We’ll be looking at one of the most underplayed team compositions that you can use for your next Clash game(s): The Protect the Bot Comp. There are variations that you can fulfill the requirements of this kind of composition. We’ll look at two different champions from each role that you and your next potential Clash team can use to secure you the dub.
When we watch the broadcasts of pro League of Legends, many times the broadcasting team will talk about one team’s comp versus another. Like if a team drafted for heavy engage, or peeling, or perhaps front-to-back five versus five, you get the idea. There was a time when another kind of composition was deemed “meta” and teams during this time would draft such a team comp. This was the Protect the Bot Carry composition. Other names were referred to as Protect the VIP or Protect the President.
A team comp such as this was focused on one thing, getting the bot carry scaled up and ahead to carry the game. When played right, it can be a devastating and frustrating comp to deal with. However, when it doesn’t go the team’s way, it can fall apart quickly since there’s only one win condition. You may not often find a cohesive team comp in your solo queue games, but for your Clash games where compositions matter more so, this can ultimately lead you on the path to blowing up the other team’s nexus.
But what champions are the best for this kind of high-priority composition? For each lane, I will provide two champions from each that will set the foundation if not the very blueprint for your upcoming games. You can mix and match depending on your play style. However, remember the most important piece is the bot carry. I’ll start by going Top, Jungle, Mid, Support, and Bot in that order. So, let’s begin with Top Lane.
*Note* This is based on the current patch of 12.5
Welcome back to the meta, Ornn! He has been one of those champions that for a long while, was a part of every team’s composition, especially when the “Tank Meta” had been around. Ornn has several factors as to why you should look at him as a stable part of your “protection” comp. I’ll break it down.
With Ornn, you have a stable top laner that can forge items within the lane instead of having to recall to base every so often to shop like all other champions have to do. In this kind of comp, two key factors come into play. First, is his ability to start an engagement from a distance. His R: Call of the Forge God, is an ideal way to get fights started and even turned around when the enemy team makes the first move. To help with late-game scaling, he can upgrade an item in your carry’s inventory at level 14. Since each item upgraded is the equivalent of another item, this will make your bot laner pump out more DPS. Also, his Q, Volcanic Rupture and E, Searing Charge combo can make quite the surprise engage if your top laner can find the right moment to strike. This in turn will allow your bot carry to have a target or two to follow up on.
This must be talked about too because this is something to keep in mind when playing this tanky top laner. The thing to note is that Ornn doesn’t do well with poke/heavy poke comps. Sure, he can soak up damage as much as possible but if he’s behind, especially against poke or a team comp that has a considerable amount of burst, he won’t be able to tank up for long and your primary front liner will be gone before you have the chance to attack.
Ornn is a sure choice for your “Protect” comp. He can peel, provide long-range engages and provide a boost to your bot lane carry’s overall DPS output. A reliable front liner that can also do a little bit of surprising amount of damage. This is a champion that is worth considering the next time you queue up for Clash.
Rock-solid! Yes, Malphite has returned and is another good choice for your top laner. While Malph doesn’t offer upgrades on your carry’s items, this champion still holds fundamental keys to setting up your carry as well as giving them the time to pour out the DPS.
It is the Unstoppable Force, the R, that gives Malphite every bit of presence in setting up plays as well as those big teamfights later in the game. Heavy on armor, this behemoth is a great peel champion, and he has the ability to soak up the damage so your carry to get their damage in. His passive gives him a shield which can be the difference for him to teamfight long enough to make a difference. His Q, Seismic Shard, as well as his E, Ground Slam, can be used to slow and lower the attack speed on nearby champions, respectively. His scaling is very good when he gets to the mid-game and once he has a couple of tank items, he’ll be ready for those mid-game objectives.
