We often consider the first phase of a game is "lane phase", which is around 15 first minutes. In fact, the very initial phase of a game is bans and picks: the "null phase". This phase is very important since it drafts the game: how your team and the other team will look like, how the game would be and would go on, etc. This phase is also very important for the success (or failure) of the first phase of a game: lane phase, where the concepts of countering play a critical role.
In my view, the hardest roles to counter, and so the best pick orders are: (1) jungle and support, (2) adc, (3) top and mid.
1. Reasoning (for the lane phase)[1]
Since top and mid are the true solo lanes, in almost of lane phase time, those are always the duelists in duels. The one v.s. one nature makes them become the easiest roles to be countered. Consequentially, in my view, they should be the last picks and should not be picked first.
In my view, the hardest roles to counter, and so the best pick orders are: (1) jungle and support, (2) adc, (3) top and mid.
1. Reasoning (for the lane phase)[1]
Since top and mid are the true solo lanes, in almost of lane phase time, those are always the duelists in duels. The one v.s. one nature makes them become the easiest roles to be countered. Consequentially, in my view, they should be the last picks and should not be picked first.
Jungle is also a solo role, however, due to its dynamic nature (jungler almost always moves), it's not so easy for the enemy jungle to locate where the other jungler is. That is the main reason why I think jungle is the hardest role to counter in the order. Consequentially, jungles should be one of the first picks.
Supporters are in almost of the scenes, especially in lane phase, not those who will be focused as the other roles (ADC in particular). The main reason is that the power collector at bot is ADC, not supporter, so taking down ADC is the best since that will prevent the main physical damage dealer from getting power. A stronger ADC is much more of a thread in comparison with a stronger supporter. In addition, due to the nature of not being the main power collector at bot, suppoters' activities are not so intense as ADC (not so "busy") and they always have much more room in mind (more "relax time") to observe the map and avoid getting focused. Those are the main reasons why I think supporters should be the second in the order hard to be countered. And so, similar to jungler, support should be one of the first picks.
The remaining role of ADC, so, is left to be picked somewhere between the first and last ones for the best.
Base on the reasoning, my personal rules of picking (in solo queue) are:
+) If one or more of my team mates call their favorite roles and lanes, I will try as much as possible to not take their preferences. If one or more of my team mates call their abomination roles and lanes, I will consider and try as much as I can to take their dislikes.
These are the very first ones of my ways to get the best team I can: obviously, people always do their best with their preferences and always play worst with their abominations.
+) If I am the first or second pick, I often pick jungle or sup (and ADC will be the second choice), since those are the hardest roles to counter-pick. Also, however, very often when I am the first picks, I can pick top or mid; in these cases, the champions must always be the ones I did master most and so never worry to be counter picked.
Even, I can counter-play the player who did counter-pick me, for the favorite champions of mine. For example: I am the first pick and I did lock Nasus; the other guy insta lock Teemo?! Yes, please, time for me to show and brag my "AP Nasus" (with RoA and Zhonya. You don't believe? Wait for my videos featuring AP-Nasus on my YouTube channel, and maybe a post exclusively for that build and playstyle on this blog of mine as well). :P
+) If I am the 4th or last pick, these are my most favorite pick orders since they allow me to have some ideas on team comps of the both teams, I will pick the champions who would
(1) fulfill the missing pieces of my team-comp, and/or
(2) counter the other team-comp as much as possible according to the meta, and/or
(3) make my team-comp more complete/perfect and so multiply my team's power like Alistar/Nautilus when mid goes Yasuo to help him ult more easily (Malphite would be great), or Ezreal (often mid mage) when jungle goes Amumu since I always find Ezreal ult much more easily and strongly when following right after Amumu successfully landing his ult, etc.
2. Reasoning for late game
For the reasoning and analyses for late game phases as well as for more information regarding the concepts of meta and the missing pieces I have just mentioned above, looking at my corresponding post: Roles and Lanes: How and Why? Meta Breakdown! (The subsection "1. Meta is relatively fixed", main section "IV. Conclusion" in particular.)
3. Some typical examples of my own favorite counter-picks
+) Morgana sup: to better protect my carriers (ADC, AP mage), from the Nautilus ult for example, with her Q-Dark Binding and specially her E-Black Shield.
+) Morgana mid: to counter play AD mid in lane phase, typically Zed. The secret is on the build of Zhonya rush, which provides an important amount of armor (50) and whose active-Stasis will cancel Zed's ult.
I also very often use Morgana (mid or sup) to better control some typical champions like Master Yi (his ult makes him unable to be slowed, but can't prevent him from being bound, and the period of 3 seconds from Morgana's Q-Dark Binding would be fatal for him).
