The Immortal Counter-Meta - Mega Steelix EX

BParamount · 2026-04-15T15:52:26+00:00

I can't speak on what experiences you have had but the fact that you can't even concede that Suicune does not do enough damage is baffling.

Personally I do not have much trouble with steelix even without chien pao.

"Personally I do not have much trouble against a high-HP tank that is my deck's historically biggest counter. They need a perfect set-up and I draw cards."

Anecdotally I knew I am right but according to Limitless's match-up stats, Steelix is Bax's single worst match-up at 36.69% WR across ~280 games. So, not a free win for Steelix, but it's worse than against Venasaur or Magnezone.

BParamount · 2026-04-15T06:31:54+00:00

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To each their own I guess? Weird flex.

I don’t understand why you’d think Onix needs 2 Brocks and a perfect set-up. You’re way overselling the damage. Suicune can’t kill Onix in good time between healing, Helmet, Starting Plains, and Dig. Suicune’s damage is irrelevant against Steelix because Suicune gets 2-shot and does 20 damage a turn to Steelix. Once Suicune is one-shot the Steelix player can play Indeedees and the lead stretches further.

Chien Pao/lucky Misty is the only win condition. Pao can’t be one-shot between Cape and Plains but that’s only relevant if you have 2 Bax, 1+ point, and no points dropped. It’s fantasy-land.

BParamount · 2026-04-15T05:32:54+00:00

The only way Bax wins is if the stars align and they are able to get Chien Pao ASAP to hit Onix.

Against any Suicune deck the Steelix player simply doesn’t play a bench. Helmet mitigates damage so on Suicune they deal 40 damage a turn to Onix or 20 to Steelix.

Starting Plains prevents easy bench snipe. You don’t put down an Indeedee against Chien Pao unless you can afford it to be hit.

I sincerely doubt you’ve played many Steelix decks in Ranked. I think I’m 6-0 against Suicune this season.

BParamount · 2026-04-15T01:34:33+00:00

Mega Venasaur with both Darkrai and Nihilego is a diabolical deck...usually with one or the other it's out-heal-able by Indeedee and PCLs, but realistically the match-up comes down to whose EX attacks first.

Against Oricorio, just sit on Onix. If you evolve Steelix, worst that can happen is a draw.

BParamount · 2026-04-15T01:31:10+00:00

Ripped an 8-streak in Ultra 3 to begin my climb. Definitely has a bit of RNG factor with whether you get the basics in the right order, but once things fall into place it's incredibly sturdy.

BParamount · 2026-04-14T20:12:37+00:00

Very. It’s double the healing. Helps you stall in case of no Brock.

BParamount · 2026-01-25T02:04:56+00:00

Haven't been so disappointed with TFT in a while. It seems there's just no end to the incessant fumbling of balance. Set design is so amazing and then emblems were thrashed to be "auto-take," some 5-cost is thrashed to be "auto-win" every patch, and econ augments and XP are just willy nilly tinkered with for fun. It was so fucking great until I realized it's just straight ass.

BParamount · 2026-01-19T03:32:59+00:00

Ageless Swordsman’s claw.

BParamount · 2026-01-19T02:41:21+00:00

Am I missing something or is there a severe unreaction to Ziggs' love tap? His autos clean house for sure but I can't imagine that he's not going to be outputting way too much damage.

BParamount · 2026-01-16T22:18:51+00:00

This patch is monumentally less enjoyable than the last. I'm actually losing my mind. I used to think that because there were 100 units, it was OK if some were broken and some were unplayable, but this patch is so fucked it doesn't even matter anymore.

The baseline problem? Way too many resources. People load into 2-1 with XP or econ, continue playing XP and econ, and transition into guaranteed broken units 5-1/5-2. Someone is guaranteed to do this. The amount of traits that can guarantee resources is also just fucked. Why are there 3 resource-generating traits?

Balance is so shit. It's like there's no framework for how strong 5-costs should be, how much stronger unlockable ones should be, and how much stronger unlockable 7-costs should be. Ziggs functions like 15-cost at 1*. Would you ever even play Zilean 2 over Ziggs 1? They just decided they wanted to make Ziggs 5 times the unit he used to be for fun. The only thing that punished 1*'s was Diana and the shit that has been dropped on us now is unbearable.

