If you're going to dismiss my evaluation/opinion because of my rank

SecretAgentHulk·2/13/2015, 4:32:22 PM·96 votes·5,507 views

Then screw you.

Just because I'm not the greatest player doesn't mean that I a) have nothing of value to contribute to a conversation, or b) don't understand the game.

The fact that I'm Bronze speaks far more to my lack of mechanical skill, inadequate understanding of runes and itemization, and inexperience with team comps than it does to my understanding of the game or evaluation of the LCS.

ETA: Some of the commenters have helped me refine this. Don't dismiss someone because they're Bronze, but show them why what they said is wrong. Yeah, Bronzies tend to say stupid shit, but if we can get someone who's willing to help us be less stupid, instead of telling us to go be stupid somewhere else, life goes better for everyone.

EDIT 2: Feeling less punchy now, have depunchified my phraseology.

148 Comments

GundayMonday2/13/2015, 6:11:42 PM24 votes

I learn things every day from the bronze players that watch my stream. Stupid of players to dismiss knowledge no matter where it comes from. Granted Diamond players definitely have more game knowledge than Bronze players generally speaking. Agree with the OP in that regard.

That said, if your input is just blatantly wrong, then yeah, you're gonna get dismissed, and possibly made fun of.

GG Beers2/13/2015, 4:50:00 PM13 votes

Umm dude, relax. The majority of the community doesn't play ranked or care about ranked. There are tons of people that are extremely experienced and knowledgeable that don't play ranked at all. Getting a high rank just means you dedicated time to ranked. I'll listen to someone who's played more games over someone with a high rank any day. Most people that are high rank have some sort of OCD that allows them to play the same champ and lane for hundreds of games in a row, something that would drive most normal people crazy.

Ariel the Cruel2/14/2015, 1:03:04 AM4 votes

It's your fault for being ranked.

Should have stayed with the Non-ranked master race. (And before "that guy" shows up: This is my only account.)

Humanshortcut2/14/2015, 8:24:15 AM4 votes

Dear Secretagenthulk,

You sir hit the nail square on the head - I as a "higher elo" player (gold S2, Plat S3, Dia S4) should never dismiss your opinion just because you're in bronze. I have a silver buddy that I talk theory crafting, the state of the meta-game, and about LCS with. I genuinely enjoy his input.

So...

I will dismiss your opinion for another reason: you just don't get it. Hindsight is almost always 20/20 and the difference between low elo and high elo is not OCD or even mechanical skill (you'd find that starts to level off around mid-plat). Instead, high elo players learn from their mistakes and build a working knowledge of the game - tl:dr DECISION MAKING. In my experience, the metaknowledge, itemization and other voodoo is secondary to a willingness to both make plays and learn from them.

You can flash-tibbers once every 300 seconds (or 216 if you combine mastery with boots - sorry for the voodoo speak) but can you bait the Annie into ejaculating early with mind games? That takes experience, sound judgement, and quite frankly balls. Watch C9 sometime, balls wins games...

So I cordially invite you to strap on a pair and join the grind.

Here's to you kid.

Human

Phenomenomnomnom2/13/2015, 5:44:58 PM3 votes

Actually it does invalidate almost everything you have to say about the game, because at bronze you don't understand shit about anything that pertains to LOL.

Who here doesn't remember crazy stupid shit they thought when they were bronze? If you're not just giving your opinion on something superficial then no one wants to hear what you have to say unless it's so dumb that it falls into comedy.

Serevas2/13/2015, 5:05:03 PM3 votes

I get exactly what you mean. I have an immense knowledge of the workings of the game, I'm a pretty strong theory crafter, and I'm able to explain itemization as well as work my way through runes and masteries with pretty strong capabilities, but I don't translate all of that knowledge directly into my play for some reason.

kirbyzama2/14/2015, 3:46:44 AM3 votes

IMO all players have a valid imput into the game even gameplay. Bronze to challenger we are all part of this community and every perspective needs to be taken into consideration when changes are made. Take Zilean. He was nerfed because he was really good in high level play and provided invisible power only good players could make full advantage of. Then take Kat or Fiora. Both are soloQ monsters that are stronger in lower divisions. They had their ults nerfed so that they weren't quite so ease to shove down the enemies throats especially when players don't know how to stop them.

