4 Man League Strategies
Riot·5/15/2014, 10:52:19 PM·0 votes·2,174 views
The drafting process for a four man league differs vastly from its larger brethren. The picks come fast and furious—if you don’t come in ready to rock, you can find yourself staring at a roster you don’t even remember drafting. A four man league is perfect for the LCS fan with no previous fantasy game experience. With fewer competitors for high value picks, every team will be stacked with talent, and the slightest edge can take your team to the top, leaving your opponents wondering how their star-studded roster could have lost. Here are a few key strategies that can give your team that little bit of leverage you need to be king of your friends.
• Draft winners. Cloud 9, the NA spring split champions, have a proven track record of generating stats and winning games in convincing fashion. With TSM’s roster in flux, the drop off from a C9 player to the next available player at their position is substantial. When possible, take a Cloud 9 player.
• Ignore the above rule for Hai. Hai is not the focal point of Cloud 9’s victories and is the 4th-best Mid according to Summer Split projections.
• Wait on your team selection. There is plenty of depth in the Team position and even the top projected teams, Cloud 9 and Fnatic (13.9 pts/game each), are only 3 points above the league projected average (10.9 pts/game). Also, the talent in North America will be much higher this split, and even if Cloud 9 remain at the top, they will have a much tougher road. Additionally, teams do not generate as many points as your starter will at any other position. In a four man league, waiting until your very last pick will still give you the fourth or fifth best available team. Every other pick would be better served by stealing a sleeper, or adding depth to your bench.
• Make Support your last starter; it will be your least valuable starting position on average. While you would be better served grabbing a quality Support before your third bench warmer, every other starting position is more important to secure early in the draft, including your flex slot.
• Speaking of your flex, pick it early. The flex position is often an afterthought for inexperienced fantasy drafters. Any player can be played at flex, and so many players choose to just stick their 7th best player there. However, the AD Carry and Mid laner will usually provide you with the most consistent points week after week. If you are able to secure two top quality talents at either position you will not only have a powerful flex player, but you will deny someone else in your league from even having one high quality starter.
• Drafting duos are a double edged sword. If you sit on either end of a draft order, you will find yourself tempted to pick both the Support and AD Carry for one team. The theory behind this strategy is that, if the team has a great game, you will get high points for both positions. However, the reverse is also true and even Cloud 9 and Fnatic have rough weeks. If a team decides to focus down Rekkles and Yellowstar, you could find yourself with very few points from two starting positions. It is up to you to decide if the risk is worth the reward.
• Decide ahead of time if you are playing for love, or for victory. Fantasy games are ultimately about fun. If fun for you means getting as many ROCCAT players as you can, then by all means, snatch them up. However, if you want to win your league, you have to put emotions aside and look purely at the value of each player to your fantasy roster. It may hurt to watch another team take Overpow away from you, but you and xPeke will become fast friends when he backdoors another opponent after a 40-point performance.
• Sometimes, the obvious pick is the correct choice. If Cloud 9 falls into the 5th round, then by all means snatch them up. If you’re waiting on your Jungler, and Dexter somehow falls past the fourth round, adapt your strategy and take him. Remember to never ignore value. Our projections will help you determine the average performance of a pick.
For new players, mastering the art of the snake draft will be crucial as well. Round 1 moves from player one to player two on down to player four, but Round 2 begins with player four. The round then snakes up to player one, who will then take both the last pick of round two and the first pick of Round 3. After the first pick, the players at each of end of the draft order will always make two picks simultaneously. This means that the players on the ends can occasionally make a few sneaky moves early in the draft to give their team a leg up. For example, let’s say you have the last pick in a four man draft. Player one takes Rekkles, player two takes Froggen, and player three decides he wants the best Top laner he can have and selects Balls. At your pick, both xPeke and Bjergsen are available. Normally, you would take one Mid, and pick up a second one later in the draft. However, with the snake draft, you can not only ensure that you have one of the best possible flex options (two star Mid carries) but you have also ensured that every other team will be weaker at Mid than you since they must divvy up Hai, Overpow, and others amongst themselves.
The other important aspect of understanding the snake draft is remembering who will pick before your turn comes around again. Say it’s the third round, and you had the second pick in the draft. You will draft second in this round, and then players three and four will each make two picks before you get another turn. Before making your pick, it is important to look at the teams picking after you, and anticipate what they need. If player three does not have a Jungler in round three, and you choose not to take Dexter, the best Jungler available in that round in this case, then player three will have two opportunities to steal him before you get another shot. In a four man draft, there are fewer chances for the player you want to get taken, but the danger is still very real. Your strategy in every round must adapt based on the players around you.