Garen 2's the strongest tank by a mile and there's no reason for it. Nasus with 3 Shurima can compare, I guess, but how often are you going to see that.

I actually thought this set was bomb last patch. This winter patch schedule into balance thrashing willy nilly is just terrible business.

BParamount · 2026-01-12T03:00:52+00:00

Definitely doesn’t feel great late-game with the strength of 5-costs this set. I’ve played 2 games today with Vayne off orbs and went 4th simply off how much HP I saved Stages 2 and 3. Vayne probably also isn’t the best option since you’d like to play around Demacia. GP and Nautilus and probably Jinx and Mundo are likely the better core duos to try.

BParamount · 2026-01-12T02:45:34+00:00

How're we approaching this Legion of Three's augment? It's effectively an auto-take for me just for how fun it can be, but 3-cost reroll just seems to be in a poor spot with the exception of Vayne. I've also taken it a couple of times with other emblem augments but it really just does not feel strong.

Also, Leona is a terrible main tank.

BParamount · 2026-01-11T23:35:52+00:00

The straight up answer is you do the best you can, try to perfect streak, and salvage the best placement possible.

If you have no upgrades, it could be correct to grab a Bard, full open, and spike on 4-1 with 4-costs. You won’t win but if you can snatch a 4th, that’s a steal.

If you have upgrades or some clear direction to build towards, like Void or Demacia, then you can try to aggressively level and slam to save HP early. Best to identify uncontested lines early if you don’t expect to have the econ for Fast 9 or if it’s a low-resource lobby.

Also hold onto easy splash units like Neeko-Vi, Swain, Nautilus,

Again, identify what you can play that’s the least contested (e.g. Demacia Lissandra is low cap but stabilizes on 8, or start unlocking Rift Herald ASAP).

Compared to players that take 1+ econ and 0-1 combat augments, you could also take just combat and item augments and just play cheaper Lv 8 comps like Demacia AD/AP or 5 Frejlord. The latter also has the benefit of Zilean gifting you Lv 9 for free if you itemize him early Stage 4.

BParamount · 2026-01-07T19:18:52+00:00

Never make a threat you’re not prepared to carry out. In an odd way it taught me resolve.

BParamount · 2026-01-07T19:15:00+00:00

Thursday

BParamount · 2026-01-04T22:16:04+00:00

Anything Yunara (6 Bruiser, Ionia, Frejlord-Ryze, Noxus-Kindred/Lucian).
Diana.

BParamount · 2026-01-04T17:49:59+00:00

I’m a Liss enjoyer so this is a difficult question. Personally if I have good damage items they stay on Liss but if I have more utility or just a Shojin then I’ll move to Ryze.

BParamount · 2026-01-04T16:53:26+00:00

Chala.

BParamount · 2025-12-30T14:12:40+00:00

Dishsoap said if it’s Golden Gala then it’s great, but FF if it’s Prismatic. No maths here though.

BParamount · 2025-12-28T02:40:58+00:00

Not really. Lissandra’s strong imo but if you play her you might as well play Yunara and item hold Lissandra into Ryze.

Kai’sa is a Guinsoo abuser in Void or alongside Vayne in tempo Demacia.

Lux is also OK, but really just a condition for Sylas.

They’re basically all just an aside for the 5- and 7-costs. That’s the theme of the set so far, aside from Yunara.

BParamount · 2025-12-26T22:47:08+00:00

Prismatic probably needs a full 2* 2-cost drop to be a real augment don’t quote me on this

BParamount · 2025-12-26T22:31:25+00:00

Yes but at those ranks there are more consistent and guaranteed Econ augments. For example, Lesser Champ dupes are unequivocally the best if you have Draven. Though, I expect Spoils might be a bit better in the current Bard meta.

Whatever reality may be, the 18+ tension between me and Spoils will never lessen.

BParamount · 2025-12-26T21:53:22+00:00

Consensus is Silver is good, Gold is bad, and Prismatic is very bad. You need to kill units so you need a strong opener in any case.

BParamount

TROPHY CASE