Am I bad all of a sudden?

Ben SwoIo·Feb 23, 2018·23 votes·8,309 views

S7 plat, current gold 5 (demoted from gold 3 fast).

My win percentages on my main champs are HORRIBLE. I can't seem to get anything going no matter what. I can win lane and roam, but it just doesn't seem to be enough. I'm extremely frustrated with myself as I'm now being paired with people who are S7 and current silvers and below. My MMR has tanked down to a freakin' silver 2. It sickens me. I can't seem to get my MMR to where it SHOULD be. It's as if I fell into a black hole and can't escape.

Just feels like every match I log into has this sense of hopelessness and a subconscious acceptance of another loss. I don't remember ever being in this bad of a spot in league. I'm just curious if I legit turned bad this season for some reason, or if other people are having the same experience.

Disclaimer: this is NOT tilt. This happens whether I take a break or not. Good mood or not. Just constant losing and negative feelings throughout every match.

62 Comments

Flawless FetusFeb 23, 201822 votes

Hate to be that guy, but meta is king. Idk who you've been playing, but is there a chance that your mains are just bad right now? Even if you can play them well, a shit champ is a shit champ. It's lame that it's come to this, but we've been in a "play meta or bend over" meta for a bit now.

HalcyonDwellerFeb 23, 20181 votes

A meta meta - Holy shit!

Hemulen MagiFeb 23, 20182 votes

He plays Yi, Irelia, Zed, and Talon. All of those seem pretty balanced.

Average winrates for other players: Yi: 51.13% Irelia: 50.44% Zed: 50.87% Talon:51.72%

OP's winrates: Yi: 63% Irelia: 52% Zed: 34% Talon: 43%

OP seems to be doing badly as assassins this season, especially Zed, who is his second most played champion. Maybe he could adapt somehow when playing assassins or he could switch to more champs like Yi that match his playstyle.

ActivatingEMPFeb 24, 20181 votes

Where the hell did you get that talon winrate? Unless that MR buff armor nerf upped his winrate by 2%, there is no way that is correct.

Ben SwoIoFeb 24, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=Hemulen Magi,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=NBYv9HMM,comment-id=00110001,timestamp=2018-02-23T23:04:10.652+0000)

He plays Yi, Irelia, Zed, and Talon. All of those seem pretty balanced.

Average winrates for other players: Yi: 51.13% Irelia: 50.44% Zed: 50.87% Talon:51.72%

OP's winrates: Yi: 63% Irelia: 52% Zed: 34% Talon: 43%

OP seems to be doing badly as assassins this season, especially Zed, who is his second most played champion. Maybe he could adapt somehow when playing assassins or he could switch to more champs like Yi that match his playstyle.

I think that part of my problem is I pick those champs without taking my teams / the enemy team's comp into account. I wanna play Zed? I pick Zed. Talon? Same. I just enjoy playing them, but I might be giving myself and my team a handicap by doing that....especially when I see a lot of cc / tanks on the opposing team. I should know better.

NekoniClawsFeb 23, 201820 votes

looks at match history for mains

Meta.

Tanks, and assassin-resistant carries are imo pretty strong right now. There's a saturation point that'll negatively effect your playstyle and it varies amongst metas and elos.

Also, tbh, you've been plat for one season no? I mean no offence but perhaps it's simply that the stars (the meta) alligned in your favor.

Ben SwoIoFeb 24, 20181 votes

{quoted}

looks at match history for mains

Meta.

Tanks, and assassin-resistant carries are imo pretty strong right now. There's a saturation point that'll negatively effect your playstyle and it varies amongst metas and elos.

Also, tbh, you've been plat for one season no? I mean no offence but perhaps it's simply that the stars (the meta) alligned in your favor.

It's all good, I appreciate your response. I was thinking that too, maybe I just slipped in to plat because the stars were aligned or some shit.

But part of me says "fuck that, I earned it with the grind I can get back there." I genuinely enjoy my champ pool and would hate to have to deviate from it just for the sake of climbing. But I get that things change, so I'm hoping I can mess around with some other champs in norms and find someone else I enjoy and can be more effective with in this current meta.

I wear GivenchyFeb 23, 20189 votes

Game is shit.

