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I played against an off-meta lane

IcyPepper··130 votes·7,539 views

And honestly, it was hilariously fun.

An AD Twisted Fate and support Brand was honestly a challenge against my lane, Kog'Maw and Lulu (me). Both sides got forced back a few times, but my side more.

Unfortunately, once we managed to turn the tide and began winning, the enemy team instantly began blaming their and asking us to "report troll bot lane," despite them being so close to getting a single kill off us and snowballing out of control (which happened to us instead, thanks to good vision control and jungler pressure).

This pisses me off so much. Not only did they wait until they were losing to vent their frustration, not consider that maybe their team was just outplayed, but they used a nearly-effective (I almost wish they had won just to prove a point) bot lane and now they're unlikely to experiment further not because of the loss, but because how others treated them.

And this was right after a game with a team so off-meta it would have made Solwolf drool, and I managed to win with that.

I've won, lost, played with and against off-meta team comps, and those games always stick out as the most fun no matter which end of the stick I'm on. I get that people want to win, but metagaming is something you can experiment with, not something you follow like doctrine. Especially in normals. Where's the fun in that?

182 Comments

Astôlfo48 votes

"B-B-BUT MY META FOTM PICKS I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO PLAY" ^ people

50000000000000005 votes

I actually did an all-juggernaut team with premade back when they were broken OP. We got stomped, because we didn't know what we were doing.

IcyPepper6 votes

You know, that doesn't sound all that bad... make sure you have mixed damage, throw in a Sivir and a Rightous Glory somewhere, and now you potentially have a hell of a teamfight potential.

Mhihnj3 votes

DUNK, DEMACIAA, HueHueHue DUNK, DEMACIAA, HueHueHueDUNK, DEMACIAA, HueHueHueDUNK, DEMACIAA, HueHueHueDUNK, DEMACIAA, HueHueHue

IcyPepper12 votes

Sivir JarvanIV Darius Mordekaiser Nautilus

Now go have fun >:)

Saphixia1 votes

Brand Darius Teemo Twitch Malzahar is my DOT team, i play it sometimes and it can be both broken and very weak. Also, my wombo ult team (Galio Gangplank Nunu Amumu Orianna ) is very similair, but is less strong when they are ahead (as they can easily mess up)

Dessem2 votes

Shen Top Pantheon Jungle TwistedFate Mid Kalista ADC TahmKench Support

This is my wet dream. One moment, you're calmly 3-man pushing down the top lane while the enemy team did dragon. 5 seconds later you're 3v5 because ohgodtheentireenemyteamishere.

Starcraft243ver2 votes

Any anti-melee team would shit on them so hard :/

IcyPepper4 votes

The early game, yeah :/

But late-game? THE ENGAGE THOOOOOOOO

Bemapon19 votes

Very well said. As someone who likes to do non-meta things occasionally, normally people don't seem to care until the team starts losing even if its not the non-meta players fault. From my experience it is normally the people who are feeding that are the ones to blame the non-meta players.

IcyPepper11 votes

The sad part is, while the ADC didn't do much (1/1/0 because I keep my team alive), the support managed to do the most damage on his team despite going 0/5/2. Not to mention they put down the most wards on their team.

While they didn't contribute much, the rest of the team was mediocre. It's obvious they were just making bot lane the scapegoat for their loss.

Also, I'm a support main using Lulu. It's not their fault they couldn't get kills, I'm an asshole like that.

Bemapon7 votes

Back when Runeglaive was a thing I decided to do AP Ezreal jungle. My bot lane lost horribly and were pretty much just feeding. Their excuse: "Well we have an Ezreal jungle so Im not even going to try."

We won. I ended the game 26/1 and 1 shot their Graves from full hp with my ult at one point.

My bot lane didnt say anything after the game.

IcyPepper5 votes

My bot lane didnt say anything after the game.

Funny how they always leave the post-game room without a word, huh?

Not even a "sorry" either.

SSJTribe2 votes

http://matchhistory.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/#match-details/NA1/2119308802/46482680?tab=overview

It's always bot lane complaining... I had this game as a mid lane Nami which we lost. 11/2/13 but yeah it's my fault, not the Draven who only dealt 11k damage in a 45 minute game.

theArtifacts11 votes

I find it funny when anyone flames in norms. It's NORMS, chill out! Let whoever be who ever so long as their doing their job in their intended role.

Troll for Trump5 votes

You should be able to be mad. It's not "it's norms, do whatever u want lol". You can't autolock and expect people to not do anything. You can't just pick support singed, take cs and screw over ur adc and then blame the adc.

50000000000000008 votes

Off-meta and trolling are two different things. One could take a LeBlanc as a support and max chains for CC, or max Q first and KS. One could take a Veigar as a support and max cage for teamfight, or max Q first and steal CS to farm AP. Heck, you could even take a more meta supports like Annie and steal CS with your Q.

