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Singed, Off-Meta and False Logic...

ReadyxPlayerxOne·11/17/2016, 6:14:09 PM·4 votes·2,577 views

I've seen a lot of posts about "off meta" and that "singed issue" and much of it contains false logic. There is a lot of "IF A; Then C" Arguments, slippery slopes and bait and switches. Not going to pick anyone apart but I do want to help clear some things up.

  1. Will you be banned for playing "Off Meta"? Absolutely not. No one has ever been banned for playing any champion in any role and doing so with the intention of helping their team win.

  2. Do I have to build a certain way? Is it bannable if I don't get a sightstone (or other item)? Absolutely not. Building a champion is very subjective to the game and in many situations building the "standard" way isn't the way to go.

  3. Why can't I play however I want? RIOT's stance has been that the game is a "puzzle" to be figured out. There's nothing wrong with trying to figure out that puzzle or find a different way than is normally suggested by pro's or anyone else to solve that puzzle. In terms of player behavior though RIOT Tantram has made it clear that the general rule is "don't be a jerk". Odd play styles, weird builds and off meta picks don't excuse you from this rule. You can be a jerk simply by duo jungling when the jungler (and your team) doesn't want to play that way. You can be a jerk for being a support and just standing behind tower while your adc gets dived. Sitting there watching it happen is just being a jerk.

  4. Was the "singed support" guy banned because of his off meta play? No. They were banned because over the course of hundreds of games their play consistently effected their team in a negative way. It's not that he was playing differently or "off meta" he was playing like a jerk and doing it extremely consistently, despite warnings. There was a similar situation a few years ago. A 5 man team wanted to play a "feeder mid" comp. This would mean their mid would run down mid and die. Over and over and over. They wouldn't be worth much gold. They'd basically be worth 1 large minion. But it would distract the other team enough (who wanted to get kills) and give the other four people time to get really far ahead in cs and xp. They claimed it was just a "different" way to play. RIOT's stance was similar. Playing this way if everyone involved is OK with it isn't an issue (and that goes for the enemy team as well). It's a problem when the play style becomes disruptive yielding a negative experience for either team. Duo jungle (or anything else that's really odd) wouldn't be a problem if both your team and the enemy team didn't have a problem with it. However, if they're reporting the person then it's safe to assume they have a problem with it.

Hope this clears some things up.

74 Comments

Aptest11/18/2016, 8:23:35 AM3 votes

but I do want to help clear some things up.

I would rather you don't put it like this. This kind of language implies:

  1. You are an authority figure here
  2. you understand the situation / are an authority on the subject

You have no tag, therefore are not an authority figure. Reading your post it is obvious your understanding is lacking. Let me expand on this before you flame me for making a personal comment:

No one has ever been banned for playing any champion in any role and doing so with the intention of helping their team win.

We have just gone through a whole lot of commotion because a player chose a non-recognized champion and played it in a non-traditional way, and got banned as consequence.

It is obvious that the whole "communicating with the team" thing, which is the party line on why he was suspended, is sketchy at best and regardless is not the core of why all those reports were made or were responded to.

What happened in reality was the exact opposite of your assertion. which tells me you do not have a good understanding of the subject matter.

Do I have to build a certain way? Is it bannable if I don't get a sightstone (or other item)? Absolutely not.

But if you get smite and go take the enemy jungle, you'll get a 2 week suspension. So, again, your words are against the facts of this specific matter.

You can be a jerk simply by duo jungling when the jungler (and your team) doesn't want to play that way.

No. here is the equivalent of your words: you can be a jerk simply by not following your jungler's orders on how you should play the game.

The case we have here is this: disagreeing with the team and refusing to follow orders being falsely interpreted as being negative, offensive and generally a "jerk" towards your team.

No. They were banned because over the course of hundreds of games their play consistently effected their team in a negative way.

This is the only legitimate part of your post, and I would like to address it.

When other people disagree with you, especially when you are in a team effort with them, it annoys you and it sucks. If your proposed plan of action is vetoed by them and you have to follow their plan - especially where their plan puts you on the chopping block - it is super annoying.

The negative effect here is a direct result of players having to adapt and not wanting to and getting pissed because they are forced into adaptation. Whereas the alternative "working with team" is simply a different way of saying the other guy has to comply with your ideas instead of you complying with him.

I.E. You can be a jerk simply by insisting on traditional support play when the other guy doesn't want to play that way... and reporting him when he refuses.

The negative input here is not Skyhart's actions, but the (spiral of) responses that follow them from the other players on his team. As it is, his team is the major contributor for all the negativity in his games - and they should be held accountable for getting triggered and upset in a situation where they are not justified for being triggered. So why is he getting punished?

_I.E. a whole bunch of **jerks ** reported Skyhart because they wanted to Jerk him and he took a suspension to the face because they were jerks and Rito failed to realize it. _

Demonicous11/18/2016, 4:40:41 PM3 votes

More than a 50% win-rate is a negative consequence of their actions? Your argument fell apart right there.

MtnDewsh11/18/2016, 6:26:56 AM2 votes

Honestly, it does not matter if your team is okay with it or not. I could have a problem with someone picking a "meta" champion and roaming, but that doesnt mean they should be reported or banned. The league community is just filled with players that are overly sensitive and think every other player owes them something. The guy has a positive win are with his strategy. And from what I have seen, is not toxic or intentionally throwing games. He pastes a spiel of what he plans to do during the champion select phase. Even that isnt necessary, he does it as a courtesy. The objective of the game is to destroy the enemy nexus, I see no issue if he is bringing his team one step closer with his strategy.

BigBellBrute11/19/2016, 2:08:09 AM2 votes

The reality is you do owe your team mates something and that is to be a good team mate. Going in to every game expecting all 4 other players to accommodate you all the time and be your slaves because you want to duo jungle isn't being a good team mate and is in fact poor sportsmanship.

MUSHROOM MIDGET11/20/2016, 12:56:20 PM2 votes

feeder mid is a good idea. think of all the shutdown gold