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The ARAM changes still never solved the most glaring issue.

ModCaptainMårvelous··106 votes·4,713 views

#ARAM ACCOUNTS

In fact, I want to take a step back: The year is 2013. The Freljord event is coming out and with it the ARAM queue. I get into a custom game with a Rioter (Don't even remember who, it was years ago) and we're all having fun. However, I ask him a core question: "So what are you doing about ARAM accounts? You know, accounts where people unlock only champions strong on this mode". His/Her response?

"Nobody is going to do that."

Hey, look, it's 2017. People do that. People unlock ARAM-friendly champions. No, the reroll system giving more rerolls per champs unlocked doesn't do shit.

But you know what infuriates me most of all? Riot's refusal to actually address it. The fact that this could be solved in a single patch by going "We're opening all champs on ARAM. GG WP" and being done with the matter. Instead we're told...

That said, we don’t think the way champion assignment is working out has aged well. We aren’t fans of the ARAM accounts that some players make in order to have a more limited champion pool, since that kind of defeats the purpose. So we do discuss whether we should have the pool apply not just to owned and free champions, but to all champions (or maybe even a large subset of all champions that we cycle through over time).

How? How do you need more data and information for something so simple? Something so obviously skewed? How will trying to implement some half-baked (and frankly confusing) new system made from the ground up with arbitrary rules to stop ARAM accounts when the actual solution is the equivalent to flipping a switch. Change the light bulb, don't design an entirely new light fixture to fix it.

I'm honestly disappointed by the continued refusal to do anything when such a simple solution is presented. Riot, I've waited long enough: Just put all the champs in ARAM.

147 Comments

fuffychan10 votes

Theres nothing wrong with "ARAM accounts".

Its common sense that people who like ARAM will buy champions that are good for that mode. I only own about 60? champions even though Ive played since S1, because those are the only ones I want to play. Why would I play a game mode for fun where I am forced to play champions I dont like?

Vectros44 votes

{quoted}

Theres nothing wrong with "ARAM accounts".

Its common sense that people who like ARAM will buy champions that are good for that mode. I only own about 60? champions even though Ive played since S1, because those are the only ones I want to play. Why would I play a game mode for fun where I am forced to play champions I dont like?

By making an ARAM account, you're giving yourself an unfair advantage over those who don't. Seeing an entire enemy team with strong ARAM picks is demoralizing and not fun.

Mig8920 votes

This is an argument that'll never end. It's why it's such a small minority that take Aram serious. The unfair advantage of making an account is something you can never build around. Imo aram would be more fun with ten blind bans. Let everyone ban someone. If they're doubled up, let it go. Some games might only have 5 champs banned lol

Baka Red8 votes

I like that ban idea. It could work by having a thirty second (or so) window total at the start of the lobby for every player to ban a champion (but champions of the week should not be bannable). After that the random champs are chosen like usual, except that we would not get the banned champions of course.

(The reason for champions of the week to not be bannable is, that we might have a player in the lobby who doesn't own any champions. Thus by banning all the free champions, he would not get any champion.)

Elikain6 votes

Banning champions in ARAM isn't really appealing to me. Simply because the same ones are going to be banned over and over. If there's small enough OP pool, same champs getting banned over and over and if it's large, new champs take their place anyway. And how do you stop people from banning those champions? You do balance changes for ARAM specifically.

And this is the issue. No champion was ever made to port over to ARAM. They are made with SR experience and functionality in mind. Generally, Riot is OK with those champions playing like they are IF they are not clearly too strong/weak (Bard and Kindred respectively). What you accomplish with a ban phase on ARAM is needlessly prolonging games and forcing Riot to then actually have frequent balance changes to ARAM, which are not needed in my opinion.

I agree that ARAM games, where you know you lost the game in the loading screen, are just a waste of time. But there are definitely other solutions to fixing these problems than shafting new players out of loot completely (small champion pools) or trying to attach a semi-ranked experience to ARAM - a mode that's made to be a relatively "no hassle" when it comes to gameplay. You shouldn't feel pressured about ARAM's meta and knowing which champions are ban worthy this week.

UnboundCreator3 votes

{quoted}

By making an ARAM account, you're giving yourself an unfair advantage over those who don't. Seeing an entire enemy team with strong ARAM picks is demoralizing and not fun.

If you think trying to give yourself an advantage is stupid then you need to rethink your life buddy.

RainbowIcee1 votes

This is a public game, if you want to gjve yourself an advantage in your personal life and buy performance pills go ahead.

UnboundCreator3 votes

{quoted}

This is a public game, if you want to gjve yourself an advantage in your personal life and buy performance pills go ahead.