AnateraFeb 23, 20188 votes

The truth is, you were probably an individual who was capable of carrying his team if you got far enough ahead in previous metas. This was always something that was possible before runes reforged came out. Riot shifted the meta away from that when the new runes came out. Now it's about who you get on your team.

In this meta, you have absolutely no choice but to rely on your teammates, regardless of who you're playing and in what lane. No matter how hard you try or how well you play, you cannot carry four other idiots anymore. That is where the hopelessness comes from. It comes from the fact that you have to rely on four other people and you have no control over how badly they can mess up the game for you. Your skill (or rather individual skill in general) in this season has the lowest relevance in the entirety of LoL's history. Not saying that it didn't happen in previous metas, of course, just that this meta is the one where its effect is the strongest.

You'll have to change your mindset now because whereas before you could affect change in your game on your own through your skill and/or judgement, it is no longer possible to do that. LoL is not about skill atm, it's about playing the lottery with your teammates, because their badness can make your skill completely irrelevant. LoL isn't the same game anymore, so you'll have to change your approach accordingly.

ReingollFeb 23, 20183 votes

This is a great explanation and all but all of this...is exactly why people are very unhappy with Riot. "It's about WHO you get on your team"? That means that before the match even starts, you already know if you're gonna win or lose. And the saturation of little kids and people that don't fully understand the game jumping into ranked and causing dedicated players to rage because "Hey, this is ranked...why is this your first time adc'ing....like ever?" And this isn't even a rage about not being able to carry anymore, it's about all of the unnecessary changes they keep making. Why change Rengar Q in the first place? Why take away sightstone? Why is Rakans ult still busted all to hell? And don't get me started on the new rune system...its full of holes and ways to exploit.

62021319DEL1Feb 23, 20184 votes

Just from looking at your history it seems like someone on the enemy team ends up rather big and you seem to be alright in most of them so probably just bad matchmaking. Would probably recommend finding a duo who is either a good jungler or ADC seeing how both are really impactful and can, most of the time, solo carry games. Mages are rather strong with the beautiful new tweaks that came in so people like Vlad and Brand are gonna be rather annoying.

Wish you best of luck in your future games stranger.

Dokueki KenshinFeb 23, 20183 votes

I’m not gonna be that guy who says you’re losing because of the meta. It’s true that the meta is going to have an impact on how games play out, sure, but there’s a reason why players like Huhi are infamous for picks like Aurelion Sol, even when he wasn’t meta. I get that I’m at best a low Gold player right now, but the mentality that I just need to keep getting better is what helped me reach that benchmark for the first time ever this past season.

What you’re experiencing is your original playstyles no longer being effective. It doesn’t mean you suck, it doesn’t mean your champions are inherently bad (unless you’re a Nunu main), and it doesn’t mean you can’t continue to climb with your mains. You simply have to adjust and learn new ways to play your champions.

If you main assassins, maybe you simply need to be more patient about when you go in, possibly even learn to kill early game without your ult more efficiently. Maybe you need to start playing more mind games with your opponent to force them to blow long cooldowns. Maybe it’s something else. But you’re not bad. You’re good, definitely better than me. You can do this.

What I WOULD suggest is to stop playing ranked for a bit. I’m waiting till about 8.6 to start my solo placement matches myself. Take the time to sit down and learn your champions from a new angle. Do you need more mobility in lane as Zed? Maybe take your Shadow a level early. Does your opponent beat you close up? Use your Shadow + Q to poke and control the pace of the lane. “Optimal play” means different things in different situations. I learned this playing Garen myself. I specifically determine everything from trading stances to first items to what ability I max first based on the enemy’s strengths and weaknesses.

Accept that the learning curve’s been adjusted. Accept that your ultimate success will be paved with the bloodied corpses of your failures. And push yourself forward. Don’t give in to conforming to the meta unless you happen to enjoy playing those champs or if you like building that way to begin with. That’s what’s helped me so far with this new season.

HalcyonDwellerFeb 23, 20182 votes

Good advice, uplifting too. Props! +1

GigglesOFeb 23, 20183 votes

This high damage meta that we are in is pretty brainless. It’s not just you, it’s anyone that had skills that weren’t instakilling the enemy.

