Locking, muting, and playing.

KingEin·Dec 18, 2017·1 votes·395 views

Start a match, lock in your hero, mute your team. Is this bad practice if you want to avoid other toxic players? As a returning player I feel like I am done trying to compete with other players and their choices. I just want to play and have fun. Further, is saying your role at the start of the match not the same exact thing as locking in?

I feel like the amount of interaction between players eventually degrades based on the quality of the match. If you do good then you are praised, if you do bad then you are reported. Why not eliminate the chance of having your account suspended or worse by muting? Would it be good standard to tell your team that you are muting them? As interaction is still possible through pings?

9 Comments

redniwediSDec 18, 20173 votes

Riot has stated that pings are enough when it comes to communicating with your team. If you want to mute your team from the start just leave pings open until someone ping spams, and then mute that person in particular. I wouldn't tell anyone they are being muted though, just let them assume and say nothing.

I find it best to simply mute people at the first sign of negativity, rather than from the very start. They might not even be toxic, they might just be complaining about a bad matchup or their own bad play, but too much of that could still be a tilt risk for myself so I'll mute.

When it comes to locking in a role, particularly in blind pick, you pretty much have to call your role. It's not an actual rule, but instantly locking in a champion is definitely poor form and starts your game off on the wrong foot. On top of that many champions can fill multiple roles, so locking one of those champions in and letting your team assume where you are going is borderline refusing to communicate.

TLDR: Call your role in blind pick, muting is fine, don't say you're muting anyone, and pings are enough to not be legitimately reported for no communication.

KingEinDec 18, 20171 votes

Even if someone spams that they are going a role from the very start of the match, why is it in poor form to lock your role? If you lock jungle and people see that you are jungle, the only one pissy would be the one spamming to get jungle. I really do not see the difference other then people get frustrated they cannot be what they want. Which in the end is the same thing as spamming that you are going a certain role.

redniwediSDec 18, 20172 votes

It's poor form to lock it without calling it first. If you called it first you have every right to lock it in. Sorry if I wasn't clear, and this really only applies to blind pick.

In draft you can lock without saying anything at all.

Jo0oDec 18, 20171 votes

Ew, don't play Blind Pick. Draft has so much less champ select bullshit, and you actually have a leg to stand on if somebody tries to bully you out of your role.

Jo0oDec 18, 20171 votes

For what it's worth, I do use chat to communicate things that I don't think pings would accomplish. I'm in the minority, though.

redniwediSDec 18, 20171 votes

I do too. I can tell someone when to go in, or where to avoid when trying to gank, or any other sort of information that can get them to draw the same conclusion I have with pings, but I like to say thank you and talk about plans that are still a ways off when I can.

Jo0oDec 18, 20171 votes

That's your prerogative. I personally use chat to communicate strategy and attempt to shotcall when the need arises, so it would be unfortunate if you muted me unprovoked.

I'm of mixed feelings regarding telling folks they've been muted. I get that, with you, it's nothing personal. But in most cases, I think telling folks they've been muted comes across as a passive-aggressive jab. You might see two people arguing, then one says "muted" or "muted and reported", and it absolutely conveys that person getting one last shot in, trying to get the last word. It's not a good look, and it's not healthy for morale or focus of the team.

WoodakoodashoodaDec 18, 20171 votes

Chat is a distraction.

I mute all most games.

Of course, this makes reporting toxic players more difficult for me, but I can guess at their toxicity if they start to spam pings when they realize I am not listening to their bullshit.

Oh, and I get a ton of honor for not using chat.

Like I'm the cool quiet guy who just gets the job done without a word.