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Game balance is at an all time high.

GROMMI·2/16/2015, 12:40:32 PM·3 votes·759 views

Yeah. I said it.

For those of you who don't get it - League of Legends is not meant to be a balanced game. In fact, it achieves balance through the theory of perfect imbalance. If you want a perfectly balanced game, play Chess. Shit's boring as fuck, but balanced.

The way league of legends works is through a tier system. That is, regardless of how the balance term performs there will always be meta picks and non meta picks - This is because the meta evolves both* independently and dependently* of the balance team.

Let's first describe the top tier picks - Which, by the way, there are more viable top tier picks than ever for each role.

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**Top Lane: ** Lissandra Cassiopea Maokai Sion Gnar Hecarim Irelia Rumble Lulu

Questionable Mentions: Renekton, Jax, Fizz, Kennen

Middle Lane: Ahri Kassadin Zed Xerath Orianna Azir Le Blanc

Questionable Mentions: Fizz, Nidalee, Morgana, Jayce, Yasuo, Twisted Fate, Katarina

Jungle: Pantheon Rek'sai Jarvan IV Nunu Lee Sin Nidalee Rengar

Marksman:

Graves Lucian Sivir Jinx Caitlyn Kalista Corki

Questionable Mentions: Vayne, Tristana

Support:

Morgana Janna Leona Thresh Braum Nami

Questionable Mentions: Soraka, Sona, Blitzcrank, Lulu, Veigar (Done in Korea(?)) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mind you, these picks are from the professional scene. I haven't included all of the solo queue stars in here, though they tend to intermix lines often. What this means is at any given point you can play at least six champions that are currently performing at the top of the game in any given role. That's crazy!

All of this nonsense about how balancing is chaotic and at an all-time low is nonsense. For the most part, balancing isn't your issue in silver it's your decision making and mechanical gameplay.

I am in Master Tier, and here is a decent example. Voyboyy on Ahri is a very scary thing; however, this is also VOYBOYY. An ex professional who plays the game at one of the highest calibers possible. Your silver/gold/platinum enemy middle laner is likely NOT going to play Ahri at this same level (They're likely struggling to even merit 150 CS @ 20 minutes.) So no, balancing is not the reason you're losing.

The questions I want to pose to you is -

Is Gragas not viable in top lane?

The correct answer is no, he is viable. How the **** would a champion with an AoE displacement ultimate, high self sustain, percentage % damage and a gap closer not be viable? Yet, I still didn't include him in the top lane tier picks.

What about Ziggs? Is Ziggs viable in middle?

Obviously. He has the ability to split push lanes while applying constant siege damage through amplified auto attacks, zone control, and pressure. But I didn't include him in middle.

**Have you tried Zac lately? **

Dude can solo dragon at level 3, and also does not have to back through an ENTIRE jungle clear to buy his first item. Furthermore, he has insane initiation, and built properly does obscene amounts of damage (Try Sorc Boots and Liandries into full tank - Thank me later ;-] )

The point is, a lot of champions are a lot stronger than the general public may think; however, the general public is flat out so stupid blind that they fail to see this. Don't be one of those people. Open your eyes, and your mind. The game is in a great spot. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you can focus on yourself as the issue.

2 Comments

DisasterSola2/16/2015, 1:13:56 PM3 votes

So its okay that Zed can kill tanks in one rotation? Its okay that lee has the burst of an APC while building full tank?

Its not. there will always be outliers, but the point of balance is to make it so that the general population is balanced with each other. "Balance" Means that most champions within a role are balanced against each other, and the role as a whole is balanced against other roles.

This is generally accomplished with a rock paper scissors system; in LoL, that system would be Carries > assassins > fighters > tanks > carries However, because of convolution and a clear lack of design and balance philosophy the champion pool slowly decayed and became ~20 or so viable champions in high-level play.

In fact, only recently have riot seem to have developed a design and balance philosophy. normally this would be a good thing for game health, however, what they have developed is balancing ONLY for the flashiest and most exciting things. This is different from balancing around the highest level of play; which is a good way to balance. What riot is doing is limiting and dictating the meta by BUFFING the flashiest champions and NERFING the champions who arent flashy. Some champions are immune (Mundo), others are scapegoats (Yasuo). But the end result is the same; a stale roster consisting of champions who are 100% head and shoulders above the rest of the competition.

***Its like a 7'2 giant wielding a berserk-style dragon slayer vs a 5'6 human wielding a saber. Sure the human could win, but 99% of the time the giant is going to win because of his sheer innate advantages. ***

The item changes only compound the problem; certain items would be welcome in the current meta that were not in the previous. With warmogs changes, atmas impaler actually becomes a VERY attractive item on HP-scaling bruisers like garen and volibear. theres always a standard "build" and certain items are being cited as "counterplay" to a champions kit. Mana based champions such as anivia and nautilus go OoM in only a handful of rotations.

TL:DR RIot balances for LC$ big plays, not around the highest level of play or general play. This creates a small roster of 20 or so champions who are much more powerful than the rest of the champions in the game, creating a stagnant meta dictated by riot. Item changes and general mechanics changes have also shifted the meta into a position much easier for riot to control.

Fraggleroc2/16/2015, 1:07:45 PM2 votes

I understand what this is- Reverse Psychology