People need to learn what a flex pick is.

Vellich0r·Apr 5, 2015·70 votes·32,813 views

So, you are in solo queue. You end up as first pick and any champion you pick runs the risk of getting hard countered (IE, a lux into a zed). What is the solution? In my opinion, the best thing to do is find a flex pick. A champion who you can play in more than one lane successfully . An example, I am good at playing Cassiopeia in both the top and mid lanes (and she is easily viable in either lane, especially if you know her extremely well) so if I end up as first pick I usually say something along the lines of, "I am picking Cass as a flex pick for either top or mid lane, I will tell you which once the other team picks their champions." I believe this is a very strong strategy for helping you win games, and I have again found much success in doing this. That being said, I have run into an issue lately wherein people at lower ELO's who don't understand what that means will tell you, "no, I am going top." even if you tell them where you are going LONG before they pick. They seem to believe that if you say flex pick it forfeits your right to first pick and will even defend that to the point of screwing your team over just so they get their pick. I guess this is a rant as much as anything but the point is, please, all of you faithful boardies, if someone says flex pick understand that they are trying to help your team win by doing their best to avoid the counterpick. Sometimes they aren't good at a so called 'safe' pick or their safe picks are banned, so the best way they can avoid losing lane and feeding because their champion is useless against the champion picked by an enemy is by picking something viable in more than one lane . Do yourself a favor, and do your team a favor: respect the flex pick and profit.

EDIT: For the sake of clarity(TM) I will add that when I refer to this I mean I am the VERY FIRST PICK IN THE GAME, so for instance I say flex for top or mid, I pick Cassiopeia, its now the other teams turn to choose their first two champions. They pick Azir (a strong counter to Cassiopeia) and malphite (a champion who Cass can bully really easily). I would then tell my team I am going top before anyone else on my team has even had the chance to pick a champion. I always tell my team where I am going based on the picks immediately following mine and BEFORE anyone else on my team is even able to pick a champion.

186 Comments

Deep Terror NamiApr 5, 201539 votes

I pick Lulu. Because even though she's a jungler, she can ADC too.

But seriously, Lulu is great.

Only Play DariusApr 5, 201512 votes

Kayle

The original flex pick.

Sky of SmilesApr 5, 20158 votes

[{quoted}](name=Jelly Mac,realm=NA,application-id=WEuoGbmp,discussion-id=ZREYqTEp,comment-id=0008,timestamp=2015-04-05T09:37:49.595+0000)

The original flex pick.

DrMundo - Goes where he please :D

junglerboy16Apr 6, 20152 votes

Mundo ADC! (Crit, attack speed, and Masochism!) Mundo Mid! (Mpen Mpen Mpen) Mundo Support! (Anything without mana/mana regen) Mundo Jungle! (Cinderhulk>Full tank) Mundo Top! (Standard Mundo)

Mundo CEO, Mundo hire Mundo for every position.

Quantum WeebApr 5, 20159 votes

I pick Quinn as my flex pick, but it does lead to some problems...

"OMG QUINN'S AN ADC YOU SCRUB"

"WTF, QUINN TOP?"

"REPORT QUINN, CAN'T PLAY MORE THAN ONE ROLE"

Champion SkinApr 6, 20151 votes

Actually Quinn might be better at top lane then ADC

Misplaced FaithApr 6, 20152 votes

She is, just like Urgot, and in my own opinion, Vayne.

bulletbearApr 5, 20158 votes

Kennen...great top laner., pretty decent mid lane. Has his strengths as ADC. And even a very reliable support in turns of damage and cc. Jungle is his only role I wouldn't take him

Vellich0rApr 5, 20152 votes

I do like Kennen, as long as he is on my team. Hate the guy on the other team Cx

Riven The Exil3dApr 5, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Kennen...great top laner., pretty decent mid lane. Has his strengths as ADC. And even a very reliable support in turns of damage and cc. Jungle is his only role I wouldn't take him

he is not an adc.... at all. whatsoever.

ChessburgerApr 5, 20153 votes

He was played as an adc for a few months... Genja picked it up and others followed. He has amazing self peel but lacks range for the current meta.

TheRainInSpainApr 5, 20152 votes

He's a Mage/Marksman hybrid, which compared to Marksman/Mage hybrids, lean a little more toward spell usage than autoattack usage. I presume the slight terminology change is due to how his Lightning Rush works. It prevents him from auto attacking while it is being used. This does not mean he can't auto attack, or he's bad at it. It just means his kit is geared a little differently. Kennen in a duo lane requires on point communication with his support, whether he is being used as an ADC or an APC. The nature of solo queue and the nature of his kit means he would be better used in a solo lane.

As an ADC, he has similar stats to a number of other Marksmen. Kennen has one primary issue and two secondary situational issues as an ADC in this regard. For starters, he is out ranged passively by Ashe, Varus, and Caitlyn. He is actively outranged by Twitch, Kog'Maw, and Jinx. He will eventually be outranged by Tristana. However, he matches or exceeds the range of 13 other Marksmen, and 10 champions that can be built ADC or fulfill a similar role.