As a support, you should maintain vision and help your ADC farm (or kill, if you're a kill lane). You could take a Leona or Soraka to do that, or you can take a Sion or Maokai. If you're doing your job as a support, the off-meta pick you choose is not trolling.

Troll for Trump5 votes

K, Im going Darius support now.

HeadHonchkrow6 votes

that actually sounds awesome

Troll for Trump4 votes

Yeah it actually works fine. Better with the new Darius than the old one. Although the new Darius is stronger, I still miss the old one, which I used to carry in solo queu pretty efficiently.

statelesskiller3 votes

i got fucked into doing that once because im a idiot and thought i was top but wasnt. so i was forced into darius support.

its rather hard at first but if your rush a black cleaver its really good. cause you know your darius. and if your ADC has a problem with that simply say "30% armor shred . . . your fucking welcome" and they will shut up

then just build support after that. righteous glory particularly is good cause you cant kite a speed of sound darius

alot of support items give health which as a juggernaut like darius is pretty good

LuxannaVeritas7 votes

Y-YES!! confetti

Let it be known that someone actually loves us off-meta players!

But srsly thank you for posting this since it's the truth. First of all, breaking the meta is hella fun and could be useful to find unusual counter-picks!

Second of all I agree that some people usually blame non-meta picks for losing, since they think that "the meta is GOD and nothing can beat it and your stupid for not following it." It's true, the meta is good, but not absolute.

Finally thank you for stating that it's not about WINNING, it's about having FUN. And it's not FUN when people complain and blame their teammates when they're losing.

Lulu support mains: ASSEMBLE!

IcyPepper4 votes

It's true, the meta is good, but not absolute.

Not to mention there's an art to meta-breaking, which people also fail to understand at times :<

The other day, I played an off-meta team with the Men Who Giggle (a club I'm in), and we specifically chose Jarvan+Leona bot lane, Gnar, Blitzcrank jungle, Jhin mid. All for the ultimate teamfighting combo.

I think a big reason people are against going off-meta is they don't understand the point of the current metagame, and don't know how to manipulate it to their advantage. Granted, you need an AD carry, but that doesn't necessarily mean bot lane. Honestly, I think it's really just about team composition and trading whatever weakness for whatever strength (like being several levels behind as Blitzcrank jungle, only to land a grab during a gank that secures your laner a kill more easily than it would take a Master Yi).

And off-meta is sooooooo fun. Why play the same way every time (seriously, I hate people who enforce bot lane meta yet never focus on dragon, which is part of why it's meta) when everything can be different and be determined by skill and coordination rather than just champion select?

Tobias Brackner4 votes

"enforce bot lane meta yet never focus on dragon" Oh god this. It's like watching an LCS game where they pick Lucien because he's "strong" but don't lane bully with him.

Mecha MaIphite6 votes

I remember going J4/Panth bot with my friend, and our GP called us trolls and said he would report us.

It was hard carrying his heavy ass.

IcyPepper4 votes

I recommend trading Panth for Leona if you ever do that in the future :V

Sure, the stun is more difficult, but the teamfighting synergy is insane.

Although... why not have all three on the same team? D:

The Ecdysiast4 votes

Technically TF's secondary is Marksman and Brand has a decent pick rate as Support. It wasn't too off-meta, it was just under picked.

Trashkuun4 votes

"Under picked" is an understatement. I have seen so many TF ADCs and so many Brand supports I could vomit.

IcyPepper2 votes

I dunno, marksman doesn't always mean ADC (Azir and Teemo being prime examples). ANd other secondary classes don't mean they do the role, like how Orianna is an utility carry rather than actual support champion that's mostly mage.

Although people have told me TF used to be an ADC or something. So he seems like a different case.

GinoSoldier3 votes

I love messing with the meta, I do it all the time! I do also think it's the most fun just because it messes with people's brains a lot and challenges them on what they know of the game.

It Hertz When IP3 votes

I just got an S- today with Illaoi support. The meta is not as great as it's cracked up to be.

Masterkerfuffle3 votes

I love breaking the meta! I played Nasus mid the other day and rekt a Katarina.

DarkSaiint2 votes

Just because your trash troll lane works in below bronze Elo doesn't mean it's actually viable and fun to play with. There is a meta for a reason, noob

IcyPepper14 votes

Or, you know, we were playing normals?

Yet people act like it's Worlds or something. They overreact. That's the point I'm making. It's childish.

MAGA MAN X 20205 votes

They played ADC Kennen at worlds lol

Shonjl1 votes

In normals do as you will, as long as you actually do well. But if it is ranked. You better expect to get flamed. Off meta or trolly crap has no place there. I don't play ranked much but I would indeed flame someone doing that there. That has no place in Ranked.

IcyPepper13 votes

If someone has practiced it and it works within reason, I won't mind as much.

It wholly depends on context. I'd rather have someone play Azir bot lane because we have a Quinn top rather than someone who has no experience whatsoever with Graves. And that's entirely different than trolling, like full AP Riven support.

