Buzz
The Gangplank lineup has drastically decreased in the rate of reaching the top 4 in Teamfight Tactics.
In the previous 12.1 patch, the Gangplank lineup was a rapidly strengthening team-comp with a very high rate of reaching the top 4. However, with the transition to patch 12.2, Gangplank's strength has plummeted rapidly. According to the specialized site Metatft.com, lineups revolving around the Gangplank 5-star unit now fail to achieve even a 50% top 4 rate. So what is the reason for this decline in strength?
Firstly, we need to understand that this race itself was nerfed in patch 12.2, with armor/magic resist stats reduced. For a race with many damage-dealing champions like Gangplank, this makes the core of this lineup much easier to take down in the mid-game. As a result, the damage output from units like Twisted Fate, Shaco, and even Darius is indirectly nerfed, weakening this lineup.
Speaking of Shaco, this champion also underwent a seemingly minor strength reduction (5 basic AD nerf) but its impact is huge. Remember that Shaco's AD stats interact with critical strikes, reducing the damage output this unit possesses, even with an Infinity Edge. Another unit from the Gangplank team, Zyra, was also nerfed, resulting in a relatively reduced damage output for the team-comp.
Not only in terms of damage, but the defensive capability of this team-comp has also decreased significantly with Braum receiving heavy nerfs. If you're not aware, in patch 12.2, Braum's maximum energy has been increased to 200. As a result, the number of times Braum can cast his spell has decreased significantly, and the already limited crowd control abilities of the Gangplank race have become even rarer.
With the reliance on Braum's crowd control, Gangplank's team struggles due to the increased cooldown on his abilities, limiting their ability to finish off opponents with champions like Shaco or Akali.
Moreover, patch 12.2 witnesses the dominance of tanky or heavily sustain-focused compositions such as Inventors, Empire - Giants. Therefore, damage-centric compositions like Gangplank's suffer continuous nerfs, making it difficult for them to thrive in the current meta. Opting for a 6-Assassin lineup seems more fitting for victory, whereas Gangplank's 5-unit composition typically settles for just 4 Assassins.
In summary, with heavy nerfs to both offensive and defensive capabilities, Gangplank's lineup has become extremely weak in patch 12.2. If you still wish to utilize champions like Shaco or Darius, focusing on a 6-Assassin lineup in the new patch might be the way to go.
