According to BD Cricket Live, the number of midlane players in Honor of Kings has unexpectedly surged over the past two weeks. Even as mage heroes are now forced to build support gear and “babysit” the jungler, the midlane has somehow become more popular than ever. Just a short while ago, Little Qiao still ranked T0, but now only Angela holds that elite status. With the current tank-heavy meta working in her favor, Angela is dominating the charts and has become the game’s hottest mage—perhaps even too much to handle.

Despite the overall increase in mage usage, Xi Shi’s pick rate has plummeted—dropping by nearly one-third in just two weeks. As the saying goes, fate can take away wealth but never courage. Interestingly, this decline spans across all ranks, including high-tier matches above 1350 points. It’s not a result of bans either, as her ban rate is incredibly low and not enough to influence her popularity. Nor has there been any nerf or adjustment to her stats. The most plausible explanation lies in the late August release of the “Jade Dart Champion” event, which featured her new Swimming Dragon Shadow skin.

The temporary spike in popularity due to the skin likely faded once players had their fill of the new look. This offers a rare, direct insight into how skins can impact a hero’s usage rate. Ironically, as Xi Shi’s popularity dipped, similar “utility mages” like Yixing, Jiang Ziya, and Zhen Ji all saw an uptick in use. Despite being in the same role category, only Zhen Ji comes close to Xi Shi in strength. BD Cricket Live recommends that players still opt for stronger heroes to enhance gameplay and climb the ranks faster—because in gaming, promises of “forever” are just fantasy, and performance is what really matters.

The shifting data also reveals a broader trend: utility-based heroes are gaining traction. This shift seems to be heavily influenced by the standardized playstyles seen in KPL (King Pro League) competitions. For instance, Yixing fits well into formulaic strategies—equipping support items to assist junglers—making him a frequent pick in both pro matches and casual ranked games. The rise in utility heroes signals a meta where coordination and contribution trump flashy plays, and players who understand this are more likely to win.

Finally, it’s worth noting the fate of the bottom-tier heroes. Two weeks ago, there were four heroes in the T5 tier, but now only Bian Que and Shen Mengxi remain. While Bian Que’s pick rate has slightly risen, Shen Mengxi’s continues to fall. This is puzzling, given that her damage potential is solid, she offers high error tolerance, and her overall playstyle (minus the ultimate) provides a decent experience. Still, her popularity is fading, leaving BD Cricket Live analysts scratching their heads.