LoL Analysis: 2016 NALCS, FOX vs REN (Week 5, Day 1)

We are finally catching up in the #NALCS! Right about halfway through the Spring Split, Echo Fox and Renegades are fighting to escape the basement, with both teams doing some major roster shuffling. I had this as a #RENWin due to their having a little more time to jell around Crumbz, but man was that Echo Fox loss to Dignitas last week ballsy. They have Froggen (!!), the tools to compete at this level, and this is a friendly matchup for them. The winner of this still has a shot to make the playoffs.

Picks and Bans – Liked this draft for both sides. FOX got some siege potential while Renegades want to split-push. Both have good teamfight utility and both got some power picks. If Renegades can avoid getting caught, I like their late game a bit better with Kalista and Quinn.

26:30 – Not sure what went wrong here for Renegades, Crumbz stays in the pit the whole time and dies to Dragon but the teleport from Flaresz didn’t come until several seconds later. Kobe talked about the experience gap in favor of FOX, but it was really the late TP that killed them. You have to TP in immediately once you see more than three members in the dragon area.

28:40 – Engage by Big in the bot lane and FOX have members there faster. This time AlexIch’s TP is interrupted by kfo and Hakuho tunnels too deep on Big. This allows Froggen to roam down with the package for a 2 for 1. Renegades don’t have a catch team – missing the TP is unfortunate but they don’t need fights like this in the jungle. They should be more concerned with setting up waves and vision for split pushing. Echo Fox though are playing their comp well with early Elise pressure and are looking very coordinated with their full player lineup. This is what I tweeted immediately after the fight:

36:30 – Good play by Renegades to trade two mid turrets for 2 bot lane turrets, but kfo smartly interrupts the recall and Renegades lose their inhib as well. Such good coordination from this team – they knew he could get the interrupt and wouldn’t get caught backing from the Renegades base. REN try for the fight before FOX back but they give up TP and Flash for Flaresz – again, this is NOT WHAT THEY WANT! This meta can be slow-played with the kill difference lessening over time. They should be trying to level up and draw out the game.

40:00 – REN have the lanes shoved and vision control of the FOX jungle, so they go in on a teamfight yet again. THIS IS NOT WHAT THEY WANT OR NEED!!! Hakuho gets a knockup but is chunked immediately and REN trade 1 for 1. It’s a good trade for them – support for AD carry, but then they stay too long trying to take down Froggen and FOX turn it around again. I like Crumbz, how he helps his team across the map, but his shot-calling has been terrible for several games now; maybe it’s time to give that responsibility up? Problem is, who do you give it up to? Freeze? Ugh.

From here, it was an uphill battle for Renegades. They get catches here and there but critically, none of the carries are powerful enough to set up a meaningful split-push. 46:40 was a lost fight at inhibitor where REN tried to get Flaresz out on his own. Renegades had chances to get back into the game but either didn’t play their comp right or didn’t respect Echo Fox enough. Echo Fox had uncanny coordination and how about Froggen!? Renegades have yet to really figure out how they want to play. I’m not really convinced by the Poppy support – she brings a ton of teamfight utility, but I think she’s stronger as a toplaner where she can build tank items. Split-pushing is powerful in this meta, but you have to really devote yourself to it or you get split up and dismantled. Lots of question marks for this team that was a feel-good story at the start of the LCS.