Weibo Gaming suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat against T1 in the League of Legends 2023 finals. One possible reason for their loss could be Xiaohu’s unconventional build on Ahri in the second game.
In a surprising move, Xiaohu purchased the AD starter item Long Sword on Ahri and later upgraded it to Kircheis Shard. This is an unusual choice for Ahri, who is typically built as an AP-based champion.
While the Long Sword only provides AD, the Kircheis Shard has a passive ability that adds a single AP damage charge after a few hits. This item is particularly effective during the laning phase, making it easier for Ahri to farm and poke her opponents. It can be seen as a counter to melee champions, such as Faker’s Sylas.
However, Xiaohu failed to gain a significant advantage in the lane during the midgame. Although he had a slight farm lead, it did not justify the investment in the 700-gold item.
Furthermore, Xiaohu deviated from the AD build by purchasing a Liandry as his second item. This indicated that he was not fully committed to Ahri’s AD strategy. At the 15-minute mark, he even sold the Kircheis Shard to buy Ionian Boots of Lucidity, sacrificing valuable gold.
This unorthodox approach prevented Xiaohu from making a substantial impact in the midgame teamfights, potentially contributing to Weibo Gaming falling behind at that stage.
Although Weibo Gaming managed to secure some objectives and gain an advantage in the botlane during the midgame, it was not enough to overcome T1’s dominance. T1 capitalized on every mistake and effortlessly won every fight until the end of the game.
Source: DOTESPORTS
