Season 2 Finals: Game 2

The second game of the Season 2 Finals can't be considered outside of the context of the first.

Having lost a game after establishing a very clear lead, Taipei Assassins was naturally concerned about the possibility of a second overwhelming AoE composition. While they did not ban out any key AoE champions, their quick pick of Sona was clearly designed to block another Sona/Ezreal lane and weaken Azubu Frost's AoE potential. The Karthus pick was also a key anti-AoE choice, as there are no champions who can compete with his sustained AoE. Caitlyn's range also makes her strong against AoE, allowing her to skirt its edges while still applying damage.

While it would seem at first glance that TPA was overly afraid of AoE, it's important to note that these picks also served other purposes. Shen and Karthus both apply global pressure in the early game, while still being strong team fighting and late game champions. Caitlyn, Mundo, and Sona all have very strong poke, giving TPA an edge in tower pushing. In fact, all of TPA's picks had disengage with the sole exception of Shen. The resulting composition was simultaneously strong against AoE teams, strong early game, strong in team fights, and strong in poke.

Frost's picks were interesting in their own right. With Sona stolen, Frost could have still aimed for an AoE comp using Zyra instead. Cognizant that TPA would be wary, Frost instead grabbed Anivia and Maokai to turn TPA's own zone control strategy against them. Zyra's crowd control and plants enhance this zone of control just as much as they would have aided an AoE composition, and in a long game she becomes a huge threat. Combined with Jax's damage AoE stun, Frost put together a deadly composition of survivability, control, and damage.

Another advantage for Frost was the power of each lane. All three lanes were strong against their counterparts, a fact on display early as Stanley, Toyz, and Bebe/Mistake were frequently pressed to their turrets. This strength was enough to carry Frost through the first fourteen minutes of the game with their only death being the result of Lilballz catching Madlife with impeccable timing. Even when Karthus ulted solely to help TPA push the bottom turret, Frost held fast and stayed in the game.

Unfortunately for Frost, the early pressure they applied in lanes did not result in an advantage. All of TPA had equal or greater farm than Frost, giving them a substantial gold advantage. Then at the fourteen minute mark the global power of TPA's team comp went on full display. The combination of Karthus' and Caitlyn's ultimates took down Madlife even through Woong's Heal. Immediately afterward Toyz teleported top just as Lilballz swung around for a second gank. With all of Anivia's control abilities on cooldown there was nothing to stop TPA from catching Shy and Rapidstar. Meanwhile Woong and CloudTemplar both died in a trade versus Mistake and Bebe, only barely managing to take out Mistake in the process. What had been a manageable gold gap became a devastating chasm as TPA picked up kills, turrets, and dragon.

While Frost would pick up another kill on Mistake, the next fifteen minutes would be a case study in the careful, methodical extension of a lead. Cognizant of their overzealous mistakes in the first game, TPA applied just enough pressure to allow themselves to farm and extend their gold advantage, while inhibiting Frost from trying to hold off for the late game. By the time the action resumed around the thirty minute mark, the gold gap between the teams was over ten thousand.

Frost's team composition had potential, but their failure to convert strong lanes into a farm advantage and an unfortunate ace at 15 minutes put them behind. Because TPA's composition was designed to be strong at all stages of the game there was little Frost could do to stop them after yielding so big an advantage. TPA's careful, flawless grind to victory was all but inevitable.