Pyke

Pyke is a 2-cost Psionic and Voyager champion that usually plays as a frontline control unit. Its crowd control matters most when the first cast happens before the enemy board fully ramps up. Pyke appears in Slap & Zap and The Big Bang lines, so keep copies when those boards are open.

Consider playing around Pyke when you naturally upgrade it between Stage 2 and Stage 3 and can afford to slow roll. For items, Hand Of Justice and Infinity Edge are strong signals that Pyke can stay on the board. For team direction, it fits naturally when you are already moving toward Slap & Zap and The Big Bang. If it stays one-star, the traits do not activate, or the items point elsewhere, treat it as a transition unit instead of forcing the line.

Hand Of Justice, Infinity Edge and Edge of Night are recommended. Hand Of Justice gives flexible damage and healing, Infinity Edge increases physical burst through stronger critical strikes and Edge of Night drops aggro once to protect a fragile melee carry. The point of the setup is to keep it alive long enough to cast and hold the frontline.

When the perfect setup is not available, use Bloodthirster, Titan's Resolve, Hextech Gunblade and Deathblade as substitutes. For frontline substitutes, prioritize durability, sustain, and opening damage reduction without stealing every carry item. If Pyke is only a trait slot, one useful item is enough and the premium items should go to your real carry or main tank.

Early: a two-star Pyke can stabilize well when Psionic and Voyager is already active. Mid game: decide between slow rolling for upgrades or using it as a bridge while leveling. Late game: keep it when the items and traits still point toward it; otherwise upgrade into a higher-cost carry or tank.

Place Pyke in the first row near the center so the control reaches key targets. Against heavy burst, move it one hex off-center and pair it with another frontliner. Its mana bar is short, so surviving lets it cast repeatedly.