Do not underestimate the pressure of being on the clock. When it is your turn to pick and all your friends are staring at you, it is easy to rush your decision. Before your pick comes, be sure to have at least two choices ready, in case the player right before you steals your player. The only concrete rule of fantasy drafting is that the player right before you is a cheating jerk who is reading your mind and will always steal the player you want right before you. Screw that guy. The only way to beat him is to adapt. Preparation is your best friend. Bring all the tools you need with you to the drafting table, and you can avoid the “drafter’s remorse” that affects so many rookie fantasy players when their hastily made plans go awry.
1. A sheet where you will fill out your roster. Writing things down keeps them focused in your mind. Don’t let the computer run your draft for you. Keep your own records, and refer to them after every pick.
2. Your Big Board. Usually several sheets of paper, your Big Board is your personal rankings of every available player. Some players like to sort their Big Board by position, while others choose to rank each player based on their total value regardless of roster spot. Either way, keep your own personal rankings to yourself, and do not stray from them when the picks start flying. You came prepared, trust in your preparation.
3. A highlighter. When you cross things out, you cannot see them anymore. This seems obvious, but when you have a limited time to pick, scanning to see who’s been taken is a longer process when you cannot read the names. Use your Big Board as a tracking system. When each pick is made, highlight that player, so that you can easily identify who your next pick should be.
4. A pencil. Pens are for people who cannot adapt. You are a draft master, you adapt with each new round. You make notes, and erase them when they are no longer needed.
5. Your lucky draft shirt. In fantasy sports, every one of us is pretending we can predict the future. When tempting fate, it is important to have luck on your side. My Titans football jersey rarely sees the light of day but every year, when my high school friends reunite for our fantasy football draft, that jersey is always washed, pressed, and ready to go. Choose carefully what shirt you wear to your first Fantasy LCS draft—you may be wearing it once a year from now on.
Fantasy sports are a wonderful way for friends to reconnect, bond, and establish dominance over each other. The bragging rights hold their power for years, and the shame never fully goes away. With preparation, a level head, and the right tools, you can ensure that your first Fantasy LCS experience leaves you at the top of your social food chain.
Value Drafting
First things first, any successful drafter must understand the concept of value. Value based drafting separates the champions from the casual fans. The concept is simple—draft the player in each round who will give your team the most possible points. In the early rounds this is easy to decipher. Bjergsen is a top level Mid laner, and as such is worth more points than another player who plays the same position on a weaker team. However, the savvy drafter must also weigh his options across every available roster spot. Is picking up Aphromoo, the third best Support, better than taking Jesiz, a middle tier Mid laner? The key to making such a decision is anticipating what will occur before your next pick. If you take Jesiz, and another player picks up Aphromoo, what will be your next option at Support? Or in the reverse scenario, what Mid laner will be left if you choose Aphromoo, and Jesiz is taken away? To truly maximize the value of your draft requires extensive study of statistics, past trends, and projections. For the less mathematically inclined fan, below are a few guidelines that will help you make the most valuable pick whenever your turn comes around.
• Draft winners. Cloud 9, the NA spring split champions, have a proven track record of generating stats and winning games in convincing fashion. With TSM’s roster in flux, the drop off from a C9 player to the next available player at their position is substantial. When possible, take a Cloud 9 player.
• Ignore the above rule for Hai. Hai is not the focal point of Cloud 9’s victories and is the 4th-best Mid according to Summer Split projections.
• Wait on your team selection. There is plenty of depth in the Team position and even the top projected teams, Cloud 9 and Fnatic (13.9 pts/game each), are only 3 points above the league projected average (10.9 pts/game). Also, the talent in North America will be much higher this split, and even if Cloud 9 remain at the top, they will have a much tougher road. Additionally, teams do not generate as many points as your starter will at any other position. In a four man league, waiting until your very last pick will still give you the fourth or fifth best available team. Every other pick would be better served by stealing a sleeper, or adding depth to your bench.
• Make Support your last starter; it will be your least valuable starting position on average. While you would be better served grabbing a quality Support before your third bench warmer, every other starting position is more important to secure early in the draft, including your flex slot.
• Speaking of your flex, pick it early. The flex position is often an afterthought for inexperienced fantasy drafters. Any player can be played at flex, and so many players choose to just stick their 7th best player there. However, the AD Carry and Mid laner will usually provide you with the most consistent points week after week. If you are able to secure two top quality talents at either position you will not only have a powerful flex player, but you will deny someone else in your league from even having one high quality starter.
