Is ranked the only way to get better? (If so how do I start?)

Bizon·3/13/2015, 2:36:03 PM·1 votes·10,751 views

I'm a support main and just like playing with buddies and with our university's team. I'm getting kind of bored, my kda is normally around 12-13 every game and my ward placement is pretty good (wards wards everywhere). I play with gold and silver players fairly frequently, however, I have yet to play ranked. Anyway, I guess my question is, can a player really become better by just playing normals? Do you have to play ranked to excel and grow as a player? If I do have to start playing ranked, what other positions should I get better at? I play support almost exclusively and a little bit of jungle, is that enough positions for ranked? Help please!

12 Comments

RiotRiot Renders3/13/2015, 8:43:13 PM3 votes

You definitely don't need to play Ranked to get better - as some have already mentioned, there is a separate MMR for Normal games. As you become more skilled, you will be paired with similarly skilled opponents.

But since you know that, just wanted to mention how I approach the difference. I often feel that Normals are practice and Ranked are my big games. The difference is that I tend to learn more during practice. I feel less pressured, I'm more willing to take risks, or choose champions to learn a new style of play, champion, lane, etc. The people you are playing with are also more likely to be in that mindset, and are more lenient if you're out there trying something different.

Best of luck!

SmknWdl3/13/2015, 2:45:12 PM2 votes

Ranked is interesting because it forces you to learn every lane to some extent. Even if you are a support main you still have to learn to play adc, because there will always be that one game. So ranked is interesting. It also pushes you to focus and play as cleanly as possible (something I have not mastered yet). Normals can also increase your proficiency as well. To practice a lane or champion for ranked I usually go into team builder, so i can exclusively play that champ. Anyways the point is you will get better either way, but ranked tells you how good you actually are.

Merxamers3/13/2015, 2:40:36 PM2 votes

ranked is a pretty good measure of your progress, because as you win more and more you'll be matched against better and better opponents. With normals, it's a bit more random on who you're matched with, and people tend to not try as hard. You should definitely play ranked; it's not that scary :)

AwesomeChad3/13/2015, 3:07:49 PM2 votes

{quoted}

I'm a support main and just like playing with buddies and with our university's team. I'm getting kind of bored, my kda is normally around 12-13 every game and my ward placement is pretty good (wards wards everywhere). I play with gold and silver players fairly frequently, however, I have yet to play ranked. Anyway, I guess my question is, can a player really become better by just playing normals? Do you have to play ranked to excel and grow as a player? If I do have to start playing ranked, what other positions should I get better at? I play support almost exclusively and a little bit of jungle, is that enough positions for ranked? Help please!

Hi, I am a Diamond ADC main here to tell you that you do NOT have to play ranked to get better at the game. In season 1 and season 2, I barely played ranked but I did a couple of things: spammed a bunch of normal games to get more experience with the game in terms of learning about all champions and how the game is played, read up on guides to inform me more about the champions i played, and watched streams of players who were better than me that could give me better insight on how to play either play the game or champions. Once I came back into ranked in season 3 with all this new knowledge and practice, i ended the season at platinum 1 (could've been diamond).

The main point I'm trying to make is that it doesn't matter whether u play ranked or normals but what really matters is that you're gaining more knowledge and skill about the game in a way that improves you overall as a player. However, I do recommend that you at least complete your placement games and play maybe 10 games beyond that just to gauge where you stand as a player in terms of skill.

Jamaree3/13/2015, 2:38:41 PM2 votes

No, it isn't. Because normal has its own MMR system, if you keep playing normal you will evenutally get better. Take it from me, I didn't start ranked until I had about 2400 games, turns out I had hit Diamond MMR in normals so when I got in ranked, I cruised through bronze up to high gold.

warpenguin5553/14/2015, 4:33:01 PM1 votes

ranked is the best way, but just playing at all helps

Applesaucey3/13/2015, 2:50:58 PM1 votes

Ranked isn't worth anything. This game is no longer carriable so your rank comes down to how lucky are you, and whether you get the idiot who throws hard on your team more often or not.

Ward The Sky3/13/2015, 4:02:44 PM1 votes

I have over 6k normal games, I am extremely experienced playing normals. Normals definitely make you a better player over time. I started ranked play after getting bored in normal games and I wanted to be rewarded for my game play ie: season rewards,badges,etc. I quickly advanced from silver tier to gold after a while. I was so happy that I hit gold division 1 and was able to get a free skin at the end of the season. The next season, I aimed for gold again, got it, was happy. Then came the current season, I knew I could hit gold 1 again, I got there, then yesterday for the first time I achieved platinum.

All those games I played in normals really set my mind to "how to win", so it's good practice. But, ranked games are where it's at. More pressure, better players and better plays. Overall if you want to become better at the game, you must play ranked, and literally nothing but ranked. I main jungle, then top, support,mid. I never adc, which might sound strange, but I hate that role. I make sure my team knows I pref jungle and can't adc to save myself. So pick your most favorite role, and have at least two favorite champions for each lane. Spam those champs, become known for playing specifically top lane wukong or jungle udyr, etc.

Now comes the carrying part. Imo, the best lane to carry from is the jungle. So that's where I started at, amumu,warwick,volibear,skarner back in season 3. These champs got me gold, and my experience in the jungle from all the normal matches helped. Times changed, those champs aren't my favorite anymore, and been nerfed, but are still okay picks. I tend to stick with champs that don't require skill shots, and have the easiest skills for ganking/team fighting. I've played so much jungle games, that I'm just insanely comfortable doing it all the time.

My last advice is to spam teambuilder as much as possible until you have very high win ratio with a specific role and your favorite champion. Then switch to another role, rinse wash and repeat. Now you are ready for ranked. You don't have to be best in every lane, there are many one trick ponies out there in challenger. Lastly, watch the pros, not just from NA, I mainly watch korean videos and guides. Their tactics aren't popular over here yet, and it gives you a slight advantage in game when most people here watch NA/EU games, and are clueless about korean builds and playstyles.

Mister Punches3/13/2015, 6:26:50 PM1 votes

You can learn in Normals or Ranked. However, in Normals, people tend to not rage as much. In Ranked (At least, from my experience in Bronze and Silver), one tiny mistake on your team, and your teammates are out for your blood rather than the enemy team's.

Better off just learning and practicing in Normals to get better; the environment is much less toxic in Normals than in Ranked. It also helps that you go in with a team, or a person you can rely on if you do decide to go into ranked. Playing with Randoms in Ranked is a catch 22, you get to learn about yourself more while you play, but you also have a good chance of having one of the most extremely toxic people on your team.

Recommendation: Go in with a team.

COWmanLord3/13/2015, 7:19:33 PM1 votes

You definitely don't need to play ranked to get better. My typical pattern is to play ranked until I hit a wall where I am not climbing any higher, then I go play normals for a while. I always come back and climb more.

But if you do want to start playing ranked, you will probably want to play more than support and jungle. At least pick up adc as well. Mid and top are almost always taken, but you really need to make sure you have at least 1 or 2 champions you can play per role if you want to go into ranked.