League of Legends Global Power Rankings - SKT drops, Reapers climb
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1. ROX Tigers
Record: 5-0 | League: LCK
The best team currently playing in the world. The Tigers' style is wild like their name -- but that aggression is a mask for the beautiful coordination with which the team plays. There are a few teams, most notably in Korea, with the same skill cap as the ROX Tigers, but no team currently on the planet has the synergy they have showcased through the first three weeks of the season.
2. Qiao Gu Reapers
Record: 5-0 | League: LPL
China's pride, the Qiao Gu Reapers, are in the process of trying to win back the respect of their region after a disastrous end of 2015. Two-time Worlds runner-up Uzi is finally in an environment where he can thrive again, and his AD carry teammate, Peco, has been dominant as well. With a 10-0 mark in its first 10, QG want to make it to MSI and make it a back-to-back at the midseason event for the LPL.
3. KT Rolster
Record: 3-1 | League: LCK
KT Rolster had a successful week by downing postseason contenders Samsung Galaxy 2-0 in their only match of the week. Rolster have been able to beat everyone in their way so far this season except for the league-leading ROX Tigers.
4. Jin Air Green Wings
Record: 5-1 | League: LCK
Before the year began, not many would have expected the Green Wings to be in this position. They had lost their star players Chaser and GBM, and they embarrassed South Korea at IEM San Jose when they fell in their first match of the tournament. But Jin Air have been on fire so far, with veteran top laner TrAce leading the way.
5. Immortals
Record: 6-0 | League: NA LCS
There isn't much else you can say about North America's team that hasn't already been said through the first three weeks: 6-0 in competition, two wins under 20 minutes and a fast-paced style that has blitzed through the competition without answer.
6. AHQ
Record: 4-0-0 | League: LMS
AHQ had a nice pre-vacation to set the mood for the upcoming Chinese New Year's weekend. An easy 2-0 over COUGAR was the least expected of them.
7. H2k-Gaming
Record: 5-1 | League: EU LCS
Honestly, kudos to H2K. Even with Ryu getting slammed by the system-wide visa issues, the team has held together even against fellow top-tier contenders.
8. EDward Gaming
Record: 3-1 | League: LPL
EDG fans can breathe easier knowing that their general, ClearLove, is back in the starting lineup and leading the 2015 spring champions back up the standings. Week 3 was a flawless run for the reigning MSI champions, first blanking HYG 2-0, and then doing the same to the rebuilding OMG.
9. SK Telecom T1
Record: 3-2 | League: LCK
SKT T1 are in a weird position after three weeks in the season. The talent is obviously there for the defending Summoner's Cup champions, but it feels like the team and the coaches are going through the motions early in the season. Blank, the team's substitute jungler, hasn't impressed in his first showings in the lineup, and it might be time to stick with veteran Bengi at the role.
10. G2 Esports
Record: 5-1 | League: EU LCS
The Perkz of having Corki mid lane: express package delivery at any angle, to any part of the map. G2 sometimes stretched themselves a bit too thin versus UOL, allowing for outnumbered skirmishes, but the map play is otherwise exquisite so far.
11. Royal Never Give Up
Record: 4-1 | League: LPL
RNG felt the taste of defeat for the first time this season with a 2-1 loss to Invictus Gaming. While they might not be crushing the competition like the Reapers, it'd be shortsighted to bet against a starting five that is led by one of the best in-game leaders in League history, Mata, from 2014 world champions Samsung White.
12. Longzhu Gaming
Record: 2-2 | League: LCK
The perceived new "super team" of Champions Korea still isn't crushing everyone in its wake, but Longzhu fans should be optimistic about their team's progress. With one of the largest rosters in the league, it might take until the latter stages of the summer season for us to really see the ultimate form of Longzhu.
13. Counter Logic Gaming
Record: 4-2 | League: NA LCS
Stixxay showed up impressively, and with ex-CLG member Doublelift under-performing against NRG, the Church of CLG can begin worshipping again. Rejoice, ye faithful.
14. Team Vitality
Record: 4-2 | League: EU LCS
Losing a relatively close match to H2K isn't the end of the world for Vitality, but it revealed some troubling weaknesses bot lane. The Olaf/Lulu combo was a nice idea that got blown up too quickly to materialize.
15. Taipei Assassins
Record: 2-1-1 | League: LMS
TPA's mechanical level is unquestionably on point. REFRA1N, in particular, is making the jungle situation between the teams very interesting with a counter-heavy style. But shotcalling errors still seem evident -- they shouldn't have lost that second game to HKE.
