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The League Paradox

Elohaven··1 votes·1,444 views

I'll make a more detailed post later.

But I wanted to throw this up for the Boards to debate on despite how small this post is. Legaue's community has two conflicted needs that will not work together:

  • A meta where skill dictates all
  • A meta where comebacks are possible

The more skill is prioritized, the less of a chance comebacks will occur. The more comebacks occur, the less of a chance skill is needed.

We can't have both. League faces this issue where a lot of damage is being used to have new players seem good, make games entertaining, and reduce skill gaps. This can be seen with Faker "losing" which is more of just less time and defensive options due to Riot trying to make maximum damage output (MDO) and complex moves easier to attain.

I actually find low elo games more entertaining that high elo ones and pro-play despite the apparent lack of game knowledge/mechanics. In high elo, I don't really see much of a difference between a DV player and a Master. There's still a difference to be seen but it has greatly decreased over the past few metas.

It's so common to see this scenario. You're playing (for example) Tristana with Janna and you face a MF/Brand. You are 2-0 initially but suddenly you both die. You both lose tower despite initially having the lead and just like that you lost your power, lead, and strength. It was way too easy to comeback with the amount of damage. However, as the game progresses you find that this damage is also really oppressive and stops you from coming back.

This issue is pretty weird as it contradicts my statement. Initially, early in the game, skill doesn't matter too much anymore and comebacks can happen. The laning phase does not require much skill - just numbers. Do I do more damage? You have basic skills like CS'ing but you lost the need to pay heed to crucial wave management constantly or the time to make a super wave or the ability to wear down your opponent with waves or steady poke. You burst more.

And it's also really easy to lose a lead just because a champion's kit deals ridiculous damage now despite being behind. As the game progresses, comebacks are less likely but that's not because of skill. The damage snowball from such kits are oppressive and create this lead that the champion easily capitalizes on moreso than yours. There's many champion in Leagues and with changes to Towers, lack of resistances, and other factors - there isn't much skill needed to close out a game.

I actually believe the most skill needed in a game is from 15min to 20min if both teams are roughly equal. Before or after, everything will be fast or predictable.

So back to my point, I think we're in a lack of skill meta right now. People can pull off ridiculous damage or advantages that veteran players used to have to setup well to do so but now it's too easily accessible with all the true damage, lack of resistances, and more. I would like a meta where skill matters more - meaning more time is in it and snowballing is a longer ramp.

2 Comments

woodvsmurph1 votes

Higher elo they aren't willing to or are disencouraged to make crazy plays or high risk high reward plays. Like a year ago or so there was a match I distinctly rememeber where Hauntzer could have flashed to open a teamfight and gotten a pick on the enemy midlaner for his team... setting up a teamfight victory at the cost of his life and flash, but he didn't. And TSM lost the fight because of that. Is it Hauntzer's fault? No. It's high elo/coach's fault because they discourage that type of risky play. For those who'd argue otherwise I'll just point you to WildTurtle and TSM.

Moreover, higher elo tends to see an abundance of wards, defensive play, and better communication. Where low elo you'd see a jungler walk right over a ward or through an obvious path to gank a lane, in pro play it's warded and communicated to the whole team the jungler is there. Where in mid elo you'd see it warded and the player(s) might back off to their tower, in high elo they'll back off further if necessary or 1-4 teammates will begin rotating over to counter-gank if the enemy jungler commits. So it can be really hard for a jungler at high elo to make plays, and often if they do it can cost them a lot of investment time for only a POSSIBLE payoff. Meanwhile the other team's jungler is RELIABLY stealing away xp and cs from the jungler which means most high elo players won't risk guaranteed power for the POSSIBILITY of a greater payout.

Teams also just plain tend to refuse to make the initial sacrifice even if it means they'd win the fight overall. Like if your jungler can die to set up a guaranteed teamfight where your team would come out ahead for your jungler or toplaner making the sacrifice and being the initial death, they won't commit for it. Whoever loses the first member tends to just run away no matter how many ults were used by the enemy to kill that one person and no matter how low said opponents are. Sure sometimes because of high elo skill you can micro in and out to trade soaking damage and win due to number advantage... but sometimes simply being healthier and having more abilities available makes the difference too. Teams just aren't willing to commit to that for the most part. A few are and you can really see them reap rewards for that. It's what makes such teams so scary when teamfighting because even when behind, they'll make the crazy plays nobody else expects.

And lastly... good teams have gotten "the best option/play" down to a science largely. And because both teams know X is the best option, both teams are prepared for that and cancel out each other's X as an option or counter-act it elsewhere with their own X on the map. But the true genius teams make sure to cancel out your X, realize you will do the same (they'll verify it) and hit you with Y. Y being the next best option... but one you didn't prepare for because obviously X should be their play and you're ready for it... they'd be doing a less intelligent play if they did Y or Z or A instead right?

To give a more relatable example of the last point... So you draft a comp that makes the most sense if you snowball bot. Other lanes are gankable, but you really would most logically gank bot. Knowing this, the other team will focus more wards bot, their jg will focus on playing around bot, and the bot lane will play more defensive. A good team knows... oh we have to snowball our bot lane, so let's set up some good ganks bot. Only... it's predictable. Because the other team is also good... they're prepared for it and for every opening you get, they get one too and you end up getting nowhere most games until some rng teamfight happens after laning is over or someone messes up a trade. A GREAT team goes... surprise... I'm actually going top or mid to snowball one of them instead of predictably ganking bot. I'm going here for one of two reasons: this laner is going to become so problematic for you that you have to focus all your efforts on containing them (which opens up bot lane for me the jungler) or this laner will use his lead to contain their opponent or force them to base and then take their advantage bot to snowball bot WITH me. Due to our advantage in that lane, even if met with even numbers we will win the fight. That is the thing great teams will do to their opponents which many teams do not and are not prepared for. A lot of teams now have the "this is the best option" tier list figured out. But most teams only have learned to select the best option rather than looking at how the game is playing out, running down the checklist, and finding the first "best option that isn't yet countered" by their opponent's draft and play.

Saevum1 votes

Big plot hole: current Balance Team.

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