Boards›Gameplay

Masteries, summoner spells, and new players

The Bearded Bard··1 votes·698 views

Alright so I understand the reasoning behind not letting new players use all of the summoner spells and masteries, and I get that it's been like that forever, but I don't agree with it at all. It does give a sense of progression, but at what cost? A severe disadvantage for all those that aren't level 30. Why is it that when my friend that's new at this game plays with me, he has to be at the disadvantage of playing against people with full mastery pages and the use of flash while he can only take ghost, heal, and clarity? It just doesn't make sense. Instead of putting new players at a straight up disadvantage, try teaching them what masteries are. Honestly they're not complicated, anyone can figure out how they work. They already know what summoner spells do, you're just gimping them for a rather lame sense of progression that's already filled by buying champions, runes, and the addition of the champion mastery.

Runes are fine the way they are, but could be cheaper I guess.

12 Comments

ZileanUltJesusOP1 votes

The game wasn't designed so a level 30 can play with a level 5. Also its to prevent smurfs from making an account and have full masteries and rune pages and obliterating everyone.

The Bearded Bard1 votes

[{quoted}](name=xBRUT4L LEG3CYx,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=RYUTT8nv,comment-id=0000,timestamp=2015-06-22T20:01:07.302+0000)

The game wasn't designed so a level 30 can play with a level 5. Also its to prevent smurfs from making an account and have full masteries and rune pages and obliterating everyone.

He's not entirely awful at the game, he used to play and he plays other mobas. In all honesty, he probably plays at the same level as me, if not better. Why should he be at a disadvantage because of his OUTSIDE level in a game that works off a per game level? To give you an example, it'd be like if champion mastery gave you a stat based advantage over someone that's new the the champ they're playing.

ZileanUltJesusOP1 votes

it isnt like that at all, the game begins at level 30, everything before that is learning and preparation for ranked. Thats how riot designs it. Its the same reason a bronze can't Q with a gold.

WildCard8231 votes

It helps for new players to learn the game. It doesn't take long before you have all the Summoner Spells unlocked.

The Bearded Bard1 votes

{quoted}

It helps for new players to learn the game. It doesn't take long before you have all the Summoner Spells unlocked.

It doesn't help shit lol. If anything it confuses them more. "Why is that guy able to randomly blink away? I can't do that." Masteries not being unlocked at level one also don't do anything to help learn how to play.

jgarna1437501 votes

I think it's perfectly fine the way it is. Runes and masteries are basically the only pre-game perks a player can unlock, of course factoring out champion balance, that is. If everybody had 30 mastery points, all rune spots unlocked, and access to tier 3 runes, nobody would be able to unlock anything that would give them an advantage of the other players, and while MOBA's are supposed to be balanced, players should be rewarded for their time spent playing the game. Other than unlocked gamemodes/maps, what would be the difference between a level 1 player and a level 30 player? Any game with a level system needs to give some advantaged to those with a higher level, even if that is a small advantage, like it is in LoL

The Bearded Bard1 votes

{quoted}

I think it's perfectly fine the way it is. Runes and masteries are basically the only pre-game perks a player can unlock, of course factoring out champion balance, that is. If everybody had 30 mastery points, all rune spots unlocked, and access to tier 3 runes, nobody would be able to unlock anything that would give them an advantage of the other players, and while MOBA's are supposed to be balanced, players should be rewarded for their time spent playing the game. Other than unlocked gamemodes/maps, what would be the difference between a level 1 player and a level 30 player? Any game with a level system needs to give some advantaged to those with a higher level, even if that is a small advantage, like it is in LoL

It's not a small advantage. Play this game using only clarity, heal, and ghost. No smite, no flash, no exhaust, no ignite, no teleport. Now play it with a total of three mastery points to spend while everyone else gets 15-30. I think runes are fine as they are, but the difference between an account with runes and one without is pretty great. I can start with extra movement speed, up to 15% cdr at lvl 18 (that's half the amount of cdr you can get if you get the mastery as well), a ton of ad, ap, mr, armor, or a small mix of any of them.

Masteries and summoner spells are FREE. Everyone can use them except low levels.

jgarna1437501 votes

[{quoted}](name=I am Maokai,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=RYUTT8nv,comment-id=00020000,timestamp=2015-06-22T20:38:47.888+0000)

It's not a small advantage. Play this game using only clarity, heal, and ghost. No smite, no flash, no exhaust, no ignite, no teleport. Now play it with a total of three mastery points to spend while everyone else gets 15-30. I think runes are fine as they are, but the difference between an account with runes and one without is pretty great. I can start with extra movement speed, up to 15% cdr at lvl 18 (that's half the amount of cdr you can get if you get the mastery as well), a ton of ad, ap, mr, armor, or a small mix of any of them.

Masteries and summoner spells are FREE. Everyone can use them except low levels.

Even If it isn't a small advantage, it shouldn't effect him too much. I unlocked all my summoner spells within about 8 games, so that's not really a problem. And the runes and masteries shouldn't be a problem because they only give small advantages, maybe 15 extra AP, or 10 extra AD. Also, if it was a large advantage, so what, at least it's something big to work towards. It's kinda ironic how you say it is a 'lame progression', while also saying it gives you a big advantage.

The Bearded Bard1 votes

{quoted}

Even If it isn't a small advantage, it shouldn't effect him too much. I unlocked all my summoner spells within about 8 games, so that's not really a problem. And the runes and masteries shouldn't be a problem because they only give small advantages, maybe 15 extra AP, or 10 extra AD. Also, if it was a large advantage, so what, at least it's something big to work towards. It's kinda ironic how you say it is a 'lame progression', while also saying it gives you a big advantage.

It's lame progression because it feels more like you're being punished for being new instead of rewarded for leveling up. Adding to your pool of champions is a cool form of progression, the champion mastery program thing is a cool form of progression, even runes are a decent form of progression, but having to unlock summoner spells and masteries, something that is free and you don't have to pay for, is a very lame form of progression.

3tyson1 votes

if you are level 5 you probertly as good as i was when i was level 5 and not having runes/masteries is a minimal effect for you, you are going to suck annyway

The Bearded Bard1 votes

How is it fair that when I go into a game as a level 11, everyone else gets flash but I'm stuck without?

The Bearded Bard1 votes

Also, to put it into even more perspective, that same friend is now level 3, playing normal games with clarity, ghost, and flash, he gets matched with people above level 12 that can use flash while playing by himself. Not just one or two, everyone except him and maybe one other use flash. It's just dumb.

And he plays other mobas, so he's not as bad as most new players.

More from Gameplay

3 Refunds per season, upvote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay764 comments
7,167
votes
3 Refunds per season, upvote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay156 comments
3,510
votes
UPVOTE FOR URF
Gameplay606 comments
2,440
votes
Yes plz.
Gameplay456 comments
1,721
votes
3 Refunds per season, up vote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay114 comments
1,716
votes
When is ANYONE at riot going to address the awful new player experience?
Gameplay634 comments
1,383
votes

More by The Bearded Bard

Fiora's Grand Challenge should end when Fiora dies
Gameplay72 comments
254
votes
Feels pretty bad to get a champion shard out of chests
Gameplay215 comments
194
votes
Why is Lissandra punished so hard for her passive?
Gameplay233 comments
144
votes
PSA: If you forget smite, you are no longer a jungler
Gameplay125 comments
132
votes
Pls let mages have better autoattacks for minions
Gameplay97 comments
126
votes
Just wanna thank the mid laners for ruining a support item again
Gameplay177 comments
94
votes