Invictus Gaming vs Ninjas in Pyjamas.CN Game 3 Draft Analysis: IG’s Scaling Test

Compositions

Invictus Gaming drafted a demanding but highly threatening scaling composition. TheShy’s Jax is the central side-lane win condition, while Rookie’s Viktor supplies the waveclear, zone control, and late-game damage needed to create room for him. Wei on Wukong gives IG a much more direct engage option than the rest of the lineup suggests, with Cyclone capable of turning a contested objective into a favorable fight.

The bottom lane is built around safety and reach rather than early lane domination. Assum’s Ezreal can farm through pressure, poke before objectives, and Arcane Shift away from Skarner’s engage angles. Meiko’s Seraphine raises the entire composition’s ceiling: Encore can follow Wukong’s engage, protect Viktor from dive, and make Jax’s arrival in a teamfight far more dangerous.

Ninjas in Pyjamas.CN drafted a sturdier, more front-to-back setup. HOYA’s Poppy and Guwon’s Skarner form an extremely disruptive frontline, with both champions able to deny Jax’s access or isolate a priority target. Care’s Sylas adds volatility, particularly because Seraphine and Wukong offer valuable ultimates for him to steal.

Photic’s Sivir and fengyue’s Karma provide push, speed, and sustained poke. NIP’s ideal fights begin with ranged pressure, then accelerate through Sivir’s On The Hunt and Karma’s Mantra-enhanced shields to force an engage before IG can establish Viktor’s control zones.

Key Picks

Jax is IG’s most consequential pick. Poppy can interrupt his Leap Strike with Steadfast Presence, and Skarner can suppress him before he reaches the carries, but neither answer removes his split-push threat. If TheShy finds side-lane tempo and forces NIP to respond with multiple members, IG can gain the objective setup Viktor and Seraphine want.

Skarner is NIP’s clearest answer to IG’s carry structure. A successful Impale onto Viktor or Ezreal can immediately remove IG’s consistent damage source. Guwon must be patient, however: diving through Seraphine shields and crowd control without follow-up could give Wukong a devastating counter-engage.

Sylas is also a major draft hinge. Stolen Encore is excellent for NIP’s engage, while stolen Cyclone can punish IG if Jax and Wukong enter together. Care’s target selection will matter as much as his lane performance against Rookie.

Draft Edge

IG have the stronger late-game threat profile because Viktor, Ezreal, Seraphine, and Jax all scale well in different fight patterns. They can poke, play front-to-back, or split-push depending on map state. Their execution burden is substantial, though: Jax cannot blindly engage into Poppy, and their carries cannot give Skarner clean access.

NIP possess the more reliable early engage and pick tools. Their composition is easier to execute around narrow jungle corridors, where Poppy and Skarner can limit movement while Sivir and Karma speed the team forward. Still, their damage can become difficult to deliver if Viktor controls chokepoints and Ezreal remains untouched.

Prediction

The draft slightly favors Invictus Gaming if the game reaches organized mid-to-late objectives. Their scaling is broader, and Seraphine gives them strong insurance against NIP’s first engage. NIP can absolutely snowball through Skarner picks and fast rotations, but IG should be favored when TheShy can pressure a side lane without sacrificing objective control.