MSI 2025’s “Main Theme” Champions
With the Fearless Draft system, there haven’t been many significant changes compared to previous versions when teams compete in various local leagues. However, one notable aspect is the selection of champions that are frequently chosen at MSI 2025, resembling the champions used in prior international tournaments. Nevertheless, even T1 – a team that has consistently utilized different champions in their eight matches at MSI 2025, with a heavy focus on Twisted Fate and Kalista.
According to the statistics, Twisted Fate and Kalista are the only champions currently selected from five matches, with a win rate of 0% in terms of their respective matchups. Moreover, Twisted Fate is the most banned champion. Meanwhile, Kalista has only been played once by T1, indicating a lack of usage in their matches.
It’s worth mentioning that in Rounds 1-2 of the 2025 Regular Season or the Roads to MSI of LCK, Kalista has consistently been among the champions that faced the most bans, with a win rate often above 50%. Twisted Fate has also appeared in numerous matches, and both Faker and Chovy have secured victories with this champion. However, both teams have yet to reach the “Final Boss” stage again.
Reasons Behind This Trend at MSI 2025
In reality, both Kalista and Twisted Fate are considered strong champions. However, at MSI 2025, teams seem to prefer creating opportunities against stronger opponents by focusing on the champions of their star players. As a result, Twisted Fate has faced a significant number of bans. For T1, in all eight matches, the opposing teams have banned TF.
Both TF and Kalista are champions that can set up impactful engagements or create pressure on the map to help their teams farm effectively and control objectives. However, the fact is that performing optimally against strong teams like Gen.G and T1 is nearly impossible. With aggressive champion picks, Twisted Fate’s late-game potential often becomes irrelevant. On the other hand, Kalista’s assassination potential is significantly diminished without the right items, making it challenging to secure objectives. Teams are generally opting for better alternatives rather than sticking to these two champions.
Currently, the number of matches at MSI 2025 is not too high, and the potential of TF and Kalista cannot improve their win rates before the tournament concludes in Vancouver.
