Gangplank will be pick/ban for MSI if the reported buffs go through

Gangplank is already overpowered in the right hands (mine).

He has very few lanes that are unplayable, though he does have some risky ones. Jayce can be difficult, Sett and Irelia are horrible and as we saw in the LCS, Lucian is borderline unplayable.

But even from behind, Gangplank is a terror, and is already potentially the best top laner in the game. As long as you don’t build like Alphari, or play like HiRit. Just generally, not even on GP – just don’t play like HiRit.

Why is he even being buffed?

Scum!

Rumours on the internet seem to suggest that GP is getting some decently sized buffs, despite him being an incredible champion already.

While he doesn’t *need* any more late game damage, his passive damage is going up – and his W is getting a mana buff. This is important regarding the earlier point – because it makes his difficult lanes a little bit easier. Ever since Sheen doesn’t give mana any more, he can run into mana issues in extended laning periods – and an extra W in the lane makes things a whole lot easier.

Might be one of the weirdest buffs in recent times

He definitely does not need this

— Erik Wessén (@Treatz) April 5, 2022

With the best toplaners in the world at MSI, most likely, and this patch having a buff, they’re going to try him out again.

And once they do, they’ll feel like a f*cking pirate again and never want to play anything else, just like me. Seriously, no other champ is simultaneously as fun, as powerful and as pro-favoured as Gangplank. 

GP is one of the few top lane champs who scales excellently, can play strong or weak side and can carry. Camille and Jayce sort of fit the bill, but GP is happier to sit under his tower and farm than those two, and offers more global presence.

He *should* be getting picked even without the buff, the buff is merely Riot saying “yo, pick this geezer, he’s bonkers” without calling toplaners lazy for picking Gnar again. In a meta where one cannot teleport bot at level 6, GP ult becomes even more powerful. Jinx and Aphelios can’t play against GP, and there’s so many comps that get slaughtered by his zone control.

And because all of these players are actually good, GP will be pick/ban again. Hopefully that will force some innovation – if GP keeps getting through and beating Jayce/Gnar or god forbid, Renekton, teams will have to start picking his counters, and the meta might cycle.

Or they’ll just ban GP and pick Gnar again. One of the two.

Please pick him. Hell, the more you pick him, the sooner Riot revert the buffs!