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How to be more engaged with your team when you don't play "the most meta" of champions?

Justabutt··9 votes·1,976 views

I am a top main. I have been since I started playing this game, it's a fun position. I notice a lot of people play a certain few champions in the games I play in. It becomes pretty routine and I am learning how to counter most the top meta champions pretty well. My problem is that, while I see why these champs are played, they are boring to me. I played Darius, Wukong and Fiora....None of them really fit my play style. So when I pick something that is fun to me, for instance - Kennen, my team becomes less willing to help me out. There are almost always comments directed at me and actions to work against a team based play where I am constantly ks'ed by your hyper-carry champions like Zed or Akali, who then take my farm top without me even asking for their help. Sure, I get the assist and it doesn't really matter but when I am chasing a dude down river with my ult and you come up and last hit him, it's annoying.

I can win my lane even, try to engage on a team fight and have them walk away. Sometimes I make it out sometimes not, then I ask them why they do it and they say stuff like: "You played Galio top" Or "Cause Kennen sucks." It's really depressing seeing a roster of champions but knowing that your team will be more willing to help out a Yasuo top before they'd help a Vladimir top. It makes me angry when Riot is pushing for this team-based game style but then you have to stroke everyone's ego's. How am I supposed to get my team to engage with me more or be more willing to play beside me when they constantly create this meta of "only these champs work."

So I suppose my question is: How do I play a game that is ever more developing a need for strategic team work when my team constantly doubts a champion I've selected?

30 Comments

The2ndBes16 votes

Dude I feel this on so many levels. I too play retarded non meta champs (e.g Galio support/mid, Poppy support/mid, spirit visage trundle top, all the retarded stuff) BUT IT WORKS FOR ME. I hate that as soon as people see a champion that don't usually see in ranked they start to flame with common phrases like : "Omg insert champ name sucks" or ol' time favorites such as "Report this troll" and "Poppy/Galio/Nunu support? Reported". It sucks !

EvilRabbitt3 votes

I do the same. Try Yasuo and Jinx in the jungle with Feral Flare, or Katarina and Akali support....maybe Yasuo/Yi bot lane....things are more fun when you swap it all around.

RoyaiChaos5 votes

Katerina and Akali support aren't a thing and will never be a thing. Why? Because their is nothing "supportive" about them. They have no cc, except for Akali with an extremely weak slow, and are useless pre-6 which is honestly when most bot battles begin. Not to mention that as support, they will be reaching level 6 last in all the champions in the game. But back to supporting, they don't help their adc at all. If someone jumps on their adc, they have no way of protecting them. Even Urgot would be a better support because he at least has a suppress, and can help from a safe distance away.

Edit: You can play them bot lane for fun and it could work, but they will never be a "support"

EvilRabbitt2 votes

I know. Its meant to point out crazy FUN things. Not crazy VIABLE things. Considering my other crazy ideas are fun and work, I'm debating an Assassin role support- Support is meant to keep the other ADC and support off your ADC, which is why Blitzcrank is such a big deal iirc. But I could just be crazy. =)

Narasimha4 votes

Supports have one primary function: Help your adc. Some do this by healing. Others can cc to set up or peel. Others still can keep the enemy focused on them through various means. For your example, Blitz is used as a support because it lets him set up for his adc amazingly well. That, and he sucks in every other lane. But I digress. An Assassin support doesn't really work since an assassin's core theme is: Kill the enemy quickly. You're not helping your team, you're just hurting there's. It might sound related, but its two different things. And finally, note this. If you're the only one having 'fun', then its not really 'fun'.

Seriphym2 votes

Its not really fun if you're the only one having fun? For the individual who is having fun it is.

Narasimha3 votes

And that my friend, is what makes a troll a troll. Very similar to the given definition of freedom, which is "The ability to act, think, and feel as one pleases so long as it does not infringe on another's ability to do the same." You can have your fun, so long as it doesn't cost anyone else theirs.

Seriphym2 votes

But what you just said is contradictory. Either the people forcing the meta are having fun at the expense of one or more individuals or the one or more individuals are having fun at the expense of those playing the meta.

The fact is this is a game and some play it for competitive reasons and others play for fun.

So the way I see it it is "always" at someones expense so lets others play it the way they want and you do the same.

The definition of troll is NOT playing how you want at others expense, but purposefully baiting others into a negative reaction.

Playing the way you want is fine but telling others they have to play the same way you want is not. <That is trolling.

Seriphym1 votes

That's funny because I played a support Kat for a bit and we absolutely decimated the other team. I had higher than normal Kill rates and a very large assist rate while my death rate was very low. But yeah eventually they caught on and I had to give it up.

