Well firstly in ranked you'll be in draft pick so no instalocking (well not in the same way it is in normal) :P
You should make sure you have played a couple of normal games in draft pick mode before you start ranked so that you are used to the concept.
First tip is that if you are the one assigned to ban champions, you will need to be quick and ask your team who they want banned or want to play. But don't panic, and if they say nothing just go with some usual bans like Kassadin, Rammus, Amumu, Morgana, etc.
Another thing I would advise is to learn one champion from each role (ie. mid AP, solo top, jungle, AD carry and support), just so you don't get stuck with something like support when you can't play it.
In game, play smart and careful. Ranked is a whole different kettle of fish to normal, with more warding, more grouped up team plays and quite a big focus on last hitting.
Make sure if you are the support you ward the map well.
For last hitting, you will need to start practicing that, as it is the thing that wins games. That's all I can really say. Practice is the only way you will get good at it. Just set yourself a goal of creep kills by the 20 min mark and try to beat that in each game. Obviously by last hitting though, not by only farming the whole time :D
As for pushing, don't do it too often in ranked games. Only do it if you want to go back to base or are trying to take the tower. Just last hit the minions, don't auto attack them when they are full health. It's just safer to do especially if you're new, as you will make sure you are still closeish to your tower, and you have space to run if you get into trouble. Pushing is always good to stop the enemy champion securing gold from the creeps under the tower, but as I said only really do it if you want to go back.
Oh and keep watching those streams of high level LoL players, it will help you immensely to understand ranked play better :)
Good luck!
You should make sure you have played a couple of normal games in draft pick mode before you start ranked so that you are used to the concept.
First tip is that if you are the one assigned to ban champions, you will need to be quick and ask your team who they want banned or want to play. But don't panic, and if they say nothing just go with some usual bans like Kassadin, Rammus, Amumu, Morgana, etc.
Another thing I would advise is to learn one champion from each role (ie. mid AP, solo top, jungle, AD carry and support), just so you don't get stuck with something like support when you can't play it.
In game, play smart and careful. Ranked is a whole different kettle of fish to normal, with more warding, more grouped up team plays and quite a big focus on last hitting.
Make sure if you are the support you ward the map well.
For last hitting, you will need to start practicing that, as it is the thing that wins games. That's all I can really say. Practice is the only way you will get good at it. Just set yourself a goal of creep kills by the 20 min mark and try to beat that in each game. Obviously by last hitting though, not by only farming the whole time :D
As for pushing, don't do it too often in ranked games. Only do it if you want to go back to base or are trying to take the tower. Just last hit the minions, don't auto attack them when they are full health. It's just safer to do especially if you're new, as you will make sure you are still closeish to your tower, and you have space to run if you get into trouble. Pushing is always good to stop the enemy champion securing gold from the creeps under the tower, but as I said only really do it if you want to go back.
Oh and keep watching those streams of high level LoL players, it will help you immensely to understand ranked play better :)
Good luck!
Check out my guides- Ziggs: Mr Bombastic
IMO the most important thing is to be prepared for rage, and to never rage yourself.
People get more frustrated in ranked, and when people rage everyone else generally does worse. Like if shaco is raging at trynd, trynd will most likely start playing worse, without meaning to.
I find when im playing ranked it is best to try to break up fights because it is unbelievable how much better people perform.
People get more frustrated in ranked, and when people rage everyone else generally does worse. Like if shaco is raging at trynd, trynd will most likely start playing worse, without meaning to.
I find when im playing ranked it is best to try to break up fights because it is unbelievable how much better people perform.
^ +1
Very, very true. Can't believe I forgot to mention it.
Yeah people are a lot less forgiving for mistakes in ranked. You will be raged at, sometimes even when you are playing well. Just laugh it off, and don't rage back. And don't start raging yourself, cause it doesn't help your team, it just gets everyone frustrated. And their play level will drop.
Very, very true. Can't believe I forgot to mention it.
Yeah people are a lot less forgiving for mistakes in ranked. You will be raged at, sometimes even when you are playing well. Just laugh it off, and don't rage back. And don't start raging yourself, cause it doesn't help your team, it just gets everyone frustrated. And their play level will drop.
Check out my guides- Ziggs: Mr Bombastic
Everything has been covered pretty well, but I'll add my own thoughts.
