The year 2023 has proven to be an extraordinary season for Onic Esports’ MLBB roamer, Nicki “Kiboy” Fernando, who has consistently upheld his performance, earning the prestigious MVP title in two major competitions, MSC 2023 and MPL ID S12. Undoubtedly, his accomplishment is a result of his unwavering dedication and astute ability to adapt to the current meta.
Notably, this season’s MLBB competition has favored teams incorporating a healer/enchanter role within their compositions. As a result, heroes like Angela, Mathilda, Rafaela, and Valentina have ascended in the ranks, becoming top picks in MPL ID S12. Several professional players in the roamer position, including Allen “Baloyskie” Baloy (Geek Fam) and Rasya “Rasy” Wisita (Alter Ego), have seen an uptick in their performance in MPL ID, mainly due to their adept utilization of heroes aligned with the prevailing meta.
However, some players, accustomed to playing the roamer role aggressively, have expressed their discontent with the current gaming meta. And surprisingly, their struggles in adapting to this meta have, to some extent, affected their success rate during the regular season and playoffs. And similar sentiments were echoed by Kiboy, renowned for his distinctive gameplay style characterized by the use of tanky heroes with sizeable damage capabilities.
Speaking to Ulti Asia, the 20-year-old confessed that, like other players, he initially harbored reservations about adjusting to the new playstyle in the latest patch. However, after deliberation with the coaching team, he resolved to embrace the change. Notwithstanding, he found the transition to the healer playstyle relatively seamless, given his prior experience dating back to MPL ID S8.
“Frankly, I am not a fan of this season’s healer meta,” he disclosed. “Nonetheless, there were instances where we encountered difficulties during scrims and matches. After discussing our strategy with the coach, I broadened my hero pool to include characters with healing abilities.”
“As for the hero mechanics and strategies, I didn’t face any difficulties because since season 8, I have already learned heroes like Rafaela and others that have become top picks in the current healer meta.”
His willingness to adapt to this evolving playstyle has rendered Onic Esports remarkably versatile, propelling them to secure a spot in the grand finals, where they once again crossed paths with Geek Fam. Facing Baloy, who boasted an impressive track record with the current meta, Kiboy defied expectations, reverting to his signature gameplay style to steer his team to victory. In the end, his total kill participation rate this season reached an impressive 72% kill participations, surpassing that of other roamers. Reflecting on this achievement, Kiboy emphasized that his aim was never to imitate his opponents’ gameplay but to trust in his own decisions and abilities.
“Personally, I don’t care that much about the healer, tank, or damaging roamer meta, which is my personal favorite,” he asserted. “To excel, one must be proficient in adapting to any playstyle, especially for a flexible role such as roamer.”
As Kiboy and Onic Esports gear up to confront M5 in the Philippines next month, he has already shared his perspective on the potential shift in the meta for M5, remarking, “I cannot offer any insights on our prospects, because the meta will surely change in M5. Honestly, I want to see the end of this healer meta. It would certainly be intriguing to see something new!”
