisted Fate, he still good but not oppressive anymore so I wouldn't mind seeing TF decks being meta again.
More importantly riot don't use mobalytics for their balance, they have their own data.
He makes some good points but I don't think he understand what tier 0 mean or at very least we have different definition. A tier 0 is a top tier deck that has no counters and while very powerful Irelia/Azir has many counters. I mean he did present some of them in video.
This does remind me of scouts and pirate burn, even when decks are not that powerful they still get high win rate because they have simple play style, so you are less likely to make mistakes with them. Decks like TF/Aphelios and Lee Sin/Zed ( Before both got nerfed ) still had reasonable win rates despite being overpowered because players at low elo did not know how to play them properly.
From my personal experience the marauder version seem to struggle a bit against Tresh/Nasus since Strength in Numbers tend to get countered with Rite of Negation and the marauders themselves are vulnerable to Black Spear.
The Hearthguard version on the other hand seems to have a highly favorable match up against Tresh/Nasus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-M6xqsZT3Q
Here a video of master player Ultraman using Ez/draven, he face against Azir/Irelia 3 times. The first at 02:32, the second at 07:58 the last one at 30:14
This should give you an idea about how favorable the match up is when you face competent players rather than random netdeckers.
Most blade dance have on play effect, that already put you in tricky spot, you either have to accept the damage from the blades and sand soldier and use the removal on the units or use removal on the sand soldiers/blades in which case they still have the attack token and their units, either way you will take damage, Then there is Azir, with 5 health he is difficult to get rid off unless you have culling strike and that still cost 3 mana and they only need 2 to keep him alive. They also have homecoming to recall captain Farron and any big unit that you get from Tri-beam.
So yeah Ez/Draven have the tools to counter Irelia/Azir but they also have the tools to play around the counters.
Great guide you covered the most important aspects of the deck.
There is one statement that I don't agree with however and that is saying that EZ/Draven have a favorable match up against Azir/Irelia, the match up is a pretty even one because contrary to other aggro decks Azir/Irelia can protect their unit from removal.
He did call it a tier 0 deck, check the "current meta" segment of his video.
It's just a bug.
Aphelios took some brutal nerfs, so even if they hit other decks, I doubt that we will see him back at the top. As for Twisted Fate, he still good but not oppressive anymore so I wouldn't mind seeing TF decks being meta again.
More importantly riot don't use mobalytics for their balance, they have their own data.
I didn't say that it was OP. Even if a card don't need to be versatile to be OP. What I was trying to say was that I underestimated it.
He makes some good points but I don't think he understand what tier 0 mean or at very least we have different definition. A tier 0 is a top tier deck that has no counters and while very powerful Irelia/Azir has many counters. I mean he did present some of them in video.
I did not think much about this card when it was first revealed but now I find it to be very powerful.
I've been playing the Cithria/Matron combo deck, lots of fun.
Pyke and Ekko are definitely the next champions for Bilgewater and P&Z. Bone Skewer and Concurrent Timelines leave no room for doubt.
This does remind me of scouts and pirate burn, even when decks are not that powerful they still get high win rate because they have simple play style, so you are less likely to make mistakes with them. Decks like TF/Aphelios and Lee Sin/Zed ( Before both got nerfed ) still had reasonable win rates despite being overpowered because players at low elo did not know how to play them properly.
Your welcome.
It's ok, mistakes happens.
Personally, I would have gone with "subtle as a brick" but yeah, that works too.
Really? I know that Cithria, Lady of Clouds have victory and defeat quotes but I never heard chip say anything.
So chip is a tourist guide? Great.
There something similar with Vladimir followers. Their flavor text in one cryptic conversation :
Crimson Curator:
"Beloved companions!"
Crimson Disciple:
"Edvin! There you are, handsome. I was just thinking of you!"
Crimson Curator:
"Were you? Well I received an invitation."
Crimson Aristocrat:
"Ah, you too? To the Reveler's B--"
Crimson Curator:
"--Reveler's Ball! Yes!"
Crimson Disciple:
"Each of us can go, now…"
Crimson Curator:
"Then we must! I shall present my family."
Crimson Aristocrat:
"How am I to tolerate mine?"
Crimson Disciple:
"Escort me. I'll make it fun."
Crimson Aristocrat:
"Respectfully, my dear, my father would disown me. ...perhaps we should wear matching dresses."
Crimson Disciple:
"Or nothing at all?"
Crimson Curator:
"Starters before dessert, my dear. And you, Kye? Will you attend?"
Crimson Awakener:
"Even if I said 'no', you'd drag me along. So... sure."
Now here the fun part. If you take the first letter of their sentences, you will find a hidden message.
Ok, that make sense.
Good article. One thing I would like to ask, is Ash/Leblanc with Legion Marauder better than the one with Avarosan Hearthguard and Trifarian Assessor?
From my personal experience the marauder version seem to struggle a bit against Tresh/Nasus since Strength in Numbers tend to get countered with Rite of Negation and the marauders themselves are vulnerable to Black Spear.
The Hearthguard version on the other hand seems to have a highly favorable match up against Tresh/Nasus.