On the Matter of Choice

Hello. I play Mordekaiser. I'm excited for his changes. Unfortunately, it's really affecting my ability to play. I don't need my champ to be OP. I'd prefer he not be UP. That said, I'd prefer he be my champ.

Okay, that leads me to a problem. I want to play ranked. I want to play Mordekaiser. I can't. He's banned nearly every game. What are my options? I don't want to play another character. I don't want to learn some other role. I enjoy this aspect of the game. So, why is this such a problem? Is the game truly so balanced on a knife edge that allowing a person to pick their champion for a ranked game is too broken? What's the problem with mirror matching in ranked games? Why has there got to be banning? It's the most irritating thing in any game I've ever played. And yet, it's thriving, so I'm apparently in the minority.

Okay, I may not be a friggin' genius player, but I'm not awful. My awareness is okay. So what? I'll fall into the low tiers of the game, and that's fine. If that's where I deserve to be, then that's where I will play. Except that I can't. I can't play this game, because I want to play a mode that doesn't exist. What am I supposed to do? Unfortunately, the answer is: don't play. Is that really the answer you'd like to give me? Is there some sort of solution to this problem I'm not aware of? I mean, if I create a ranked team with my 4 best friends, and we want to roll around as who we choose, what are we supposed to do when our champs are banned? And, of course, if we go closer to the top of the charts, unlikely though it may be, we'll find ourselves with the opponent checking stats sites, finding our most played champs, and banning them to spite us. So, once again, we can't play.

There's one solution to this problem: queue up over and over again, until we find an opponent who doesn't beat us at the champion select screen. And we can't even do that. If we bail, or leave the champion select, before the game starts, we get penalties, including a loss of LP, a temporary ban from playing ranked, and, if done enough times, a complete shut down of our ability to play. Is this really reasonable for simply wanting to play our way, so to speak? Riot seems to think this is true. Now, admittedly, I can see that in solo queue, dodging can potentially cause some problems. I'm not sure what they are, other than delay of game start, but is that really so bad? I would rather every person who joins plays a champion they like, than risk them feeding or sucking with a new champ or role, simply because they don't want to get banned. The irony of that statement is that players who do badly are likely to be reported, and potentially banned in any case!

So, tell me. Is there hope? Will there be a light at the end of the tunnel? I know about ranked team builder, and it sounds like a step in the right direction, but can you honestly tell me that I'll be able to guarantee the champ I want to play? I don't care about counter picks, and I'll play my champion to the meta. I don't care if Mordekaiser is the worst character in the game, or the best character in the game. If you check my history, you'll see that. I want to play him. I suspect ranked team builder will not solve my problems. Am I truly doomed to a rankless career in League of Legends? That would be a truly sad thing for me.

I enjoy playing, and I'll play regular games - team builder and blind pick, but it would be amazing if there's some hope that I'll stop feeling this utter frustration at the trap I find myself in when my champ is banned, or picked out from under me. It's a - and pardon my language - Damned if I do, and Damned if I don't situation.

Thank you for taking the time to read through my gripes and opinions. Please, if you wouldn't mind acknowledging to me you at least read this, whether you are able to address my concerns or not, that would be amazing. This situation is a truly soul crushing scenario, and I don't know what to do. I want to play, and I cannot.

Anyway, thanks again, Vynomer

P.S. No, no. It's Lordekaiser!