The most noticeable change when you reach high(er) elo

is the picks. In Diamond, if we look at the role of adc you'll see mostly and probably . In the mid lane, you'll mostly see . In the jungle, you'll mostly see . I'd also mention but he's pretty much permabanned in my games so idk. The diversity in each role is getting minimized as you climb and one good reason for that is this: People recognize their opponent's mistakes more easily and know how to punish them, which makes the game last shorter. So they either try to pick champions that are stronger in the early game like or really safe champions like . There aren't a lot of champs that meet those criteria and that's why the diversity is so low in high(er) elo. You can't pick someone like or or and expect to climb diamond unless you're a god with them. The complicated part: It is really hard to expand diversity by making more champions meta without them being insanely powerful in other elos. Let's take and : If we balance those two around high elo so they can start being competitive there, they will be pick or ban / freelo champs in lower elos. is another classic example (altough she isn't played anywhere but anyway). too. If Riot balances him around competitive play, he will be the god of low elo. has actually been in a situation similar to him. The list goes on. What I'm getting at is that it's a lot harder to expand diversity than you might think. Some champions's kits are just nearly impossible to balance in a way for them to be played in all elos and be fair. Which is why they stay the way they are now and are just not picked in games in higher elo.

Note: There are, of course, preferences. Meaning that some people pick weaker champions in high elo because they simply enjoy playing them and don't care if they can't climb any further. Those people are an exception. I am one of those people because I play in high elo, which is a very situational pick (at most) at this level.