Where did Bai Qi, who has disappeared from public view, go? His popularity remains low, yet his data is out of control.

Undeniably, there are many underrated heroes in the Rift, especially in the top lane, where the focus is on solo play and the gameplay revolves around either laning or pushing lanes. With several heroes transitioning to jungle or tanky support roles, the top lane has become dominated by pure warriors like Ma Chao, Guan Yu, and Yao. In contrast, heroes that were touted as being very accessible, featuring a "brave" style, a 6-yuan instant kill, or a season-limited item, have suddenly disappeared.

Entering the new season, the popular picks remain unchanged, extending to Season 42. Unless someone is promoted by the developers or becomes a jungler, the rankings will not be reshuffled. Some picks become unpopular because their gameplay is limited to certain ranks. In other words, they are too dependent on the environment and teammates. Take a team-oriented support as an example. In high-rank games, players have synchronized awareness, but in mid-to-low ranks, it's like playing a solo game. You will initiate team fights, but your teammates play conservatively and blame you for feeding kills and not farming safely. Such a team has no future.

Similarly, Bai Qi has suffered a similar fate, with a low profile in recent seasons. The main reason is that his attack methods are not satisfying, there are no new skins to boost his popularity, and he has no mobility, making him poor at cutting through the backline. At most, his ultimate skill is used for taunting and area control, but in the end, he just gets beaten up.

Its strength lies not in its ability to eliminate carries, but in its durability.

If you can grasp the essence of Bai Qi, he is truly a great hero for climbing the ranks. Xiang Yu and Xiahou Dun are nominally tanks, but their skill mechanics are those of warriors. Bai Qi has the name of a warrior, but he lacks burst damage, has long cooldowns, and his control is tied to his ultimate. Therefore, it is recommended to play cautiously and clear minions in the early and mid-game, and look for opportunities to initiate team fights.

What few people know is that his taunt duration is closely related to his health. Don't blindly rush forward to attack. Use his second skill to hook minions and then charge up to clear them. If you think you have short legs, buy some sprint boots. Don't try to outmaneuver your opponent in lane. Instead, ambush them in bushes to catch them teleporting. Never get itchy fingers and join team fights. It may sound like no fun, but that's his survival rule.

Later on, he took on the role of tank, often needing to go ahead to scout vision and wait for the enemy to be isolated or outnumbered before taunting and controlling them. His key skill, Endurance, is frustrating, but in the eyes of the opponent, it is an unexpected deterrent. He doesn't have the ability to independently cut off the enemy's carry, but he is unkillable in team fights. That's the sense of accomplishment of playing Bai Qi.