what is wrong with ranked?

GlassesBoy·Oct 24, 2019·21 votes·11,357 views

I've played normals exclusively for a long time to get my girlfriend into the game, and we win some lose some. it's a crap-shoot but it feels somewhat fair. somewhat.

We then join ranked, recently, we've tried three games in placements, and it's like 8 players of random fuckery. Nobody knows what the fk they're doing and just runs in circles honking and flaming.

I feel like if my teammates were on the opposing team we'd have lost just as much. It's the difference between being a Leona and having someone walk up behind you and shoot, versus a 5 second adc delay of confusion followed by diving for no reason. It's insane. Like people don't know how to play. I presume if I went adc they wouldn't know how to support either?

How am I meant to do this.

37 Comments

La Belle SauvageOct 24, 201914 votes

Matchmaking has been and will continue to be poor at best. No one at Riot seems to respond to any posts about it. Even more maddening, is they force you to place every year and most of the time push you 1 spot below where you finish.

Every year except the first, I've finished in Silver. Last year S3. Every year I get placed in bronze. Last year, 6-4, placed in B3.

And IDGAF about "you will climb out if misplaced".

I care that I must waste time climbing out of Bronze only to get into Silver by mid year. (This year I got there faster, but not sure how since my WR Is abysmal).

And since I have to climb out of Bronze there is adjustment period once I reach silver because I got to beat up on Bronzies for a few months.

This year it was 55 games (I think) from B2 to S4.

Imagine if Riot got rid of placements. That means I start in S4 where I've proved I belong every year for 3 seasons, and those 55 games would be toward my climb out of Silver and just maybe I can break into Gold.

I have no allusions that I might to make it into Plat or higher, but I've always thought I've had potential to make it to Gold. But every year Riot crushes that hope.

I actually thought that despite my placements I'd might still make it but season 9 ranked solo is a disaster.

Dear Riot, please, remove placements.

Get2Oct 24, 20192 votes

The matchmaking in tier matches are pretty balanced. By balanced, I mean, you can expect to get stomped once, to stomp once, and have a few games that could go either way, with maybe one of those games being decided by how you play. I can't say what the formula is. But I am a pattern person, and I pick up on patterns pretty fast.

Where I noticed the big headache was specifically in gold placements, which were--including the match I won to finally break into gold--all 22 of them, coinflip. Had I been a plat player trying to deal with gold placements, I probably would have rolled the matches hard and not had an opinion. But as a silver/gold player, breaking into gold felt like a punishment, and getting into gold felt like winning a scratchoff for 3 bucks after you spent 20 bucks on a handful of them.

But the tier games felt generally pretty balanced in terms of experience. Yes, smurfs. Yes, some coinflip. But I won way more consistently than I lost, which means if you do play your role correctly (meaning: in that match and true to your strengths), you will win more than lose and will climb. Placements/promos? Different story.

TissTheKipOct 25, 20192 votes

according to riot your placements only matter from wins and losses.not anything else

RacoonHunterOct 25, 20195 votes

I made it to gold by sacrificing poros..

actually, I agree. I've had some really bad games on stream as well as several other more known streamers have threaten to quit the game over how bad ranked is now. To climb, you need to basically be jungle or mid (maybe support) as all the other roles have little to no impact right now in ranked.

It's only going to get worse in the next season with the elemental rift changes because comebacks will be even harder and stomps just rule. The double rift herald is one of the stupidest things I've heard (next to eternals) in a while as there's too much impact it has. One herald will take a tower (usually first tower so a 400g profit to an already ahead team) and then the second one can just follow the momma's footsteps or be used on another lane to have even more pressure. The games already too swinging as is, we want the ability to have a comeback.. it's very hard to come back from double herald being used on your towers..

Maybe riot will suprise us with matchmaking changes.. or even better MMR strats to allow climbing easier (after all, if you beat gold 2s as silver 4 you should get more than just 15 lp)

MordistarOct 25, 20191 votes

No, to climb you need to be better than where you are, and rightfully so. I can match your mmr within a week from placing on this account, and I don't play much.

