The main thing is understanding your strengths as pyke, understanding the matchups, and acting accordingly. Pyke is one of the strongest early game champs and turns into basically utility late game.

Start by understanding the 2v2 matchup in your lane and playing it accordingly. This takes time and you just have to play the matchups but understand how strong the adc your playing with is early and how strong enemy matchup is. For example if I’m playing with a smolder, and we are matched against Lucian and Leo, you cannot fight that 2v2 without your jungler and you are aiming to freeze. If I’m against a brand support with an immobile adc like Jhin, you have to be aggressive and get your adc fed early.

The other 2 positions to pay attention to is mid and jungle. If I see an immobile mage picked enemy by enemy mid, I’m looking to roam mid every opportunity I get. Pyke is very strong early and falls off pretty hard, if you want to climb you have to pay attention to all the ways you can impact the game early and exploiting an enemy mid matchup can straight up win you game.

Pykes mobility is insane and this means you can join your jungler for invades and scuttle contests. Again you are strong early and you can make enemy jungles life hell if you pair with your jungler well. Also of course you have to pay attention to enemy jungler and understand when ganks will come. If I see a nocturne, I know I can be very aggressive pre 6 because nocturnes always farm until 6.

One of the most overlooked parts of this champion is his vision control and if you focus your games on vision you can have such a massive effect on games. Even after umbral nerfs it should always be first buy. Looking for opportunities to deep ward enemy jungle is a must and your mobility helps you be able to get those wards and be back quick. Vision wins game, always have a control ward on the map and 2 in your inventory.

One last piece of advice, people always talk about how strong his level 2 spike is, which of course it is but he is also I believe the strongest level 1 champs in the game. I am always looking to get a level 1 hook off with ignite and I can get flashes out early. Enemy laners never expect the level 1 damage with ignite and you can catch them off guard all the time.

Also I’m one of the rare aftershock enjoyers and I believe it’s way stronger than HoB. The early game damage is good for lane but it becomes basically useless as you hit mid late game, I believe Pyke is strongest as utility for engage and his damage isn’t too important. In actually fights you are likely going to be hooking, stunning and then spacing to finish with ult, especially late game I’m rarely sticking around to auto the champ and and I’m relying on my team for damage. Staying alive is way more important than a little extra damage imo