HeartlessWytche1 votes

I actually find Katarina support oppressive in some match ups. Her pre-6 combo is insanely fast and her Q poke is passable. She can trade with more comps reasonably well, at 6 she then destroys the lane by focusing the ADC with her ADC (Or the support if it's super squishy.) the fairly probable reset (Unless outplayed, but shrug That's always an option, or should be :p) gives a pile of damage on the other duo laner, and the battle is done in your favor. I've gotten super fed as Kat botlane support.

Katarina support does fairly well vs: Jinx, Varus, kogmaw most immobile ADCs with no hard CC. Janna (Destroy her pre 6, post 6 it gets a little harder though, however if you strike from bush there's a good chance you can instagibb janna before she CCs you.)

Katarina Support does okay vs: Ez, Lucian etc. (They can jump out of your ult, but that slows their DPS or forces a disengage, and no hard CC to punish you for QWE trades.) Sona (Her early game poke can push you out of lane if not careful, but it's actually fairly hard for her to hit both you AND the ADC with crescendo if you engage.) Alistir, Braum (You can bully pre 6, and then post 6 their hard CC makes a double kill unliekly but your QWE and half a second of R burst is enough to give the ADC a kill and get you the reset.)

Katarina support fails vs: Ashe (Slow makes the QWE combo pre 6 kinda suck for trading, and the ult ruins yours.) Vayne (Da knockback.) Leona (Well, duh?)

I'd add more but out of time. (I'm gold ranked, and have like 10 Katarina support games (In Normals))

RoyaiChaos1 votes

I never said she wasn't viable as a bot laner, but she isn't a support. Her only cc is death, which although is a strong cc, is extremely risky and not very effective against an adc's usual enemies such as tanky fighters and assassins because they can kill the adc before Kat kills them.

Terff1 votes

People want to play kat everywhere cuz PENTAKIRRSZ!!!

Terff1 votes

And as supp its not your goal to get fed. Its your goal to get your carry fed.

Lt Cuddles2 votes

Khazix Top, its fun, I enjoy it, to bad teams hate it, I understand wanting a tank, but jungler + support are going tanky, then wai can't I have top kha? :c

Doogmi5 votes

I think performance speaks louder than champ select. Out csing/winning your lane/contributing to your team(team fights or objectives)usually shuts those people up pretty good. The meta is just the optimal way to play at the moment, meta champs are just strong in the current optimal play style. Many people play to win, many people play just for fun/try new things. I never understand how people don't see both sides. People who want to win want the best chances they can get. And can get irritated when weaker champs, or champs who don't fit the comp are played. And vice versa people playing for fun get irritated when they get harassed for their choice. when really they want to play whatever champ in whatever role because that sounds fun. Just perform. Contirubte to the team in meaningful ways. They really nerfed kennan a bit too much. But a rylais, hourglass, liandries kennan should always be feared in team fights :)

Justabutt3 votes

Nah, I get the idea behind the lanes and how they correspond to the overall game strategy. I also get that "cookie-cutter champs" are picked a lot for a reason. What I am saying is that my jungle is less likely to gank for me top, or simply wont, when I pick a more obscure champion. It's not like I am taking Soraka top, my champ is still viable in lane. I just feel they instantly see a Kennen and chalk it up as troll game so they don't bother being a team player. Mid steals kills, jungle doesn't gank much or at all and team fights leave me with my, um - yeah, in my hand.

I've not played rank due to this, if I am not a Wukong top or a Fiora then I am worthless and I get no help. So I am playing defensively most my games, might win lane but then when I want to engage on a 2v2 I get left behind constantly.

Jamatrix6661 votes

I also like to play uncommon champions in Top Lane (my favorite lane). Thus I'm in a good position to understand what you feel. While I don't have a perfect solution to solve the problem, there is something I noticed that have decent chance to help you establish this trust between your Jungler and Mid Laner; communication.

Lemme explain briefly. By talking a lot on the important aspects of the game (Is opponent Mia? Did you see their Jungler? Did your opponent use a summoner spell? Is he teleporting elsewhere? Do you see a great ganking opportunity? Etc.), you show to your team that you care about them and you really want to win. That means that even if they already didn't like your champion pick, at least they recognize that you are being serious and you are doing your best. These simple things they discover about you - via important communication - will make it easier for them to respect you and trust you.

Also, complimenting them whenever they do something good, and NOT bashing them when they make a mistake will always be beneficial to establish this trust. For instance, whenever my team mates tell me "Nice job" when I get first blood, it makes me respect them and it also increase my self confidence for the rest of the game.

