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Tips on how to get better and then carry

JohnnyNoxid·8/7/2015, 6:56:03 AM·1 votes·1,100 views

Hi, I'm ThePreyMan and I murdered my elo from Silver 4 to Bronze 3.

I main ADC (as in my champion pool is deeper there), and my secondary role is top. I tend to play top mostly these days since I feel as though I have a better influence on the outcome of a game from there. ADC's feel relatively weak compared to last season. Lucian was my main but he's not as strong so I don't play him anymore, except in normals. The tops I play usually are Maokai, Nautilus, and Gnar. I don't play Gnar much, though, since his engage potential is low without mega form, and that takes too long to start up.

I don't expect to get better and carry simultaneously; doing so sequentially makes more sense. Regardless, I need some tips on how to improve my game in certain areas, other than:

  • CSing better. There are plenty of videos on this so I'm not looking for this.
  • Trading in lane. I can figure this out when I know my lane strengths vs theirs.
  • Mechanics. This is just gonna take practice.
  • Warding. I buy many wards even as an ADC main so I already know the importance of this.

I'm looking for tips on things that are more dynamic, game-to-game situations. If there are videos on those sorts of things I'd appreciate those. I'd rather not pay for a service like Proguides, and Trick spectates are rather expensive.

For example, the things I want to get better at are:

  • Work with my team mates. The best thing I've done is embraced stoicism in this area. Sometimes the team doesn't listen when you know definitively that something is a good or bad idea. Some games it's like my team mates don't care about optimal builds, let alone top tier champs.
  • Knowing when to push. I have an idea of when it's a good time to push lanes but I'm still trying to figure it out.
  • Dealing with negative players. Like I mentioned before, I embraced stoicism to deal with soloQ in general. I don't know how higher level players are still able to carry games regardless of a player waddling with their head up their rectum. I understand it on a surface level, but to know the details of how it's done is what I want.

Some parts of this may sound like, "ugh, it's my team mate's fault," but I assure you I'm well aware of the fact that I have so much to improve on. I don't expect to be able to change my teams (unless there's some secret to it?) but I do expect to change myself. I know for a fact that I am the only variable I have total control over, and through that I can start winning more games.

TL;DR, I suck. Help me, please.

P.S., is it just me or did the game get more "team oriented" this season? If it did that might explain a lot.

5 Comments

git commit dead8/7/2015, 8:55:52 AM2 votes

Work with my team mates: Communication is key. Ping is your best friend. I have the MIA ping and the "be careful" ping on my mouse macro because I use that religiously. It helps tremendously with roaming laners and junglers. A ping can save your bot lane from death, even if you're at top lane.

Knowing when to push: Vision is important, if you're split pushing, only push when you physically see that enemy icon on your radar elsewhere. If you don't see any enemy icon on your map, then it's probably too risky to push. If you're going to split push past the first tier towers, make sure you or your allies ward either the middle of the jg, brush close to their base, or the brush close to mid lane. I see a lot of people, when they split push, they ward the bush closest to lane they're pushing. Like, yeah you're going to see them coming, but it wont give you enough time to escape once you spot them.

Dealing with negative players: If people become so salty that it gets on your nerve, mute them i guess. Cos they will just be a distraction to you and the team, if he has nothing helpful to say. If they flame you for feeding or making a mistake, don't respond, it will just give them more reason to talk.

And sometimes there's just people that has no awareness skill or communication skill and there's really nothing else you can do. but that's online gaming for ya.

/

I was silver 5 a couple weeks ago and currently a silver 2, I have played/duo queued with a gold 2 friend of mine plenty of times, and these are just some things I've picked up from playing with him. And it has been very effective in carrying my solo queues as well. When I play solo q, i like to make sure that my contribution/kill is at least 50% so I know I'm supporting the team at the very least.

Ezragus8/7/2015, 10:22:08 AM2 votes

The one that pops into my head, as a top laner specifically, is keeping track of teleport. If you forced a back and they teleported back to lane, look for an opportunity to teleport bot for a gank that they can't follow on. Don't force a fight, but if it's there, take it. If you're forced to back and teleport to lane, make sure your team knows that they have TP advantage, so they can be more careful about pushing. Telling your team when enemy summoners are down can matter too, as it might effect if the jungler or mid roams to your lane. If you see a teleport attempt, either follow immediately (if the fight isn't lost already) or attempt to interrupt it, which can massively change a fight if done, because the enemy might overcommit expecting the back up.

TL;DR, Teleport is important. Keep track of Summoner Spell Timers.

P.S. Yes and no, while League has certainly become more team oriented in mechanics, in solo que it is still a game of carries.

Randomonium8/7/2015, 11:03:49 AM2 votes

I think using teleport is one of the best ways a top lane can carry. A well time teleport can result in a double kill for your team, snowball bot lane, and give you some extra gold for top lane. Furthermore, a good teleport can result in a tower and a dragon, giving your team a pretty sizable power spike.

The other big one is lane management. Sometimes its not enough to just CS well. If you are able to freeze the lane on your size of river it will allow you to deny CS and make the opposing top laner really vulnerable to ganks.

Wakamune8/7/2015, 2:36:57 PM2 votes

Dealing with negative players:

I just have fun whether or not I'm winning or losing, having shit teammates or not. Stick with the teammates that do have fun, chat up occasionally if the situation gets bad. It takes a long time to get to that mental stage but I almost never go on tilt.

"is it just me or did the game get more "team oriented" this season? If it did that might explain a lot."

Kalista, Fiora, Teemo, Gangplank and Tahm came out, but keep in mind that having more viable tank/bruiser picks mean that it takes more steps peeling carries or getting around to killing them.