PSA: Early Season Ranked

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am AngelNipata, bronze level support, and I have come to talk to you about a serious issue that is faced by many low elo players. This issue is the greatest trap of all time. It is a trap that draws you in with promises of change and reward for your effort and soon after begins to use you as a salt mine. I would like to tell you about a phenomenon known as Early Season Ranked, also known as Hell. But do not be afraid ladies and gentlemen, your bronze tier friend is here to help. To truly understand and avoid falling victim to this trap, one must first of all understand the circumstances of the phenomenon.

Early Season Ranked happens exactly when you expect it, right after the preseason. Right after Riot innovates and changes the game in such a way that the old meta dies painfully in a fire. This is when all the new items and jungle changes that revolutionized and broke the game aren't quite in line yet and still need fine tuning. Early Season Ranked occurs when there are more than 3-4 completely pick or ban champions. During this time all of flavor of the month players start crawling out of the woodwork to main the +53% champions with high play rates. At this time the boards are aflame with cries for nerfs that aren't for Yas and people saying that riot needs to revert X or "can we just remove Y". At this time, it still feels like you're playing in the preseason, but there is a solution to avoid suffering from the terrible phenomenon that is Early Season Ranked.

There are three ways to avoid taking the full force of Early Season Ranked. The first way is to either play into the meta and pick up the FotM champions. This requires swallowing ones pride, or dignity if such applies, and giving up on whatever champion you were maining to either pick the meta champs or their counters. The second way is to wait a little bit longer and play ranked after the meta has settled down a little because it will eventually. Then there is the third choice for the OTPs and amazing players who know everything about their champions. This method involves crushing all the FotM players by using your experience to make up for the current meta. Personally, I prefer the second method because I'm literal trash at league, but still want to play my favorite champions.

So overall, Early Season Ranked is painful, it's a phenomenon that only exist to set the stage for a more balance later part of the season. To deal with it you can either give in, wait to play ranked, or just play like you normally would and climb that way. This has been a public service announcement by your friendly neighborhood bronze support main.