Forced Bans on LCS

CdrRogdan·2/28/2015, 9:18:41 PM·25 votes·4,096 views

So there are over 120 champions now and only about 20 see any sort of rotation in the LCS, making every game nearly identical to the last. It's getting to become stupidly repetitive. It seems like the LCS players have developed a 'dream team' and just keep using it repeatedly with minor variation. Either there is a clear balance problem or the players have absolutely no reason to give the viewers interesting matchups (UOL exempted).

Maybe champions that were selected last game can't be selected during pick/ban for the next one, or a handful of them, or hell even just one! Seriously lets switch this up. I want to see ashe or miss fortune in a game more than once a year.

44 Comments

NoMonku3/1/2015, 1:04:45 AM8 votes

Its cute you guys blame them for playing when its their job. Their job is unreliable so they play whats most consistent and gives them the best chance to win. You say you want to see more "interesting" matchs, but when you see other champions plays, like the occasional MF or Varus, it doesn't do too well because it is very linear and easy to counter. Why would you want to force a team to play something that is less viable and lose and then lose their jobs because they didn't win enough? Also a lot of the "balance" suggestions are make them the same as the most OP, but then most of the complaints will just change to how champions aren't "diverse" enough.

Disrokous3/1/2015, 2:24:23 AM4 votes

ADC is probably one of the most diverse roles that league has atm. So far this year we have seen:

Jinx Sivir Caitlyn Corki Kog maw Tristana Graves Ezreal Kalista Vayne Lucian Draven

12/18 of the classified ADC have actually seen play in the LCS. I think that is rather decent, and once you pull in the global stats it actually rises a little bit from people in Korea playing a few of the obscure ADC's every once in a while.

The jungle role needs the most attention and hopefully with large number of tank junglers getting buffs next patch we will be able to see a bit larger variety of champions in the jungle.

We also at least got to see a Viktor and Hecarim get played today.

Hopefully riot can help bring more champions to the front lines, but i honestly think the ADC role is the healthiest of all the roles.

Junsui Aoi2/28/2015, 9:44:38 PM3 votes

You saw Ashe and MF in a game once a year? What? Show me cause I'd love to see that! Like legit, I really would. I love Miss Fortune.

Altricad3/1/2015, 4:48:26 PM3 votes

No, just no

Veigar was picked in the LCS and see what riot did to him.

Old/ immobile champions are forbidden in LCS. Be happy Ashe isn't picked in LCS. Cuz the minute she stuns and kills a Zed the nerf bats are gonna come swinging at her....

Phry3/1/2015, 7:48:34 AM2 votes

You should try looking at the actual statistics for the number of champions played in the LCS/LPL/LCK before making BS posts like this. Champion diversity in league is a lot better than you make it out to be.

TheI3igDaddy3/1/2015, 4:16:20 AM2 votes

This is why we need to increase the bans to at least 4. Of course you have the people whining that WAAAHHH PRO PLAYERS WILL GET BANNED OUT WAHHAHHA.

Maybe if their champion pools increased, more so than the 20 or so freaking picks we see all the time from both teams, the LCS would look better. But no, we still have 6 bans even though the champion pool grows larger and larger.

Hell, I'm not even going to bother with the entire LCS this season, because it's boring as all hell to watch the same champions. Even after a small meta shift, you still get the same group over and over and over.

Phry3/1/2015, 7:53:31 AM2 votes

Ahri, Alistar, Annie, Ashe, Azir, Blitz, Braum, Cait, Cassio, Corki, Mundo, Draven, Elise, Eve, Ezreal, Fiddlesticks, Fizz, Gnar, Gragas, Graves, Hecarim, Irelia, Janna, J4, Jax, Jayce, Jinx, Kalista, Karma, Karthus, Kassadin, Kayle, Kennen, Kha'zix, Kog'Maw, Leblanc, Lee, Leona, Lissandra, Lucian, Lulu, Maokai, Morgana, Nami, Nid, Nunu, Olaf, Orianna, Panth, Rek'Sai, Renekton, Rengar, Rumble, Ryze, Sejuani, Sion, Sivir, Sona, Swain, Syndra, Thresh, Trist, Vayne, Veigar, Vel'Koz, Vi, Viktor, Xerath, Yasuo, Zed, Ziggs.... = 20

Durzaka3/1/2015, 7:32:40 AM2 votes

Youre going to say only 20 champions see play when we had a Hecarim picked TWICE today alone?

This season has been a lot more diverse than any other season. Minus bullshit like Lissandra.

Rinky Dinky3/1/2015, 5:53:56 AM1 votes

Honestly, from what I have been watching, there has been ALOT of variety in top, mid, Support, and adc, this and last week.

Jungle is the main role that has zero diversity.

