Ranked updates now live

Riot·Aug 26, 2016·3 votes·69,372 views

We recently announced changes coming to ranked play including new premade restrictions at high tiers, autofill protection during promo series, and no back-to-back autofills. Here’s where we stand:

Premade Restrictions

Now active. Diamond 5 through Master tier no longer includes trios, leaving Solo or Duo options. Challenger players are additionally restricted to solo play.

Regardless of the fixes we’ve rolled out since the beginning of the 2016 ranked season, dynamic queue is still failing to meet player needs. More specifically, it’s undermined competitive integrity at the highest levels of play. We’re making a number of changes to ranked, starting with these two.

STREAM ON Players from Diamond 5 through Master tier can choose to queue solo or duo with a teammate

LEAVE THE SWORD IN THE CAVE To ensure accuracy at the top of the ladder, Challenger players are restricted to solo play

Autofill

Players in their promo series will be guaranteed one of the two roles they select later in this patch. Autofill has been introduced to normal draft queues.

We recognize that autofilling in promos undermines your ability to contribute your best when it matters most, so we’re preventing that from happening. But, autofill’s proven effective at reducing queue times, so we’ve added it to normal draft to help players still seeing excessive spikes during off-peak hours.

AUTO-THRILLED When in promo series (between tier or division), players will be guaranteed one of their two selected roles

PROTECTION Players can no longer be autofilled in back-to-back games

FILL ENABLED Autofill has been enabled in normal draft for when queue times get excessive

The other upcoming adjustment mentioned in Riot Pls - tightening the decay rules in Challenger and Master tier - isn’t part of our 6.17 changes. We’ll be implementing these new rules in an upcoming patch. (...with better-timed Patch Notes. Whoops.)

272 Comments

Sir YuckoAug 26, 2016160 votes

I am so pissed! Can you guys add in a "troll vote" dodge system in champ select? I just had a ranked game I had to dodge because of an ADC/Bot Thresh Thresh pick. The player legit even said they were trolling, locked in and everything. Please address this issue for the future! Make so that if you get voted as "Troll Picking" too many times in ranked that you are banned from ranked for a period of time.

I play 4-5 ranked games a day and see this happen way too often!

MegatronAug 26, 201650 votes

This is a really good idea. Although it may get some people banned for playing certain champions in off roles or just picking off meta champions. I can also see issues with a 3-4 man party abusing their numbers.

legendarytigerAug 27, 201635 votes

it would need someone to review each instance, like the claim of someone making a racist comment in the game, and getting reported for it; riot cant know if they were actually racist/trolling unless they take a look at the evidence and decide for themselves.

its a good idea, but it would be just as difficult for riot as the reporting system is. i cant speak for riot, but if it were my game, i would implement this suggestion ASAP. [slayer-pantheon-thumbs]

Fondling GemsAug 27, 201623 votes

I would want to have the player be notified and get to write a short letter explaining their pick. If they are a Galio one trick and know how to jg Galio well then then they should be able to mention this to defend their pick. Some people play off meta shit in unusual positions and do pretty damn well with it. They shouldn't be punished by over reactors without getting a say.

If they are obviously trolling that is one thing, but off meta is a thing that does have to be explained and defended by virtue of what it is.

Maximus PaineAug 27, 201617 votes

Fair in principle, but very hard to implement. That's the whole problem. Riot can't police the million+ players and needs to depend on players themselves to police each other. :/ Who is going to read the letter and judge?

(Unless they bring back "The Tribunal" :-) )

A JhintlemanAug 31, 20162 votes

I completely agree, and am happy to see someone think the same way I do. I sometimes do play Top Tank Jhin and Jungle TwistedFate , though I haven't gotten reported for picking those, I have gotten harassed and threatened; however, I absolutely LOVE breaking the meta, so I stay at it. And yes, in Ranked. In fact, the two picks I used to carry myself through high gold were Jungle and AP XinZhao (I'm still mad at RIOT for nerfing AP XinZhao and taking out revive for no more MS Hecarim though). Anyways, had to get that off my chest, have a good day everyone!

leaguewutAug 27, 201621 votes

I play Urgot mid and bot and have a 60% winrate (granted, in very low elo) on him right now. Doesn't stop people from flaming me for "trolling."

RenisaAug 27, 20168 votes

More people need to embrace the magic that is Urgot. Keep on keepin' on!

Sir Chocobo EsqAug 31, 20162 votes

Urgod*

A Horny AxsoowyAug 31, 20163 votes

same for ryze jg ;p

MooseRamProfAug 31, 20162 votes

I got into gold 5 last night with 4 straight Urgod wins in top lane

PerplexedVoxelAug 28, 20168 votes

I'd also add that such a "vote off troll" ability not be implemented in normals, where you're free to pick off-meta or "for fun" picks to learn them.