You have to be an idiot to not give yourself an advantage in ANYTHING. It being a public game means it's more competitive which is even more incentive to get an edge. Are you stupid?

RainbowIcee2 votes

You are obviously not a proud person. I don't like to give myself and edge if anything i feel competitive about, i like to win because i'm that good not because i'm cheesy. That's pretty pathetic, i'm good enough to win on my own without advantages. IF it was like that i'd just play bots, win all the time. I like a challenge, it is how i'm competitive. But there's nothing more satisfying than a fair challenge, it's a thrill... those that avoid it are just not really cut out for the competition. It's too much for them to handle. [slayer-jinx-wink]

UnboundCreator3 votes

{quoted}

You are obviously not a proud person. I don't like to give myself and edge if anything i feel competitive about, i like to win because i'm that good not because i'm cheesy. That's pretty pathetic, i'm good enough to win on my own without advantages. IF it was like that i'd just play bots, win all the time. I like a challenge, it is how i'm competitive. But there's nothing more satisfying than a fair challenge, it's a thrill... those that avoid it are just not really cut out for the competition. It's too much for them to handle. [slayer-jinx-wink]

Getting advantages is literally how you win in anything. You're also being very passive agressive and that's how I know i've already won the argument. gg

Supreme Senpai695 votes

He's not complaining people are making ARAM only accounts. He's complaining that they can do so. The complaint is on Riot's end. Yes by all means do everything you can do increase your odds of winning, you'd be silly not to. If a champion is so grossly overpowered you should play them for easy wins. You get the people who say "lol you have to play a no skill champ" and that's silly because if it helps you win then you're an idiot for not doing it.

But Riot should be nerfing a champion if they get that strong. If something innately gives you an increased chance of winning before the game even starts, that's an issue on the game's end that needs to be addressed, not the player's end for exploiting it

BIAKaboose6 votes

To sum it up simply, there are only 11 champions I don't own, random dude with ARAM account has a 40/50 chance to get one of the top OP ARAM champions, I have a 40/120ish. That means that while they have an 80% chance to get a super range poking beast or someone like Blitzcrank, I have a whopping 33% chance. While these numbers are just ball-parking the skewed nature is still pretty noticeable.

If I want an equal chance to get good characters then I am forced to make an ARAM account to compete because I have a significantly higher chance of not getting someone who is particularly good for the game mode otherwise, not to mention I would have all of my mastery reset and need to re-buy all of the skins I currently own for the champions I enjoy out of the strong ones.

only zhule5 votes

{quoted}

To sum it up simply, there are only 11 champions I don't own, random dude with ARAM account has a 40/50 chance to get one of the top OP ARAM champions, I have a 40/120ish. That means that while they have an 80% chance to get a super range poking beast or someone like Blitzcrank, I have a whopping 33% chance. While these numbers are just ball-parking the skewed nature is still pretty noticeable.

If I want an equal chance to get good characters then I am forced to make an ARAM account to compete because I have a significantly higher chance of not getting someone who is particularly good for the game mode otherwise, not to mention I would have all of my mastery reset and need to re-buy all of the skins I currently own for the champions I enjoy out of the strong ones.

So you CHOOSE to buy basically every champions, then you CHOOSE to play a game mode that gives you a random one among them, but now it's "unfair" because someone else CHOOSE to play the game a little differently.

BIAKaboose9 votes

I bought all of the champions I have to be able to trade people in drafts, I also like ARAM, so I am being put at a disadvantage for trying to have options to help my team because someone is actively gaming a random system into only having positive outcomes. The point of ARAM is to have weird team comps, but when you twist the entire game and cause the same 20 champions to show up game after game it entirely defeats the purpose.

Riot doesn't even like ARAM accounts and are currently looking into a solution for them for this exact reason as it was stated in the original post. It's not playing the game differently, it's playing the system differently, if it is supposed to be random it should actually be random, not random for some people and structured for others.

Ztoka8 votes

Riot makes a ton of money off "smurfs" making an aram account and spending rp to unlock op champs, not to mention the skins they buy for said champs. Making an aram only account and unlocking champs via ip takes too long to be practical for most players. Even if people unlock champs w/ ip, chances are, they will buy skins for at least some of those champs w/ rp so Riot wins again.