FioraWillCarryOct 26, 20191 votes

{quoted}

Maybe riot will suprise us with matchmaking changes.. or even better MMR strats to allow climbing easier

In other words, you want Riot to do all the work for you. You want to climb for free without putting in any meaningful effort. This is the crux of all useless match making threads, people being too lazy to learn.

RacoonHunterOct 26, 20191 votes

no. I'm saying that when a game is supposed to be 50/50 having a system where a win is 15 points and a loss is 16 makes it completely difficult for anyone to climb. I was watching a stream yesterday of a diamond player trying to climb. he was getting 12 points per win and losing 18 points when he lost.. his w/l ratio was even good too. 47W 47L Win Ratio 50% That's the guy, as you can see it's a 50/50 split. it shouldn't be like that for a 50/50

FioraWillCarryOct 27, 20191 votes

If you're getting 12 points per win then it means that you're higher ranked than you should be. Each rank is linked to a specific MMR and LP is designed to keep these two things in sync. If your MMR is Gold 3 but your rank is Plat 4 then you should be getting very little LP per win and losing a lot per loss. This will ensure that you eventually get to where your rank matches your MMR a lot faster. This is nothing new. This is how the system worked for a long time now. MMR is everything. Your rank is just cosmetic. If you're in Plat 4 playing with Gold 3 players, your real rank is Gold 3, not Plat 4.

La Belle SauvageOct 29, 20191 votes

If that reply was directed my way, then you've missed my point all together.

Edit: my apologies, I am reading these in order. I see that was directed at Raccoon Hunter.

FioraWillCarryOct 29, 20191 votes

meh xd

La Belle SauvageOct 29, 20191 votes

Good post. Yeah, I main support. I need to improve a ton of things but the placements really annoy the piss out of me.

TissTheKipOct 25, 20191 votes

Yes Yes Yes!They need to reset us and be able to have a fresh placement matches every new season!We players do improve,but the system wont let you place higher then you finished last season!What the hell is the point of placements if not for new accounts?????????????

MordistarOct 25, 20192 votes

Do you know why it places you lower? To give players some gratification when they play the first half of the season. You aren't good enough to get out of silver, so would you rather beat your head against a wall for the whole year not going up in rank, or would rather have half the year dedicated to climbing a bit before getting hardstuck again.

La Belle SauvageOct 29, 20191 votes

I see comprehension is not your strength. I'm not sure I could express my point monosyllabically enough so you might grasp it.

GlassesBoyOct 24, 201911 votes

I'll add. I shouldn't have to play a god-damn carry or assassin to boost me out of some "shit" tier league that nobody can work with a support in, or that feed like utter crazy so that only assassins/hyper carries can rise.

I should start playing with normal people and only "go there" if I lose enough games with average/normal people.

It feels like I've started there.

ÈvilMortyOct 25, 20197 votes

You dont, its a coin flip. Doesnt matter how well you play, all it takes is one person to fuck it up. As a sup main I can spoon feed my adc 5-6 kills worth of gold in lane, take first tower, get my jg a couple kills but if even one or 2 players are doing poorly then you can throw all that out the god dam window.

Ive had master and Grand master smurf adcs tell me that i've been up there in the best supports they have seen/had and how am i stuck in gold. The answer was simple. To quote dunky "Theres about 3 people in a game who know what there doing and 7 r*tards"

FioraWillCarryOct 26, 20191 votes

{quoted}

Ive had master and Grand master smurf adcs tell me that i've been up there in the best supports they have seen/had and how am i stuck in gold.

I wouldn't get too ahead of myself. I'm not Grandmaster or anything. I'm just a Gold player but I do have a few hard stuck low Bronze and Iron friends and I patronize them too with comments like that. Now, I'm not being entirely dishonest because a couple of them I can work with quite well because they are kinda decent at whatever role they play and they don't burden me by going 0-13 every game, even when we duo on my higher ranked accounts. But I've never though of them as being equal to anyone at my elo. I will never say this to them because I don't want to be an asshole but there is a reason they are where they are and it has nothing to do with their team mates or the match making.

