Two useful suggestions for Ranked and Draft Mode

Dr Poro··14 votes·564 views

I see a lot of posts asking to ban new champions for the first few days from ranked whenever one's released. But Riot stated a while ago that they don't want to do this because it would delay the feedback to balance the champ, etc. It would just postpone the issue, they said. On top of this, there is the frustration of having that teammate that tries out a champion for the first time ever... in ranked. This brings me to the first suggestion.


##1. Champion mastery level 2 required to pick a champion in ranked. Achieving Mastery level 2 requires only two wins in normal games. It's a threshold low enough to achieve easily, but high enough to meet its purpose. As a side-effect, it may keep new players a bit longer away from ranked (since you'll need 20 lvl 2 champs), which I think is good because you're not really ready when you just hit 30 and having played a variety of champions certainly helps to improve. The Champion Mastery system has been out long enough now that as good as all seasoned players should meet this requirement already on their champion pool. "But what if I want to pick a champ I don't play for my buddy?" Continue to the second suggestion.


##2. Ability to 'swap pick order' with teammates in draft normals and ranked. Add a button next to every player like the one to 'swap champions', but in the previous phases of the draft. Click on the button of the player you want to swap positions with. Many times people are like 'can you first pick me this?' or 'Can I pick for someone else, I'd like to counterpick' but then issues arrive regarding what champion pool you own. This would also be a necessary change to go with the first suggestion here since a level 2 mastery requirement would make it much harder to pick champions for eachother. But with this, we could simply swap pick order which is much more reliable: no longer requires each other's champions and no more trolls who promise to swap and then don't. The only potential downside here is for Riot's wallet. I'm not sure how big of an impact this will have on the purchases of champions with RP, but I can imagine that less people would go for an instantly full champion pool. That being said, I believe that champion purchases is a tiny fraction of their income and most of these are probably people pre-level 30.

20 Comments

Dukues5 votes

The thing I don't like about this idea is mastery system didn't backdate player's play with champions. It's been out long enough now where in season 8 it wouldn't be a big deal. But I used to play on 3 accounts (sometimes) and I may know how to play a champion... hell maybe even have mastery 7 on a champion I own on a different account but on another account it looks like I have never played them. I would find such a mastery system really annoying as I don't think it really displays one's skill with a champion anyways. I know players want to stop people from first timing champions in ranked but... in reality that comes down to the player's decision. Even if they have mastery level 2 that hardly means that player is close to knowing how to play that champ. Its better than first timing, but hardly.

I don't think players first time champs as much as people say they do. It may be first time in ranked but I am sure more often than not the player has played that champion before. The only exception would be new champions.

Its not a bad idea but.... I am so used to the game how it is at this point I would rather just leave it how it is. If someone is dumb enough to first time play a champion in ranked then the will have to deal with the consequences. I know it sucks for your teammates but.... as we say its all 50/50 so there will be games in the future where the enemy first times a champ and you get an easier win.

Plus for us veteran players there are champs I used to play like crazy back in seasons 1-3 or 4 before mastery was introduced but have hardly touched since. Granted they have made lots of changes since then but its not like I couldn't jump back on Varus and have no idea what I am doing. Granted I am probably lvl 2 with him but have hardly played him since season 3. But not on all my accounts.

The whole mastery system in general is kind of ridiculous. Its at least something to allow players to show their time spent playing certain champs but ultimately means nothing. How many times have you wrecked someone with a mastery 7 icon on a champion? I know I have a lot and sit there and wonder "how the F are they mastery 7 with that champion". People have bad games plus the score system is wake as fuck...... But I am sure they had fun hunting for those mastery 7 S games.....

Dr Poro3 votes

I personally don't approve smurfing and I believe neither does Riot, although they tolerate it because the game is lacking in certain aspects. But I don't think they should take the wellbeing of smurfs into consideration when making changes.

If you haven't played at least 2 games since season 4 with a champion, I highly doubt you'd be able to just pick them up straight into a ranked game.

You'd be surprised how many people would yolo a champion first time in lower ELO. It's been a while since I've been there myself (been plat/diamond since season 3) but most of my friends are silver/bronze and they experience this a lot. Hell, they do it themselves and then regret it after 10 minutes ingame. But the main reason for this is indeed the new champion release issues.

Would you be more acceptive if it were just mastery level 1? That means play 1 game, win or lose. Or do you think this is a bad idea no matter what?

Dukues2 votes

This game is literally like half smurfs though. Worst part is Riot literally considers smurf accounts new players that's why we will never get an actual accurate number of the player population. Last season I was considered 4 people, 3 who consistently played. But in reality it would be just one person. I don't even know what is considered a smurf anymore. My main only G5.... so I don't really consider myself smurfing. More or less just trying out different champions and roles on sightly lower mmr accounts.

If you can't tell by now Riot is all about maximizing their profit and sales. That's why they would not want to hinder players from easily making alternate accounts. You know how much money they make off ip/exp boosts plus people rebuying champions and skins on multiple accounts?

I personally dislike the idea even with mastery 1 for the reasons I stated earlier. Mastery one not a bad idea but at that point I feel like it doesn't really matter. 1 game on a champion is better than no games, but its not enough to get close to understanding a champion. I think such a rule would just be annoying.