Silly NeekoFeb 23, 20182 votes

Try listening to some music and focusing on that while playing. Worth a try right?

Ben SwoIoFeb 23, 20182 votes

{quoted}

Try listening to some music and focusing on that while playing. Worth a try right?

What, like soothing? Old R&b?

Flawless FetusFeb 23, 20183 votes

If you listen to stuff like signs of the swarm, within destruction, acrania, infant annihilator, etc you will climb.

HalcyonDwellerFeb 23, 20181 votes

That is not right, it should not matter what kind of music the person listens to so long as they get the right effect from it.

No single kind of music should be any better than any other kind of music for this. It should be based on the person's own tastes.

What you did here is practically recommend snake-oil to them. "Drink this one kind of tonic and you will be cured of cancer." Yeah right XD

Madsin25Feb 23, 20181 votes

Solerrain

You will for sure climb to ATLEAST diamond. (use at your own risk)

LDG JiamblesFeb 23, 20181 votes

{quoted}

Try listening to some music and focusing on that while playing. Worth a try right?

This. League has become a way for me to pass time listening to all the music that's been on my backlog.

Violet FieldsFeb 23, 20181 votes

{quoted}

Try listening to some music and focusing on that while playing. Worth a try right?

Lol, listening to the Offspring's "Kid's Aren't Alright" makes it feel like they're screaming at the people in game so I don't have to.

KagemythFeb 23, 20182 votes

yup ive definitely been there before anytime something bad happened id immediately start ot think about the worst possible scenario and i couldnt really focus on what i needed to do. it took a long time for me to stop, tbh im still working on it . but i just had to play with a good friend that was supportive and i could just relax with. its still a game, the point IS to have fun, if you dont enjoy it anymore maybe it is time to move on.

Ben SwoIoFeb 23, 20185 votes

{quoted}

yup ive definitely been there before anytime something bad happened id immediately start ot think about the worst possible scenario and i couldnt really focus on what i needed to do. it took a long time for me to stop, tbh im still working on it . but i just had to play with a good friend that was supportive and i could just relax with. its still a game, the point IS to have fun, if you dont enjoy it anymore maybe it is time to move on.

I have honestly thought about uninstalling this game and leaving it. It has just become something I didn't start playing it for and constantly leaves me in a bad mood.....opposite of what a video game should do.

Seems to be more death match oriented as opposed to tactics and thinking. I don't even feel like macros have a part in this game anymore.

BlakiepugFeb 23, 20182 votes

I think it may just be that the meta has caused shift in player's elo. I wasn't quite plat last season, but I ended gold 1 and then this season I have dropped all the way to silver 3 after being placed in gold 5. It feels like I just can't get any wins this season. Though for me personally, I think it was the support and sightstone changes that really ruined it for me. I was climbing at the start and even got into series for gold 4. But as soon as the support changes hit, I noticed a serious downward trend across my games. My whole previous play style as a niche support player was thrown out the window and I did not adjust to the new support meta well.

It's kind of weird though, I'm not even too bummed about the drop whereas I have been upset about dropping in previous seasons. If anything, this season's changes have just made me feel like maybe this isn't the game for me if it keeps heading in this direction.

the weeabooFeb 23, 20182 votes

Same. Had such an easy time getting out of low Silver into Silver 2 last season but now I've literally just tanked. Seems like whoever is lucky enough to get the Vayne/Zed that people forgot to ban is the one who wins. So frustrating.

Ben SwoIoFeb 24, 20181 votes

{quoted}

Same. Had such an easy time getting out of low Silver into Silver 2 last season but now I've literally just tanked. Seems like whoever is lucky enough to get the Vayne/Zed that people forgot to ban is the one who wins. So frustrating.

I must suck then cause my Zed win percentage has tanked since last season lol.

No but really it's been hard to play successfully. Hell, I'd even be okay with some losses if they were at least competitive.

the weeabooFeb 26, 20181 votes

When I'm going against zed the thing I find wins games is how often he can just shit on botlane. What I recommend doing is going Ultimate Hat, Relentless Hunter and Celerity/Waterwalking, maybe even mobi's, and just roaming bot for the double kill every single time you have ult. Dont even boither with your laner. Just repeatedly go bottom until your bot can overpower their bot by themselves and at that point you can let your bot go on autopilot while you one shot their mid and jungle.