Recently I was in a game. Can't remember if it was norms, flex or one of those games where a duo fucked the MMR of a match but I ended up in a game with some hard stuck Bronze 4 dude who was ranting in chat after the game about why he can't climb. While he was there talking about his team mates and how much they sucked, I was like, "uh huh, yea, so true, I feel you" but what I was really thinking was that he was stuck there because he just isn't skilled enough to climb. But he was a chill dude, and I think he even added me. I don't wanna hurt his feelings by telling him the truth. I'll patronize him and tell him all the same shit these Grandmaster dudes tell you. I mean what's the harm. So what if they suck at a video game. I don't feel the need to tell them that. Let's just play and try to have fun. I'll tell you you're the best support/jungle/adc etc I've ever seen if that makes your day.

Chances are like me, these dudes were just being nice. No Grandmaster would actually believe that team mates could keep someone stuck in Gold anymore than I believe they could keep someone stuck in Bronze. And I will NEVER accept higher ranked players patronizing me the same way. I'd be the first to tell them that I'm not as good as they are which is why I am stuck where I am because I know that's the truth.

TailypoOct 25, 20194 votes

{quoted}

Nobody knows what the fk they're doing and just runs in circles honking and flaming.

League in a nutshell [poppy-wink]

DingDongDangerOct 25, 20194 votes

What's really frustrating is constantly getting that Bronze 4 and iron 1 guy on your team against a plat team who goes 0-10. I don't understand the matchmaking. Why did I get to Gold just to have bronze and iron on my team to fight platinum? How does that even make any sense? Unfortunately that was me today as Blitzcrank. Oof! Our mid laner fed and we had 4 bot and just fell off. Boyfriend was my adc and kept going ham when we were behind and I kept dying for him to get away only for him to go in. Not one of our proudest moments.

Handy Sandy Oct 25, 20194 votes

We then join ranked, recently, we've tried three games in placements, and it's like 8 players of random fuckery. Nobody knows what the fk they're doing and just runs in circles honking and flaming.

cause the game doesnt know how good u are at all. they're still figuring out if you're iron, gold, or diamond level so they're placing you with whoever. the first 10 placement games suck, but after that games generally feel more fair.

Light of MadnessOct 25, 20193 votes

I AGREE.

People do not know how to play!

Why? Damage meta, c4ncer champions like yasuo, zed, master yi, kayn, fizz, new garen, pyke and more and more.

People get the champions they do not know how to play BUT the champion go AND SIMPLY KILL, they miss all skills but the still kill or they just run like idiots doing AA and kill, they win the game get elo.

I ban yasuo all games, I will never see this champion again, I don't care if my team selected to pick.

And RIOT DO NOT TEACH PLAYERS, THERE IS 0 I SAID Z E R O incentive to learn basics of the game besides go kill destroy nexus.

Is RIOT FAULT , POOR DESIGN AND POOR BALANCE.

Starcraft243verOct 25, 20193 votes

{quoted}

I've played normals exclusively for a long time to get my girlfriend into the game, and we win some lose some. it's a crap-shoot but it feels somewhat fair. somewhat.

We then join ranked, recently, we've tried three games in placements, and it's like 8 players of random fuckery. Nobody knows what the fk they're doing and just runs in circles honking and flaming.

I feel like if my teammates were on the opposing team we'd have lost just as much. It's the difference between being a Leona and having someone walk up behind you and shoot, versus a 5 second adc delay of confusion followed by diving for no reason. It's insane. Like people don't know how to play. I presume if I went adc they wouldn't know how to support either?

How am I meant to do this.

The ranked and normal mmr are not bound, so the system is still trying to assess your level, and thus the matchmaking will be poor for your 10-20 first game.

Once you have played enough games in ranked, the system assess your skill level rather correctly and you'll start having more consistent players (well, as consistent as a human population can be so, do not hope for too much consistency).

Ambitious MinnowOct 26, 20191 votes

{quoted}

The ranked and normal mmr are not bound, so the system is still trying to assess your level, and thus the matchmaking will be poor for your 10-20 first game.

Once you have played enough games in ranked, the system assess your skill level rather correctly and you'll start having more consistent players (well, as consistent as a human population can be so, do not hope for too much consistency).

Nah.

Terrorist5812Oct 25, 20192 votes

I mean u call still 1v9 or 2v8 at silver but when u reach high gold early plat it becomes a hassle.

MavëríckOct 24, 20191 votes

I got to Gold just fine. Ya'll just need to git gud to get out of Silver. Silvers are easily exploitable.