Like Ornn, Malphite is susceptible to heavy poke as well as against aggressive melee champions. This is something to keep in mind because Malph may find himself stuck under the tower and since the champion is mana hungry, it will be quite difficult for him to CS effectively, so some visits from the Jungler can help alleviate that pressure. Until later levels, however, Malph will often be set behind in the early game.
Despite the heavy mana costs and the potential of a shaky early game, Malphite, when you need him most, will come through in the mid-late game with his good scaling and as a playmaking tanky top laner. He will give your carry a sturdy frontliner to remain behind and do what they need to do.
Jarvan is one of the most reliable Junglers and is one of the more common picks for the role. The tools he has will give your bot carry set up during all periods of the game, from the laning phase to the late game.
Jarvan’s ganking potential is potent in the current meta. Even when he isn’t at the forefront of the meta, his ability to gank the bottom lane will give the opposing team’s bot lane something to keep in the back of their mind. The E, Demacian Standard and Q, Dragon Strike, i.e. “Flag n’ Drag” combo, is Jarvan’s best way for setting up bot lane ganks as well in teamfights. Trapping foes in his R, Cataclysm, will give your carry a focused area to free fire. Unless the enemy champions have their flashes, they’ll have a one-way ticket back to the fountain. His E also grants increased attack speed for nearby allied champions. So, your carry will also reap the benefits. Jarvan is a perfect mid-game champion that by the late game, will provide the safety and set-up your carry needs to be successful.
Jarvan’s ability to skirmish early on isn’t ideal. He is vulnerable to other Junglers who are better at dueling such as Lee Sin. You’ll have to be smart about the jungle pathing to avoid getting into a sticky situation you don’t want to be in early on. His late-game scaling isn’t the greatest, so in order to win, you must succeed during the mid-game. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself having to fight tougher battles for your carry to do what they need to do.
Jarvan is a great first choice for the Jungle. The ability to set up and cause separation with “Flag n’ Drag” combo and with the ultimate can give your carry some free fire time as well as safety. He’s a good choice to get through the mid-game to set up your carry for late game.
CaptainFlowersbe proud! The scorpion is a part of my list of champions that would do well with protection comp. Although, he’s rarely played, the Crystal Vanguard deserves praise for being another good champion for Protect the Carry compositions. Here’s why.
I like to think Skarner is a “You help me, I help you” kind of champion. What I mean by that is that he benefits from having spire captures by his team. This will give him increased movement, attack speed, and mana regen while he remains near the spires. This is perfect for jungle clearing as well the level six bot lane gank when he has that river spire as well as his W, Crystalline Exoskeleton, to give him more movement speed. Post Level 6 is when Skarner becomes dangerous with his R, Impale, essentially allowing him to pick off a champion and make them an easy target for your carry. Mid to late game, Skarner does scale well to outlast and even outduel other champions. The most important part that stems from Skarner’s kit is having the other team pay the “tax” i.e., the Quicksilver Sash. It puts the other team behind on items allowing your carry to gain an advantage this way.
Skarner is a champion that needs to be Level 6 to fully be effective. It will take time for him to scale. There are a couple of matchups that he can be outdueled in the early game like Lee Sin or be poked out by Jungle Graves. Once Skarner goes on to pluck a champion, it’s up to the rest of the team to follow up. If they’re not there, then poor Skarner will be left out to dry so communication is important. A minor detail are the Spires. Skarner must be able to duel with captured spires in the quadrants or else his Jungle clears won’t be quick and if he gets into trouble, he’s going to get further and further behind.
Skarner is an unutilized champion that would fare well with the composition. His kit provides large amounts of CC, gank assistance, and creates windows for the carry to attack a single focus target. Skarner might be that pocket pick you were looking for to throw the enemy team a surprise.
We’ve reached the mid-lane and no question that Orianna is on my list. She excels in CC while providing some utility for the carry. Ori fits in with any meta and is a stable pick against all types of matchups. Here’s why Ori should be played for your games.
