Twin Shadows was re-introduced to League of Legends diverse set of purchasable items a few patches ago in Patch 8.4 with a whole new build path. However, the item has not seen any regular presence in the upper echelons of competitive play, yet it has seen some use in the variable cauldron of solo queue. The question here is why it isn’t used in pro play? In this piece, I hope to identify the factors that have resulted in this trend.

First, let's look at Twin Shadows, the item is designed as an AP support item. This is clear from its utilitarian active, mid-tier AP bonus, and cost that is only slightly above (but still in the ballpark of the support item costs) the other supportive items in League of Legends shop. Therefore, to look at why we aren’t seeing it in the League of legends top competitive scene, we must look at the support play meta.

The Power of Reverie in Comparison

Following the reintroduction of Twin Shadows in 8.4, two patches later (in patch 8.6) we saw the reintroduction of the supportive item Shurelia’s Reverie which has seen usage in pro play on picks such as Rakan. So why are pros using Reverie over Shadows? Well, it seems that having the 200-extra health is something that the pros value over the 20 more-ability power that Twin Shadows has over Shurelia’s Reverie. There is also the fact that both items offer very similar stats (both have 10% cooldown reduction and around 7% bonus movement speed [with Reverie offering 1% more than Twin Shadows) with the health point increase on Shurelia’s Reverie being the only unique stat.

But, while their stats are similar, their costs are not with Twin Shadows costing 300 gold more at a total price of 2400 making Shurelia’s far more efficient and efficiency is something that professional players look for in their builds. Therefore, one of the reasons that we are not seeing Twin Shadows in pro play is that pro players are valuing the health and higher gold efficiency of the similar Shurelia’s Reverie.

Competitive play seems to prefer Shurelia's Reverie to Twin Shadows in the current meta.

Little to No Meta Synergy

This season has seen a lot of single target protection with follow up potential. Champions such as Morgana, Braum, Rakan, Alistar and even Thresh all fit this meta requirement. However all but one (Morgana, the Fallen Angel being the lone exception here) have build paths that do not utilise Twin Shadows well and even Morgana, in the support role that she is played in, does not want to utilise Twin Shadows as items such as Redemption, Shurelia’s Reverie and Zhonya’s Hourglass are preferred.

The preferred items (at least for support) for the meta are a lot more tank-centric with items such as Locket of the Iron Solari, Knight's Vow, and Redemption. Twin Shadows has none of these defensive traits as it is an AP supportive item. As a result, it is a possibility that Twin Shadows clear lack of synergy with the defensive setup of the current support meta may be what prevents it being viable in the current pro circuit.

Twin Shadows is not a good item for the meta picks of Thresh and Braum.

The Problem of AP Supports

Now before I start this point, I must say that AP supports are great fun to play (I myself am a huge fan and partake in the activity of AP support Vel’Koz and Lux from time to time) and while they can work in the randomized world of solo queue, they have never been the true meta of competitive pro play.

When we enter the world of solo queue as a support we don’t know what to expect from the level of play from our teammates and opponents. Some days you may get a set of carries from mid and ADC that are super safe yet dish out a fresh Phreak ‘tons of damage’ to make your job easy and on another day you can get carries who love to hug towers, enemy towers (insert facepalm meme of your choice here) and so it in certain games, having another carry in exchange for the utility of a more traditional support can work and pay off. This is why we see carry supports such as Brand from time to time. This is where Twin Shadows is viable in solo queue given its AP carry support design orientation.

However, at the upper end of play (i.e. the pro scene) supports do not need to worry about their carries being of a poor quality (they can still be outclassed though, my thoughts go back to season 3 when Reginald got shut out and was nearly useless after being battered by Scarra [playing for Dignitas in the initial split of NA LCS]) and so professional support mains do not need to worry about not having enough carry potential in their champion picks, meaning there is no place for carrying supports and so they aren’t used meaning that, by extension, Twin Shadows has no place in the competitive meta as the champions that can potentially use it are nowhere to be seen.

AP Support picks that can use Twin Shadows such as Brand are nowhere near 'meta' in pro play.

Conclusion

To conclude, we don’t see Twin Shadows in its role of an ability power support item for good reasons today in the present meta and state of League of Legends. Those reasons being better build options in Shurelia’s Reverie, no synergy with the meta’s top picks, and finally a lack of necessity in its intended role. Sadly, Twin Shadows isn’t likely to be used in pro play for some time but can be useful in solo queue from time to time. With that, I leave you with the thoughts of GL, HF, and GG.

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