VelasanFeb 23, 20182 votes

I feel you. I've been hanging around between silver 2 and silver 4 at the moment. I go on win streaks, but then get pushed back down.

I'm typically (and have more than once in the past) got up as high as gold 1, but can't beat that promo series to plat yet. Games have been difficult for me lately too.

I like to play mages mid and I play for macro as well. I'm a team player in general (I want to help my team when I'm in a game, and I don't need to be the solo carry, which is why I also like tanks in the JG).

Right now it's tough. They have put so much orientation on team play that it's not enough to do well and help your team carry, you also have to stop your team from doing too many dumb things. Trying to keep your team on key with a bunch of solo que strangers when one person can easily throw the game is not fun. Damage is so high it's really easy to get 2 shot yourself as a squishy mage (even with defensive items) or have allies who are constantly getting caught. It's not possible to solo carry in the current meta unless you are a crazy fed juggernaut or an assassin who is either unkillable or so mobile they can't deal with you.

Take for example Vel'koz. One of my favorites. I used to play him a lot, have had high WR on him for a few seasons now. I've tried playing him this season and he's just terrible. He dies really easy to all the high damage (literally have been 1 shot by a Kayn running through a wall with ghost blade and W in one game while I had a zhonya and 3 health items and insta died anyways) and there's so many anti magic shields now plus mobility that when someone gets near you guaranteed to die.

Another example is that there many champions who once an enemy ADC gets fed you are simply not ever going to be able to do anything to them ever. You picked a tank JG? They have a Xayah or Vayne with a support that can heal/shield/stun/peel? Unless your ADC is also fed that game is gone.

Eh sorry for ranting... it's just that I'm in the same boat. League hasn't been as fun for me for about 8 months now. I don't want to quit, but I'm not enjoying it as much.

Fur Fox SakeFeb 23, 20181 votes

No I feel the same way. My winrate has never been below 50% in ranked. It's always been like 52% around there. Now it's like 40%, matchmaking has been absolutely ridiculous but my main feels really weak as well this season and is so team reliant. This season is the worst yet and makes me feel like I all of a sudden got really bad but it's just the actually really bad balance and matchmaking. I can tell you pretty much every game of mine my bot lane loses hard. It's making me feel like I'm forced to play support myself when I prefer mid just because so many of my games the support has no idea what they're doing.

Leaf on BushFeb 23, 20181 votes

I am a bit confused about what kind of answer you expect since you gave no information about your picks and your playstyle.

If you expect that the boards are gonna tell you that the game is shit and thats why you can't win...well.... let's be honest here, they probably will do that, but this doesn't help you AT ALL. xD

Ben SwoIoFeb 24, 20181 votes

[{quoted}](name=Leaf on Bush,realm=EUW,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=NBYv9HMM,comment-id=0012,timestamp=2018-02-23T17:07:54.957+0000)

I am a bit confused about what kind of answer you expect since you gave no information about your picks and your playstyle.

If you expect that the boards are gonna tell you that the game is shit and thats why you can't win...well.... let's be honest here, they probably will do that, but this doesn't help you AT ALL. xD

This isn't a pity post. It's a legit question if maybe I just got worse, or if others are experiencing what I have been with my mains this season ( low win percentage, less effective in game overall, etc). That and the constant negative feelings in ranked that weren't present nearly as much in past seasons.

Leaf on BushFeb 24, 20181 votes

Negative feelings have ben removed last patch so you are good to go.

xelakerFeb 23, 20181 votes

you play a fair number of champs that kinda fall off and the game progresses.

RaiyzaFeb 23, 20181 votes

I've been saying this a ton.

Matchmaking. Fucking. Sucks.

You can ward all game long, roam around and get fed, but as soon as one person makes a mistake, there goes a tower and dragon/herald. The game is too punishing right now. I can't seem to carry games by myself anymore because my other teammates are either refusing to buy wards or they're just not looking at the map at all. It sucks.

EDIT: I'm not saying I'm not making any mistakes myself, I'm saying that when they happen, its VERY bad.

HalcyonDwellerFeb 23, 20181 votes

I get frustrated with teammates not having map awareness too. I find that it helps to take over map awareness for them, like call out enemy appearances and ping literal danger pings on my allies' screens when I think that enemy might be about to appear there.