I know it is not going to work 100% of the time, but I believe it passively helps me win their trust and respect.

runesage863 votes

I salute you, good sir, for playing champions outside the meta, especially Kennen, who is my favorite. I haven't played him as much recently for this reason that you mentioned. People automatically assume you're trolling. And I agree. If you ult, people are less likely to go in than if a Morg, Amummu, or Malph ults because they don't know what the champion does. Just let your team know. Say that when you ult and go gold, then they should go in, but don't be rude. When people think you're trolling, you have to be careful.

One of the beautiful things about Kennen is how versatile he is. Mid steals the kill? Go for some utility with Rylai's and Liandry's. Jungle not ganking? Go for a little sustain, with gunblade. Enemies building MR? Get Abyssal and Void staff. Jungle and mid gank often, you get fed, and start to carry? CARRY THE GAME!

I'm sure you already know this, and if you didn't, then I'll feel like I said something important. However, in ranked, if you get top, and you see a champ you know you can beat, pick what you want. If you see a Darius, go ahead and pick Kennen. getting pulled into the enemy team is fun, am I right? If you see someone that Wukong counters, pick him. (I really don't know who wukong counters, but someone with a weak early game, right? If I'm wrong, go ahead and tell me. If I'm right, still tell me please. I need to learn more about the game.)

Once again, I salute you. Feel free to disregard my advice, but Kennen is great.

Kennen Big targets are the BEST! There's more to aim at.

Mikal Pikal3 votes

A lot of it has to do with people not really knowing what those champs do and assume because no one plays them that they suck. Admittedly, I have no idea how to gank for a kennan or whether he'd be able to follow up or get the kill. That will result in me not ganking as much or securing the kill because I don't know if you can. Also in team fights I know Kennan turn electric and flings around and shocks people, but I don't REALLY know what it does, making it dangerous to follow up headlong. In fact, I am going to look up his abilities right now.

Your other point is also something that bothers me greatly: that people refuse to accept any change. As long as you don't make the team comp absolutely terrible, play what you want...most of the time they won't expect it or know how to fight against it. I do wish people were more open in this game. Moreover, bitching about it causes toxicity before the game even starts, which is never good.

I usually tell my team to "just play" and that we have 5 enemies to worry about without fighting with each other. Once in-game play usually speaks for itself.

TheSlappySlap1 votes

People don't know what all the champs do? Really?

Sounds like a poor excuse when the real reason is that the meta is everything to the sheeples, until it's not (a pro picks a non-meta champ), and then it is again.

Padagi1 votes

Obvious problem for new and low rated players... They don't know every champ and their abilities.

While you don't need to know every ability and it's ratios, you do need to know every ability that matters to you. The more seasoned and higher rated players you play with, the more likely they are to know every champion to some level of expertise.

In this example, all you really need to know is that Kennen has a skill shot magic damage spell that hits first target in a line, a move speed steroid that does AOE damage around him, and his ult is long CD and large AOE magic damage spell around him. Most importantly, all his abilities and every third auto attack apply an electrical charge that when reaching 4 charges stuns you. His ultimate applies multiple charges over it's duration.

He's actually a very good champ to gank for since he deals a high amount of damage and one of the only mages with a reliable stun.

Mikal Pikal1 votes

Exactly. I am comparatively new to the game and only started this season, but I played a lot this season. Thus, I have not been around for 90% of the champion releases. I almost never see Diana Galio Hecarim Kennen Nautilus Olaf Skarner Urgot Trundle Yorick Zac . In fact, this is part of the reason why non-meta champs work...because people aren't used to going against them. Like I know to dodge Diana's crescent attack, and that she gets a shield and a taunt-type thing, but not the details of the abilities.

Padagi2 votes

The interesting thing about this comment is that I've either played or seen each of these champions in the last few weeks with the exception of Urgot (because, you know, he's Urgot).

Anyway, from my experience you see more meta picks at low ranks and a little less at high ranks. You of course still mostly see meta picks but people are more likely to mix on situational picks that they are experienced with at higher ranks. This leads to seeing a larger variety of champions, particularly in the platinum and above ranges.

I'd say stick with it, keep improving yourself as a player, and when people don't like your non meta pick reassure them that you're good with x champ.

Kats Pajamas2 votes

Top and mid lane are the focus of the teams strategy, jg is how to get there, bot dou is constant pressure those picks, and even the good picks can be wrong in circumstance to ranked and counter picking etc. In normal, you have no information of the other teams comp and if you aren't going directly cookie-cutter team, you better hope you counter.

That being said, I still believe the lanes are alive enough to carry and if you're a strong main pick, into a counter, however you wreck the rest of their team? go for it.

