• (+300) Ultra Prime v Bilibili Gaming (-450)
  • (+115) Rare Atom v Suning Gaming (-150)

Monday’s LPL slate features a heavily underrated Rare Atom against a Suning Gaming with a weird streak of inconsistency. However, Bilibili Gaming is likely to stomp out Ultra Prime, as they’ve outmatched their opponents throughout nearly every role on the rift.

Captain

Aiming ($11,700)

While Smlz is the strongest point on UP, BLG’s bottom lane is way more powerful relative to UP. Aiming is BLG’s special weapon, and their primary carry. Aiming consistently performs outstandingly throughout BLG’s games, even in their defeats- he is capable of being a world class ADC, but has yet to realize his potential. Zeka is a solid pick up too against Xiaocaobao, a mediocre mid laner.

Alternatives to consider: Zeka ($11,400)

Top Lane

Biubiu ($6,400)

Biubiu is an unremarkable top laner, but it’s often that Zs is an objective liability for Ultra Prime in the top lane. Biubiu has had several strong games where he’s performed outstandingly alongside his shining bottom lane, and he’s unlikely to be challenged by such a weak top laner. I’d try to avoid Bin versus Cube, as it’s one of the only ones that may be favored towards Bin in RA vs SN.

Alternatives to consider: Cube ($6,000)

Jungle

Leyan ($6,400)

SofM hasn’t been having the split of his career, and Leyan has been inconsistent, but serviceable. Due to needing three RA players, I find Leyan more than suitable for a spot. He doesn’t need to do much, FoFo already controls mid lane really well, which will allow Leyan to scale easily into the middle game. Otherwise, Weiwei is a solid choice against H4cker, one of the worst junglers in the LPL.

Alternatives to consider: Weiwei ($7,200)

Mid Lane

FoFo ($7,000)

FoFo, alongside iBoy, are the crowning jewels of an otherwise mid tier Rare Atom. FoFo is a strong laner, whereas his opponent in Angel is well known for being extremely passive in the laning phase and willing to let his opponents scale, courtesy of being a former Kassadin one trick. This should allow FoFo to dominate the game from the middle lane- Zeka is another decent option against Xiaocaobao, a similar sore spot on UP.

Alternatives to consider: Zeka ($7,600)

ADC

iBoy ($6,800)

Likewise, iBoy has long been heralded as a prodigy in the ADC role, since his time on EDG. On Rare Atom, he’s steadily regained his form throughout his tenure on the roster, and this split, Rare Atom does have the potential to enter the worlds stage due to the strong power of their ADC. If Aiming isn’t your captain, though, I’d suggest grabbing him here.

Alternatives to consider: Aiming ($7,800)

Support

Ppgod ($5,400)

BLG’s support in Ppgod is a strong option to pair with his ADC in Aiming- Ultra Prime’s bottom lane stands solid, but the pressure exerted from BLG’s will likely to prove too much to handle, especially as BLG ramps up towards play-offs. Ppgod was the glue that originally held the V5 roster that had a brief glimpse of success together, and he has made a comfortable transition onto BLG. Hang is a decent option for RA too, but Huanfeng has shown capable of holding his own and 1v2ing the lane in the past, perhaps limiting the impact he can have.

Alternatives to consider: Hang ($5,000)

Team

Bilibili Gaming ($5,200)

Ultra Prime is out of play-offs, and is just playing for ego at this point. BLG has proven themselves at least somewhat consistent, and have a bottom lane that’s likely worthy of international competition. If they were to upgrade their top side, specifically either Biubiu or Leyan, they could finally make their international debut. Rare Atom is similarly underrated, especially with such strong carries in FoFo and iBoy.

Alternatives to consider: Rare Atom ($4,600)

Stacks

Aiming & Ppgod

BLG’s bottom lane is the most important piece of the squad, and without them they’d be out of play-offs (sorry, Zeka.) Their top and jungle are serviceable, but Aiming and Ppgod are the two pieces which push the team forward to be the best.

FoFo & iBoy 

Rare Atom’s carries are strong players, FoFo is an expert laner who has navigated some of the hardest match-ups the LPL has to offer, while iBoy has shown great international appearances on EDG and is slowly maturing into the primary carry he was always destined to be earlier on in his career.

Biubiu & Zeka

However, there’s something to be said about picking for match-up. Zs and Xiaocaobao are clear weak points on UP’s roster, and Zeka is a pretty good player on top of it. Biubiu and Weiwei are not constantly liabilities, despite not having the talent of their bottom side, and they should show up nicely against UP.

Top Picks: FoFo, Aiming, iBoy

Rare Atom, and especially their carries, are underrated in my opinion. While Suning has strong carries of their own, they’re plagued by inconsistency, whereas Rare Atom’s biggest opponents are their own top side- which, at least, is predictable. Aiming is the biggest pick-up on Monday, and the strongest piece on BLG overall.

Top Value: iBoy, FoFo, Hang

All of Rare Atom’s players are underrated, and these are their three best. Not much else to say- Hang’s opponent in ON is an underwhelming support option, reminiscent of TES’s two supports: bad players on a good team, unfortunately.