Ori’s kit provides utility with her W, Command Dissonance, that can either increase the movement speed of her allies or decrease the enemy’s. For your carry, this will benefit by peeling and disengaging from any persons diving onto them. The biggest part of the kit is the E, Protect. This will give a shield plus increased armor and magic resistance for whoever the ball is on. This is vital for a bot laner considering that MR isn’t very kind, so having that slight bit can help. Her R, Shockwave, can be huge in teamfights and allow the carry to full-on free fire cleaning up the fight.
Ori is mana hungry like some other AP champions. Beyond that though, when I look at pro play, there isn’t a “bad” Orianna matchup. She can be played against anyone, so it’s not a weakness. I only bring it up here because you don’t want to go into the matchup thinking Ori is going to gain an upper hand. She can be burst down despite her utility.
A top-tier pick for the mid-lane. Versatile, hard CC, and Utility, Ori gives your team and your carry everything you can ask for to execute this kind of composition.
“Prove yourself and…?” Ryze has also been a stable pick for the mid-lane. In terms of how he fits into this kind of composition, he’s a dual-threat that can offer tankiness as well offering AP damage that can allow your bot lane to clean up the scraps.
If you are putting together a team that has enough tanks that came from your top and jungle positions, Ryze offers a mix of that and AP damage. He scales right alongside a late-game carry that forces the enemy team buying MR to fend off the Ryze, allowing more of your carry’s physical damage to land true. The combo to go for is E then W, so that the Rune Prison can root instead of the slow. With Ryze on the front line and/or split-pushing, it gives more time for the carry to get some extra farm or to go after an objective. When it does come time to fight, having Ryze upfront can cause disruption and more focus on him instead of the carry. He’s another good, versatile option for the task.
As with any late-game champion, putting Ryze behind in the early to mid-game will cause him to be less effective for those crucial teamfights and at keeping the enemy team at bay. He can also be bursted down in a side lane if caught out. He has an escape with his R, Realm Warp, but it can be interrupted leaving him all on an island.
Ryze is still a relevant champion to have at your side. With his tankiness, CC, and a way to get the team out of danger with his ultimate, The Rune Mage will give your carry the chances it needs to clean up some fights and for the all-important dub.
As a support main, I can stand by this top-tier pick for the support position. Karma offers so much utility, plus we can also throw in some damage in there depending on how you build her. For now, I will list why Karma tops the list in the support role.
Right away, she’ll have a point in her R, Mantra, which enhances her abilities right from the start. Her Q, Inner Flame, will slow and on enhanced will also cause an extra burst of damage after a delay. Her W, Focused Resolved, creates a tether to stun lock an enemy champion. Enhanced will do the same with the added benefit to heal her. Her E, Inspire, is the most crucial part of her kit when it comes to this comp. It gives your carry a shield as well as increased movement speed. Enhanced, you can “Inspire” the whole team with the same temporary buffs that are perfect for engage, disengage, and for the last second shielding to keep the team alive.
She is squishy, she can be heavily focused, and her R is only good for one level. It doesn’t offer anything else for the remainder of the game. If you are looking to do damage, this is not the champion to provide overall consistent damage.
Karma is here because of the massive utility she can provide for your carry and the team. She offers a root, a slow, and shields and heals for days that it will annoy the enemy team. She has synergy with practically all champions in the game which makes her perfect for a spot in the comp.
The “Queen of the Disengage”! Another champion that does nothing but provides shields and heals for days but also offers other utility options. No, I recommend this for the support role, not for some crazy top lane Janna with smite. Here’s what support Janna offers.
Just like Karma’s kit, Janna has a shield. Janna’s E, Eye of the Storm, not only gives your carry a shield but also increases their attack power. I recommend maxing out the E first since it will only further help shield and provide additional attack damage for your carry. Her Q and W, Howling Gale and Zephyr, offer a knock-up and a slow respectively. Her passive, Tailwind, gives her carries some increased movement speed, while her R, Monsoon, is also a massive part of the kit. If your carry is in trouble, Janna’s ultimate will knock out all enemy champions nearby, and will also heal your carry and other allies.
