[WANTED: Climbing Success Stories] The Plateau

Nova Skye·Mar 7, 2015·1 votes·1,027 views

So this is one thing I've not seen of on the boards. It's one thing to be in Elo Hell and it's another to be the consistent godly carry. But what about those of us who hit a Plateau?

I'm finding that learning this game is a lot like exercising. You do really well in the beginning and learn all about the game, the roles, and the best picks for those roles. You learn important in lane strategy and the proper code of conduct.

You start to play competitively, and you either win a lot or loose a lot. There's no real middle ground - at first.

But then you find that middle ground where your win rate is literally 50% and your play becomes inconsistent. The Cait Carry of 15/5/18 hits the very next game at 3/10/5. You aren't bad, necessarily. You know a lot more than your team mates sometimes, and other times you can't figure out what the heck they're doing. You go through the "muting all chat" phase to the "shot-caller" phase like a pendulum.

Then, just like the exercise plateau, discouragement hits. You have days of highs and can't loose, and then you have a week of demotions (or so it feels).

So, to those who've hit the plateau and succeeded - what are your success stories?

12 Comments

KroatoanMar 9, 20152 votes

If you are on a plateau, then you are beginning to level out in ranked. The best thing to do is practice mechanics, maybe change up some item purchases, and learn new champs, as well as doing a little research into your lane (finding out the current meta champs in your lane and banning them, find someone to play what you consider your counter on a certain champ, etc.),then bring that knowledge into ranked and over time you should go up.

For me, I'm a support main for my team, so I'm naturally going there in solo queue. I take off-meta picks as much as current meta ones, ban the main problems I have in lane if I'm banning, and trying to up my wards placed counter. I've also looked into LCS players and listen to their commentary on champs, krepo being one of them. (he has a lot of great specific support commentaries)

Nova SkyeMar 9, 20151 votes

I find that switching roles helps when I start losing as much as winning. I'm an ADC/Support main with a capability to Jungle and Mid. My problem is that I don't play strong meta champs that can carry on their own. I learned this game playing with five people at a time, so the lack of team work in low Bronze messes me up severely. I'm working now on learning new champs and carrying with a straight AP Sona Supp/Mid.

QuantumLightMar 7, 20151 votes

This probubly wont help -

havent seen them, not on one, but im sure they exist.

my advice - practice more, improve your skills, and you should just go up.

FHMarshyMar 9, 20151 votes

So, Im guilty of smurfing and I have probably well over 5 accounts (I collect accounts from friends who stopped playing), and when i hit a losing streak, I jump on another account, and learn a new champion, thoroughly.

Started off in season two only knowing Lux, then I learned Kass, then I learned Cait, etc etc.

Everytime I hit a wall, I learn a new champion.

Nova SkyeMar 9, 20151 votes

Ah this has helped me as well! I begun doing this at the end of season 4 / preseason 5, and I climbed out of bronze 5 twice already (once in preseason and once this season).

I catch myself in the loophole of:

learning a new champ is way too fun
I learn said champ, and alternate between old champs and new ones as need arises
I find learning new champ was both beneficial and fun
I loose 2 games in a row
I decide to learn a new champ

A month later, I find myself less productive with way more champs than I've actually completely "learned". As of right now, I'm balancing this part of the process. I have Kat and only played her once, but will opt for Lulu or Sona mid every time. Yet I just bought Pantheon and Irelia and I have only played each of those an equal amount of times. My friend just last week talked me into learning Vayne (who I already owned but hadn't touched). Oh, and that Veigar rework? I've owned him for half a year now.

I feel like a pup with too many bones ;)

FHMarshyMar 9, 20152 votes

lol, i meant to make the new champions one of your comfortable picks.

FOR EXAMPLE~~~~~~

I really loved Ahri at one point, and I was on a streak with Ahri, but I keep getting stomped by Annie. So I searched up Annie's Counter, and made a smurf account named "l3rancl" to just play brand.

And now when i see an Annie pick, i'll pick my brand with comfort ;)

Nova SkyeMar 9, 20151 votes

Oh that's incredibly neat! I hadn't thought of learning a new champ for your counter! I've been solely working on making myself comfortable with the main champ against the counter pick - which has lead to many a burn out.

I like your idea!

FHMarshyMar 9, 20151 votes

Or you can learn the counter yourself.

I like how Vayne just becomes a monster late game, but Cait just dominates her lane phase. So I went about and played Cait. Learned the in and outs, the cool downs, the range on Q, etc.

It makes it easier to play against someone if you know more about the champion even if they counter you ~

FiruMar 9, 20151 votes

I climbed from Bronze 4 to Silver 4 this season. :P

Nova SkyeMar 9, 20151 votes

But the question is, where were you placed at last season? The original placement of season 5 is not a good indicator of skill level (several of my plat friends ended up in Bronze at the beginning and many of them are already back into high silver low gold).

Your climb, in one sentence, doesn't tell me anything.

FiruMar 11, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Eitan Leigh,realm=NA,application-id=WEuoGbmp,discussion-id=9nWAnhg3,comment-id=00030000,timestamp=2015-03-09T19:57:59.232+0000)

But the question is, where were you placed at last season? The original placement of season 5 is not a good indicator of skill level (several of my plat friends ended up in Bronze at the beginning and many of them are already back into high silver low gold).

Your climb, in one sentence, doesn't tell me anything.

I was just trying to be nice and light-hearted. The tone of your response was unexpected. :( I was mid-silver last season so it's just a return trip. Jeez, way to be so serious.

Nova SkyeMar 11, 20151 votes

LOL I could say the same of yours. I didn't realize it was lighthearted. I've had many a troll on this board, particularly in the help section. I'm not looking at posts thinking they mean good fun anymore ;) My apologies!