Most Picked Champions of the LTA North Split 3 Group Stage: Rumble Is a Problem

The final split of the year for the LTA North is heading towards the Elimination Phase. As the heat continues to mount with Worlds on the horizon, it is time to explore the champions that dominated the Group Stage in Split 3.

With Fearless Draft now in full effect, here’s a look at the most picked champions of Split 3 in the LTA North so far, and why they were impossible to ignore.

Most Picked Champions of the LTA North Split 3 Group Stage

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Alistar

Engage supports continue to reign supreme in pro play, and Alistar is proof of that. Providing a great combination of frontline and crowd control, teams heavily prioritize the Minotaur in their drafts. This made Alistar the most picked champion of the Group Stage in Split 3 with a total of 11 picks (7 bans).

Despite his undeniable power, though, Alistar was far from a guarantee of success, putting up a total win rate of 45.5%.

• Player with the most picks: CoreJJ, huhi, Lyonz, and Vulcan with 2 picks each.

Wukong

Wukong didn't stray too far from Alistar. In fact, the two champions had the exact same number of picks (11) and win rate (45.5%), though Wukong received far fewer bans (3).

Despite the not-too-impressive win rate, Wukong stands out for presenting a threat to the enemy backline all throughout the game. This is best illustrated by the fact that Wukong was the jungler with the 2nd highest amount of kills per game during the Group Stage (3.36).

• Player with the most picks: eXyu with 3 picks.

Rumble

Dread it. Run from it. The Rumble menace arrives all the same. Despite receiving multiple nerfs in 2025, Rumble continues to dominate the stage at the highest level of play. After being picked 10 times (5 bans), Rumble finished the Group Stage in the LTA North with a perfect win rate (100% WR).

That's right. Despite being one of the most picked champions of the Group Stage, Rumble is yet to taste defeat in Split 3. Thanks to his high amounts of AoE damage, and a game-changing ultimate, Rumble also held the highest damage per minute (696.4) out of any champion picked more than twice in the top lane.

• Player with the most picks: Thanatos with 3 picks.

Xin Zhao

Set to receive a visual update when Season 3 arrives, Xin Zhao seems to be popping up everywhere at the moment. The Seneschal of Demacia had the same number of picks as Rumble (10), winning exactly half his games (50% WR).

In pro play, Xin Zhao excels for his ability to build for damage while remaining considerably durable in team fights thanks to his ultimate. This didn't stop Xin Zhao from becoming the jungler with the highest amount of deaths per game (4) of the Group Stage, however.

• Player with the most picks: Contractz and Inspired with 3 picks each.

Vi

Vi's kit has been tampered with across a total of four patches in 2025 alone. And yet, she continues to be one of the most sought-after junglers in pro play thanks to her unrivaled ability to lock down an enemy carry, leading to her 9 picks (7 bans) and 55.6% win rate in Split 3 so far.

Additionally, Vi led the league for CS per minute (6.81) in the jungle out of any champion picked more than once.

• Player with the most picks: Blaber, Yuuji, and eXyu with 2 picks each.

*Note that Taliyah and Rell also received the same number of picks as Vi (9), though with fewer bans (6 and 0, respectively).

Nobody Wants a Piece of Pantheon

Pantheon failed to see the light of day during the 2025 LTA North Split 3 Group Stage. (Credit: Riot Games)

With point-and-click crowd control and a global ultimate, it's not hard for a pro to get the most out of Pantheon's kit. Perhaps it's for this very reason that Pantheon was banned during every single game of the Group Stage in Split 3 (28 total bans).

Even the nerfs received in Patch 25.15, which aimed to slow down the champion's jungle clear and objective control, were not enough to erase a fear of Pantheon from the hearts of LTA North players and coaches.

Now, it will be interesting to see whether Pantheon is allowed to show up on stage as we inch closer to the start of the Elimination Phase, where teams will want to leave it all on the line for a chance to measure up against the South at the LTA Championship in Texas.

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Feature image credit: Stefan Wisnoski / Riot Games

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