Three matches of which can only negatively influence your LP, which use different matchmaking than typical ranked. Three matches based on luck and with no actual point to them - they don't even function as a barrier against win-streaks because, as I said, luck.
Edit: Did not expect this to turn into a nice and healthy discussion. Variety of neat opinions below, don't bash is all I ask.
Not xPeke15 votesI wouldn't have an issue with promotional matches if those specific games were based on your rank/Division and not your MMR.
If I'm climbing through Silver with a high Gold MMR, I don't necessarily mind playing vs Golds/low Plats while still in Silver. What I do mind is having to win a promotional game to get through SILVER or into Gold by playing in a match with an MMR 200-300 values higher than the division I'd be trying to get into.
Kinda not really logical or fair on paper.
The way I see it, if you're fighting for a promotion, you should only have to prove that you are better than the players around that level. It shouldn't be based on your personal MMR because if it is, then all you're proving would be that you can win/lose against people in your own MMR. You wouldn't be proving you actually deserve to get promoted/fail promotion since you are not playing against players in the division you are trying to get promoted from (or around that anyway).
MysterQ4 votesWow I agree with this a lot.
But I guess some plats with low MMR might never be able to promote. Or would slowly have to promote.
Silverjust2 votesthats what I always thought the system should be like
arcinex1 votesI agree. Although I think all ranked games need to be tier-locked and not only promotional matches. Nothing worse than having platinums on your team on epic losing streaks because they're boosted monkeys. It's frustrating that I have to prove that I'm better than platinum players on my climb in silver and gold because I have abnormally high MMR. Like... If I am consistently winning games against platinum players (IN SILVER AND GOLD FFS) just put me in fucking diamond already lol.
Not xPeke3 votesHmmm, I don't think all ranked games should be tier-locked if I'm honest.
The reason for this is that if the games are dependent on MMR like it is now, you gain an absurd amount of points and lose very very few if your MMR is high enough. Which in turn makes climbing alot quicker if you keep a decent win ratio, and also enables players to climb with even just over a 50% winrate as long as they grind it out.
If you were to make all ranked games tier-locked then it means that LP gain and LP loss is static. Losses will affect you more, and players that aren't too consistent will go up and down, up and down, all the time.
The way it is atm is smoother to climb. So in a way we have to be grateful for this system.
But I do believe, like we said, that at least in promotional matches we should be matched with players close to our current division/tier, and not based on MMR. Because it doesn't make sense to play a promotion match to get into Gold (random example), while playing on a much higher level simply because of your hidden MMR. It's not logical in the slightest.
arcinex1 votesRanked games can be tier-locked while maintaining hidden MMR. So LP gain and LP loss would be the same as it is now.
Example: Beating a team of collectively high MMR golds will net you more LP all the while playing with similar skill-level gold players instead of playing with low platinums on massive losing streaks to 'balance' out the team. Because that's how it currently is. It's not logical that sucky platinum players aren't getting shit-stomped out of platinum by fellow platinum players but instead ruining high mmr gold players' games.
It is logical.
Not xPeke2 votesI'm sorry I still disagree. The difference in MMR would be too subtle to warrant any valuable LP gain difference.
It is logical for it to be that way as you explained it, I do agree with that. But I don't think the system should be that way (which fyi was based on MMR in the past, but got changed) because I'm happy gaining 27 points and losing 14 atm. It makes me climb much faster than in the system you described. My only issue is the promotional matches that are based on MMR.
Off Meta Evan2 votes^^^^ this shit. when i first climbed through silver literally none of my silver 1 games actually had silver players, it tilted me into oblivion. i also think it adds an extra reason for people to flame you cause if you make ANY mistakes people are gonna be like "GOD WHY DID WEEEE GET THE SILVER 1 PLAYER??" like bruh plz i'm just tryin to get back to gold.
Lapis11 votesI think it's to give you that sense of achievement after you beat them? Kind of like a final exam. I'd be for them, but I just accidentally dodged my third promo match and I'm back down to 90LP rip ;^;
Inari Fox Orrion29 votesPromos are a barrier to entry though, or at least they feel like it. I don't feel rewarded when I'm promoted, or punished when I'm demoted - it feels random enough that I'd rather just flip-flop between divisions than have to succeed in two games before being promoted under the same rules that I'm demoted, except in the latter case with one no single barrier game.
blueberrypancake3 votesYou are rewarded with the fact that your lp cannot be negatively affected 5 games in row after defeating it
Hellen Keller6 votesYes it can, you just can't be demoted. If you win a game, you can still lose the 20LP you won after promos.
rtbf2256182411 votesWell if the ranks were even harder to achieve, they'd mean something making promos more important. As the point of them is to match you with the people you're going to be on the same ladder with, who are supposted to be more skillful, therefore proving yourself worthy to be in the division.
