While Patch 8.11 has certainly introduced some off-brand and innovative strategies to the competitive scene, one champion’s emergence as a Bottom Lane Carry has practically every analyst stunned. That champion is Heimerdinger, and after a lifetime of being shunned by the League of Legends community, he might just be one of the most powerful picks going forward through the 2nd half of the season.

Historically, Heimerdinger has consistently played the role of a niche pick that played well into top lane melee champions, serving as a lane bully and efficient farmer. The champion also made the occasional appearance in the mid lane, as he could also be played as a traditional mage.

However, with the massive changes that went into the bottom lane in Patch 8.11, Heimerdinger has emerged as one of the best options for the role formerly known as AD Carry. Now, instead opting for a traditional marksman, players like Petter “Hjarnan” Freyschuss of G2 Esports and Amadeu “Attila” Carvalho are picking mages in the bottom lane, most notably Heimerdinger. What’s most impressive is the fact that a character originally touted as a “troll pick” has quickly become one of the most effective champions in the entire competitive scene.

Over the course of the past week on Patch 8.11, Heimerdinger has seen 3 picks and 2 bans, good enough for a pick/ban presence of 3.5%, his highest presence on any single patch in the history of competitive League. Additionally, those 3 picks have all resulted in wins, as his winrate on the patch sits at 100%, while the average KDA across all 3 of those games has climbed drastically, up to 25.0, the highest of all champions on Patch 8.11.

However, the even bigger oddity is that Heimerdinger’s newfound success isn’t that newfound at all. Over the course of 11 games in the history of professional League of Legends, Heimerdinger holds a record of 10-1, resulting in an overall winrate of 91%. His most popular region is Europe, as he’s won 7 out of 7 games he’s appeared in while being played in the EU LCS.

And now, with the immense diversity and downright insanity brought upon by Patch 8.11 looking like it’s here to stay, it’s a safe bet that Heimerdinger and the other meta-shifting picks that have swarmed the bottom lane could be longstanding fixtures. If his winning trends continue, it won’t be long until Heimerdinger’s status changes from perennial meme to legitimate contender.

Photo Credit: League of Legends, Riot Games