Getting ready for ranked matches

[quote=TheRealGas]I'm new to these forums so be gentle with me. I am level 24 and going to grind out the last few levels to 30 over the next week or so. After doing some digging I have been unable to find a website or guide that gives new players and idea on how to step up their game to transition from normal to ranked matches. I know the whole bit about "elo hell" and trolls and baddies and whatnot and I am building a solid friends list to avoid as much of that as possible so I'm not really looking for that kind of advice. What I am looking for is some tips on how the general gameplay changes when you get into ranked matches and what I can do to better my gameplay to meet those challenges. I am not a terrible player and am pretty familiar with the MOBA genre so all I really want to do is avoid looking like a scrub who didn't prepare myself for that next level of play. TL;DR- Are there any websites I can go to that will help me understand how ranked matches differ from normals. (i.e. how banning and champion selection works and how the pace and flow of ranked matches changes) Thanks in advance![/quote]

[quote=Mowen]http://www.mobafire.com/league-of-legends/forum/help/ranked-matches-1516 Tell me if you have more in depth questions.[/quote]

[quote=TheRealGas]That is awesome, thank you! I don't know how I missed that thread but it answers a lot of the questions I had. The rest of my questions are more about how the actual gameplay is different from the normal matches I have been playing but I think those questions will all be answered with experience. I'm going to start watching videos and streams since that will probably prepare me better than written answers. Thank you for the fast response it looks like Mobafire will be my new go-to forum for LoL since their official forums are nauseating.[/quote]

[quote=Jet]http://clgaming.net/media/livestreams/ any featured stream or 1500+ elo stream, and any solomid / cowbell stream additionally, any stream that the streamer offers commentary or advice through the chat works too.[/quote]

[quote=Mowen]It's fine you didn't find it. It's kind've fallen down in the New Player section of the forums. I put a link in my New Player FAQ that's stickied over there though. As far as general changes, I'd say people tend to get more angry, be more passive (less tower diving and fun silly things like that, and early game more focused on last hitting rather than killing the enemy) and pay more attention to buying wards and map awareness. Watching videos and streams will be good. TreeEskimo is one of the best commentators I've known of. You can find him on http://www.own3d.tv/live/6377/TreeEskimo[/quote]

[quote=Xaioli][center]Also, if you need any help, perhaps WE at Mobafire can give you more advice as you climb up the ELO ladder. I know that there aren't a lot of us at like, 2000+ elo, but I know some people @ 1800 like Jet. I myself am at 1400, and I'm sure I can give you some tips. Also, Restrictnine is 1500 elo, Booshido is high 1400's. Adonikam and Pokimoki are at 1200-1300~. MANY people here on Mobafire are everywhere on the ELO scale, whether it's below or above the 1200 mark. The usual player attitudes vary, and only those people in those areas can give you tips. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ [color=yellow]My Warnings for You is this. Coming from an 1411 Solo Queue, 1461 Premade 3's Player:[/color] _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ [color=yellow]1200-1300:[/color] People are very bitchy, and they will complain about being in "Elo-Hell". It's true, this is probably the worst place you'll be in. However, keep pushing through and don't give up. Here, people will be like, "I don't care if I lose or not.", "I JUST HIT LEVEL 30, DURR." etc. Again, just don't give up. [color=orange]Solo Queue~[/color] To make this stage a lot easier, I suggest queueing with a partner so you'll have at least one person that you can trust. [color=orange]Premade 3's~[/color] You already have a premade, you better be able to trust them! [color=yellow]1301-1400:[/color] People are still bitchy, but you can sort of tell that they are a lot better than the 1200-1300 players. These people are what I call the 'try-hards'. Try-hards will rage at a sign of weakness of yours. From missing some ck's to not moving out of stuff in time, people will rage. Just ignore some of their rage, and just try your best. [color=orange]Solo Queue~[/color] Again, being with a partner that you can trust is best. [color=orange]Premade 3's~[/color] With Premade 3's, just make sure you guys don't rage @ each other in this stage. (: [color=yellow]1400's+ :[/color] I'll get back to you on this. (:[/quote]

