EDward Gaming vs ThunderTalk Gaming Game 1 Draft Analysis: Ziggs Siege vs Olaf Engage

Compositions

EDward Gaming drafted a poke and siege composition built to control space before objectives. Zdz’s Jayce, BuLLDoG’s Ryze and Leave’s Ziggs give EDG three distinct ways to pressure ThunderTalk Gaming from range. Jayce softens targets and threatens side-lane control, Ryze supplies reliable waveclear and rotation pressure, while Ziggs turns every damaged turret into a potential objective collapse. Xiaohao’s Trundle is the stabilizing piece: he can contest frontliners, deny access through Pillar, and make extended fights uncomfortable for a low-range enemy lineup.

Parukia’s Nautilus gives EDG the engage button their artillery core lacks. That does not mean EDG should force every fight. Their ideal setup is to establish vision first, poke TT down around river entrances, then use Nautilus crowd control only when a target is already isolated or weakened. Ryze can also create unexpected flanks with Realm Warp, but EDG’s cleaner win condition remains patient objective setup and structural pressure.

ThunderTalk Gaming drafted a much more direct engage and skirmish composition. Junhao’s Jarvan IV and Feather’s Shen want to create immediate access for Keshi’s Olaf, while Heru’s Syndra follows with burst and pick threat. Ahn’s Sivir adds crucial waveclear, movement speed and late-game DPS, allowing TT to accelerate into fights rather than absorb poke indefinitely.

TT’s composition is strongest when Jarvan IV starts an engagement from fog of war and Shen can join instantly with Stand United. If Olaf reaches the backline with Ragnarok active, EDG’s conventional crowd control becomes far less dependable. The central question is whether TT can find that clean engage before Ziggs and Jayce force them into a disadvantaged health-bar check.

Key Picks

Leave’s Ziggs is the defining EDG pick. Sivir can clear waves, but she cannot casually defend damaged towers when Ziggs’ Satchel Charge threatens to finish them. Ziggs also makes neutral-objective setups difficult because TT must walk through predictable chokepoints against layered poke.

Xiaohao’s Trundle is especially valuable into Jarvan IV and Shen. Subjugate can drain a frontliner’s durability, while Pillar can split Olaf from his follow-up or disrupt Sivir’s positioning. Trundle is not EDG’s primary carry, but he gives their carries time to operate.

For TT, Keshi’s Olaf is the draft’s highest-impact execution pick. Olaf can punish EDG heavily if he finds a flank, yet he is vulnerable to being kited before the fight begins. Feather’s Shen must balance protecting Ahn against enabling Olaf’s engage; using Stand United too early could leave Sivir exposed to Nautilus and Ryze.

Draft Edge

EDG have the clearer front-to-back siege identity and better tools to convert early control into towers. Their champions naturally punish TT’s short-range approach, particularly around mid lane and dragon entrances. However, EDG’s damage profile demands spacing discipline. A single Jarvan IV Cataclysm onto Ziggs or Ryze can erase their advantage immediately.

TT have more reliable all-in tools and stronger punishment when EDG overextends. Their draft is less forgiving when behind, though, because Sivir and Syndra must clear waves under constant siege while Olaf searches for increasingly narrow engage windows.

Prediction

EDG hold a slight draft edge because Ziggs, Jayce and Ryze can repeatedly test TT’s engage discipline before every major objective. If Xiaohao protects the formation and Parukia avoids premature hooks, EDG should control tempo through poke, towers and superior setup.

TT can overturn that script with decisive flanks from Junhao and Keshi, especially if Shen creates a numbers advantage on a side lane. Still, the predicted outcome is EDward Gaming win, with Leave’s Ziggs converting sustained siege pressure into the decisive map advantage.