History YMMV / LeagueOfLegends

** Miss Fortune X Sona has seen a rise of pairing preference solely because of being the first humanoids that have the Arcade Skins (Hecarim is non-humanoid, Veigar is being the Final Boss). [[MsFanservice That, alongside]] [[GagBoobs other reasons]], something that the other humanoid Arcade skin holder, Riven, lacks.

* DuelingGames: With ''VideoGame/Dota2'' mainly. There may be other big MOBA games out there like ''VideoGame/{{Smite}}'' or ''VideoGame/HeroesOfTheStorm'', but Dota remains as League's biggest rival, as their rivalry has gone quite long compounded with some starkly differing approach in MOBA as well as the antics of a certain Pendragon that inadvertently fanned a harsh rivalry between the two fandoms. They also have their own cast of mostly original characters when Smite and HOTS used existing materials (Mythology and Creator/BlizzardEntertainment games)

** Pre-VGU Poppy was also a heavily-derided champion due to her gameplay being either a total bore or totally busted, built around a late-game goal of an unkillable StoneWall with a cheap [[ImplacableMan "become completely invincible to anyone except the backline target I want to kill"]] ultimate at the cost of having anything else fun or interesting to play with (aside from the decently-liked''Heroic Charge'', her sole offensive ability was an auto-attack steroid, everything else existing to make her tanky). Her 2015 VGU was another near-total reboot that reinvented her PintSizedPowerhouse fantasy, keeping her a tanky Warden but with more expressive means of projecting power, ranging from [[ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks her ranged shield toss]], [[GoThroughMe anti-mobility field]], and her new "[[PunchedAcrossTheRoom eject the enemy frontline from teamfights]]" ultimate, which have gone over far better in part due to being way more ''fun''. Her original characterization as [[TheStoic a complete no-nonsense]] {{Ambadassador}}, while having its fans, was also completely revamped into making Poppy a youthful, upbeat DorkKnight with a much goofier story beat as the herald to a hero [[SelectiveObliviousness that most certainly isn't her]], and has endeared her to many more players.

** Sett and Aphelios ended up a surprisingly popular ship despite never interacting in canon, largely due to being released around the same time (only a month between one another) and unintentionally forming an OppositesAttract dynamic with one another (Sett the big, loud brawler vs. Aphelios the quiet, graceful assassin). [[AscendedMeme Riot later took notice of this]] for the two's Spirit Blossom incarnations, where [[ShipTease Aphelios is apparently Sett's "mooncake"]].

** Due to being released together, Sett and Aphelios have been shipped together. They are given an OppositesAttract relationship in fanworks. They are surprisingly popular despite never interacting in canon. [[AscendedMeme Riot later took notice of this]] for the two's Spirit Blossom incarnations, where [[ShipTease Aphelios is apparently Sett's "mooncake"]].

** Of all the lanes roles (including jungle), the top lane gets most frequently hit with this status. While all lanes have their own ever-updating quirks of design and balance in the metagame, top lane is most commonly cited as being [[OutOfFocus the most easily-forgettable]] -- in the early laning phase, mid lane builds up commanding champions fast and allow for wider map control, bot lane helps establish early control over farming dragons, and roaming junglers also establish vision control and enable ganks that can snowball other lanes to victory, but the top lane is frequently seen as its own island with very little avenues for interaction until later phases of the game (it doesn't help that most top lane champions are [[MightyGlacier juggernauts, bruisers]], and [[InstantDeathRadius duelists]] designed to absorb and ''defuse'' pressure, further discouraging engagement). Riot has occasionally tried to give nudges to make the top lane feel more worthy of attention (most notably the introduction of the Rift Herald as an objective to take way before Baron Nashor spawns), but the common joke is that while all the other lanes are having a [=4v4=] skirmish in the lower side of the map, the two top laners are spending their time farming minions and only ever dueling each other.

** Of all the lanes roles (including jungle), the top lane gets most frequently hit with this status. While all lanes have their own ever-updating quirks of design and balance in the metagame, top lane is most commonly cited as being [[OutOfFocus the most easily-forgettable]] -- in the early laning phase, mid lane builds up commanding champions fast and allow wider map control, bot lane helps establish early control over farming dragons, and roaming junglers also establish vision control and enable ganks that can snowball other lanes to victory, but the top lane is frequently seen as its own island with very little avenues for interaction until later phases of the game (it doesn't help that most top lane champions are [[MightyGlacier juggernauts, bruisers]], and [[InstantDeathRadius duelists]] designed to absorb and ''defuse'' pressure, further discouraging engagement). Riot has occasionally tried to give nudges to make the top lane feel more worthy of attention (most notably the introduction of the Rift Herald as an objective to take way before Baron Nashor spawns), but the common joke is that while all the other lanes are having a [=4v4=] skirmish in the lower side of the map, the two top laners are spending their time farming minions and only ever dueling each other.