YosheëAug 27, 20168 votes

While not entirely a bad idea in the least bit, it's likely too easily abused to simply get players banned for not either banning or picking the most meta champ at the time. Like last year when GP and Morde were pick or ban 80% of the time haha

Call Me CorleoneAug 27, 20165 votes

I mean seeing as they already weight reports by number of reports in a single game (if all 9 people in a game report someone it hits the top of the stack), and the system already knows who is queuing together, it wouldnt take much to tweak the weighting to avoid premades abusing people. Also it doesnt necessarily have to end in a ban, it could be just be a disband of the lobby. This way it could be up to the team whether they want to play with that off meta pick or not with no repercussions. You can be the best heimerdinger jg in the world, but if I'm in my promos, especially a last game, I definitely dont want to see something that volatile show up on my team, and I'd like some control over it other than eating the dodge.

VeltoxAug 27, 201610 votes

NO..just no when people already report u for picking off meta stuff even when u carry.

GamingEelektrossAug 27, 201615 votes

He said that the Thresh admitted to trolling. If they said they were legit good, thats a different thing.

SoulwakeAug 27, 201630 votes

Great idea! Let's discourage any creative play by reporting them if we don't agree with how they choose to play their champion! But seriously though, this is why NA gets crushed by Asian countries because they don't follow the stereotypical ways NA players think a champion must be played. Why do we like to limit things so much that there is only one correct way to play a champion? If the guy is clearing trolling and admits it that's one thing but having a vote like that will eventually turn into, "I don't understand why he would play a champion there so he MUST be trolling."

It's the same if I want to try a different build than what's acceptable. I tend to get flamed like crazy because I didn't build the way I SHOULD have built. Many times it has nothing to do with how well I am doing. I could be leading the team in kills but the second we start losing it MUST have been my atypical build that caused the loss. Sometimes I want to try to push the boundaries and see what's possible and this kind of change would tell people it's not ok.

Sir YuckoAug 27, 20162 votes

I understand what you are saying, but there is a difference between ADC/Bot LeBlanc VS Miss Fortune Mid. I am not against creative builds and roles when it works with the comp. A lot of the time though off-picks are putting you at a disadvantage unless the other team is also just as messed up.

I would even be fine with a Kalista Mid who bonds with the Tank Jungler. There is a big difference between "potential win" and "likely a loss".

WastelandKittahAug 30, 20162 votes

No you just want riot to censor people you disagree with because you believe you're so important that, anyone who doesn't play like you, or do as you say is a troll. You are spineless soft and willfuly ignorant to anything that doesn't fit into your narrow idea of how the game should be played,sadly people like you being catered to by riot, is the reason this community is the worst in gaming.

MonkeyMadnessAug 30, 201612 votes

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocrite

Literally everything you just said is diametrically opposed to the manner in which you said it.

YOU are intolerant. YOU are trying to censor (or at least discredit) those who disagree with you. YOU are the kind of person that riot caters to with respect to this issue (hence why no such vote-to-disband option exists), and YOU are the kind of person that makes this community the worst in gaming. Kindly see yourself out.

A Horny AxsoowyAug 31, 20162 votes

same I like creative shit just I hate when people flame a lot or pick shity comps ( as in don't picks from the team comps just for themselves ) and when people fight in lobby they are usually bound to flame in game and that's like a 20 percent chance for them to lose there game, the problem is I am on there to so them being mad makes me lose the game I think there should b a vote in ranked q that if your team is flaming in lobby you can vote to disband. Many times I've lost games because of shit that went down in the lobby which is ridicoulis!!!!

BumdeeAug 27, 20169 votes

They should allow 1 dodge per day/week, therefore players will not hesitate and lose games.

Sir YuckoAug 27, 20164 votes

Something like this, yes, but without LP loss of course.

Perhaps you could earn these "dodges" based on number of ranked games played. Like every 3rd ranked game played to a Win or Loss/ff you earn 1 free "dodge". They can then be saved for when you need them.

NeaceIsLordAug 28, 20164 votes

You lose 2 LP....it doesn't matter....

xX1SaVaGe3XxAug 28, 20168 votes

3 and if you in your promos and client crashes counts as a dodge and you lose your free win so no, it does matter client crashed in 3 divisional promos of mine and didnt get the win

A Horny AxsoowyAug 31, 20162 votes

nice but the storage has a cap of like 2 or else people will dodge every single game ( they should be harder to get for this same reason )

gurupitka88Aug 28, 20162 votes

I feel a better thing to do would be to have a vote similar to what you said but instead of banning have it just be a group dodge where no dodge penalty is there.So for players who are not okay playing with non-meta things,they don't have to and players that are ok can accept it. Just make em dodge with no penalty to it.