Right now, Platinum and Silver are basically the same.
GayFluffyUnicorn4 votesWhy don't you get more skillfull players in promos then? I mean seriously, it's not fun nor skillfull having to carry even more negative winrate bonobos than before. Can confirm the plat part though. Left over from dynamicQ I can'T tell how many first season high plat/low dia accounts are still in plat. Or 4 season silver accounts, suddenly dia 5 in s6.
rtbf2256182412 votesThat's the problem. There aren't any variables in elo in terms of what skill people have. You can meet any sorts of players in any elo. You can meet Plat-worthy players in low-Silver or high-Bronze. You can meet morons in Diamond who don't know how to rotate. They got there by lucking out. It shouldn't actually be possible. Not on that scale.
It's not leftover from DynamicQ, i saw these people everywhere. It's called boosting and while DynamicQ helped with it, the fucking thing existed beforehand. People should be punished harder for playing badly.
GayFluffyUnicorn1 votesNot really. Ive been to mid high plat in my gold 5 seasons before and tilted my way back then when duoing with a very bad premade. It was ALOT harder in that elo. Last season dia 5 started at 2-3% of the population in EUW when it used to be 1%. So two-three times more player than before. That is fucking HUGE. It would mean 600 challenger player instead of 200 for example.
rtbf2256182411 votesWith a premade it's always going to be harder because Matchmaking will try to fuck you over with harder enemies.
And i mean Silver - Platinum is practically the same. Seeing absolute morons in Diamond is still rarer than in the former elos.
Elikain2 votesI'd rather just flip-flop between divisions
That was the problem with the old system.
Inari Fox Orrion1 votesI have a feeling it'd be better. Even if you may be pushed above or below where you belong due to idiots, that's pretty much the case already, and the promos are just a big brick wall to say "Hi" to you and your poor face if you have the 
to lack Lady Luck's fervor.
arcinex1 votesExcept that's a really bad analogy. In a final exam you yourself are the sole factor in how well you do. In League of Legends, you can't win a game with a 0-10 bot lane and an afk jungler.
Inari Fox Orrion1 votesThat's also why the solo MMR system for multiplayer games needs to be changed up a bit, for the better of the end user even if it will take a lot of effort to do so.
Yes, everything I say is my personal opinion. I won't be offended if you don't think like me. "Variety is the spice of life."
TotalJerk8 votesThey exist to slow you down.
Loon op Zand1 votesTotalJerks
BALDG1VEN BOOMER4 votesI remember awhile ago they were thinking about removing promos. What ever happened to that?
Or did it get lost in the wind like Aatrox buffs?
AmazoX8 votesExcuse me but Aatroxx huge buffs are coming next patch 7.5
Rito Staff2 votesPeople go armor against Aatrox, his E (poke) was magical damage. Now his E is physical damage.
His passive gave increasingly more attack speed, now only when 'blood rushed' and as long as you stay in combat.
His heal might be a lil better.
I dont know about those buffs, maybe they're under the carpet
JhamSleaz3 votesWhen it boils down to it all games are won most partly by luck. If you happened to get better team mates than the opposing team you were lucky. You can't win by yourself- you need at least one other person helping you. If bot lane goes even. You are out jungling their jungler. And mid goes even. You will be lucky if your top wins lane. Whole game is luck
SEKAI5 votesWhen it boils down to it all games are won most partly by luck. If you happened to get better team mates than the opposing team you were lucky. You can't win by yourself- you need at least one other person helping you. If bot lane goes even. You are out jungling their jungler. And mid goes even. You will be lucky if your top wins lane. Whole game is luck
Luck is 1 factor, it's not the whole deal. If the whole game is luck, then it's all dices and when you're lucky you're guaranteed to win (in-game encounters or matches in general) and guaranteed to lose when not so, and obviously we know it doesn't work like that.
GayFluffyUnicorn1 votesWith pleasure i send you one of my replays playing as jayce top. My whole team was basically garbage and tried to surrender twice. Solo carried them to victory.