I am ok w/ unlocking all champs in ARAM ONCE key frags can be earned on unowned champs. I can't stand getting a champ I don't own and thus, missing out on a key frag chance after a win. That blatant "bug" needs to be fixed first before anything else is done to aram (or any other game mode imo).

only zhule7 votes

I don't have an ARAM account, but i can tell you that i wouldn't play the game mode if i had to risk getting a random champion from the entire rooster. Sure i have champions who are good on that mode, but i also have champions i bought way back when who are garbage. Why would most people risk getting a champion that they have never played before, and have no idea how to play? Now add that to the probably 50-60 champions that most players have never touched.

Automated Riven4 votes

thats kinda the entire point of aram tho

only zhule3 votes

[{quoted}](name=Automated Riven,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=kdre1raQ,comment-id=000a0000,timestamp=2017-04-25T17:56:47.761+0000)

thats kinda the entire point of aram tho

I would disagree, i think the game mode exists so players can't build "perfect" teams. Say the average player has 30-35 champions. Of which they know how to play 20 well. Now add 5-7 champions from the free week. So let's say you have a 50% chance to get a champion you know how to play, and a 50% chance to get a champion you are bad at or have never touched. Then we get to add in the idea of what your team looks like, doesn't usually matter that you got a champion you are amazing with if your team comp doesn't support it in the least.

A Sona or Lux doesn't do much if your team is all juggernauts VS. a team of range champions with even mild mobility.

AdeBug2 votes

Well then they missed that point for several years in a row and made fans for this mode instead.

And if it's still in the game, exploit, bug, or w/e, in this case aram accs, then it's for everyone to use. Including yourself. I don't condone it but the only thing against the rules is boosting. Not even smurfing, that's taken care of with mmr adjusting (still hate it). So you can just pick your idk... 3 to 10 fav champs on HA, start fresh and you will see your fun rate increase. It doesn't even have to be OP, like Lux or Teemo (you can still lose with em btw), but something that you like to play. And if you win, even better.

K now back to champ pool. I for one hate specific champs, especially double mode champs like elise, nida and jayce and I will dodge if I'm out of rerolls and no one wants to trade and I get a champ that A. I don't like B. I know with that team comp it will be an auto loss

Now about getting a totally new, never touched champ, idc about that cus I do use ARAM for trying out and learning non-owned champs as well. I think everyone should.

So if we get more max rerolls and increase the rate, then by all means. Atm not all champs are fun on this map. Not all champs are fun for everybody. Not all champs actually WORK on this map, some need tweaking because they have passives or abilities with no use on it. Tweaks or disables, whatever, just do something about that handicap.

Making an additional aram mode with the entirety of the champ pool will, how some like to put it, split the playerbase, so I don't think that's an option for them, even tho the queue on avg is shorter than the SR queue. So I guess moah rerolls for a true to form ARAM.

Skins Project2 votes

Aram and more specifically ARSR is more about building around your team comp and adapting to the teamcomps both teams have.

LTSpec6 votes

I 100% agree with you, Riot should just open the champion pool on these game modes and specially in future feature games.

Dominick Destine4 votes

No.

I don't have an ARAM account but the solution is not to open all champs, just increase the amount of "free champs" on ARAM or limit it to exclusively non ARAM-OP champs like Udyr and Evelynn.

ModCaptainMårvelous18 votes

That's not going to solve anything.

Let's say there are roughly 40 or so strong ARAM champs on an account. Then you have the F2P rotation which will, at best, give 10 additional champions. That's still an 80% chance to high-roll a strong champ and even then, you're likely sitting on a reroll or two for a bad scenario. Increasing those free rotations won't really fix the problem either.

The counterpoint is obviously that it takes time to "Farm up" an ARAM account. However, you often get many champions for free from things like hextech crafting and many strong ARAM champs (Such as Soraka or Janna) can be purchased for exceedingly low costs.

Despite that, my original point stands: It's taking the long way around to solve a problem that can be fixed with a simple, quick change.

Ztoka4 votes

Do you know how rare it is to get a key frag from a win when you have a really small champ pool? At first, you have a MUCH greater chance of getting a free rotation champ as your champ pool is non existent. You only get chests/key frags on champs you own, so you are quite gated on a new account. In order to get a 50% chance at getting a champ you own, you need to own 10 champs minimum. I have friends who just started, they are around lvl 16-18 and they have 4-5 champs unlocked from ip. Just saying unless someone spends real $$$, it takes quite a lot of time to actually open up a viable pool of champs on an "aram" (or any) account. Sure, you can play normals on the new account and choose one of the few champs you own so you get a better chance to get a key frag, but then it isn't truly an "aram" account if you are playing normals etc w/ it.

Spoofghoul4 votes

im sitting on about 15-20 keys (would need to check) as a sion otp

so no they aren't that rare

chests however

Supreme Senpai692 votes

See I don't get this cuz I have 10 chests and 2 key frags. Chests you literally just need to get an S on a champion. Keys are RNG

Sohleks5 votes

Why is the solution not opening all the champs?