Top lane Janna with Smite… okay, crazy picks aside, Janna is squishier than Karma so she can be one to two-shot with ease. She does not offer damage; she is strictly utility. No reliable way to engage, again, she is a master of disengagement, so plan wisely for your team fighting.
Janna is an underrated Support champion that can easily fit into this kind of composition and with proper positioning, you can heal and shield your carry’s way for success.
The time has finally come to unveil two of the bot lane carries that can lead your team to success by being fed unlimited resources…
Get Jinxed! Yes “The Loose Cannon” herself makes my list of best carries to have for your composition. Although recently she has been hit by a few nerfs, she is still undeniably strong. Even when your team could be down, a kill or two from your Jinx can lead you right back into the game.
As soon as she hits her two-item power spike, she is off to the races. She is the kind of hyper-scaling AD that is as exciting to watch as it is to play. Jinx’s Ultimate can sneak in a Baron or Drake steal with its AOE damage. Her passive provides a way to keep chasing after targets or towers for those devastating resets. She has a slow and stun with her W and E. But it’s that late-game scaling that truly defines just how terrifying it can be to play against her. Paired with one of the supports I listed and then giving her a front line, Jinx can ultimately take over a game 1v9.
She has no dash, no escape, limited maneuverability. By picking Jinx, you must have a champion(s) that is going to give her the necessary time she needs to scale. In the support role, a champion like Karma can provide that utility in the laning phase to shore up her lack of a dash.
I feel that Jinx is the best hyper-scaling AD currently and when you watch pro play, it’s easy to see why. Surround Jinx with champions that will body block and shield to allow her to maximize her DPS and feed her the resources to carry you through the late game.
One of the newest champions to hit the rift this season, Zeri provides a different look at an AD. One of the most popular choices in pro play and despite the nerfs, she is still one of the strongest ADs right now. Now, some of the other hyper-scaling champions don’t necessarily have a dash or a reliable means to escape from a bad situation. Zeri offers more flexibility for your games.
Zeri’s kit offers more maneuverability throughout the map as well being able to produce damage through the terrain. Her E, Spark Surge, gives her a dash along with being able to vault over any terrain no matter how long it is. Her W, Ultrashock Laser, can be used normally but can also be used to shoot through the terrain, which is ideal because the added benefit is that the laser’s range is extended. Her R, Lightning Crash, gives her increased damage while stacking movement speed for every champion she hits. It also gives her a faster shot with her Q, which creates a lightning trail between her enemies. Her passive also can take away shielding from champions and give it to herself. Imagine facing a champion(s) that has shielding, Zeri is stealing the shield and if you have a support that is also giving her shields? Zeri would be untouchable.
Like any other AD, she can be prone to being burst down if your Zeri isn’t careful. And also, like any other hyper-carry, if she gets behind, there is a danger that she may not be as relevant as she should come time for the late game.
She is new, however ridiculously strong. Matching her up with a champion like Karma or Janna and Zeri has the potential to crush the 2v2. After a couple of items, she’s ready to go. The added benefit that she has a dash and can vault over terrain, makes her a priority pick for your team to first pick if you don’t ban her.
Conclusion
From this list, you can have the kind of “Protect the Bot Lane” comp you’re looking for in your upcoming games. This list is to provide an idea of just how well these champions work within this kind of composition. These are the champions that I find to be top tier in the current meta. Yes, it’s constantly changing, however, these champions have been staples or have been underrated where it can be that pocket pick or a surprise to catch the other team off guard. I highly recommend these champions for the next time you queue up. We’ve seen how big hyper-scaling champions can be when given the right champions drafted around them. I do hope this aids you in your quest to earn more dubs not only in your solo q but also in your Clash games. Good luck out on the Rift!
