A Discussion About Ranked Changes in Season 9
I was recently scrolling through the comments on the /dev posts regarding the season 9 ranked changes and the different role ranks. I saw a lot of general discomfort on the future implementations of these changes and I think the main reason for this discomfort is largely a misunderstanding. Before I explain why, I want you all to know that I do agree with these changes and I want to see them implemented. I am frustrated seeing people rejecting these changes when I believe it will change LoL for the better. I want to reassure you that these changes are positive, and that no panic is needed. I will be explaining my thoughts on this subject by using bullet points, so skip ahead to the part that has you worried if you don’t want to read everything.
1. On having 5 different roles: a lot of criticism following the /dev posts has been on players not wanting to keep track of 5 different ranks on every role. Most people don’t have time to grind for 5 different roles, which makes perfect sense! However, if you currently only play one or two roles, do not fear! You will only have ranks for the roles you play. So, if you only play mid, you will only have a mid rank, as simple as that. Remember, you will only get an official rank in a specific role after playing 10 placement games in that role!
2. On trolling: another main complaint is that people will troll when autofilled because they will be in a lower mmr game, and so, be less inclined to play seriously. The direct solution to this is splashing: if you lose or win games in any role, you will gain or lose lp in your other roles. If you lose multiple games in an off role, the splash of lp will be increased, making you lose more lp in all your roles. People can troll games in season 8 and lose around 20 lp, but **in season 9, if you troll you can lose 30 lp+ total, which is a much bigger deterrent for trollers in my opinion. **
3. On autofill: one thing that people generally don’t understand is that this system will directly decrease the number of players being autofilled across the board. In season 8, players tend to main one or two roles since it is easier to climb on that specific rank. When you get autofilled, it feels unfair because you are not playing at the same skill level as the other people in your game. However, with season 9 changes, you won’t be forced to play a specific role (you still can if you want to!), and you can play other roles without your rank on your main being penalised. Basically, playing roles other than your main will be more fun and enjoyable overall.
4. Why change something that isn’t broken? in my opinion, ranked is broken! Players can only play their best roles/champions in ranked. If you want to try something new, you must play normal games. If you play a role for the first time in ranked, you are significantly worse than everyone in your game. Example: if you are a high gold midlaner and you get autofilled to adc, your skill will likely resemble a silver adc, putting your team at a huge disadvantage. These changes will resolve this issue, levelling the playing field for everyone.
5. Why add extra ranks? In the current version of LoL ranked play, around 80% of all players playing ranked are placed in gold or bellow. Isnt it strange that the large majority of players are stuck in the lower rings of the ladder? A silver 5 and a silver 1 player have an extremely large difference in skill between them, while a plat 5 and a plat 1 player are not that different. Adding more divisions will smoothen out the differences between player skill, making climbing the ladder more meaningful. TLDR: the ranked changes will mostly affect people who want to play different roles. You will get autofilled less. You won't be forced to only play one role in ranked.
Alright, I think I mainly summed up everything that I wanted to say. Discuss in the comments!