Strategic counter-picks
+) Rammus jungle (or even sup) when I see the other team is almost all AD like: Zed/Yasuo/Talon mid, Irelia/Gnar/Pantheon top, Vi/Lee Sin/Javan IV jungle. The secrets here mostly lie on his passive-Spiked Shell, which brings him a bonus AD equal to 25% his total armor, and his W-Defensive Ball Curl which increases both his armor and MR as well as deals additional returning damage equal to 10% of his total armor. In these cases, I will simply build full armor: Thornmail, Sunfire, Raduin, Ninja Tabi,... and benefit much more from the items and deal amazing amount of damage while still be a full tank.
+) The same would be for going Galio if the enemy team was almost all AP with an ADC of magic damage abilities like Ezreal or Kog'Maw. I haven't played Galio yet, however! :P
Tactical counter-picks
+) Nautilus (top, jungle, or sup): when I wanna cancel long-range ADCs of Tristana, Jinx, etc. The secrets here are that the ADCs have very good long-range and hard to be caught in team fights. Nautilus ult, however, can immediately eliminate them from a fight in a short (but enough to pivot the fight) period of time and bring great advantages for team.
+) Alistar sup: when I wanna cancel some typical assassins: Zed, Katarina, Khazik, etc. The usage of this kind of champions, typically Zed, needs very much of precision, especially in timing: just a small single flaw on the play may result in the champions getting slain immediately. Consequentially, whenever Zed engages, Alistar's W-Headbutt and Q-Pulverize will almost eliminate him from the fight in an importantly short period of time: adding "a very few" flaws to the usage.
4. Summoner Spells
In the null phase of a game, we also have to pick two summoner spells. For the reasoning and discussion of mine on how and why to do this for the best, check my corresponding post: Sommoner Spells: Which, How, and Why?!
(1) fulfill the missing pieces of my team-comp, and/or
(2) counter the other team-comp as much as possible according to the meta, and/or
(3) make my team-comp more complete/perfect and so multiply my team's power like Alistar/Nautilus when mid goes Yasuo to help him ult more easily (Malphite would be great), or Ezreal (often mid mage) when jungle goes Amumu since I always find Ezreal ult much more easily and strongly when following right after Amumu successfully landing his ult, etc.
2. Reasoning for late game
For the reasoning and analyses for late game phases as well as for more information regarding the concepts of meta and the missing pieces I have just mentioned above, looking at my corresponding post: Roles and Lanes: How and Why? Meta Breakdown! (The subsection "1. Meta is relatively fixed", main section "IV. Conclusion" in particular.)
3. Some typical examples of my own favorite counter-picks
+) Morgana sup: to better protect my carriers (ADC, AP mage), from the Nautilus ult for example, with her Q-Dark Binding and specially her E-Black Shield.
+) Morgana mid: to counter play AD mid in lane phase, typically Zed. The secret is on the build of Zhonya rush, which provides an important amount of armor (50) and whose active-Stasis will cancel Zed's ult.
I also very often use Morgana (mid or sup) to better control some typical champions like Master Yi (his ult makes him unable to be slowed, but can't prevent him from being bound, and the period of 3 seconds from Morgana's Q-Dark Binding would be fatal for him).
+) Rammus jungle (or even sup) when I see the other team is almost all AD like: Zed/Yasuo/Talon mid, Irelia/Gnar/Pantheon top, Vi/Lee Sin/Javan IV jungle. The secrets here mostly lie on his passive-Spiked Shell, which brings him a bonus AD equal to 25% his total armor, and his W-Defensive Ball Curl which increases both his armor and MR as well as deals additional returning damage equal to 10% of his total armor. In these cases, I will simply build full armor: Thornmail, Sunfire, Raduin, Ninja Tabi,... and benefit much more from the items and deal amazing amount of damage while still be a full tank.
Tactical counter-picks
+) Nautilus (top, jungle, or sup): when I wanna cancel long-range ADCs of Tristana, Jinx, etc. The secrets here are that the ADCs have very good long-range and hard to be caught in team fights. Nautilus ult, however, can immediately eliminate them from a fight in a short (but enough to pivot the fight) period of time and bring great advantages for team.
+) Alistar sup: when I wanna cancel some typical assassins: Zed, Katarina, Khazik, etc. The usage of this kind of champions, typically Zed, needs very much of precision, especially in timing: just a small single flaw on the play may result in the champions getting slain immediately. Consequentially, whenever Zed engages, Alistar's W-Headbutt and Q-Pulverize will almost eliminate him from the fight in an importantly short period of time: adding "a very few" flaws to the usage.
4. Summoner Spells
In the null phase of a game, we also have to pick two summoner spells. For the reasoning and discussion of mine on how and why to do this for the best, check my corresponding post: Sommoner Spells: Which, How, and Why?!
This post was completed; there would be just minor adjustments if any on this post
Last update: January 04, 2016
Last update: January 04, 2016
The Silencekeeper
References
[1] These analyses and reasoning are mostly on technical aspects and most applicable for solo queue. The optimizational order of picks and for other queues should depend on the particular games, particular teams' compositions, plans, tactics, strategies, etc. However, in my view, these simple ideas can also serve as the basic reference for the much more complicated cases.
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