Is Draven Blind Pickable? A Comprehensive Guide

No, Draven is generally not considered a good blind pick in most elos and competitive scenarios. While his potential for snowballing and dominating the lane is immense, he is highly vulnerable to specific counter matchups and gank-heavy strategies. Blind picking Draven can lead to a difficult or even unwinnable lane, hindering his ability to acquire the gold needed to become a threat.

Understanding Draven’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Before delving deeper into why Draven struggles as a blind pick, it’s crucial to understand his inherent strengths and weaknesses. This will illuminate the scenarios where he thrives and the situations he wants to avoid.

Draven’s Strengths

• High Damage Output: Draven’s passive, League of Draven, combined with his Spinning Axe (Q), allows him to deal massive damage in the early game. Few ADCs can match his raw damage output when he is proficient at catching axes.
• Snowball Potential: Successfully catching axes and securing early kills triggers Draven’s passive, granting him bonus gold on each kill. This allows him to quickly scale and become a formidable carry.
• Global Presence: His ultimate, Whirling Death, is a global skillshot that can snipe low-health enemies or provide assistance in team fights across the map. This offers utility beyond the laning phase.
• Self-Peel Potential: Draven has a minor form of self-peel with Blood Rush (W), granting him movement speed and attack speed, and Stand Aside (E), which knocks enemies aside. While not ideal, they provide some means of escape.

Draven’s Weaknesses

• High Skill Ceiling: Mastering Draven requires precise axe management, positioning awareness, and the ability to adapt to constantly shifting team fights. His kit is unforgiving to mistakes.
• Vulnerability to Ganks: Draven’s stationary axe-catching animation makes him a prime target for enemy junglers. Without proper vision and support, he can be easily ganked and shut down.
• Counter Matchups: Certain ADCs and supports directly counter Draven’s playstyle. He struggles against long-range poke champions that can harass him from a safe distance and against engage supports that can lock him down.
• Reliance on Support: Draven requires a proactive and reliable support to help him secure kills and protect him from ganks. A passive or inexperienced support can significantly hinder his performance.
• Team Reliance: Even with a lead, Draven needs his team to provide frontline and peel for him in team fights. Without proper protection, he can be easily focused and eliminated.

Why Draven Fails as a Blind Pick

Considering his strengths and weaknesses, it becomes apparent why Draven is a risky blind pick.

Vulnerability to Counter Picks

Blind picking Draven leaves him vulnerable to being countered by champions specifically designed to exploit his weaknesses. Examples include:

• Caitlyn & Xerath: This combination provides consistent poke and safe wave clear, preventing Draven from closing the gap and engaging.
• Ashe & Zyra: Ashe’s slows and Zyra’s crowd control make it difficult for Draven to catch axes and maneuver effectively.
• Tristana & Leona: Tristana’s range and Leona’s engage potential can overwhelm Draven in lane.

Facing these counters, Draven struggles to farm, accumulate gold, and execute his snowballing strategy.

Susceptibility to Jungle Pressure

Draven’s stationary axe-catching animation makes him an easy target for ganks. If the enemy jungler prioritizes the bottom lane, Draven will be constantly under pressure and forced to play defensively. This hinders his ability to generate a lead and puts his team at a disadvantage. A competent jungler who sees a blind-picked Draven will undoubtedly camp the lane.

Reliance on a Specific Team Composition

Draven thrives in compositions that provide him with frontline protection and peel. Blind picking him without knowing the rest of your team’s picks can lead to a mismatched composition that doesn’t adequately support his playstyle. For example, a team full of assassins and damage dealers will leave Draven exposed and vulnerable in team fights.

When Draven Might Be Okay to Blind Pick

While generally not recommended, there are specific situations where blind picking Draven might be acceptable:

• Low Elo Games: In lower elos, players may be less adept at exploiting counter matchups and applying jungle pressure. Draven’s raw damage can often overcome these disadvantages.
• Extremely Proficient Draven Players: Players with exceptional Draven mechanics and game sense can often overcome counter matchups and difficult situations.
• Drafting Phase Manipulation: In organized play, teams sometimes blind pick a champion like Draven to force a specific response from the enemy team, allowing them to draft a counter composition in later picks.

FAQs About Draven

Here are some frequently asked questions about Draven, addressing various aspects of his gameplay and viability.

1. What are Draven’s best support synergies?

Aggressive engage supports like Nautilus, Leona, and Blitzcrank synergize well with Draven, as they can provide the crowd control he needs to secure kills. Thresh is also a strong pick due to his ability to both engage and peel.

2. What runes are best for Draven?

The most common rune setup for Draven is Lethal Tempo, providing increased attack speed for sustained damage output. Secondary rune options include Triumph, Legend: Bloodline, and Coup de Grace.

3. How do I effectively manage Draven’s axes?

Practice and anticipation are key. Focus on maintaining two axes active at all times, positioning yourself strategically to catch them, and using your Blood Rush (W) to reposition if necessary.

4. How should I itemize on Draven?

A typical Draven build includes Immortal Shieldbow or Galeforce (depending on the enemy comp), Bloodthirster, Infinity Edge, Lord Dominik’s Regards, and Guardian Angel. Prioritize items that provide damage, survivability, and critical strike chance.

5. What are some common Draven mistakes?

Common mistakes include overextending to catch axes, poor positioning in team fights, ignoring vision, and not adapting to the enemy team composition.

6. How do I play Draven from behind?

Playing Draven from behind is challenging. Focus on farming safely, avoiding risky engagements, and waiting for opportunities to capitalize on enemy mistakes. Prioritize scaling items over aggressive ones.

7. How does Draven fare in team fights?

Draven can be a powerful carry in team fights, but he needs protection. Position yourself carefully, focus on dealing damage to high-priority targets, and rely on your team to provide peel.

8. Is Draven a good champion for climbing the ranked ladder?

Draven can be a high-risk, high-reward champion for climbing ranked. His snowball potential can lead to rapid gains, but his vulnerability to counter picks and ganks can also result in significant losses.

9. What is the best way to learn Draven?

Practice in normal games, watch professional Draven players, and study guides and videos. Focus on mastering axe management, positioning, and itemization.

10. What are some alternative ADCs to play if Draven is banned or picked?

Good alternative ADCs with similar aggressive playstyles include Lucian, Miss Fortune, and Samira.

11. How important is it to have a duo partner when playing Draven?

Having a duo partner, particularly a support, can significantly improve your Draven experience. A coordinated duo can communicate effectively, ward proactively, and execute ganks more reliably.

12. Can Draven be played in other lanes?

While Draven is primarily an ADC, he is occasionally played in the mid lane. This is a niche strategy that requires a specific team composition and playstyle.

13. Does Draven’s build change depending on the enemy team?

Yes, Draven’s item build is highly adaptable. Building Lord Dominik’s Regards against tanky teams, Guardian Angel when you’re getting focused or Immortal Shieldbow when you need extra survivability

14. How does Draven interact with different summoner spells?

Flash and Heal are the most common summoner spells on Draven. Cleanse can be useful against heavy crowd control compositions.

15. How does Draven’s gameplay change as the game progresses?

In the early game, focus on snowballing and accumulating gold. In the mid game, look for opportunities to roam and assist other lanes. In the late game, prioritize team fights and objective control.

In conclusion, while Draven is a champion with immense potential, his inherent weaknesses and reliance on specific conditions make him a risky blind pick. Careful consideration should be given to the enemy team composition and your team’s picks before locking him in. Practice, knowledge, and adaptation are essential for success with Draven.