- invasion:
My first game of ranked was a premade 5. And the entire enemy team came and ganked us at our blue. This doesn't happen often anymore in the games I play, but it is a tryhard tactic that you should be wary of. So, tip number 1, protect your jungler. That means standing around his blue/wolves/wraiths/red/golems and watching to see if he'll be okay.
Tip #2, whenever you recall, buy one ward. If you have one ward in your inventory at all times, it means that you have guaranteed vision of the river for 3 minutes.
- pushing lanes:
Don't, unless you can get away with it. ie: you're Nidalee, Lee Sin, Mordekaiser, Master Yi. If you are Sona, Ashe or Annie, you're probably already dead.
- last hitting:
Grab
Butcher
in the offense tree and practice last hitting in a custom game, and then also in an intermediate AI game. I promise you it'll be hard to last hit in the co-op game because your allies will be auto attack non stop and the AI will be harassing you just like in a PvP.
- invasion:
My first game of ranked was a premade 5. And the entire enemy team came and ganked us at our blue. This doesn't happen often anymore in the games I play, but it is a tryhard tactic that you should be wary of. So, tip number 1, protect your jungler. That means standing around his blue/wolves/wraiths/red/golems and watching to see if he'll be okay.
Tip #2, whenever you recall, buy one ward. If you have one ward in your inventory at all times, it means that you have guaranteed vision of the river for 3 minutes.
- pushing lanes:
Don't, unless you can get away with it. ie: you're Nidalee, Lee Sin, Mordekaiser, Master Yi. If you are Sona, Ashe or Annie, you're probably already dead.
- last hitting:
Grab

Another thing I have realised with ranked games, the community does not get any more mature than normals. If anything, it gets worse because as already stated, people are much less forgiving of mistakes.
If you are a team player, learn to tank and support. Those are the two roles that it always seems people want to do the least. There is very good reason behind that too. I have not won a single ranked game playing as support or tank simply because people don't understand when to help or that I am helping them. Maybe I should stop doing solo que ranked games...?
The biggest tip I can give you: Make sure you have MAP AWARENESS. MIAs are always awesome, but you can't always rely on your allies calls and there should always be a jungler to be concerned about. You always have to make sure you have wards up in key areas. A lot of people know the main warding points and will try different routes to get to you. Be prepared for that.
As already said, pay attention to those higher ELO streams. They know what they are talking about for the most part. Be able to make decisions (when to drop a turret, when to dragon, when to baron, when to push, when to retreat, etc...). Learn a fair amount about counter-picking as well, if you haven't already.
Over time, you will get better. Everybody always has room to improve.
If you are a team player, learn to tank and support. Those are the two roles that it always seems people want to do the least. There is very good reason behind that too. I have not won a single ranked game playing as support or tank simply because people don't understand when to help or that I am helping them. Maybe I should stop doing solo que ranked games...?
The biggest tip I can give you: Make sure you have MAP AWARENESS. MIAs are always awesome, but you can't always rely on your allies calls and there should always be a jungler to be concerned about. You always have to make sure you have wards up in key areas. A lot of people know the main warding points and will try different routes to get to you. Be prepared for that.
As already said, pay attention to those higher ELO streams. They know what they are talking about for the most part. Be able to make decisions (when to drop a turret, when to dragon, when to baron, when to push, when to retreat, etc...). Learn a fair amount about counter-picking as well, if you haven't already.
Over time, you will get better. Everybody always has room to improve.
Personal habitual activites? Utilizing gargantuan idioms to fabricate intelligence.
"It's a colloquial shorthand that means the paradigm exists because of how the game works mechanically. Hence, "the Meta." Stop being a useless pedant." - PlayGooYa
"It's a colloquial shorthand that means the paradigm exists because of how the game works mechanically. Hence, "the Meta." Stop being a useless pedant." - PlayGooYa
Thanks Guys, that's really helpful. I play draft pick every once in a while, so I get the concept. I'll learn counter picking form watching high level streams I'm sure, at least to see who is good against who. I guess I have to start practicing support, as I never see it played it normal, though I enjoy playing as a tank, and my preferred role is jungler. Again, thanks guys.
You need to log in before commenting.
<Member>