16. Unicorns of Love
Record: 4-2 | League: EU LCS
It's too soon to tell yet if Djoko is the diamond in the rough that UOL are looking for, but signs are there that the team's fortunes haven't totally abandoned them. They couldn't beat G2's map play, though.
17. Invictus Gaming
Record: 3-1 | League: LPL
At 3-1 with an overall map score of 7-5, Invictus Gaming is continuing to prove their critics wrong. Many thought they would sink with the departure of star jungler KaKAO, but they've stayed afloat with the carrying prowess of their ace in the mid lane, Rookie.
18. Samsung Galaxy
Record: 3-3 | League: LCK
The bad news for Galaxy fans is that their team is finally coming back down to earth after a furious start. The good news for them is that while Samsung most likely won't be fighting with the likes of ROX for the top spot in the league, the Galaxy are capable enough to fight for the fourth or fifth seed in the playoffs.
19. NRG Esports
Record: 4-2 | League: NA LCS
This is where you'd put the obvious "Impact making an impact" joke. And it's obvious because he keeps hammering out a greatest hits highlight reel! Poppy puns aside, you have to respect a team that can pull out a shutout.
20. Origen
Record: 3-3 | League: EU LCS
Great individual plays help Origen come out ahead this week, but primarily against teams that were already struggling. Got to watch out for those Baron skirmishes.
21. Flash Wolves
Record: 3-0-2 | League: LMS
As with AHQ, Flash Wolves faced COUGAR in Week 3, so their dominant performance doesn't hold that much weight in the grand scheme of things. Still, Karsa performed excellently, and can springboard off of that confidence-booster.
22. Team WE
Record: 3-2 | League: LPL
Week 3 was down and then up for Team WE. They first played a tight contest against a tough Snake team that they lost 1-2, but came back to take home an important win over former academy team M3 to bring them back to the top half of the standings. Mystic, their imported Korean AD carry, has been a force this split, finishing 8/1/10 in their two wins against M3.
23. Machi
Record: 2-1-2 | League: LMS
The Golden Calf. The Horns of Glory. Dreamer's Alistar inspires awe and worship. But Machi needs more than a steady bot lane versus the upper half of the bracket, unfortunately.
24. Snake Esports
Record: 3-2 | League: LPL
Snake got off to a good start in Week 3 with a close win over Team WE, but they soon met the same fate as every team that has gone up against Qiao Gu this season: a swift 0-2 loss.
25. Team Liquid
Record: 3-3 | League: NA LCS
Liquid are finally rounding back into form with their new roster. Dardoch and Matt, the two Academy players promoted to the main roster, have made all the difference, helping the reigning regular-season champions win three straight after dropping the first three games of the season.
26. Hong Kong Esports
Record: 2-2-1 | League: LMS
Rokenia's finally settling into the team's general groove, helping his team pull out two tied sets against Machi and Taipei Assassins. But the real headliner was MapleSnow showing off some LPL-style stunts with Quinn top lane.
27. Fnatic
Record: 3-3 | League: EU LCS
Rough week for Fnatic fans. Even when they're winning, they don't do it with the confidence and direction fans of the 2015 squad have come to expect.
28. Team SoloMid
Record: 3-3 | League: NA LCS
Getting shut out zero kills to 19 is about as far from where TSM want to be as possible. Their bot lane, in particular, isn't living up to expectations at all, getting dive-bombed seemingly at will.
29. Cloud9
Record: 3-3 | League: NA LCS
Nope, not even Hai can keep up that personal lossless streak for this split. But that come-from-behind win against Dignitas is increasingly what we've come to expect from him anyhow. Whether he can keep living up to it is another issue.
30. e-mFire
Record: 1-3 | League: LCK
Are e-mFire world beaters? No, they're not, but their map victory over SKT T1 should be able to keep them going through a season that is going to be filled with difficulties. A team built around amateur players and pushed-aside substitutes from other Korean teams, e-mFire are the ultimate underdog team this spring.
31. CJ Entus
Record: 1-3 | League: LCK
The former kings of Korea remain in a constant state of stagnation until their wunderkind, BDD, turns 17 in a month's time. Everyone will be tuning in to see the most hyped Korean prospect since Faker to debut, but can the young prospect turn around a franchise that hasn't had true success in almost three years?
32. Vici Gaming
Record: 2-3 | League: LPL
VG are quite possibly the strangest team in China at the moment. Their roster consists of two former world champions in Dandy (Samsung White) and Easyhoon (SKT T1), but the latter needs to prove that he can be a full-time starter without the protection of the best player in the game's history, Faker, waiting in the wings to pick up the slack if things go sour.
