Be careful not to be discriminated against if you bring them out. The top 1000 players can't accommodate warriors with an appearance rate of less than 1%.

The ecosystem of top-tier games is cruel and ruthless, most closely reflecting reality. It's a dog-eat-dog world where low-level characters have no place. If you dare to pick a hero, their years of analysis and judgment can predict the outcome of the game. Whether you win or lose starts from the moment you select your hero.

For casual players, would this constitute discrimination? Essentially, their game mindset isn't wrong; they emphasize teamwork and individual hero skill. A victory involves too many factors and requires meticulous attention to detail, therefore, it's not acceptable to simply think it's your main hero or that you're an expert at their gameplay. Being good at something doesn't equate to being strong. This article focuses on the top lane, analyzing the top 1000 players and who they dislike. These six players on the list have a pick rate of less than 1%, so don't be alarmed.

Xiahou Dun

The hero with the lowest pick rate is none other than the renowned Xiahou Dun, wielding the best-selling Frostblade from the Ink-Dyed Jianghu series. How did he fall to such a low rank? A warrior highly praised in lower and mid-tier ranks, boasting well-rounded attributes, capable of both tanking and dealing damage, yet his stats are inferior to even Cheng Yaojin's. As ranks increased, Xiahou Dun's playstyle began to lean towards jungling; at least the developers started this trend. Later, attribute adjustments slowed down his jungling efficiency, causing him to gradually fade from the jungle and return to the top lane, where he's truly difficult to use effectively.

Perhaps the lower and mid-ranked game environment is more favorable, with both sides favoring slow, stationary heroes. In the top 1000 ranked matches, the meta favors heroes like Ma Chao, Kuang Tie, Yuan Ge, Meng Tian, and Guan Yu. This can become so extreme that even mid-lane mages have to step aside, giving up resources to become the carry. They silently dive in and relentlessly attack, slowly whittling down your seemingly insignificant health. Even with your chain dash, your attack range is too short to reach them. Their only advantage is their early-game durability and frequent jungle invasions, posing a threat and forcing opponents into fights – something tanks love to do.

Cheng Yaojin

Second to last is Cheng Yaojin. Forum discussions about him are chaotic; he's long been a victim of the heavily damaged version. His damage is inconsistent, and he's played as a split-puss. Regarding his team role, this is a major drawback. His only purpose is to tank damage; he lacks crowd control, can't burst down squishy targets, and might even get counter-killed at close range. His playstyle revolves around stealing jungle monsters and economic dominance, making him perfectly suited for the 2026 version. However, by then, he's already outdated.

Image source: Internet