Now if Riot comes out and says they want to make their ranked system super competitive, I would think that's cool. But that would alienate a part of the ranked population, which they don't want to do. Not everyone wants to spam same champs and same roles and try hard ever game sadly. Especially in bronze and silver.

Dr Poro1 votes

Mastery 1 would probably be too much change for too little effect indeed. You made some strong points and got me doubting about the efficiency myself.

Perhaps it's not that bad indeed, as you said it's 50/50 on which team they are (actually 40/50). But it would make matches slightly more even, although there are many other factors that can swing the game either way (disconnects, etc.). Maybe I'm just having a wrong vision on what people in lower brackets want, but when I asked my friends, they'd really love this. But then again, I'm not sure if they'd still love it when it comes through (since they first-time champs themselves, maybe they'd hate that it's not possible anymore.) Personally I'm a fan of making ranked more competitive. It's litterally the only distinction between that and normal drafts. I don't think it's a bad thing to stretch that distinction.

All in all, I still stick with my opinion, although I better understand the other side of the coin now. Thanks for having this discussion.

What do you think about the second suggestion?

Dukues1 votes

Nice input honestly your first suggestion not a bad one just not sure if it fits this game's style. I know heroes of the storm has it where you need a certain hero level before you can play that hero in ranked (i hardly play that game so I have been burned on this rule a couple times since I forget lol). Would be interesting to see how that community feels about the rule and what results Blizzard has seen throughout the last couple years.

As far as your second point I like the idea. It could offset some of the randomness that is champion select and roles assuming teammates are willing to cooperate. In the end I don't think its a huge deal and can't really see Riot implementing such a change. But if they did implement the change I would be ok with it.

Sun Wu Ryuumoku4 votes
  1. Champion mastery level 2 required to pick a champion in ranked.

too long, stupid & inneficient.

DrCyanide2 votes

2 or 3 games is too long? It might be insufficient, but it would be something.

Sun Wu Ryuumoku3 votes

more like 3-4 and for at least 20 champ for start ranked, without pi for ur champs. And u need to do this for ur off role.

Its a waste of times for most of player (without speaking for otp). to begin u don't play 20 champs in ranked.

DrCyanide1 votes

4 games on 20 Champions is 80 games total over the lifetime of the account. You should be pretty close before you even hit level 30.

I've got 46 Champions that qualify, and I'm one of those players with a champion pool so small I am flooded with Keys instead of Chests. It's perfectly manageable.

Dr Poro2 votes

Could you explain why?

Sun Wu Ryuumoku4 votes

actualy for begin ranked u need 20 champ. And add to this the pi u need to buy champ u want. And u need to have this for ur off role.

And we all know why u suggest these changes. U add some dumb player first time their in ur game and he sucked hard. Just saying but its not only because he first timed he was just bad (at least for this game). They're some champ requiring some games i guess to be played in ranked to be efficient enough(lee, yasuo...), but mose of champ are easy to play.

Look at Kayn, he's simple. http://matchhistory.euw.leagueoflegends.com/en/#match-details/EUW1/3267395907/218973757?tab=overview

My first time with him... okay it was a flex, but his gameplay is simple enough any assassins mains can easly guess how to play him.

Dr Poro1 votes

Lovely how people are so quick to assume things. I've been diamond in season 6 and 5. People at this ELO don't really do this stuff. I barely played ranked this season and I'm not planning to finish my placements this year because I'm too rusty (and not enough time) to get diamond this year so I'd rather stay unranked than platinum. So, no, it's not because I personally experienced this.

I made this thread because I saw a lot of threads popping up since Kayn's release... Wait I actually started my thread with this, why am I repeating?

Sun Wu Ryuumoku1 votes

Chill i didn't tried to rank shaming any1 XD

Anyway, i think riot let players play new champs to have reliable samble. U should already be aware but normal isn't reliable enough to have this. And most of high elo don't go in normal or/and don't take it seriously.

And they introduce the practice tool for avoid first time.

Drugoth3 votes

I can support these ideas, they seem good to me!

Dehitay1 votes

I wish we could seperate the two suggestions cause 1 is massive debate, but 2 is actually genius but will get shadowed by the uproar over 1.

The ability to swap pick order would be a godsend for both one trick ponies and reactive champion selectors. Try to move up higher on the list if you're intent on playing one champion and try to move lower on the list if you're trying to see what both team compositions look like before choosing your champ.

Dr Poro1 votes

Your wish shall be granted. I'm making a new thread with just the second suggestion.

DemainaNyx1 votes

Plus you avoid the issue of "FP me Lucian" and then you end up with Lucian with Windspeakers because your ADC forget to swap before running to the bathroom.

BabyNaix1 votes

I think this is a really good idea. Mastery 2 is not asking too much, and it makes sure you are not first timing a champion in ranked.

khorney1 votes

in heroes of the storm its liek this. u cant use champs that u have never played in ranked

Cowseed1 votes

Yes. This would probably stop the flavour of the month players too. At the very least in low elo.

(mastery 3/4 please)

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