Tyler1’s Battle to Save Illaoi: Is It Love or Just Madness?

Tyler1 VS The World

In an astonishing twist of League of Legends fate, Riot has finally nerfed Illaoi—the “one-woman-army” who’s been single-handedly piloting games 1v9 for years with her terrifying 56%-win rate across all ranks. For most players, this change is a relief. For one man, however, it’s a tragedy. Tyler1, the self-proclaimed greatest Illaoi one-trick alive, is utterly convinced that the nerfs are nothing less than a direct, targeted assault on his gameplay. And who can blame him? After all, he’s never lost a game on Illaoi where his opponent wasn’t “trolling,” and Illaoi has only ever been underpowered (just, you know, in his humble opinion).

It wasn’t always this way for Tyler. It wasn’t until last year that he jumped on the Illaoi hype train and became her loudest, most passionate fan. Somehow, he hasn't been able to match the high average winrate for the champion. Tyler often blames his losses on Illaoi's famous tentacle E ability, as he swears it’s one of the hardest abilities in the game to land. “It’s the most visually deceptive ability in the game” he often rants on stream. In classic Tyler1 fashion, he claims every win he gets with Illaoi is a “masterclass” in skill and precision, and every loss is simply the fault of Riot’s patch notes.

When Riot finally rolled out the 9-year-late Illaoi nerfs this week (yes, Illaoi was released in 2015!), Tyler’s rage boiled over. Even though statisticians have confirmed the changes are insignificant and are just placebo-nerfs, Tyler’s convinced Illaoi is ruined and that there's a conspiracy against him. And if anyone doubts him, he’ll remind quickly that he is a multi-role challenger and that “low-elo players aren’t allowed to have an opinion”.

Fans, however, have a different opinion, and they’ve been quick to remind him that he’s not exactly a “challenger” top laner. In fact, they still point to the notorious Urgot-abusive fluke of a “Top Lane Challenge” a few years back, where even Cloud9’s Zven had to be Paypal'd in to carry him to Challenger on a red carpet. The rest of the community? They still see him as a glorified Diamond-level top laner at best.

Phreak vs. Tyler1? A Rivalry Written in Patch Notes

Reminder: Statements about Phreak are speculation. Please remain respectful.

But let's try to understand why Tyler might be feeling targeted. To do this, we must revisit his infamous 2016 indefinite ban from League, back when he’d racked up perma-bans on 15 separate accounts. Word has it that Phreak was the mastermind behind his ban. Phreak, who’d once accused Tyler of being “all rage and no personality,” was also reportedly infuriated after Tyler’s Draven outplayed his Caitlyn in a match, which birthed the legendary “no mana” meme. Tyler, seeing his enemy vulnerable and out of mana, dove in for the kill with a triumphant, “YOU HAVE NO MANA!” echoing through the League community ever since.

Ironically, when Phreak joined the balance team last year, one of his first acts was to give Caitlyn extra mana. Fast-forward to 2024, and with Tyler’s latest one-trick being Illaoi, it seems that Phreak couldn’t resist the opportunity to slip in a microscopic Illaoi nerf to jab at Tyler yet again. Coincidence? You can decide.

Beyond Gameplay? Fans Speculate on Tyler1’s ‘Hidden’ Fascination with Illaoi

Here’s where it gets weird. A few dedicated followers on Reddit have started suspecting there’s more to Tyler’s passion for Illaoi than just gameplay. Some claim that his obsession borders on… well, something a bit more intimate. According to these armchair analysts, Tyler’s fascination with Illaoi might extend beyond her gameplay mechanics. His suspicious rants about her tentacles and “perfect balance” have sparked theories that maybe, just maybe, Tyler’s love for Illaoi isn’t entirely platonic.

Could this hidden 'fascination' be why Tyler is so crushed by the Illaoi nerfs? Naturally, he’s denied such claims. 'I’m just here for that sweet, sweet gameplay,' he protests, while casually pulling up Illaoi fan art on stream—strictly for educational purposes, of course. Yet, fans are skeptical. Earlier this week, he briefly leaked his desktop, and hawk-eyed viewers spotted a folder titled 'Illaoi deepfakes'. Tyler was quick to delete the November 4th stream VOD to hide the evidence. Given Illaoi’s unique blend of masculine and feminine physique, one can’t help but wonder if she represents some unspoken fantasy for him. Viewers have also noticed him taking convenient "bathroom breaks" after every Illaoi game - perhaps to release some tension? Whether Tyler's devotion is about gameplay or something more is unclear, but his intense attachment certainly raises eyebrows.

Honest to a Fault: Tyler's an Honest Man

Tyler will always fight for what he believes in, especially when it comes to his beloved tentacle queen. One thing we all know about Tyler is that he's loyal and honest and he's never afraid to speak his mind, even if it means defending Illaoi against the world. True fans know that he doesn't do well with change, no matter how small. Whether his theories are spot-on or just the imaginings of an Illaoi enthusiast gone a little mad, one thing’s certain: League of Legends wouldn’t be the same without him.