Light of MadnessOct 25, 20195 votes

As main sup I can say is exhausting to carry people that do not know how to play. Is a fucking stress you have to do EVERYTHING, since ward jungle at start to save the idiots that just run to fights.

MavëríckOct 25, 20192 votes

[{quoted}](name=Light of Madness,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=VMs5fYLL,comment-id=00020000,timestamp=2019-10-25T00:39:38.553+0000)

As main sup I can say is exhausting to carry people that do not know how to play. Is a fucking stress you have to do EVERYTHING, since ward jungle at start to save the idiots that just run to fights.

Idk what supports you think you're carrying with, but THESE are the only supports worth playing;

Velkoz Veigar Annie Xerath Swain Lux Zyra

Ambitious MinnowOct 26, 20191 votes

{quoted}

I got to Gold just fine. Ya'll just need to git gud to get out of Silver. Silvers are easily exploitable.

I'm in Gold right now, and the difference in skill between silver aha guild seems to be negligible, if it exists at all.

Your statement is not impressive.

Hi im 12Oct 25, 20191 votes

sounds like you're better at the game than silver? or at least you think you are. its easy enough to climb as a support though so if you play more games the matchmaking will fix it self.

MavëríckOct 25, 20191 votes

[{quoted}](name=Hi im 12,realm=EUNE,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=VMs5fYLL,comment-id=0003,timestamp=2019-10-25T00:33:36.556+0000)

sounds like you're better at the game than silver? or at least you think you are. its easy enough to climb as a support though so if you play more games the matchmaking will fix it self.

I climbed as Top/Jungle

Hi im 12Oct 26, 20191 votes

how is this in any way related to me comment lmao

MavëríckOct 26, 20191 votes

[{quoted}](name=Hi im 12,realm=EUNE,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=VMs5fYLL,comment-id=000300000000,timestamp=2019-10-26T14:06:21.335+0000)

how is this in any way related to me comment lmao

I'm telling you that unless you're an AP Support you can't climb as support. It's too dependent on other people not fucking up.

Hi im 12Oct 26, 20191 votes

interesting, I just saw a bard supp player hit dia with 80% wr playing solo.

Malix FarwinOct 25, 20191 votes

You think that is bad OP you should see NA ranked...

TissTheKipOct 25, 20191 votes

There has to be a way for players mmr and skill to be accounted for to put them in the correct ELO!Too many games where there's,chasers,turret divers,afk farmers,flamers,giving up,inting,salty ass players.HOW ARE THEY NOT IN IRON?Whats the point of having iron or bronze if the players that should be there aren't

NeptuneXIOct 25, 20191 votes

I'm also playing with my gf, and our strategy is to play on different lanes, there is more chance to win this way, you gotta take dominant lanes, like jungle or top. If you ask why not mid ? Well competition is strong on mid most of the time, 7/10 games players with their main playing on mid, but if you can play mid well, then sure go for it.

Also i know one thing for sure, whenever i play solo, alone, i get a lot better teammates who is trying to coop, but whenever i play together with my gf or friends, i get toxic teammates who constantly feed and flame. I believe Riot making some math in their system whenever you trying to find a match, comparing you and your partner skill, and most of the time it will pick teammates who's skill equal or lower than yours or your partner.

Observe and you will see that for yourself.

FioraWillCarryOct 26, 20191 votes

I hate to break it to you but playing Norms is equivalent to playing in Iron. Now I know you might be thinking, "but hey, I play with Diamonds and Plats on a regular basis". Well my friend, Diamonds and Plats play norms to try troll shit, try a new champion, play off roles, fuck around with their low ranked or irl friends. They aren't playing anything close to seriously.

A new ranked account starts in Gold elo which is way too high for someone who is used to the casual, "dont care here to have fun" relaxed attitude in normal games. You and your girlfriend have a lot of losses in your future. I recommend you and you girl stick to normals otherwise you're going to actually have to start putting some kind of effort into actually learning how to play the game. People play ranked to win and they are going to abuse whatever they feel will win them games. Ranked is extremely competitive. You don't just casually play ranked and expect to win unless it's like Iron or low Bronze which is basically Normals pretending to be competitive.

There is nothing wrong with ranked.