League of Legends: Is Smolder broken?

League of Legends has various playable Champions players can choose from. From the super energetic Lux to the dark and broody Kayn, there’s a Champion for everyone. However, while some players like to play as the Champion they relate to the most, others prefer to play as the one who’s part of the meta or the most overpowered Champion at that time.

Now, Riot Games is constantly releasing updates and patches to ensure no Champion is ever overpowered. However, some Champions manage to go through the cracks and remain broken. One of those Champions may be Smolder, who players are saying is too overpowered, as proven by how Gen. G absolutely dominated FlyQuest in the 2024 League of Legends Worlds quarterfinals.

So, today we want to finally settle the question of whether Smolder is actually broken once and for all. Is he broken or are fans just looking for an excuse for FlyQuest’s loss? If you want to learn how to play Smolder, or any Champion for that matter, you can always hire a professional League of Legends coach from Eloking. Don’t forget to use the code “BoostToday” too so you get a 20% discount on your order.

Why do fans think Smolder is broken?

Gen.G’s win over FlyQuest in the 2024 League of Legends Worlds quarterfinals has sparked a massive debate on the champion’s place in the current meta, with the word of the hour being that Smolder might be a bit too overpowered. Gen.G’s mid-laner Chovy displayed Smolder’s true power in the recent match, leaving everyone stunned. Smolder is a champion known for the high burst damage and agility that can be destructive when in the right hands.

We saw time and time again throughout the series that Smolder’s abilities were consistently outperforming expectations, and on several occasions led to some big game-changing moments. Chovy’s mastery of Smolder is what allowed Gen.G to dominate those key objectives and critical team fights, something that led to players and analysts questioning that Smolder might be too powerful. 

These factors were highlighted post-match, with people noting that Smolder’s toolkit allowed for an extremely aggressive playstyle that was simply too much for FlyQuest to handle. His effectiveness when in the hands of a skilled player has also put the spotlight on the champion’s potential to disrupt competitive play, with some calling for adjustments to the champion’s abilities to restore the balance in the game and its meta. 

How Gen.G Exploited FlyQuest’s Weakness

FlyQuest had entered the quarterfinals with a determined mindset. They had a good Swiss Stage where they managed to secure some good wins, and in the Play-In stage showed their ability to adapt and overcome the challenges. They entered their match against Gen.G with a solid strategy and confidence, but all of that would quickly be undone when they faced Smolder’s relentless pressure.

Despite having a clear plan, the strategic and smart use of Smolder’s abilities exposed FlyQuest’s weaknesses. While FlyQuest won the first round, the rest of the match followed them losing as they couldn't adapt to Smolder’s high agility and high damage. His presence in the mid-lane created a constant threat and repeatedly forced FlyQuest to make reactive plays that mostly ended in Gen.G’s favor. 

This game highlighted that there was a significant gap in FlyQuest’s initial draft and play style and showed that even some of the best-performing teams can fall when they have no answer to specific champions and their abilities. The match not only highlighted that teams need to be a lot more flexible in competitive play now, but also that certain champions like Smolder could need some severe balancing. 

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Is Smolder Too Powerful for the Current Meta?

Smolder was an unstoppable force throughout the series and showed how far a little skill and understanding could take the champion. The high burst damage and mobility allowed Gen.G to control the tempo of the game and put FlyQuest on the backfoot. In the current meta, champions with high mobility and burst damage are valued very highly. 

The ability to quickly engage and take out targets completely throws off the enemy team. Mobility allows champions to quickly reposition after engaging, dodge skill shots, and escape any dangerous situations.

Champions like Akali and Kha’Zix for example are also known for their burst damage and agility. Smolder being too overpowered in this current meta has a real argument behind it, with his kill participation, damage output, and overall impact on the game being clear evidence of his domination. But unlike Kha’Zix and Akali, Smolder doesn’t seem to have any clear counters that make him balanced. 

Kha’Zix for example struggles against champions with hard crowd control or tanky champions that can handle his burst. Akali is also vulnerable to champions with AOE crowd control or those that can blow her cover. This helps create some level of balance in the gameplay, but compared to that, Smolder is said to not have any significant weaknesses to cancel out his power in the current meta.

His abilities seem to lack clear counters and her high mobility and burst damage make him extremely difficult to deal with in team fights. Players are also saying that no risk factor comes with the use of Smolder’s abilities.

Will Riot Games Nerf Smolder?

Smolder’s performance in the Gen.G vs. FlyQuest match has stirred up a huge debate about his power in competitive play. The community itself is also very split, with some people saying his kit is simply too strong and lacks any downsides to make the champion balanced. Pro players and coaches are calling on Riot to add some tweaks to stop him from completely outshining other champions and have suggested nerfs to keep things fair.

Others are saying that Smolder appearing to be too strong is more so a statement about Chovy’s skill and understanding of the champion, that his efficient use of abilities and strategic play is what turned the tide for Gen.G. Balancing a champion is a tricky process and takes time and understanding, especially with how dynamic and ever-changing the meta is. Right now, it's too early to say whether Riot will consider nerfing Smolder, but the amount of noise this has caused will have definitely crossed Riot’s radar. 

FAQs

What abilities does Smolder have in League of Legends?

Released in early 2024, Smolder is a small dragon Champion who breathes fire. He can breathe fire on an enemy and get stacks to make this ability more powerful. He can also let out a sneeze that explodes when hitting enemy Champions. 

Arguably the most dangerous ability during team fights is when he takes flights and bombards the lowest health enemy, that too while ignoring terrain. Finally, Smolder's ultimate ability is when he calls his mom to breathe fire from above. The kicker is that this ability deals extra damage and slows enemies in the center of her fire.

How many Champions are in League of Legends?

At the time of writing, League of Legends has a total of 168 Champions. While this number may seem large, and in all honesty it is, the fact of the matter is that most players only play as a handful of Champions while those like Zilean are left ignored.

Players can usually determine which Champions are fan favorites by the number of skins every Champion has. Someone like Ahri or Lux will definitely have more skins than someone like Taric and Corki, showcasing they’re more popular.