• Drafting duos are a double edged sword. If you sit on either end of a draft order, you will find yourself tempted to pick both the Support and AD Carry for one team. The theory behind this strategy is that, if the team has a great game, you will get high points for both positions. However, the reverse is also true and even Cloud 9 and Fnatic have rough weeks. If a team decides to focus down Rekkles and Yellowstar, you could find yourself with very few points from two starting positions. It is up to you to decide if the risk is worth the reward.
• Decide ahead of time if you are playing for love, or for victory. Fantasy games are ultimately about fun. If fun for you means getting as many ROCCAT players as you can, then by all means, snatch them up. However, if you want to win your league, you have to put emotions aside and look purely at the value of each player to your fantasy roster. It may hurt to watch another team take Overpow away from you, but you and xPeke will become fast friends when he backdoors another opponent after a 40-point performance.
• Sometimes, the obvious pick is the correct choice. If Cloud 9 falls into the 5th round, then by all means snatch them up. If you’re waiting on your Jungler, and Dexter somehow falls past the fourth round, adapt your strategy and take him. Remember to never ignore value. Our projections will help you determine the average performance of a pick.
The Snake Draft
For new players, mastering the art of the snake draft will be crucial as well. Round 1 moves from player one to player two on down to player four, but Round 2 begins with player four. The round then snakes up to player one, who will then take both the last pick of round two and the first pick of Round 3. After the first pick, the players at each of end of the draft order will always make two picks simultaneously. This means that the players on the ends can occasionally make a few sneaky moves early in the draft to give their team a leg up. For example, let’s say you have the last pick in a four man draft. Player one takes Rekkles, player two takes Froggen, and player three decides he wants the best Top laner he can have and selects Balls. At your pick, both xPeke and Bjergsen are available. Normally, you would take one Mid, and pick up a second one later in the draft. However, with the snake draft, you can not only ensure that you have one of the best possible flex options (two star Mid carries) but you have also ensured that every other team will be weaker at Mid than you since they must divvy up Hai, Overpow, and others amongst themselves.
The other important aspect of understanding the snake draft is remembering who will pick before your turn comes around again. Say it’s the third round, and you had the second pick in the draft. You will draft second in this round, and then players three and four will each make two picks before you get another turn. Before making your pick, it is important to look at the teams picking after you, and anticipate what they need. If player three does not have a Jungler in round three, and you choose not to take Dexter, the best Jungler available in that round in this case, then player three will have two opportunities to steal him before you get another shot. In a four man draft, there are fewer chances for the player you want to get taken, but the danger is still very real. Your strategy in every round must adapt based on the players around you.
Do not underestimate the pressure of being on the clock. When it is your turn to pick and all your friends are staring at you, it is easy to rush your decision. Before your pick comes, be sure to have at least two choices ready, in case the player right before you steals your player. The only concrete rule of fantasy drafting is that the player right before you is a cheating jerk who is reading your mind and will always steal the player you want right before you. Screw that guy. The only way to beat him is to adapt. Preparation is your best friend. Bring all the tools you need with you to the drafting table, and you can avoid the “drafter’s remorse” that affects so many rookie fantasy players when their hastily made plans go awry.
Drafter’s Toolkit
1. A sheet where you will fill out your roster. Writing things down keeps them focused in your mind. Don’t let the computer run your draft for you. Keep your own records, and refer to them after every pick.
2. Your Big Board. Usually several sheets of paper, your Big Board is your personal rankings of every available player. Some players like to sort their Big Board by position, while others choose to rank each player based on their total value regardless of roster spot. Either way, keep your own personal rankings to yourself, and do not stray from them when the picks start flying. You came prepared, trust in your preparation.
3. A highlighter. When you cross things out, you cannot see them anymore. This seems obvious, but when you have a limited time to pick, scanning to see who’s been taken is a longer process when you cannot read the names. Use your Big Board as a tracking system. When each pick is made, highlight that player, so that you can easily identify who your next pick should be.
4. A pencil. Pens are for people who cannot adapt. You are a draft master, you adapt with each new round. You make notes, and erase them when they are no longer needed.
5. Your lucky draft shirt. In fantasy sports, every one of us is pretending we can predict the future. When tempting fate, it is important to have luck on your side. My Titans football jersey rarely sees the light of day but every year, when my high school friends reunite for our fantasy football draft, that jersey is always washed, pressed, and ready to go. Choose carefully what shirt you wear to your first Fantasy LCS draft—you may be wearing it once a year from now on.
Fantasy sports are a wonderful way for friends to reconnect, bond, and establish dominance over each other. The bragging rights hold their power for years, and the shame never fully goes away. With preparation, a level head, and the right tools, you can ensure that your first Fantasy LCS experience leaves you at the top of your social food chain.
