What you should do in Ranked, and what you...

[quote=Retribution]Background: I lost several games today because my teammates threw when we had a clear advantage; other cases, I was the only one on my team doing reasonably well, while my teammates were doing poorly. I'm hoping putting out this thread will reduce the number of people that "fail" in ranked. -Champion select Rule #1: [b]Never, ever, EVER first time a champion in ranked.[/b] In fact, I strongly suggest at least 20 Normal 5s games on the champion before you even consider ranked. Maybe even 50, depending on the champion. Rule #2: [b]Be willing to play every role. Even support.[/b] Even if you are incapable of doing every role, I suggest you be capable of playing at least 3 roles proficiently, with at least 3 champions each that you know how to play, before joining a ranked queue. Rule #3: [b]Pick champions that you are confident with.[/b] In ranked, you want to pick a champion that you are confident and experienced with. If such a champion is "not viable", so be it. There's a line between "not viable" and "troll", don't cross it. Never play a champion that you have a low amount of experience with, EVEN IF that champion is a counter pick to your opponent. Rule #4: [b]Never first-pick a solo lane.[/b] Regardless of elo rating (As opposed to contrary belief), if you first pick a solo lane (ex mid or top), you WILL get countered, and you will likely fail. Alternatively, don't focus so much on "counters". If you counter your opponent, that does not mean a free win for you. Rule #5: [b]If a teammate picked a champion you find unsuitable, do NOT rage at them.[/b] If arguments ensue between teammates before the game has even started, you've already lost. If something like that does happen, try asking nicely. ex, instead of saying "OMFG WHY THE **** YOU PICK xxx (Insert champion name)", try saying "I don't think xxx is best suited for the role, why did you pick xxx?" -Onto the actual game. Rule #1: [b]Play smart.[/b] Use your common sense, understand where the "safe zone" is and where the dangers lurk. Do not over extend. Do NOT tower dive unless you have a team mate with you, and you are sure that both of you will make it out alive. If any one of you die, it's NOT worth it. Rule #2: [b]Farm.[/b] Obviously this doesn't apply to Junglers and Supports, but the laning phase is the most important portion of the game. Don't even bother starting ranked if you can't hit AT LEAST 100 CS at 15 minutes. For mid lane, it's best to reach the 100 mark by around 12 minutes. Not too sure about the other lanes, since I don't have as much experience. Rule #3: [b]Roam accordingly.[/b] This mainly applies to the Mid laner and the Jungler. Roaming the map will help your teammates get fed, which will improve your chances of victory. Rule #4: [b]If you can't make it, don't bother.[/b] Let's say a fight breaks out on the bottom lane while you're in the middle lane. If you know you won't make it in time, don't even leave the lane. You'll be losing time and money, as well as possibly dying. Rule #5: [b]Don't engage fights stupidly.[/b] This is perhaps the thing that makes me the most angry. It's extremely frustrating when your teammates engage a fight when not everyone is present, and when the other team has a clear advantage. For example, My [[ezreal]] game earlier, I was 13/3. However, my team decided to engage when it was 3v5 (Support was warding, and I was buying items) and the other team has the Baron buff. Obviously they died. We were 3 towers ahead, but that failed engage allowed the enemy a winning push. TLDR? Don't engage a teamfight unless: -All your teammates are willing and able to follow up (Use pings and stuff to communicate) -All your team members are present. -If possible, your team has a distinct advantage, like abundance of CC, Baron buff, gold advantage, etc. Anyways, here's my basic guideline to general game play. I'm just mad at idiots that throw away a perfectly winnable game.[/quote]

[quote=Foo18]Well, for one thing. [[Syndra]] is actually viable atm. She is severely underrated and I actually mean it. If you get DFG, you can one shot pretty much any carry, you have good lane harass, manageable mana, a great team fight stun (bowling anyone?), and good escapes. She is very hard to play, and isn't a top tier mid laner, but she is much better than, say, heimer, xerath, brand etc. First picking solo lanes is sometimes your only choice. If you are at a lower elo than where you feel you belong, solo lanes are usually the best place to carry from. You just have to try to pick very counterpick safe champions (i.e. morgana, cho'gath, vlad, irelia etc.) Counterpicks are actually really overrated. Especially if you outscale your counterpick.[/quote]

[quote=OTGBionicArm]Yea, first picking safe solo laners is just fine. First picking champs like [[Evelynn]] or AP Yi is asking for mid [[Cho'Gath]] to rip your face off/push your tower for you roaming.[/quote]

