The most common mistake i see while spectating high elos

Candoodle·Dec 9, 2016·31 votes·1,911 views

Now I'm just a lowly silver scrub so far be it from me to question our high elo overlords but just a thing i noticed about high elos that i wonder about.

What's with the risky, borderline bm backs? So many times i see high elo players either get caught or just have their back stopped (sometimes multiple times) because they dont just take the 2 seconds to walk half a screen away before backing

is the time saved from backing the exact second you hit your item regardless how exposed you are really that worth? Or do they do it to fake bait? I get there is a risk reward element but just from a pragmatic point of view the risk seems to outweigh the reward

triggers me when i see this in pro games

19 Comments

CatastropDec 9, 201636 votes

With great ELO, comes a responsibility to BM.

The Sword SaintDec 9, 201619 votes

It's a mindgame. The higher your elo is, the more people will respect your decision making to not assume you are doing something obviously stupid. If they see you backing in a dumb place exposed and don't have vision of all your teamates, they are likely to assume that the chance of you having an ambush prepared is too high for it to be worth them going in on you.

Doesn't always work since it's essentially a bluff, but it works enough that it becomes a habit.

SGT Dingle BerryDec 9, 20168 votes

I'm just not buying the "mind games" excuse. High elo players should not only have enough respect for their opponents abilities but their own as well. plus the OP is referring to how often this FAILS and why after its failed so many times do players keep doing it?

Hi QT

ChaoticPineconeDec 9, 20167 votes

Heres something think think about - sometimes high elo streamers dont play for wins. They play for money, meaning that the mistakes they make/their reactions are worth more than playing a boring, safe game.

EndlessSorcererDec 9, 20164 votes

Mind-games.

Yeah, I'm backing with low health in plain sight. Come kill me.

I promise my jungler isn't just out of sight, waiting to pounce the moment you overextend.

Asayake 5150glowDec 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Mind-games.

Yeah, I'm backing with low health in plain sight. Come kill me.

I promise my jungler isn't just out of sight, waiting to pounce the moment you overextend.

May or may not work, depending on the jungler. Say, a Yi is a lot less scary than a Vi or Hecarim.

KhadaverDec 9, 20165 votes

That barely even works in bronze though

EndlessSorcererDec 9, 20161 votes

It can work in higher ELOs because the players are better.

You tend to assume that players in Platinum+ have a good idea about what they are doing; as such, you know the are less likely to make such obviously stupid decisions.

If they are doing something like recalling in plain sight, you have to figure out whether it is a bait or just a greedy recall.

You can easily make players overthink things.

SGT Dingle BerryDec 9, 20161 votes

I've always thought the same thing. Take the 2 seconds to walk away rather than the 30 it's gonna cost if your back gets stopped or even worse you get ganked.

Silly NeekoDec 9, 20161 votes

I do it for fake baits, which turn into real baits and counterplays most of the time. But im in silver and i know the enemy will try to stop my back, which makes it all the more fun to me lol

MyrmironDec 9, 20161 votes

There are a lot of reasons to back in all sorts of places. If you're backing with low HP in plain sight of the enemy, it's the most obvious bait in the book. You're basically communicating "I have back up and I'm sure that even if you flash onto me I can still get away". Your opponent now has to make a decision, make the risky play of going for the kill and risk losing the lane in case he dies, or wait and see if you actually go back so he can be certain that it was/wasn't a bait. It's like in Poker going all in with absolutely nothing. If the others back out you won the mind games, if not you're done for. Depending on how the enemy reacts tells you a lot about them, and how easy they are to bait/troll. It's all mind games and calculated risk. I personally always jump right in, because I think killing my lane opponent is worth it for me, even if I get cleaned up by their jungler afterwards, because me having a kill and the other guy having only an assist is a big advantage for my laning phase. But don't take advice from me, I literally always go in when I see anyone in kill range. It's just more fun this way. Did some Edits, marked them by making them bold.

http://fs5.directupload.net/images/161206/6ns3tse8.jpg

nm1010Dec 9, 20161 votes

Playing at high elo brings a certain level of respect that other levels do not. People are good for the most part and they will make you look stupid with baits.

SkaiserusDec 9, 20161 votes

This is actually a pretty decent technique. You channel your back in case an enemy ganks you. Doesnt work all the time, but the clutch recall is great. Edit: And what the other people said too

juju adventuresDec 10, 20161 votes

Well obviously it's a gamble to save time, and a gamble they thought they would be able to win. If we knew when we would have success or failure, we would either all be bronze 5 or challenger/master

dominusxDec 10, 20161 votes

you always bm the enemy laner especially if you know him. i used to sit and dance over my premades body when i killed him 1v1 untill he respawned ;pp

The DrBonjigolloDec 10, 20161 votes

I always figured this was done when they lost hope and simply know they can't escape. :l

ZelorxonDec 10, 20161 votes

*monkey noises

WeatheredDec 10, 20161 votes

Three possibilities.

They are intentionally trying to draw out a skill shot or ability so that it is on CD for a play they are intending to try to set up.
They are backing happy, which is a thing. Some people will start a back whenever they are making decisions, so instead of just moving back and forth trying to decide what to do, if their decision happens to be that they need to back they are already mostly done. If not, they move and do whatever they intend to do.
They are just bming.

Phyuq YiuDec 10, 20161 votes

I thought the common mistake was going to be... "I'm getting ganked" "I'm a flash and a hop from my tower but they won't expect me to take the edgiest route through their jg and toward their base" "aww, ya got meh, but that chase tho" "why hasnt my bot lane taken over the game entirely? I just distracted 2 people for 5 seconds, push something"