In the Chinese server, skin usage rates are a case of saying one thing but doing another; Zhuge Liang's legendary skins account for 60% of usage: (Option-based system)

With each version update, hero attributes undergo significant changes. With optimized equipment, the overall damage output environment expands, making it time to deviate from the original path. Perhaps other lanes can allow for greater potential. Mages are never limited to mid-lane; lane development, support, and team fights all influence their power spike. Forced by circumstances, some players switch roles, like Mozi playing support. Instead of laning and farming, it's better to link your health with the marksman, fighting together and using multiple crowd control abilities to help them develop and advance their power spike. Without the pressure of equipment attributes, and with better lane resilience, they carve out their own niche. Recently, the Ottoman collaboration has directly boosted their pick rate, effectively countering many supports and marksmen.

Of course, the protagonist of this episode is not Mozi, but Zhuge Liang, one of the few mid-laners who can switch to jungling. He has no hard crowd control, but he is quite effective in combat due to his mobility and several dashes. However, if he engages head-on, he wastes his ultimate's ability to finish off enemies and has low minion gold income. If he is allowed to rise to power, he will be pushed into the late game. Don't forget the development lane and the confrontation lane. If he comes to the mid-lane to steal farm from you, what kind of gaming experience can a burst mage with no money have?

Zhuge Liang in the Chinese server, Epic or Collector's Edition

Venturing into the jungle, a different environment, zero pressure, and greater resource acquisition, relying on jungle monsters to trigger his passive ability, flanking and becoming a harvesting machine—from an unconventional jungler who was discriminated against, he has risen to become a must-play jungler after many years. The gameplay is not complicated; you just need to know how to farm gold, and the rest is up to skill. Speaking of this, the topic always revolves around skins. Zhuge Liang has about ten high-quality skins, and newcomers are always curious: which one do the pros prefer? Valentine's Day limited editions, free epic skins, limited edition skins, or Glory Collection skins, etc., each has its own characteristics. Some are not valued by the Chinese server, yet they are everywhere in ranked matches, flashy but impractical. The same thing happens with his products; the old skin that was once universally criticized now has a usage rate of 60%. How can the Chinese server players change so easily?

Chinese server players, in high-level matches, have clear thinking and simple requirements for skins: feel and smoothness are the top priorities, visual appeal is secondary, stealth is good, but if combos are choppy or movement is sluggish, expensive, and of extremely high quality, but prone to mishaps, these two are equally good. Star Domain Revelation and Golden Ratio, which one would you choose?

Image source: Internet