Boards›Tips & Tricks

Will Watching LCS Actually Help?

EkkoFroffles·6/12/2015, 6:35:08 PM·1 votes·2,172 views

Earlier today, I randomly decided to sit and watch my first LCS match. I probably could've chosen a better one than Fnatic vs. Gambit to tune in for, as Fnatic winning was basically a foregone conclusion, but I thought LCS is LCS and I need to watch it if I want to improve. 28 minutes later and I feel none the wiser. Nothing Fnatic did isn't something I haven't done or tried to do before without as much success.

See why things went right for them and wrong for you, you might say. Except that's not how I operate since I learn more by doing than watching/reading. Simple trial and error is how I learn most things. For example, you could give me pointers for facing a Vladimir as Wukong, a match-up I've struggled with in the past, but what'll help me more is the trial-by-fire approach, just going into the match-up each time trying to do at least a little better than last time. It's how Teemo went from the bane of my existence whenever I faced him as Garen to, honestly, one of my favorite matchups.

So, should I even bother watching the LCS, or should I stick to what I know works for me? I won't be joining the LCS anytime soon at my current rate of improvement, but I've yet to find any other methods that seem to cause my growth as a player to accelerate any faster.

19 Comments

disregardable6/12/2015, 6:42:25 PM1 votes

The NA/EU LCS isn't really worth watching for more than the entertaining shoutcasters, but Korea generally is. You should watch the S4 worlds- it doesn't have particularly thrilling upsets, but it's a great display of solid mechanics and teamwork. Any international competitions and Korean competitions are good.

Serevas6/12/2015, 7:13:43 PM1 votes

If you really want to watch and attempt to improve through that, I would watch streamers as opposed to the LCS. The LCS is a very closed environment, it's teams that know how each other will theoretically react to things, there's obvious easy team synergy, people who know each other are playing together, and if you even played with a single familiar face outside of duo queuing I'd be surprised, unless of course you're challenger.

I have actually learned a tremendous amount from some of the streams where the streamers offer insight into why they play how they do. Nightblue3 is good for that, TSM Santorin and Bjergsen sometimes are as well, Scarra does a good job of talking about why he is doing what he does. TheOddOne has a very educational stream most of the time as well. Even just watching the pros can help. I know that it helped accelerate my learning process. It might not have any effect for you, but sure it's worth a try.

ShaftyMegee6/12/2015, 7:27:17 PM1 votes

I wouldn't watch the lcs to get better. I would watch streamers, especially on twitch.tv

Sachabot6/12/2015, 7:30:32 PM1 votes

Watch streamers, ask them WHY they do what they do, or find a higher ranked player to mentor you in addition to what you're currently doing. You'll find that other opinions directed at you help, but nothing really beats experience.

Dataless6/12/2015, 8:00:22 PM1 votes

NA/EU LCS is worth watching but the Korean scene has better play. The most important thing is to keep an open mind and always ask "why" a player or team is making a specific play. Use your analytical mind and translate that understanding to your own play in solo queue. I've learned a lot by spectating higher level players in this manner.

Just remember that your own practice and experience is the most important tool for improvement.

TotN Titan6/12/2015, 8:11:09 PM1 votes

You answered your own question when you said that you are a better learner when you are actively trying something out as opposed to watching. There's no point in watching anything at all if you think there isn't anything you can learn.

That being said, EVERYONE can learn something just by being exposed to new ideas. I would watch both streamers AND the LCS, to be honest. The streamers can really help you learn about individual champions and possible match ups against other champions. They are informative and many of them will talk about their mindset and the situations that are influencing them in game for the decisions they are making (like item builds and roaming). The LCS, however, can show you what coordinated team play and team fighting should look like, with breakdowns by the shoutcaster for the big fights. It can also show you individual champion picks that build well into a full team composition or what kinds of champions synergize well with one another.

ZeroAnarchy6/12/2015, 9:14:45 PM1 votes

Top - Wingsofdeathx Jungle - Oddone Mid - Bjergsen ADC - Sneaky Support - Aphromoo

Those are the streamers I suggest watching for each specific role.

TouchpadExpert6/12/2015, 10:10:04 PM1 votes

Watching LCS play helps if you are at a level of play were you can actually compete in a competitive environment. If you're just a casual or new player it won't help much. If you don't know what every champion and their abilities do then it doesn't help to watch LCS because all you see is bright flashy colors and you're more confused about what just happened there. If you are beyond this point and you know about objectives, what champions do and how they are meant to be played then sure, you may learn some things. But its still more informative to watch streamers because they usually explain what they are doing.

But probably the best thing that helped me improve was befriending someone in the game who was better than me, not necessarily a professional player, but just someone who I felt had way more knowledge of the game. The reason why this is most helpful is that in these games mistakes are way more frequent and is probably a more accurate depiction of the environment you will actually be playing in. You will see how these mistakes get exploited or in rare cases how these mistakes get overcome. And since it is in an environment closer to your skill level you'll see where the common ward spots are, you'll see how a single player can carry a team because in LCS it is way more team focused, solo queue has team aspects to it, but most people feel more like doing their own thing half the time. What to do when fed, what not to do when behind, how to trade better in lane, etc. That's my two cents on the topic at hand.

In short, watch LCS if you have a ranked team and people who you can practice with on a regular basis. Watch streamers or spectate friends if you're a solo queue warrior.

1011001110006/12/2015, 10:16:37 PM1 votes

The LCS provides some mechanical knowledge, but the environment itself is vastly different from YoloQ, especially with lane swaps and frequent roaming permeating.

If you're already mechanically skilled with a champion, watching an LCS match-up will more often than out just give you slight meta-game and teamfighting knowledge, if anything. But otherwise, I watch it because of their amazing, and not-so-amazing, plays.

But Faker though. summoner 31

AtlasTheProphecy6/13/2015, 1:19:44 AM1 votes

I understand what you mean but generally you do want to watch LCS because it help subconsciously teach map awareness as well as good advantage control. I personally find the commentary the most helpful. It's something you have to watch frequently if you expect it to improve your skill. It's not a one game deal (and you had a pretty bad game to start. to many mistakes for LCS they were both off their game). Commit to LCS and it will help you plus it helps you to learn an appreciation for the skills involved in playing and if you have that it helps not to rage. And rage is the downfall of every league match

Earl Eulrich6/13/2015, 1:20:54 AM1 votes

well, you can catch some mechanics - but you won´t learn anything special for SoloQ. Playing the game 5v5 is a very different thing from playing it Solo. The basics are the same, but tactics and executions is just a vast difference. LCS is mainly entertainment, not so much education.

Lugg6/13/2015, 1:32:14 AM1 votes

You can learn some good moves and strategies for your champions by watching the pros.

AwesomeChad6/13/2015, 3:21:37 AM1 votes

Hmm, depends on your ability to follow the gameplay and understand what the casters are saying about the game. Otherwise, it doesn't really help a newbie player because the camera is constantly jumping from different parts of the map so if you were planning on learning one role, don't expect to see footage of that role for 40 minute straight.