** Khada Jhin is a vicious, perpetually masked serial-killing MadArtist, but his sashaying SexyWalk and smooth voice mean he still comes off as attractive.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: During the Ruined King saga, many people expressed disappointment that the bland PlayerCharacter Rookie wasn't Ezreal instead. Ezreal already had a Sentinel persona, Jarro Lightfeather, and would have perfectly fit in the wisecracking NaiveNewcomer role that the Rookie embodied and could have tied down [[SchrodingersCanon the Rookie's existence in canon]] in a more definitive way. Instead, the Rookie's canonical existence is mired in uncertainty and confusion and did little to endear fans to the visual novel's plot.

** Aatrox had an unfortunate case of suddenly coming back into meta within weeks of his already-announced full visual/gameplay update going live in 2018, leading to a pushback of the update with claims of it being unnecessary, [[BrokenBase among many others]]. Of course, [[https://www.reddit.com/r/AatroxMains/comments/8s1swf/upcoming_aatrox_changes_and_the_future/ the devs had to step in to remind everyone the reasons why he was getting a rework in the first place]] in spite of his occasional ([[SoLastSeason but assuredly short-lived]]) success, but it hasn’t made the vitriol lobbed from former Aatrox mains any less potent.

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with [[{{Franchise/Metroid}} Samus Aran]]. Similar to Zac x Riven, this CrossoverShip has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]]; the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]], and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. As Metroids do resemble [[BizarreAlienBiology floating jellyfish]], it would technically mean Samus is related to space jellyfish. As shown in ''VideoGame/LegendsOfRuneterra'', Nami values all ocean life, so she'd take a quick liking to Samus due to her Metroid DNA. Coupled with the fact that both characters are [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be logical that they were get along as they are used to [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with [[{{Franchise/Metroid}} Samus Aran]]. Similar to Zac x Riven, this CrossoverShip has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]]; the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]], and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. As Metroids do resemble [[BizarreAlienBiology floating mutant jellyfish]], it would technically mean Samus is related to a jellyfish species. As shown in ''VideoGame/LegendsOfRuneterra'', Nami values all ocean life, so she'd take a quick liking to Samus due to her Metroid DNA. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be likely that they would get along as they are used to [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with [[{{Franchise/Metroid}} Samus Aran]]. Similar to Zac x Riven, this CrossoverShip has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]]; the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]], and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. As Metroids do resemble [[BizarreAlienBiology floating mutant jellyfish]], it would technically mean Samus is related to a jellyfish species. As shown in ''VideoGame/Legends Of Runeterra'', Nami values all ocean life, so she'd take a quick liking to Samus due to her Metroid DNA. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be likely that they would get along as they are used to [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with [[{{Franchise/Metroid}} Samus Aran]]. Similar to Zac x Riven, this CrossoverShip has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]]; the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]], and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. As Metroids do resemble [[BizarreAlienBiology floating mutant jellyfish]], it would technically mean Samus is related to a jellyfish species. As shown in LegendsOfRuneterra, Nami values all ocean life, so she'd take a quick liking to Samus' unusual ancestry. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be likely that they would get along as they are used to [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with [[{{Franchise/Metroid}} Samus Aran]]. Similar to Zac x Riven, this CrossoverShip has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]], as the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]] and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be likely that they would get along as they are used to [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with [[{{Franchise/Metroid}} Samus Aran]]. Similar to Zac x Riven, this ship has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]], as the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]] and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be likely that they would get along as they are used to [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with Samus Aran from {{Franchise/Metroid}}. Similar to Zac x Riven, this ship has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]], as the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]] and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be likely that they would get along as they are [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with Samus Aran from {{Metroid}}. Similar to Zac x Riven, this ship has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]], as the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]] and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be likely that they would get along as they are [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with /Franchise/Metroid Samus Aran. Similar to Zac x Riven, it has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The main reasoning behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]], as the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]] and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be likely that they would get along as they are [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with [[/Franchise/Metroid Samus Aran]]. Similar to Zac x Riven, it has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The main reasoning behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]], as the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]] and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be likely that they would get along as they are [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with [[Metroid Samus Aran]]. Similar to Zac x Riven, it has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The main reasoning behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]], as the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]] and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be likely that they would get along as they are [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gained a new ship, not with any champion... but with {{Metroid Samus Aran}}. Similar to Zac x Riven, it has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The main reasoning behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]], as the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]] and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be likely that they would get along as they are [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** In 2020, Nami has gotten a new ship, not with any champion, but with [[Franchise/Metroid Samus Aran]]. Similar to Zac x Riven, it has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The main reasoning behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]], as the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]] and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be plausible that they would get along.

** In 2020, Nami has gotten a new ship, not with any champion, but with [[Metroid Samus Aran]]. Similar to Zac x Riven, it has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The main reasoning behind the pairing is that both Nami and Samus are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]], as the former is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]] and the latter having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]]. Coupled with both characters being [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be plausible that they would get along.