Mel continues to dominate ban lists in League of Legends ranked play despite Riot implementing a mini rework designed to address player complaints.
This marks a continuation of a trend that started months ago when Mel held the top ban spot despite posting a roughly 45% win rate.
Riot’s mini rework removed invincibility frames from Mel’s W ability and redistributed her power budget. The changes made her root come out faster and increased her Q burst damage. Her win rate has actually fallen since the update.
The core issue driving bans hasn’t changed. Mel’s W reflects both projectiles and basic attacks back at whoever fired them. This creates scenarios where ADC players can crit themselves and lose half their health bar in an instant.
Specific interactions amplify players’ frustration. Jhin’s empowered fourth shot can be reflected back for massive damage. Caitlyn players hitting trapped targets face the same punishment.
The mechanic extends beyond basic attacks. Support ultimates from champions like Seraphine or Renata can bounce back into their own team. This creates dead zones in teamfights where players feel they can’t use their abilities without risking disaster.
When being annoying matters more than winning
The disconnect between Mel’s high ban rate and low win rate illustrates a basic split in champion balance. Players aren’t banning her because she wins too much. They’re banning her because playing against the reflect mechanic feels terrible.
Some players counter that Mel is immobile and lacks sustain. They argue she’s telegraphed and easily punished by certain melee mid laners. But the ban rate suggests most players prefer not to deal with her at all.