Kennen's two situational issues is that he cannot wave clear easily. Champions like Vel'koz and Caitlyn can abuse this. The second is that Kennen cannot project damage past his auto attack range very well. Thus any champions that can will zone him out very easily. Champions capable of both wave clearing with spells and doing so beyond their auto attack range (such as the two aforementioned ones) are natural hard counters to Kennen in any lane.

Kennen's kit revolves around applying Marks of the Storm and then stunning his target with his auto attacks or spells. He is the only Marksman in game to have a non-ultimate Hard CC that is based on his auto attacks. The only other Marksman that can do this only does it with his melee form (Jayce). Kennen also has no damage steroid. These factors make for a very interesting dilemma for anyone in the ADC role, whether solo ADC (mid or top) or a duo lane (bot).

KING OF MASKSApr 5, 20157 votes

Nautilus Can go anywhere and do any role, except ADC... I think. Actually I've never built ADC as Naut before.

Well, guess I know what I'll be experimenting with in my next ranked match... :^)

freeformlineApr 5, 20153 votes

I once ran into a very scary AD Nautilus. Unfortunately for him, his team wasn't as successful as he was and we were able to beat them. This was in a low-MMR normal game, but it was an inspiring thing to see.

Ariel the CruelApr 5, 20156 votes

His range is a bit limited. . . XD

KaisadiIIaApr 6, 20152 votes

His Q is all he needs. Why would you care about range if you can grab your enemies onto you?

kappa

Spacesuit SpiffApr 6, 20153 votes

I've done this in bots, it's pretty funny to see him swinging that anchor so fast.

Let's take a second to imagine what it would be like if an actual adc like Cait had his passive 0.0

junglerboy16Apr 6, 20152 votes

Attack speed Naut is a scary, scary thing; your AA animation becomes this disjointed flurry of arms, anchors, and dying minions.

Occams RaiserApr 5, 20154 votes

I try this but the only problem is the rest of your team must be flexible too. If you pick x champ top and its not a tank, the jungler or support must be ready to go tank or there will be a deficit in you comp. Well J4 is usually ban and if the jungler doesn't pick Vi he will probably pick Lee Sin. There are so many Supports to pick from but after Blitz gets ban (high chance) you hope bot chooses Leona. You just force this dude to play Leona one more time. Ranked is so predictable.

Hyrum GraffApr 5, 20153 votes

Mine is Karma.

I usually say something like "I can go top, mid, or support. Let's see what they pick and then we can counterpick them."

blueberrypancakeApr 5, 20152 votes

Diamond in the EU LCS used to jungle Karma

#StrategicDiversiy

MigrañaboyApr 5, 20153 votes

The problem of the flex pick, is that you rely that other players are willing and know how to play that champion. Of course there will be resistance if this is implemented, there's not that much of collective culture in this game (e.g. feeling that you didn't have the liberty to pick your main or the champion you desired so much).

The other problem is that people don't care that much about tags, like flex pick, until Riot changes the interface and try to shove it down everyone's throat (and probably Riot will be accused of copying HotS). And lastly, Riot sometimes have shown that they nerf flexible picks and condemn champions to one role.

Amanda PleaseApr 5, 20153 votes

I just go: Azir. Don't care which lane. Don't care which role.

Spacesuit SpiffApr 6, 20153 votes

Well said. Good luck convincing people in champ select to be anything other than selfish, delusional shitters most of the time though.

To play devil's advocate, it is pretty safe to say that everyone else in the queue wants to win too, or at least wants to get fed and not feel bad about losing because they took someone's role. If you flex pick for mid/support, I'm going to ask you to mid no matter what the matchup is because I just don't play mid. If you're hard countered and I don't think I can outcarry, I'll just dodge.

Another good use of flex picking is to be able to fill roles as first pick even when your team is silent through ban phase. Nautilus can go jungle or support, and I'll usually just say so and let the preferences of others dictate where I go. Sure, I might want to take him support against... well... anything that isn't Soraka to be completely honest, but that doesn't mean I want our support main trying to jungle.'

tl;dr the difference in matchups might not be worth giving someone a role they don't even play. Also, know when to dodge.

Angry MonsterApr 5, 20152 votes

Ah no. Go do flex in 5s. The whole team should not have to wait on your ass to decided where your going. How are people supposed to choose what champs they want to play when they do not even know what lanes are taken. Just cause you first pick a Lulu does not mean you get to sit on all 3 lane choices.

Everyone who up-voted your dumb ass needs to uninstall.

Vellich0rApr 5, 201519 votes

I think you misunderstood. I go flex for top or mid as the very first pick in the game. The other team then picks two champs before my team has a turn. They lock in the two champs and based on their picks I tell my team mates where I intend to go. In other words, my team knows where I am going before anyone else on my team picks their champion.

Angry MonsterApr 5, 20154 votes

Yeah great except you never clarify in game, AFK, or worse you ask people to wait cause you still do not know. You pick your champ you grab your role.

If you see a bad match up ASK to switch lanes with someone else who has not picked yet. Or better yet learn how to play a losing match up. People should not have to wait on your ass when they have only 60 seconds and you may or may not be paying attention.