33. Afreeca Freecs
Record: 1-4 | League: LCK
The Freecs got their first win of the split when they beat the winless SBENU Sonicboom in a match to see which squad is currently the worst in South Korea. Mickey, the team's ace, is going through a sophomore slump after a rookie season that saw him become one of the most exciting mid laners in the region.
34. Team Impulse
Record: 3-3 | League: NA LCS
All right, maybe Team Impulse aren't going to run roughshod over the league, but they've proved that they're no joke. At 3-3 and with a split of games this weekend, Impulse will be in the mix of the NA LCS playoff hunt.
35. Masters 3
Record: 2-3 | League: LPL
M3 started off the week by upsetting (can we even call LGD losing anymore an upset?) LGD Gaming, and then fell to Team WE to even out their record. M3 sit in a tight race in their conference while the Qiau Gu Reapers look down from the top of the ladder without a blemish to their name so far.
36. Elements
Record: 3-3 | League: EU LCS
As suspected, Elements' fleeting moment at the top was more of an artifact of matchups than anything else. Don't watch their match versus UOL if you're not into public humiliation.
37. Dignitas
Record: 2-4 | League: NA LCS
Dignitas don't even look that terrible in individual moments, and when they foul up it's tempting to chalk it up to excess enthusiasm. But the problem is that's with every fight, all the time, like against Impulse.
38. XGamers
Record: 2-1-1 | League: LMS
Yeah, getting dunked on 0-2 by Machi 17 wasn't too hot of them. And facing down both TPA and AHQ just before Chinese New Year's is rather rough weather ahead for the fledgling team.
39. LGD
Record:1-4 | League: LPL
Are LGD Gaming back with their 2-0 win over LPL rookies EPA? Maybe not at the same level they were at last year when they were favorites to win the Summoner's Cup, but this could be the little spark they need to round themselves into playoff form. LGD still have lots of holes in their game, and they'll need to be even better if they want to be feared like the good ole days (four months ago).
40. Splyce
Record: 2-4 | League: EU LCS
It's hard to be encouraged by Splyce taking another win when it's only off the GIANTS. A close game against Fnatic nonetheless showed problems with power assessment and map movements.
41. OMG
Record: 2-3 | League: LPL
The honeymoon period for the reconstructed OMG squad might be coming to its end. They ran into the buzz saw known as EDward Gaming this week, and the makeshift roster of criticized players might finally have its wheels coming off.
42. ROCCAT
Record: 1-5 | League: EU LCS
That bottom lane isn't working. Safir is, so far, so flat. Prospective EU Challenger AD carries might want to update their résumés.
43. SBENU Sonicboom
Record: 0-5 | League: LCK
Five matches and no match victories for SBENU, a team that was expected to challenge for the playoffs this season following a successful offseason. Sadly for them, their record doesn't get any easier: SK Telecom T1 and Longzhu Gaming are the next challengers on the docket.
44. Energy Pacemaker.All
Record: 1-4 | League: LPL
EPA are showing all the signs of a rookie team that is going to need at least a split and maybe some tinkering to its roster before contending for a postseason spot. They also became the first squad to drop a series to LGD Gaming this season, losing to them in hapless 0-2 fashion.
45. Midnight Sun
Record: 0-1-3 | League: LMS
The Flash Wolves styled all over them in back-to-back games in Week 3, racking up a double-digit kill advantage both times. It's gonna be a long winter for Midnight Sun.
46. Renegades
Record: 1-5 | League: NA LCS
Sadly, the first female player in the LCS is probably leaving the Renegades' roster soon, leaving a troubled team in even more turbulent waters as it undergoes a total bot lane overhaul. Ohq, on loan from the NACS, has famously great mechanics -- but not enough to carry this team.
47. Hyper Youth Gaming
Record: 0-5 | League: LMS
Here lies HYG's hopes of making a Snake/QG-like rookie run to the playoffs. With one win and 10 losses, they tried so hard and got so far -- wait, no, they haven't gotten far at all.
48. Echo Fox
Record: 1-5 | League: NA LCS
Another week, another Echo Fox loss. Rick's probably praying to the visa gods for his team to finally get together.
49. Giants Gaming
Record: 0-6 | League: EU LCS
Jungler Betongjocke is not the secret spice to turn GIANTS' hot mess into a winning recipe. At least, he wasn't this week.
50. COUGAR E-Sport
Record: 0-0-5 | League: LMS
There's no sugarcoating it: There are probably four or five Wildcard teams that legitimately deserve a top-50 placement before COUGAR. They just don't happen to play in a premier league.
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