Summer Split Top Lane Showdown: AG Xuanran Secures a Guaranteed 100 Points, Guiqi Has the Most Inconsistency, and Qingqing’s Peak Has Passed

Even though the Summer Split still has the last final match remaining, it’s basically concluded! Who do you think is the strongest top lane player among the four semifinal teams in the KPL Summer Split? Undoubtedly, it’s AG’s Xuanran!

Many fans say,Xuanran holds the highest minimum performance level among all current side laners, though his peak isn’t the very top. Because the other four members of AG are so exceptional, Xuanran doesn’t need to reach his maximum potential; just playing at about 88-90% effort is enough to match almost any active side laner. When it comes to peak competitive performance, his ceiling is slightly below Tanran, Feiniu, and Qingqing, but only by about 2-3 points. Xuanran rarely has poor games like the other three, but he also seldom explodes with outstanding plays because he simply doesn’t need to push hard. His true ceiling is uncertain, but his guaranteed baseline is around 100 points.

Zimo has long been called the true uncrowned king of the KPL. His 12 million valuation reflects his peak strength, but despite being in the scene for four or five years, he has only earned three runner-up finishes. This has led fans to jokingly say that “Tanran stole his life.” In reality, Zimo’s peak was definitely among the top-tier side laners in the league, but he repeatedly fell short at crucial moments, which highlights his main issue.

However, Zimo is quite popular with fans. Within his team, Nuanyang has a higher fanbase, drawing most of the criticism away from Zimo. Nuanyang’s performances in major tournaments have indeed been more inconsistent than Zimo’s, so it’s understandable that he attracts more heat. But many fans see Zimo as a version of Qingqing with a higher baseline.

Qingqing’s peak was truly godlike. Those who now join the bandwagon to mock “TTG” probably never watched his performance during his two peak years. However, when Qingqing is off his game, he is the most inconsistent side laner, bar none. Now that he is older, his poor performances have become more frequent. His highlights today don’t reach 80% of his peak level. Currently, TTG still tries to build their side lane double core around him and Xiaoxue, which means if Qingqing is targeted or underperforms, TTG can easily lose the match. Qingqing was solid and stable during his peak, comparable to Feiniu, but his floor is definitely the lowest among this group of top side laners.

Guiqi was still considered a twin star alongside Xuanran in the first half of 2024, but his 2025 performance has been truly disappointing. When off his game, he’s on par with Qingqing, and his moments of brilliance are rare. Sometimes he even loses matchups against A-tier side laners. At his best, he can reach a 99-point level, but he always seems a bit behind Xuanran and Zimo. His mechanics aren’t bad, so maybe losing so many matches against AG has broken his spirit, or after winning two championships, he’s lost motivation and wants to return to Shanghai to live off his family’s wealth.

If you can’t even play Lu Bu, don’t expect to break into the King rank. Lu Bu is one of the simplest warrior heroes. Compared to the difficulty of Yuan Ge, Lu Bu is practically easy. His first skill is an attack that applies enchantment on hit; his second skill can absorb shields or slow enemies; his ultimate has a large area and can control enemies on hit, or block paths even if it misses. All three skills are straightforward. Lu Bu can build either attack or tank items. If you can’t handle a semi-attack build, going full tank is perfectly fine—he can still soak damage and deal damage effectively. Mastering him will easily get you to King rank.