[quote=TheRealGas]Jet- I found solomid and morecowbell on leagueofreplays, they have been pretty helpful thanks. Mowen- thats more like what I was looking for, I have started buying wards in my normal matches just to get used to it and am quickly finding out how helpful they really are. Last two games I went 4/1/19 and 9/0/11 as Karma and my team dominated both games. The low deaths is entirely because the wards help me avoid being ganked. As a former DotA player (albeit not a very good one) I should have known to be abusing wards all along but it's been a while so I guess I forgot. Good tips, thanks again. Edit- once I do hit 30 I will definitely be hitting up the mobafire community for some queuing partners, seems like you guys are very knowledgeable and have good attitudes.[/quote]

[quote=Jebus McAzn]Definitely look at TreeEskimo's stream to see some of the tips he gives about ranked. You need to step up and be a leader for your team (unless there's a leader already) - you need to ping when to do dragon, when to push, when to retreat. Call MIA on every lane, not just yours, warn lanes about overextending and possible ganks, etc. For example, one useful thing that TreeEskimo preaches is to know about map awareness. Say that Shen and TF both ult up top and gank your solo laner. The correct response there is to take Dragon, since all three are up top and can't possibly get down in time. You've done a trade - one of your champions for Dragon and forcing two champions to use an ultimate - that's worth it in my opinion. Check it out. Tree's really helpful, in my opinion.[/quote]

[quote=3picPanda]Xaioli and Jebus McAzn pretty much resumed the most useful tips out in ranked games. Be sure to buy wards constantly, and not only you! Ask your teammates to buy some! One trick once you will start playing ranked games as you will be in low ELO (what we call ELO Hell) is to try Teemo. From Riot's statistics, Teemo; that has free 10 minutes wards every 30 seconds, a blind to shut down the opposite AD carry, can most likely easily get you out of ELO Hell until 1400, after that he gets a worst Win/Loss ratio (this is what the stats says, but he is still viable upward). I'm currently trying Teemo out (I'm at 1198), and its an interesting way to increase your ELO. But practice with him first (especially for your mushrooms placement), that will help you. Try to have atleast one pure tank and a full support(Janna/Taric/Karma) in your team and ask your teammates to grab some crowd control! Hope that we helped you out on discovering ranked games! Vince.[/quote]

[quote=Trojan995][quote=3picPanda] Xaioli and Jebus McAzn pretty much resumed the most useful tips out in ranked games. Be sure to buy wards constantly, and not only you! Ask your teammates to buy some! One trick once you will start playing ranked games as you will be in low ELO (what we call ELO Hell) is to try Teemo. From Riot's statistics, Teemo; that has free 10 minutes wards every 30 seconds, a blind to shut down the opposite AD carry, can most likely easily get you out of ELO Hell until 1400, after that he gets a worst Win/Loss ratio (this is what the stats says, but he is still viable upward). I'm currently trying Teemo out (I'm at 1198), and its an interesting way to increase your ELO. But practice with him first (especially for your mushrooms placement), that will help you. Try to have atleast one pure tank and a full support(Janna/Taric/Karma) in your team and ask your teammates to grab some crowd control! Hope that we helped you out on discovering ranked games! Vince. [/quote] I totally agree with the teemo thing. Until you get to the ELO where your team has map awareness, having the best map awareness skill in the game is nothing short of amazing. Even though supports are fantastic and greatly benefit your team, I often find them useless in low ELO and with teammates you don't trust to carry. If you're duo queueing with a friend who you know is a competent carry then by all means take a support, but Janna won't do much if your carries are garbage. Taking a support champion with good damage, such as lux, may be the best course of action if you need to play a support champ in low-ELO solo queue.[/quote]