SweedishGunner1 votesWe can't all be Jayce players. FeelsBadMan.
GayFluffyUnicorn1 votesWell he has an average winrate of 48%. Not too op especially considering how fed the enemy was+ i can do the same thing with swain or gp. Two not necessarily meta champs. Especially gp has a hard team in this meta
TotalJerk3 votesThis is why you have to play hundreds of games for your rank to matter.
Ulquiorra9953 votesA hundred times this. Luck is just too big of a factor. Let's take a look at how promos work, shall we?
To advance a tier you need to win 3 out of 4 games - the one that gets you into promos and 2 out of 3 promo games. To advance a division you need 4 out of 6 games - again, the one that gets you into promos and 3 out of 5 promo games.
To sum it up, promos require one to have a short-term winrate of 75%/66%. If I could manage to have that winrate consistently - only situation in which I wouldn't rely on luck - I'd be playing in LCS by now.
xX Gatekeeper Xx3 votesThe elo system worked muuuch better. Kids didnt buy boosts cause it really didnt matter they would tank every point they purchase. With the promo series even the plebs can keep there rank up
Sona Ping2 votesSame reason why demotion prevention exists.
BigfootNamedYeti4 votesBut even thats a joke, i've been demoted without hitting 0 lp just because -17 is still more than 13 and others times it would take six fuxking games man
BluePolarizer2 votesdemotion prevention only exists for first few games or if your MMR is far higher than your current rank. Even if it is the same, you get no protection.
EvenestStephen2 votesBecause otherwise if you lost a match at 0 lp you would instantly demote
the weeaboo2 votesYeah but then you win one and you instantly go back up.
Kyunsei2 votesPromotional matches are meant to be harder for you.
I feel like it's a good way to show that you're better than your current ranking, by winning harder games.
arcinex6 votesYes because a platinum IV player needs to beat diamond IV-V players while having gold V teammates to get to platinum III. Makes perfect fucking sense dude! Me in Season 5 lol.
kirbyzama2 votesRiot believes that its a right of passage and that "it feels good" to achieve a more tangible goal and "show you are better than your division". I find this to be bollocks but that is what riot has said on the matter most times it comes up. Each game while having skill involved is a crap-shoot do to being a team game. Climbing aside from promos is about maximizing wins out of "winnable" games. In grinding the ladder the slot machine of matchmaking won't effect you that much if you play enough nor will a rare bad game. Promos force you into brief moments of high performance on you where the slot machine can hurt you.
UnboundCreator1 votesThis is either a troll post or I feel very sorry for the poster. lmao
Inari Fox Orrion4 votesNo. YOUR post is a troll post, and I feel very sorry for the poster.
Don't just say "Ugh this sux." and leave it at that, if you want respect for your opinions and ideals from anyone. Explain why, always, because you have a chance to convince people of your own point of view, and at the very least you will be a good voice in the audience of whom adds to the conversation and opinions of people surrounding it.
UnboundCreator1 votesNo. YOUR post is a troll post, and I feel very sorry for the poster.
Don't just say "Ugh this sux." and leave it at that, if you want respect for your opinions and ideals from anyone. Explain why, always, because you have a chance to convince people of your own point of view, and at the very least you will be a good voice in the audience of whom adds to the conversation and opinions of people surrounding it.
Please contact a mental therapist. You're in my prayers.
CasterGilgamesh2 votesyou having a bad day man?are you ok? D:
dEAdbUs1 votesAs a player who have seen previous ranked system, I have to say, new is better. Promotional series is like stair - once you're there you can relax.
Rito Staff4 votesUp untill you relax too much and when you go for some more climbing you slip on an unlucky banana peel and fall all the way down to hell.
Flawless Fetus9 votesAs a player who's been here since season one, I can say the new system is trash. With the old system if you had plat mmr, you were plat. Plain and simple. Now your mmr is hidden, so you don't really know where you stand, and it's possible to have plat mmr but be silver due to promos. Lol.
dEAdbUs1 votesNow you can't have plat mmr while sitting in silver. Years ago Riot implemented auto promo system - after win (not necessary even to win promo) you'll be moved to higher div/tier if your mmr is to high for your current div. As I remember they made it in second year of new ranked system. Because there were guys who used your scheme - won every game, bot intentionally lost promos and kept staying in bronze, while they were facing diamonds.