Ideas to Streamline and Improve Upon the Level Up System (specifically 1-30)
This is aimed at newer players mostly rather than smurfs as I leveled up a smurf recently I saw the potential of the new predetermined level up system that everyone goes through from 1-30. Cactopus recently posted a thread outlining what you get in each level up and how its predetermined to ease new players into the game.
Before I get into this I want to preface a personal opinion and belief I have about what new players SHOULD have and be able to do by the time they hit level 30. They should:
1.) Have Enough Champions just from leveling up to Play Ranked (20) 2.) At least 2 Champions In Each Role (Top, Jng, Mid, Bot, Supp)
So I looked at the charts and graphs and did the math. I added up all the raw BE they give you, the cost of upgrading all the shards they give you, as well as the potential BE if you disenchanted them.
Strictly speaking the new system is MOST efficient when you never disenchant a shard for a champion you do not own. This saves you 40% total cost on all champs if you are patient. It just straight up gets the MOST out of your BE. (most bang for buck)
Knowing that, I added it all up and wrote down what you get if you upgrade only the cheapest shards first in an attempt to fulfill goal number 1. I came to the following conclusion:
1.) 14 Total Champs (Ashe, Garen, Brand, Xin Zhao, Janna,3 of 450 champs, 2 of 1350 champs, and 3 of 3150 champs) 2.) 3370 Raw BE Leftover 3.) 4 Shards for 4800 BE Champs the player should probably hold onto for later since they are less common and worth upgrading eventually
If you use the 3370 Raw BE on 450 BE champs you can have your pick of 7 champs in that category and have 220 BE leftover.
This would give you 21 champions fulfilling goal 1. Great! But can we fulfill goal 2. Let's look at the champs we already have guaranteed by following efficiency out of the level up system.
Top- Garen Jungle- Xin Mid- Brand Bot- Ashe Supp- Janna
This means that we only need one more champ in each role and we have 7 so we have two we can use on any. out of the 450 champs is there at least one in every role that could be applied? Let's take a look.
Top- Singed, Poppy, Kayle Jungle- Amumu, Master Yi, Nunu, Warwick Mid- Annie, Ryze, Kayle Bot- Sivir Supp- Soraka
And here is where I feel the system is falling short of new players. There is one in every role thats great. But there's ONLY one in bot and support. Meaning a player who is genuinely new can go into a ranked game with just one choice for Bot lane or Support potentially if they don't buy any new champs. The system certainly gives new players enough but if the player doesn't know how to maximize efficiency like I have outlined here they might not have enough champs at level 30 and that FEELS BAD. Most players when they hit 30 are excited and wanna go into a ranked game. I know I did and most of my friends did too. Nervously of course, but they wanna try. I mean they just grinded to 30 playing normals. They wanna see how they hold up.
How do we set up new players for success? Well we can do it without even changing much. Just changing what you get when you level up slightly to ensure that players get at least two in each role, 20 champs, while maintaining their value. Here is a potential new set up:
Level 2- Ashe Level 3- Garen Level 4- Brand Level 5- Janna Level 6- Xin Zhao Level 7- Sherwood Ashe or Sanguine Garen Level 8- 1 Random Ward Skin, 500 Orange Essence, 1 x 450 Shard Level 9- Sivir Level 10- Soraka Level 11- Poppy, 50 BE Level 12- Amumu, Master Yi, or Warwick (random), 50 BE Level 13- 1 x 1350 Shard, 130 BE Level 14- 1 x 4800 Shard Level 15- Cait Shard, 3260 BE Level 16- Annie, 50 BE Level 17- 500 BE Level 18- 2 x 1350 Shards Level 19- 600 BE Level 20- 1 x 4800 Shard + Icon permanent Level 21- 600 Level 22- 1 x 3150, 20 BE Level 23- 725 BE Level 24- 725 BE Level 25- 1 x 4800 shard + ward skin permanent Level 26- 725 BE Level 27- 1 x 450 shard, 1 x 3150 shard Level 28- 725 BE Level 29- 1 x 450 Shard, 1 x 3150 shard Level 30- Milestone Box?? (said to be valued at around 2120 BE for disenchants)
There is our meme king Cactopus' original thread. As you can see all that I changed was the early leveling and guaranteed the new player pick up at least two champs in every role without having to think about it.
I turned Janna/Xin Zhao from shards into permanents. And turned two of the 450 BE level ups into Sivir and Soraka. I also changed one of the 500 ones to Poppy and another 500 into one of Amumu, Master Yi, or Warwick. Also another to Annie to fill up mid.
Note that the player still gets the same value, albeit a little bit less choice, but its easier and streamlined, ensures they get the easier to play champs and a champ in each role so they arent fucked in ranked if they are unable to get the only champ in the role they owned (in the event of autofill) The player can still mess up and upgrade Cait, but I think its a good option to leave because a player who chooses to get Cait at the shard discount price can simply not upgrade their three 3150 shards and save 5670 BE and use that to get the remaining champs they want at cheaper prices to ensure they have enough champs for ranked.
The system is very good, but I think it should guide players better and ensure they get champs in every role and without having to choose to upgrade for those champs. the champions selected are pretty perfect for new players. they are simple, easy to understand.
The last idea I have is the following to ensure that every champion is getting fair efficiency:
Make Tristana/Alistar somewhere for free as well without taking anything away from the above list as well as giving the player the free skins that they get for liking the facebook/etc.
If Riot wants them to like Facebook to make it fair, they can add a window that pops up at level 30 that lets the player know they have two free champs/skins waiting for them if they simply like the league of legends facebook and follow their twitter. (I believe those are the two) and once its confirmed through the system they get those champs. And this ensures the new player upon reaching 30 will have:
Top- Garen, Poppy Jung- (Amumu, Yi, or Warwick), Xin Zhao Mid- Brand, Annie Bot- Sivir, Ashe, Tristana Supp- Janna, Soraka, Alistar
With enough BE they can get either the remaining shards they have upgraded that are cheap or sit on the expensive ones, or upgrade cait and get a bunch of cheap. Just a lot of options, but that pool above is perfect for new players imo and is a good start to get them ready for ranked.
Just my thoughts.