Metagaming isn't law, it's just a mean to the end.

Also don't flame, like ever :V

My Waifu Vanilla4 votes

I normally do "off-meta" stuff in ranked all the time, within reason of course. I am not going to go around playing Jungle TF or something, but last season I basically mained Top AD Akali for a majority of the season and getting almost 75k+ mastery on her despite people saying it's "not meta."

The thing with nonmeta is that it TYPICALLY shits on meta sheep who do not know how to play against it since it is not common. If I have over 100 games on an off meta champ and you first pick Darius (who was very meta for a majority of the season) because lolcounter told you to, then I will wreck you left and right because you don't know what you are doing and I have played the Darius match up 15+ times.

Tl;Dr off meta is okay if you know what you are doing and it ACTUALLY works (no AP Riven pls). If you want to main AP Kog nowadays and can shit a 55% win rate or whatever then all the power to you. It is not my place to question it, but if you want to first time AP Kog (which IS a statistically bad decision) and feed in my ranked game, then that is all on you.

Magearna2 votes

Thank you. I often have people in ranked say "should I play this or should I play [insert strong meta pick]" and I always respond the same.

"Just play what you're most comfortable with."

I'd rather have someone on a comfort champ, whether it's a meta champ or not. Playing an op champ means nothing to me if you don't KNOW how to play the champ. I think we need to end the stigma of meta picks being the only picks that can be played. Because I'd rather have someone play Galio top over Quinn top if Galio is their main and they know they can snowball hard with him.

Also I <3 Galio :3

Shonjl1 votes

Im kinda laughing I got downvoted. I was basically agreeing with it. If you know what you are doing, its all good.

But I would keep that stuff out of ranked unless you REALLY know what you are doing, and even then I would suggest against it. There is a meta for a reason, and Ranked is for competitive play, so playing the strongest at the time.

IcyPepper1 votes

You basically said that off meta has no place in ranked, and you would flame someone for it...

Shonjl1 votes

I said it has no place in ranked since it really doesn't. MEta is there for a reason, which is they are the strongest champs at that time, and in ranked, which is competitive, you should be trying the best.

That also being said, if you go ahead and play off meta, you better do it good. If you pick off meta into a lane, I will be worried, but won't say anything til they do bad.

If you do good, gratz for you, hell I will praise someone that succeeds on something off meta more than the normal person, but if you suck, well....

Different opinions is all.

IcyPepper1 votes

Metagaming is dynamic, it's possible to find alternate strategies to counter what's dominant.

And even then, how far meta do you go? Do you flame someone for not picking Master Yi because it's ranked and you want to win, or would you rather them pick their main (let's say... Sejuani, I guess) and perform optimally?

Annie and Morgana weren't played as supports originally, and it's relatively known that counterpicking with a bruiser can shut down a midlane assassin. Alternate strategies exist, metagaming is, well, meta (as in the word itself, not just short for metagaming). It's not scripture.

Zwaard2 votes

I was in a ranked game once, and our jungler showed Braum jg. We all thought he was just joking, but then he picked it and went devourer.

It was a beautiful thing.

No one knew how to play against it. He was vulnerable to counter jungling especially early on, but I think the other team was too confused to figure out how to deal with it. And once he got sated he started stacking AP and health.

AP sated Braum does a lot of damage.

I'm proud to say that my team was pretty cool with it, even before he started wreck-facing. He couldn't do much early, but no one gave him a hard time, even thought there was nothing to suggest on his lolskill page that he did this often or that he was good at it. Had he sucked, people probably would have flamed (It is Braum jg after all) but when off-meta works, it's even more satisfying than normal. I hope that even had he gone even, no one would have flamed. I have mad respect for people who can play off-meta - I just hope they've practiced and worked out some kinks in norms first.

EDIT: With the exception of support Teemo. **** that.

Thegreatxiu2 votes

A lot of times when me and my duo buddy do "off-meta" lanes we absolutely dominate, but other times something doesn't quite work out and we lose lane. We don't lose too hard, but when we lose we're treated, by our teammates, like we just fed a vayne 20 kills. At least some people have the balls to disagree before the game starts/at the beginning.

Tobias Brackner1 votes

You don't even have to go too far for some fun "break the meta" stuff. Esp with all these AD top, mid, and jung why not throw an AP down in botlane? Or even a tank for initiation?

OH MAN NOT GOOD1 votes

[deleted]

IcyPepper2 votes

How off-meta we talkin'?

Like, APC Azir bot lane because top lane has Quinn is a lot different than AP support Riven.

Darius Bøt1 votes

I mean, I'm looking at trying out Darius in the jg or mid lane sometime here soon, should be a fun time.

IcyPepper2 votes

If you manage to jungle with him effectively, mind sharing a few tips for his first early clears? I can't get it to work, unfortunately :/

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