[quote=Luther3000][quote=Retribution] Rule #4: [b]Never first-pick a solo lane.[/b] Regardless of elo rating (As opposed to contrary belief), if you first pick a solo lane (ex mid or top), you WILL get countered, and you will more than likely fail. [/quote] wat[/quote]

[quote=A Chubby Baby]Rule number 2 is so important and yet SO MANY PEOPLE STILL DONT KNOW IT. T_T.[/quote]

[quote=DemonSovereign][quote=Retribution] For example, picking someone like [[syndra]] in ranked WILL result in you being flamed at. Even if you're confident with the champion, she just isn't viable in the current metagame. Also, picking a champion that you aren't comfortable with is a really bad idea in ranked. [/quote] [[syndra]] is OP. She is just hard to play and master. DFG + [[muramana]] + [[unleashed power]]=GG [quote=Foo18] she is much better than, say, heimer, xerath, brand etc. [/quote] But [[xerath]] so fun D: Hard to find the right team comp though. [quote=OTGBionicArm] First picking champs like Evelynn or [b]AP Yi[/b] is asking for mid Cho'Gath to rip your face off/push your tower for you roaming. [/quote] I see where this came from :P[/quote]

[quote=Retribution][quote=Foo18] Well, for one thing. [[Syndra]] is actually viable atm. She is severely underrated and I actually mean it. If you get DFG, you can one shot pretty much any carry, you have good lane harass, manageable mana, a great team fight stun (bowling anyone?), and good escapes. She is very hard to play, and isn't a top tier mid laner, but she is much better than, say, heimer, xerath, brand etc. First picking solo lanes is sometimes your only choice. If you are at a lower elo than where you feel you belong, solo lanes are usually the best place to carry from. You just have to try to pick very counterpick safe champions (i.e. morgana, cho'gath, vlad, irelia etc.) Counterpicks are actually really overrated. Especially if you outscale your counterpick. [/quote] Ehh, [[syndra]] was the champion that popped into my head when I wrote this. But really, her stun is pretty hard to land. I also happened to have a REALLY bad [[syndra]] in one of the games I played today. Well, if you have to first pick a solo lane, you'd have to do it :/ I meant to say, avoid it if possible. As for counter picks, it really depends on the champions and the players, but let's say we have a [[lux]] and [[kassadin]]. [[kassadin]] has a distinct advantage, but that doesn't mean [[lux]] will lose the lane. However, if the two players have a same skill level, then the [[kassadin]] will more than likely win. Since you'd never know how good your opponent is, avoiding being countered is the safest way to go. [quote=OTGBionicArm] Yea, first picking safe solo laners is just fine. First picking champs like [[Evelynn]] or AP Yi is asking for mid [[Cho'Gath]] to rip your face off/push your tower for you roaming. [/quote] Thing is, a lot of the people I find doesn't understand the definition of "safe solo laner". [quote=A Chubby Baby] Rule number 2 is so important and yet SO MANY PEOPLE STILL DONT KNOW IT. T_T. [/quote] Exactly. That's the primary reason why players conflict in queue. I respect those who understands this rule, and even more so the people that main the support role.[/quote]

[quote=Foo18]Yeah, rule two is very important but it is more like: You have to be prepared to play every role. ESPECIALLY SUPPORT. I mean, if you don't play mid or top or ADC, chances are some one else will take it. However, support is a role you will almost always be stuck with if you are last pick. Bot lanes are usually filled with players who wanted solo lanes as well, so playing a good support can carry really well. But that's only because bot laners are usually the worst players.[/quote]

[quote=DemonSovereign][quote=Foo18] You have to be prepared to play every role. ESPECIALLY SUPPORT. [/quote] So true.[/quote]

[quote=crossfire]I disagree with rule 3. There's a difference between unviable and totally trolling. If you do really well with Heim, AD Kennen, or jungle Karthus by all means go ahead. All that matters is if you win. You don't win by not using a corny strategy or playing the meta, you win by blowing up the nexus. Remember back in the day when everyone thought the newly remade eve, ezreal, and yorick were trash? Well, look at them know. (Ignore the fact yorick isn't that great anymore.) Also, at low elo counter picking doesn't mean shit. I just played a game where our top teemo lost to singed. Often times people will pick champions they aren't confortable with just because it is considered a "counter pick". Most of the time the better player will still end up winning even if they're playing against a "counter".[/quote]