User blog comment:TawnyOne/Meta: Why does it exist?/@comment-5035765-20140326205358

the meta is like the Pirate's Code: "They're less of rules and more like... guidelines."

it gives you the most efficient way to play the game, given the current status of buffs and nerfs. So you can break it all you want, but you probably won't do quite as well as someone following it... unless of course you have more team coordination or mechanical skill.