RaiyzaFeb 23, 20181 votes

I try to do that too, but low level players don't listen. They think they can just stay by their tower and they'll be safe. Towers are so bad, dives are easier than any other season.

HalcyonDwellerFeb 23, 20181 votes

Oof yeah, that's harder to deal with. Best you can do then is to ping to fall back from the tower. Or lie and say more enemies are coming than actually are. Anything to scare them into leaving lane before they get dove.

FourVsFiveFeb 23, 20181 votes

its a whole new meta you gotta adapt may take awhile. Ive seen a duo both buy Relic Shield and 1 was jungler the other a melee mid laner and they both jungled then came to mid then back to jungle then to mid or gank another lane, they did really good and won us the game so weird haha whole new ball game man find ways to use Relic Shield and gold items for gold value and be creative finding a new way to abuse stuff.

Pierce The VealFeb 23, 20181 votes

I was just about to say that taking a couple week long break would help a lot, but since you said that doesn’t help, I’d say then that it must be your mains probably don’t suit the meta. Like I am an Akali, Kassadin, Nocturne player, and I basically can’t play my prefetred champions unless I want to automatically disadvantage myself in this meta.

CorvidFeb 23, 20181 votes

SAME HERE

FullmuteAll playFeb 23, 20181 votes

You play assassins/fighters, which are not in meta at all. Unless you snowball hard early and take many objectives you are to lose this game, with exception if enemy team also doesn't have non-meta no-cc champion. You need to find hard/medium cc champions to play.

ZeeWolfZFeb 23, 20181 votes

Puts hand on shoulder : You are not bad All of a SUDDEN. You were always bad kiddo <3

On a serious note, This season is punishing. There are no more "fun" champions. You have to play champs that contribute to the game. CC heavy champs.

Zed, Yi, irelia just don't work anymore.

This is coming from a Noc main.

Look at my past history, I've been climbing with every champ that is not my main.

Gotta adapt buddy.

DealthFeb 23, 20181 votes

Happens to everyone

strutFeb 23, 20181 votes

I feel like it's the season of noobs so far. I have only played about 15 flex games and no soloq this season so i can't tell you about personal experience but all the people that i know are bad are getting much higher ranks than before and all the people that i knew to be good are placed lower. It's weird. Maybe it's because the meta is a like a clownfiesta a little bit.

Douglas FunnieFeb 23, 20181 votes

Riot implemented "Runes Reforged" to help cater toward noobs and casuals. So, less experienced players can equally compete against higher skilled players. More damage = more flashy plays. More RNG elements = better opportunities to have luck which reduces the skill-gap.

1wolfpackFeb 24, 20181 votes

Im pretty much in the same boat, S7 I was Plat, this season G5, and my MMR is silver 1 or 2, its pretty bad. Part of the reason for me struggling is due to the changes with the Runes and meta changes. I used to 1 trick Annie support last season, that same strategy doesn't work this season. and Im hesitant to use conventional supports in this low elo cause it relies too much on my team-mates. I think u just gonna experiment, find out what works for you and stay positive. if you have the skill and game sense to be plat you will get there as will I.

Good luck friend

GodlyBaneFeb 24, 20181 votes

no, this happened to me. Get your act together, if you think your shit, you are gonna do shit. I fed every game on yasuo until I said to myself "you know what, this is just a phase, i know im good, time to shit stomp these hoes" and I did good that game, and pride and beleif restored successfully. And almost every ranked game i carry or go even on Yas. Its just a phase m8, dont worry

Ben SwoIoFeb 24, 20181 votes

time to shit stomp these hoes

made me lol. I'll remember that one.

Thanks though, I am hoping it's just a phase. I like my champions because of their game play and their overall characters, not because of some op meta garbage. Plus I generally have fun with them (aside from the fact that I've been losing). I don't like the idea of playing meta champs (that I personally have no interest in) just for the sake of climbing.

NoblewindFeb 24, 20181 votes

The general % distribution of people across all elos will likely remain constant this year as to the prior few years. Not saying OP was necessarily doing this but no one is entitled to any rank from prior performance as the game constantly changes.