Also when it comes to pure game knowledge, there are people that don't play the game that know more about how some champs work then diamond players. Look at some high level lol youtubers or streamers. They learn new things all the time. For me its like watching your Chem teacher look in the text book and saying "I didn't know that." Kinda funny and a tad disheartening.

Killer X 122/13/2015, 8:09:31 PM3 votes

I thinks some people also forget that the game IS played at all skill levels, and although the game cannot be balanced around just the lowest or jut the highest tier the opinions and experiences of both groups is valuable. There is also the FACT that many people could be higher ranked than they are simply by playing more games. As long as you have a +50% win rate you'll eventually climb. I do not personally play much ranked, but i know Diamonds and high plays IRL that only got there by playing hundreds (or 1000+) of games and i constantly have to tell them to stop doing stupid shit while we are in game.

kitcat3002/14/2015, 12:31:39 AM2 votes

A bronze player who gives valid reasons behind their points (correct or not) will always have more of my respect than any raging diamond ever will. At least the bronze player might be willing to listen should I try to correct them.

Straley2/14/2015, 1:49:37 AM2 votes

Some people just like to rage I guess. I played nemesis draft the other day and clearly stated that it was my first time playing Janna. Instead of giving me tips on how to play I just got raged at for "being bad." Give me a break my fav champs are J4 and Twitch. Janna is pretty foreign compared to those two ._. There's a lot of people that just expect you to play at Challenger level.

Autolock Zed2/15/2015, 6:46:02 PM2 votes

If someone is disregarding your opinion about whatever you may say about league due to your rank its kinda sad... Im diamond and i talk about league to all ranks. Honestly, the only difference between high elo and low elo is mechanics, and decision making. Rather than that we all have something in common we can share.

junglerboy162/14/2015, 3:51:53 AM2 votes

I heartily agree. To be blunt, I'm pretty bad mechanically because I don't have the time to play very often. However, I understand the game extremely well. I know exactly what to do on my champ when I play, I just don't always hit the buttons in the right order/quickly enough.

Rand0mH3r0X2/16/2015, 6:51:27 PM2 votes

Actually, its the people in Gold and Silver that tend to ignore everybody else and do the worst. I find that Bronze players, though lacking in game knowledge, tend to listen better than Gold and Silver players and thus the games are usually won through teamwork rather than the individual skill of the person. It's the whole Teamwork vs. Individual Skill argument. I prefer someone who is willing to listen and learn rather than someone who thinks they're good and knows it all. The latter person tends to fail miserably and bring the whole team down.

AetherKingdom2/14/2015, 9:23:54 AM2 votes

You don't need any mechanical skill for bronze. Hell you could fucking afk in base and just call shots for your team and have like a 80% 4v5 win rate

Spacesuit Spiff2/14/2015, 8:04:17 PM2 votes

This thread in a nutshell: http://lesswrong.com/ Specifically this: http://lesswrong.com/lw/lx/argument_screens_off_authority/

I had a conversation with a bronze player, he listed off a lot of top lane factoids I didn't know because I don't play top. Then he told me that he flashjukes ranged autoattacks (and apparently he does this every time flash is off CD). Anyone who responds to that with "stfu youre bronze" instead of "idk who told you that but the bullet will just curve around and hit you because there's no way to dodge autos unless you're Jax" is a cretin.

I tend to see people fall back on attacking someone's rank because they either don't have anything else to say, or just can't be bothered (usually both). Especially funny watching a silver 5 go "stfu youre bronze" to a bronze 1 when neither of them have any idea what they're talking about.

Lyrxen2/14/2015, 12:21:49 AM2 votes

Well, rank isn't always everything, I have been playing for a long time, but I don't really like to play ranked. I have plenty of friends who are good enough to be gold or platinum, but because they don't play ranked, they have the bronze 1 logo or lower. I would not disregard any advice unless it comes from a complete-only-been-here-a-couple-of-days player, and if the way a person does something works, then why not give it a try?

Sammystorm2/13/2015, 9:17:55 PM1 votes

Low level players first have to be willing to listen. Most players that are worse then me will not listen and claim shit like darius is op even though he isn't. So first be willing to listen instead of demanding to be respected even though you have not mechanically proven that you should be listened to.