Any "Teachers" Out There?

Spyrit Wolf·11/29/2016, 7:46:01 AM·6 votes·1,082 views

I've been playing League off and on since early Season 3, though the bulk of my gameplay back then was 3v3 matches and bot games. I have never played more than a casual game here or there, and as such I never got particularly "good." I'd have good games, sure, but I'd also have some horrendous games. In any case, this season I've been trying to pick up and really start playing more. I enjoy playing the game. I've got a few friends that I play with on occasion, and they're obviously at a greater skill level than me... unfortunately, neither of them seem to be able to articulate to me what it is that I'm doing wrong.

I don't feel like I'm getting any better, or like I'm really learning anything out of the matches we play, by and large. I've watched videos, read guides and otherwise done my "homework" to try and better myself, but I just seem to have a difficult time putting it all into practice.

I don't have a huge champion pool, but it's not a tiny one either. I tend to play mostly Support, as a means of trying to learn more by watching others, but also out of the experience that I'm not really good at "carrying" a game.

My decision making regarding objectives tends to usually be pretty good, however my decision making about when to engage in fights seems to be a bit poor. With the champions that I know, I'm not bad with team fighting, but admittedly I could be a lot better. I have a lot of difficulty dealing with overtly aggressive lane opponents, and no matter how much I practice dodging skill shots, my mind freezes up in the middle of combat and I tend to either not see them until it's too late, or I see them, but can't react in time due to movement speed or what-have-you.

Now. If you're still with me (I know, it's a long post) what I'm asking is this: Are there any skilled players out there who like to play a "teaching" role? Maybe acting as a mentor, or someone to play with who can offer constructive criticisms (and direction) to help a player like me get better? I always feel bad when I end a game with a terrible score, and I'd really like to stop disappointing teams in that regard.

Supports I play most frequently: Sona and Thresh

12 Comments

Sassmast3r11/29/2016, 7:51:52 AM2 votes

Hey there, I'm a support main myself, I'd love to be able to friend you in league so I could spectate you playing a real game (not playing with your friends) and see what it is you might need some help with. Although I rarely play Thresh, I've played Sona quite a few times before and I can give you champion specific help regarding her if you seem to be struggling with her specifically. Are there any other supports you've thought about playing? I'm asking because I main Karma, Nami, and Lulu in that order, so if you have any desire to use any of those three champs I'd love to show you how I play them.

By the way, my in-game name is FluffCow with a capital i, not a lowercase L.

Elvishwarrior11/29/2016, 10:42:21 AM2 votes

I would be more than happy to teach you a bit before I start the Ranked Season Officially. I am have been a Jungle Main since Season 2 but I can play all other lanes pretty well too. I know some of the best Meta/Non-Meta Picks for games, and can share some of my thought process on the game.

Just add me in game. Also if you want to contact me easier just add me on my skype and discord. Currently at work atm

Skype: NathanaelOrosco1995 Discord: Elvishwarrior

Brain Errör 40411/29/2016, 11:12:23 AM2 votes

Ya'hallo~

All rounder here that plays each role and can offer some advice on each (though not in great depth). I have a pretty wide champ pool that I can play decently and have much knowledge on lane matchups and how they should be played~

I have poor execution, but I think I'm fairly good at teaching.

You can add me in game and we'll see if it's best for me to spectate you or play with you.

Flambarge11/29/2016, 1:29:53 PM2 votes

Hey there! First of all hats off to you, anyone who even tries to play Thresh is respected by me, I am not a very high elo player but i know the stuggles when you start the game, i've been playing for 4 season, out of which 3 seasons i've been playing seriously. I am a top lane main but as a Nasus main i know a thing or two about decision making and mid game team fighting. I've taught 3 of my friends how to play this game (1 of which is better player than me now) and my best friend is one of the most aggressive support mains i've ever seen, he has a first blood ratio of freaking 52%. You can add me in game, i am on most of the time. Good luck on the rift.