I am only speeking of the past 2 weeks, I agree the first 4 were just the same 3 champions every game for every role accept adc

I Kill Commies3/1/2015, 7:01:27 AM1 votes

Are you surprised that there is very little champ variety in LCS? It's honestly not Riot's fault. It's impossible to make a game perfectly balanced. The game would have to be absolutely perfectly balanced for there to be alot of variety in LCS picks. The pros aren't up on stage to have fun, or to entertain you. They are there to win. Period. It's there livelihood on the line. If a champion is just 0.00000000001% better than another champ then the pros will pick that champion 100% of the time.

Miku Lv993/1/2015, 7:57:17 AM1 votes

Champions don't really have to be all that balanced to get at least some play. Some players are better with some champions than others. Some champions are better with certain allies. Some better against certain opponents. And yet, even with that, there are still many champions that are so bad that they are not picked with any team or with any combination of opponents, either.

It's really the jungle there this is especially a problem when right now, the difference between a good jungler and a bad one is having full HP or close to it vs being at like 40% HP when they try to show up for a gank when they've had 1 back. The difference should not be that huge to the point where the bad junlgers are just so bad that there's no way they'll be able to compete after that huge of a disadvantage.

Hard Penetrator3/1/2015, 9:06:01 AM1 votes

It would put too much stress on players and toned town level of play. It might definitely would be amusing but I guess Riot aims into highest possible professional performance they can't achieve meaning only handfull of champions used up to their full potential at one time.

That's why some extra pocket pics or comfort pics are still interesting and might you win games.

Spacesuit Spiff3/1/2015, 9:25:27 AM1 votes

Yeah, if they do a best of 3 it might be interesting to see the picks be banned in the next matches. By the third, that's 26 champs they can't use.

Thing is, it's not entirely Riot's fault. The pros want to play as few champs as possible so they can take the time to master them (and I mean a Zed main playing Zed for 12 hours a day every day). Even if there are strategic advantages to picking niche champs once in a while, it might not be worth the time investment to learn, say, Rammus at the LCS level for that one game you can use him.

SpecterVonBaren3/1/2015, 10:13:20 AM1 votes

When I first watched some LCS match's I honestly thought this was what was actually going on during the ban phase.

4262873/1/2015, 3:35:07 PM1 votes

1- Force teams to play X number of champions per split. What is says. Your team must use X numbers of champions in said split 2- Allow teams to play X champion X number of times. What is says, you can only take that corki as adc X many times so use him wisely. 3-Anyone paying RP, or maybe anyone at the actual live events fills out a ballot of universal bans, that no team can use that day. This provides a unique interaction between fans and the pros that no other sport has that would directly affect the game we watch. Tired of seeing maokai and gnar? Vote to ban them fkers for the day.

Madra3/1/2015, 9:11:07 PM1 votes

There may be some champion diversity, but you still see the same champions dominate both in terms of % played and % banned.

Eedat3/2/2015, 2:26:06 AM1 votes

Season 1 Finals hue hue

http://youtu.be/bMTI1kYG4h0

Raptamei2/28/2015, 10:44:23 PM1 votes

Agreed. If Riot can't balance this game, let's at least force diversity.

Solaxo2/28/2015, 11:40:19 PM1 votes

It would be cool if community could chose bans

Ice Weasel X3/1/2015, 1:08:25 AM1 votes

I think a large part of it isn't necessarily that only those champs are viable, but that most pros have a limited pool of specialized champs by necessity. They can be above average with a large number of champions, but at a professional level they need to be as good as they can possibly be. That means they focus on a smaller pool of champs to be as competitive as possible with them. If they specialize too acutely (pool of 2-3 champs), they can easily be banned out, which is a bad thing. We've seen that in competitive play. However, they still do need to specialize. There are some who can manage massive pools of champions at peak performance reliably, but those players are not the norm (not even professionally).

Forced bans would increase champion diversity, but at a possible cost of forcing generalization on players. A team operating at 95%+ potential with pools of 4-5 champions each may end up performing at 80% potential when required to be competitive with pools of 10 champions each. (numbers for illustrative purposes only)

Zazusha3/1/2015, 1:31:01 AM1 votes

most champs are picked because they bring alot to a comp, instead of being specific to a type of comp.

Also the most over powered are picked, jungle and mid especially.

Did see a viktor today, an across the board "1st time" for pick/ban/winrate in LCS.

Renaille3/1/2015, 4:11:50 AM1 votes

{quoted}

It's getting to become stupidly repetitive.

it's always been like this.

Malix Farwin3/1/2015, 4:20:13 AM1 votes

I am thinking they just like specific comps and not so much that only 20 champions are viable.

Aboylova923/1/2015, 4:39:44 AM1 votes

I would actually watch the LCS if this was implemented in some form. As it stands, I haven't watched it in roughly a year as I just find it boring. Especially as the LCS games go farther and farther from what Solo Q is. At least if there was a more diverse champion pool, I could find some interest watching it, seeing how a pro would use say Swain in a top role, or someone similar. Strong but just not picked a ton.