Worlds 2022: Group stage champion stats: Aatrox remains top priority

The Worlds 2022 Group stage is in the books, and it’s time to take a look at the champion stats (and at Aatrox’s status since the last time we did). The Worlds meta evolved from Play-ins to the Group stage, with some new picks emerging as a high priority.

Nevertheless, Aatrox, Maokai, and Sejuani established themselves at the top, being even higher priority than in the Play-ins.

2022 Worlds Group stage most picked or banned champions:

1. Aatrox 14GP/37GB – 100%P 
2. Maokai 16GP/33GB – 96%P
3. Sejuani 17GP/30GB – 92%P
4. Yuumi 6GP/41GB – 92%P
5. Azir 21GP/23GB – 86%P
6. Caitlyn 6GP/36GB – 82%P
7. Graves 18GP/20GB – 75%P
8. Sylas 19GP/17GB – 71%P
9. Akali 17GP/15GB – 63%P
10. Lucian 16GP/12GB – 55%P

*GP-Games Played/GB-Games Banned/P-Presence(Picks+bans%)

Aatrox continues to dominate the meta

Just like in Play-ins, Aatrox remained the most contested pick throughout the Worlds 2022 group stage. Aatrox is the only champion with 100% presence: he was either picked or banned in every single match. 

He is exceptionally stable, has no bad matchups, and has strong power spikes. The teams are more than willing to blind pick him almost every time he is left open. 

G2’s top laner Sergen “BrokenBlade” Çelik emphasized the power of Aatrox in an interview after G2’s win over Evil Geniuses on Day two of groups:

“Aatrox is the strongest pick, but if he is banned, the top lane meta becomes very open. Then we usually see more tanks such as Maokai and Sejuani. I think there are counter-picks to them like Fiora I played today.” he said.

Flex tanks keep flexing

Maokai and Sejuani continue to be high priority picks in the Group stage. Teams value their ability to play multiple roles, giving them plenty of options in drafts. Both are great at engaging and teamfighting, making them premier frontline picks in the meta.

While Sejuani sits at a high 59% win rate, Maokai is not doing as well. Despite guys like Andrei “Odoamne” Pascu displaying how strong “the Tree” can be, Maokai won only five out of sixteen games during the group stage. 

Champions like Fiora rising in priority may hurt them a little bit, but they can always be flexed to the jungle in case of a bad matchup. After all, they are tanks, and good weakside players can neutralize even bad matchups and focus on teamfights.

The return of the Cat and Lucian-Nami

To the joy of absolutely no one, Yuumi is very much back in the meta. Luckily she is banned most of the games, but she has won all six games she has been picked(EU teams learned the lesson the hard way).

With enchanters getting nerfed alongside Zeri and Sivir, the bot lane meta shifted after playoffs. However, we have learned throughout the group stage that the Yuumi-Sivir duo is still very potent and takes over late game fights. 

Yuumi builds AP nowadays and does a lot of poke damage with her Q while still providing an insane amount of healing to her team.

Meanwhile, the change to Nami’s E+ Electrocute interaction indicated that Lucan – Nami bot lane isn’t as good as it used to be. The Play-in stage confirmed it, as the combo was picked only once in 47 games.

At least, that’s what we thought: Group stage teams seem to have quite a different opinion, as the Lucian – Nami duo emerged as one of the strongest in the meta. Summon Aery keystone still provides a lot of poke to Nami, and it seems to work very well.

The duo won eleven out of fifteen games during the Worlds 2022 group stage, and Lucian received 12 bans on his own.

2022 Worlds Group stage highest win-rate champions (min. 5 games played):

1. Yuumi 6GP/92%P -100%WR
2. Sivir 6GP/12%P – 100%WR
3. Camille 5GP/18%P – 80%WR
4. Sylas 19GP/71%P – 79%WR
5. Kai’Sa 7GP/20%P – 71%WR
6. Lucian 16GP/55%P – 69%WR
7. Nami 16GP/33%P – 69%WR
8. Trundle 6GP/22%P – 67%WR
9. Vi 9GP/18%P – 67%WR
10. Rell 6GP/16%P – 67%WR

*GP-Games Played/P-Presence(Picks+bans%)/WR-Win ratio

For more Worlds coverage, you can check out our coverage hub.