Skins Project3 votes

Simplest answer is that it isn't riot's style. They haven't ever really made a mode that opens up all champions be it random or not.

Second is considering events like the current one (play xayah with rakan or vise versa 2 games) it is IN THEORY abusable. Beyond that it's that it could also be unfair to force someone to play a champion out of their comfort zone/style.

Velzard of Koz1 votes

Second is considering events like the current one (play xayah with rakan or vise versa 2 games) it is IN THEORY abusable.

Yes, like you'll be able to abuse upcoming Dark Star mode to get easily Mastery and Chests on Thresh. Oh wait no, you won't since they just... disabled that feature for that particular mode. Magic.

This particular example might even be limited by requirement of owning the champs. You still are not getting any chests or keys from playing champs you don't own, so I don't understand why it would be such rocket science here.

Beyond that it's that it could also be unfair to force someone to play a champion out of their comfort zone/style.

Uhm... Rerolls still exist. Also, just like when they are shared with random modes, they might get adjusted ratio for this style. Also, they'd still be roofed so you wouldn't be able to reroll to easier comp any easier than now. Also, the point of ARAM is trying things you might not get customed to, as the result can vary depending on the teamcomps. It's only problem when you are forced to do so while the enemy is not which is the discussed issue here.

Skins Project2 votes

No..

There's a difference.

Disabling mastery/chests wouldn't be helpful for aram..... Some people whom legitimately do nothing but aram would be unable to earn mastery or chests, hence that an unviable solution.

Considering rerolls do exsist, take the fact that there are 134? Assuming you know how to play half the rooster even SEMI well... 2 rerolls, hell even 10 isn't gonna help.

The idea is to try new, diffrent, and unique teamcomps you don't see everyday.

Velzard of Koz1 votes

Disabling mastery/chests wouldn't be helpful for aram..... Some people whom legitimately do nothing but aram would be unable to earn mastery or chests, hence that an unviable solution.

That wasn't the point. Just like they have the easy ability to disable mastery/chest gains, they could disable ability to gain reward from such events, not to mentoin ownership of said champions might be requirement, so... I don't see any "abuse" posibility here. You mentoined the Xahay/Rakan event, I mentoined chests/masteries and the Thresh mode just as an example that they can disable such features for particular modes.

Considering rerolls do exsist, take the fact that there are 134? Assuming you know how to play half the rooster even SEMI well... 2 rerolls, hell even 10 isn't gonna help.

I OTP one champ, started to pick up second. I barely "play well" half the champs I own and rarely had extraordinary problems. Big portons of champions are straightforward, others are point-click dmg bursters whose display of skill in ARAM would be only in picking when to go in. It's not a rocket science. And you might just say you don't know the champ and:

  1. Someone might trade with you
  2. You can roll twice
  3. Someone might give you strategy and build advice I've seen many such cases even now with this system, th person would be just told how to use their combos or champ effectively.

In the worst situations, there might be additional systems, such as marking a champion as undesired. Should he roll out, you'd still play it but after the game, in case you mark it as undesired you'll have 0 chance to reroll into that champ that day (to avoid artifically created "ARAM accounts" by those who'd spam games to filter those champs, they could still drop, just not from reroll), up to let's say 20 champs a day.

Skins Project3 votes

That actually brings up a few new problems..

Could you trade with anyone on your team?

Or would you still be limited. Being that if you could (if all champions were unlocked) it still brings up the problem of abuse cases. Rare as they may be.

OR even when trying to get a main for S, S+. Considering for a good portion of the rooster, it's quite easy to get an S on aram.

Then part of it comes down to the community. We already have dodgers as it is... Doing this might just kill aram.. Beyond that (From experience) a good portion of players does not take well to advice. I have been told to KMS for asking fiora to max W (Old fiora when it gave dmg).

Apologies on the mastery thing. I misinterpreted what you meant.

Spoofghoul2 votes

isn't that the point of All Random

getting a RANDOM champion which is likely to be out of your comfort zone

Skins Project2 votes

No not really....

It's to build a team comp out of something you don't see all the time....

ARSR especially..

Aram is in most cases less of a "random" gamemode and more of a separate gamemode that has a diffrent pace from summoners rift.

Serophous1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Skins Project,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=kdre1raQ,comment-id=000000010000,timestamp=2017-04-25T13:16:00.913+0000)

Simplest answer is that it isn't riot's style. They haven't ever really made a mode that opens up all champions be it random or not.