TomathinAug 26, 201645 votes

I'm convinced 2016 was literally a dynamic queue test to settle into the best system to come next season. I'm very excited for next season

Vistha KaiAug 27, 20164 votes

People responsible for Dynamic Queue aren't smart enough to ideate something like that.

I mean, it's a test, that is so fucking atrocious and infuriating, that resulted in me nearly uninstalling the game on the spot and getting two chat restrictions in short order. It's not like nobody could see the outcome of this idiocy way before it went live.

Thank you very fucking much for worthless tests like that.

Treyn92Aug 28, 201619 votes

First off. the chat restriction is nothing but your own doing. You are probably the kind of person who would always say, 'Mid or feed.' I have yet to have a single problem with this queue. It is better than going into ranked and maybe getting a role you're good at or just getting something you are terrible at.

For me, I am bad at mid and ADC. So this Dynamic Queue is awesome for me Now I can duo and find someone who likes either of those roles and I am perfectly fine and have a 98% chance to not get one of those roles.

I love the new update for it and look forward to more. Riot is doing a good job. Keep it up!

Virgin RayAug 27, 201621 votes

Like how Graves was a reload tester for Jhin

AlzonAug 27, 20162 votes

And Annie

CataclysmícAug 27, 201610 votes

I feel like annie was more of an afterthought like "hey! these reload bar things could work for annie's passive!"

ChickenWrapAug 26, 201627 votes

How am I going to cheese the ladder if I can only play with ONE friend!?

SugataYoLoShindoAug 26, 20166 votes

Cause that 50% win rate in DIA5 shows you are doing this already? HERPDERP.

ChickenWrapAug 26, 201640 votes

{quoted}

Cause that 50% win rate in DIA5 shows you are doing this already? HERPDERP.

I had a string of relatively bad games, tbh.

RIP Almost-Diamond-2.

Why you gotta hide on an alt account if you're going to talk shit, bro? Come on out of the shadows.

ViciousCanadianAug 26, 201626 votes

Where the fuck are the low elo changes?

legendarytigerAug 27, 201613 votes

in the same place as non-salty low elo players...

in fantasy land. ~~im bronze btw~~

ĆougarAug 27, 20162 votes

Low elo doesn't need changes...

Darkest LaughAug 28, 201611 votes

I beg to differ, actually. Low elo has much higher rates of afks, trolls, and leavers. Not to mention smurfs. This has gotten progressively worse as time goes on, If they did anything to combat these issues, given that a majority of players are in Bronze-Silver range, they could actually greatly improve the ranked experience for the majority of players. However, Riot apparently doesn't really give a shit. Because we'll still play the game like the mindless addicted drones that we are.

Cookie777Aug 27, 20163 votes

We are that unloved middle child :(

defently not meAug 26, 201618 votes

Personally, I would love if solo queue would return to all divisions, while dynamic queue still exists. I understand that the queue times would be much much longer, especially for dynamic queue, but i personally will not mind it since it'd be great to have a choice to avoid quads/ trios that would crush my balls.[zombie-nunu-bummed]

Chill PenguAug 27, 201616 votes

I've run into trio/quad groups very often lately that will troll the solo players. In ranked and even more in normals.

They ban your champ deliberately, can 4 man report you if you try to say or do anything they don't like, and are not fun to play with at all.

There needs to be a TRUE solo queue. Where all players are solo, matched with and against other solo players.

Please add this option to ranked and normals so we can choose, even at the cost of longer wait times, to avoid teams.

Not all teams are bad, but more and more it creates unhealthy gameplay. Teams upset with the solo player or solo players upset with the teams.

Dad RockAug 26, 201610 votes

I think that Master tier should be solo only as well. Challenger players will be queue'd against Master players quite a bit, it would make more sense to have all Master players queue solo as well.

redfeenixAug 26, 20168 votes

Well suprise suprise. Riot catering only to the top 1% as usual.

These guys are like corrupt politicians only doing work for the top 1%, except that politicians at least pretend to care about the rest of the community....

PaperSSheetsAug 27, 201625 votes

You DO realize the top 1% have it the worst? This isn't "catering", it's trying to give them an enjoyable experience. Have you ever waited 40 minutes to get into a game? It's not fun. And HOW is not being allowed to queue up more than duo considered a positive special treatment? Same with autofill, something I'm sure you've never had to deal with. I mean I hella agree with it, but it's a negative necessity.

Rotisserie JewsAug 26, 20167 votes

Um how about you fix the main problem first. I am going to give a small example. 3 bronze1 queue together, they get placed in gold MMR. Don't do this Rito, fix this.

ClarkWillisAug 26, 201625 votes

Today on things that never happened

Feed DaddyAug 26, 20166 votes

Ummmm i thought yall were going to wait until next season

SukishooAug 26, 201610 votes

It said "For 2017, we’re developing a new ranked experience" so pretty sure there's a lot more that will change by then but for now they enabled the changes they want for higher tiers.