SecretAgentHulk2 votes

The only thing I could think on what you can do to change how other people react to you (short of only playing "the meta" but screw that) is to build a good friends list. If there's a good player who's also a decent person, add them--especially if you lost the game, because you already know how that person reacts to disaster.

Teemo top forever! (Also Kennen looks fun.)

AFK Push1 votes

The other day I went to play Lissandra top, because I was first pick and she is relatively safe. Our midlaner was a Pantheon , which was a decent choice, because he was against a Veigar. We had a MonkeyKing jungle that kept complaining pregame and at the beginning telling me and panth to switch lanes. Why the hell would I do that when panth has the early game advantage on veigar. Also, why would I risk laning against somebody who could potentially one shot me. I muted that wukong almost immediately, and me and panth snowballed gg. If you find the game btw, that wukong was FEEDIN, and FEEDIN, and FEEDIN.

CoolKnightST1 votes

You known Lissandra top is viable right. She was actualy an advice pick for Gold V players.

AFK Push1 votes

You known Lissandra top is viable right. She was actualy an advice pick for Gold V players.

Yeah, mages in general are viable top. However, the wukong on my team was so convinced of the stereotypical meta, where there should be a bruiser/tank top and a mage mid. He couldn't wrap his head around what me and panth were doing.

Ryvaku1 votes

Darius Teemo Ashe Orianna Gnar Viktor I support bot lane with these guys and I mean support. I even tried them during ranked. Bronze so far since y'know Bronze can be difficult for anyone. Though I had a few decent bot adcs that worked well with me and some with the simple mindset of meta only.

Justabutt1 votes

Wow, finally, winter break is upon me and finals are over.

A lot of useful info here, happy some of you guys agree that viable top lane champs who are underplayed seem to get less respect than your average meta champs. My mains still are Kennen/Vlad top, trying to get really good with these guys. Not hard when playing Kennen, his play style is RIDICULOUSLY fun. Probably the funnest in game. Those of you who haven't tried him, I highly recommend him. He easily kites strong melee's like Darius and Tryndamere but he's also a strong counter for those ever annoying Riven/Fiora's that constantly try to burst you.

As for urgot, well, I use him when against Nasus. At level 2 I am able to hit my Noxion Corrosive Charge and spam my Acid hunter (Which locks on to the target) in a huge radius, trust me Nasus falls off, can't farm and you constantly shove him out of lane or kill him. Your E shield is not only a scaling shield but also a slow per auto/Acid hunter, your R works very well in lane causing a slow, bonus Armor and MR. Urgot is really strong for certain picks, namely Nasus, Renekton or Trundle. He can kite, has decent sustain/tank, and is probably one of the best early game damage-based champs in game. Yes he falls off late game, what he gives up late game he makes up for ensuring tanks can't protect squishy champs as well as not being able to 3 shot towers (SERIOUSLY F U NASUS XD).

Anyway, the bane of this game will be the community and the ever increased need for communication and teamwork. I constantly have to ensure I include everyone as not to point blame at a person for mistakes. Trying to coach them into making the team based plays with me or backing out when they're below 3/4's hp etc. I notice that sometimes, when people are playing badly, they just don't want to hear idea's. Their bruised ego's are blocking out everything but what their mind is telling them to do, mostly to kill or farm or give up. I can't name the times where I am doing well but bottom lane is losing, so I try to help them out and ask jung to cover top only for him to ignore it when I am bottom, trying to help them, only to lose two towers top. Bad play on my part, yes, but it could have easily been avoided had my jung just took farm top. Worse yet is hyper-ego carry champs like Yi or Kat who are doing well in their lane, they then think that gives them the right to be toxic to bottom/top/sup who is feeding and then ANY form of teamwork goes out the window. EVERYONE begins to play the blame game. You simply cannot communicate in this game cause everyone at the lower levels wants to be the best of the best and the one with the perfect 30/0 kill streak. It's making me dislike this game, I applaud Riot for making the game more team-centric, and I feel like it's due to the overall ideology of the player base. I've been reported NUMEROUS times lately for simply trying to point out what we're doing wrong and giving MY idea on how to fix it. I don't know how many times my ADC has ran off to farm enemy jung when we are trying to push a tower we desperately need or our support runs off to split push and the only thing in their item set is a dagger and a long sword. Recently I've just disabled all chats, only to be reported for lack of communication. I seriously don't know what to do with this game anymore. I want teamwork but I don't want to listen to the toxic player base. I don't play ranked due to feeling like I am a burden when I try to communicate and I get muted or yelled at for it, I am starting not to want to play norms now for the SAME reason.

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