Second is considering events like the current one (play xayah with rakan or vise versa 2 games) it is IN THEORY abusable. Beyond that it's that it could also be unfair to force someone to play a champion out of their comfort zone/style.

Doesn't ARURF open up all champs?

Skins Project2 votes

Does it actually? I don't believe so.

The closest one to opening everything from my recollection was nemesis draft and that was EXTREMELY unpopular.

58697132DEL14 votes

Well duh but then Riot would have to actually CARE about people not playing rift

and that'd just unrealistic lol

LadyRenly3 votes

I think having all champs open would be a good thing. You'd get a new champ you've never tried, say...Viktor or Draven because they looked not easy, then you play em and go "damn that was fun actually" and may be more inclined to buy it.

Besides, can't you play a champ you don't own on One for All?

Gallows madness2 votes

or buy all champs like i do and play em all so yea that is one issue needs to be solved

Shuyin1783 votes

You buying every champion doesn't solve the issue for the other players who only buy ARAM only champions.

AbiwonKenabi2 votes

I don't know how you can tell the scope of ARAM accounts actually being created. You only play one game (presumably) with these people and it could just be random luck. Plus, with the introduction of the reroll system, garbage like Udyr, Eve, etc, doesn't get through as much, and people tend to hold onto Lux or Varus. So how can you tell who is lucky and who only owns Ziggs, Ezreal, Sona and whoever? These are all fairly popular Champions as well, even on SR. People might just be rerolling for them.

I have no doubt ARAM accounts exist, I just question how prevalent they actually are.

ModCaptainMårvelous1 votes

It's actually easy to tell by checking match history. I used to do it too.

ARAM Accounts usually...

  • Only play ARAM (obviously) or feature modes for more IP.
  • Have a large amount of games played as "strong" ARAM champions.
  • Contain high mastery scores for strong ARAM champions.
  • Are post-2013 accounts (But that's harder to tell).
Baka Red2 votes

That looks like a fun test. I am taking it myself, thanks! :)

Self-analysis starting: "Only play ARAM (obviously) or feature modes for more IP."

  • Practically only plays ARAM (with some Poro kings thrown in): Check! "Have a large amount of games played as "strong" ARAM champions."
  • 3K games must have plenty of strong ARAM champion games among them. Check! ;) "Contain high mastery scores for strong ARAM champions."
  • I don't know how to check that from outsiders perspective. Help needed! "Are post-2013 accounts (But that's harder to tell)"
  • Is post 2013 account. Check!

So I don't know how to analyze masteries of someone else's account. How do you see that? Does my account count as ARAM only account? Thanks for humoring me. :) [ in case someone actually wants to check, I recently changed alias from "Baka Red Asuna" to just "Baka Red" - that is why you might not find much information under "Baka Red" ]

Oh, also the first condition has little fault in it I think. ".. for more IP." - What do ARAM only accounts do with the IP? They don't want more champions that is for sure. Second condition could also be little clearer and should have some kind of ratio thrown in (lots of good champs, only rare bad champs)

I agree with AbiwonKenobi. Even though ARAM only accounts exist, they are less common than people think. ARAM lobby is like Yatzee roll. That is why strong champions are more common in teams than weaker ones. Weak ones get rerolled and thus stronger champions are more common than weak ones.

AbiwonKenabi2 votes

These criteria can apply to players who play ARAM only. There's few ways to distinguish between ARAM accounts and people who only play ARAM (except for the post-13 accounts, which again, it's possible those people decided to play ARAM only.)

Kr1sys2 votes

They don't want to unlock all aram accounts, because they want to continue getting free money from those extra accounts through skins and such.

Unlocking all champs will basically just be them taking money away from themselves

Hatless Casual2 votes

I personally play ARAM almost exclusively, but I only get the champs I can play well or grew to like. Not based on how strong they are on the murder bridge. Funny how 1 set of patches can make a champion go from a god to useless.

IcyPepper2 votes

I've heard Rioter comments on this. Is this as prevalent and a big deal as people are making it out to be? I understand wanting all champions unlocked, but ARAM accounts don't sound all that common.

franchise76761 votes

you unlock all champions and all those aram only accounts stop playing aRams Q time skyrocket to an hour.

ModCaptainMårvelous18 votes

Yeah no. There might be some longer queues but I'd haphazard people would rather wait 2-3 minutes for a more balanced ARAM rather than sit in a Lux/Varus/Ezreal pokefest every other game.

Lauchmelder13 votes

2-3 minutes. Screw that, I'd even wait for an hour to get into an ARAM without ARAM accounts.

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