Banoffee11/29/2016, 8:33:36 PM1 votes

I main support and jungle, but I'm proficient in mid, and getting better with top and adc as well. I like to help people. When are you usually on? I might be able to help. Also I recommend picking up video capture software. You can watch your own games. That will help you far more than watching a streamer or pro. You can judge and learn from the exact situation you were in. You can calmly assess with all the time in the world what you did wrong or what you could've done better which isn't something you'll find watching someone else. Often times the the problem of people trying to get good watching streamers play is that the environment doesn't translate to low elo. What do I mean by that? They have teammates that rarely make the mistakes your teammates constantly make making things more difficult for you to deal with. On that note, you may not find a streamer at all who's often in the situations you're in. Another problem is that the decision making, tactics, and mistakes they do make are things you probably won't see at low elo so it doesn't even apply. That whole mindset is completely different. It still takes me a couple of games to switch gears when I join my plat friends coming from silver mentality. There's more confidence in game knowledge and lot of things that drive their decision-making you won't see. Watching streamers and pros play isn't an efficient way to learn. You might pick up a trick here or there, but why they do things is usually lost on most players.

You'll want tutorials specifically. Here is a series I recommend everyone watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iko2tqmDpJQ&list=PL9RdXhXESRJzgY_SwHB8T-cZxXljWhQvz&index=1

Even then though, you have the section of "teamfighting" which is remarkably good and everyone should still watch it, but in gold and below it doesn't really apply because it assumes that your teammates have that same strategy and knowledge. You could stick to what the video says while all your teammates stupidly dive backline and you'll know it was dumb move, but if you back out thinking, "They fucked up" it could cost you the game. Inversely, ignoring the wise decision to back off and diving with them may net you a few kills or even victory because... well, low elo. The smarter engage and decision making doesn't always win. Sometimes diving a bad fight before your teammates get low on health works_really_ well in bronze and silver; less so in gold; rarely in plat unless you know what you're doing.

So then does nothing apply? Not necessarily. Having the game knowledge gives you a foundation to fall back on when you're struggling to get your bearings. If you have a foundation with anything, be it work, school, parenting, hobbies, games you'll be more effective because you won't lose your cool as easily because you don't know what to do. In the case of fast-paced decision-making activities like LoL you won't lose seconds trying to figure out what to do. The seconds you spend trying to think are all the time it takes to lose a teamfight. The problem with most players in bronze and silver is that their foundation gets them killed. They fall back on bad habits when the situation they like falls through and it get them killed. It all happens very quickly, but as as example, say you're bot with Ashe and Thresh. Thresh is used to landing his hooks. He's very good at it. You're on a winning streak with him. Say he misses when the enemy Alistar jumps on you. What now? He panics and burns all his cooldowns trying to get him off when all he had to do was flay the enemy Vayne away. Vayne gets a double kill. If he had flayed Vayne away you'd both be hurtin from Ali and Vayne poke, but that's your reward for getting caught in the first place. Nothing to sweat. Back off and play passive or b and come back. Turret isn't worth your life. If they kill you they'll probably get it too anyway.

It begins with building a foundation for yourself that is consistent. Your decision-making for any given game comes from your adaptability as a human being. Nothing else. Can you adapt? If I see the enemy team is picking up a lot of CC, I'm picking up Sej over my other junglers. Her passive gives her tenacity. If I find my teammates don't ward (which they rarely will cuz fuck all) I pick up tracker's knife. Tracker's knife has been my absolute must-have buy for all jungle games. I then pick up sweeping lens to deny vision. I take it rain or shine because I learned the value of vision. When the map is lit up like Madison Square Garden and theirs is a nocturne ult I find games tend to be extremely one-sided. Some people like chilling or challenging smite. Based on their playstyle, good for them. I value ward clearing more. It fits my playstyle to do it that way too. Based on how I play I have no need for them. Personal preference is a factor! Ignore anyone who says it isn't. If you cater your runes, masteries, and items to your playstyle you'll be more effective. Setting up stuff for a playstyle you don't practice is wasteful on every front. Now that doesn't mean don't buy sightstone as a support or something like that, but consider, spooky ghosts or extra item slot? 20% item cd might actually be useful too? Decisions. Aside from a few things every patch, (like Camille who's going to be the bane of all things if she's released in her current state) most things can be adapted to in this game.

That said, mistakes are still mistakes. If your playstyle is to play frontline Riven and you give her defensive runes and masteries things are not likely to work out well for you. You will often have to learn a new way to play. Every champion is different and although most can be played with basic foundational knowledge, there's a severe cap on what you can get out of them in terms of effectiveness if you're not using them correctly. I may have just confused you. :P

Just watch the tutorials. If you get recording software, post it online somewhere and link. I might be able to help.