I have no problem reporting anyone for trolling if they pull this shit in ranked. AGAIN go do this in 5s if you want where you know who you are working with not solo q.

Vellich0rApr 5, 201517 votes

Dude, you don't understand. They don't have to wait, I inform them before they have a chance to pick a champion. This is never an issue of whether they understood what lane I was going in before they picked, it's an issue of them finding an excuse to tell me where they want to go. I have NEVER left an ally wondering if I was going to be here or there while they were picking and my team has NEVER had to work around my pick based on anything other than pick order. This is a prime example of what I mean by learning what a flex pick in soloqueue is. You have no clue what I mean and you are willing to rage at me and people who agree with me just because you don't understand.

Angry MonsterApr 5, 20151 votes

No you do not understand; you can not know till the enemy picks in your dream world. That means the clock is already running for your team. Now 2 people are trying to pick champs and they may or may not of called roles cause they are doing the same thing you are. Except its actually their turn to pick. Now 3 people have to be on the same page, instead of 2 with a role locked in.

I totally get what your saying. You are wrong though and will be reported. You are causing champ select problems where RIOT has already state that rank champ select is " it s a high pressure situation with limited time, that cause stress and limited communication." You making champ select more complicated and it is not cool nor desired.

Vellich0rApr 5, 20156 votes

Alright, with your limited view and apparent ease of misunderstanding it might be a bad idea; however, if you were of a high enough intelligence level to understand what was going on you would realize it is BETTER FOR THE ENTIRE TEAM if I do that. It only takes marginal intelligence to work around the 2 second reduction in time to choose a champ, and if you cannot do that you really shouldn't be playing ranked in the first place. Over 2 years of playing ranked I have YET to be reported for doing this and in fact the player who was opposed to this got reported the last time it was an issue. In fact they were reported by 3 people on my team and 1 person on the other team (not including me of course.) You go play ranked with your non-existent adaptability and lack of team play. I mean, you've been playing since season 2 and you are still struggling to deal with people in gold 4? I have college internet, a 4 year old computer, have only been playing since mid season 4, and can only play 2 or three games a week and I am able to play with high silver to low gold players pretty easily (In my old clan). Perhaps if you learned to play with a team instead of against your team you would be in low plat to high gold instead of going negative in 7 of your last 10 ranked games.

Angry MonsterApr 5, 20151 votes

bronze kid calling me limited? Really? LOL Man you are a riot. My wins are postive KDs (kill deaths) with huge assists. You do not even have clue what happened in my ranked games. The one game we won where i did not go postive was my fio game was me literally me sacrificing my self kill the fed enemy carry.

Not sure how much you paid in s4 for your boost but you obviously need to do it again. Actually stay bronze and stupid.

Ariel the CruelApr 5, 20154 votes

You do realize that the majority of ranked players are bronze/silver, right?

And mechanical aptitude is not the same as technical knowledge. (Or in this case, social aptitude.)

Also. Hiding behind rankings does not a solid argument make. Nor do baseless accusations.

Angry MonsterApr 6, 20151 votes

Yes the majority is sliver. Below average is bronze. Takes really special cookies to be that bad.

Ariel the CruelApr 6, 20153 votes

Takes really special cookies to be that bad.

While I don't necessarily agree, that's entirely irrelevant to my claim; and I have no intention of entering that discussion.

My point is: A) Just because someone is {Insert rank here}, that doesn't mean they are correct or incorrect. B) Attacking someone's rank in place of a proper counter-argument accomplishes nothing in furthering intelligent debate. C) Accusing someone of something when you have no basis of doing so (boosting) only further degrades the debate and lessens your perceived credibility.

I don't necessarily agree with your stance on flex picks. But I'm not against you either. I'd like to see this discussion/debate carried out intellectually and respectably. That way it most benefits those of us who may still be on the fence.

Rinky DinkyApr 5, 201531 votes

I wish you could report people's comments for stupidity :/

Vellich0rApr 5, 201514 votes

would be rather nice, wouldn't it?

TheRainInSpainApr 5, 201510 votes

Found that he was being offensive by being stupid. So flagged his posts as offensive. He's not trying to discuss the merits of your argument. He's trying to rag on you for what he perceives as stupid and elevating his morality at the same time, which, while stupid is also very offensive.

He's also desperately trying to harass people based on their rank. He might as well just come out of the closet and start wailing on others for their skin color at this rate.

AuryielApr 5, 20152 votes

Why the fuck did you put being gay into the same category as being racist and an aggressive idiot?

If that's not what you meant, I would suggest rewording your post

If it is... what the fuck

RikoZerameApr 5, 20154 votes

I'm thinking it was just a metaphor hiccup. "Come out of the closet" didn't always refer exclusively to homosexuality; the imagery of hiding in a closet to conceal something is an old one (just think of the phrase "skeletons in the closet").

That said, yeah, it's unfortunate wording.

Occams RaiserApr 5, 20155 votes

There does seem to be a lot of stupid people that don't understand the strat of having a flexible first pick to reduce the chance of getting counter picked CAUSE YOU HAD TO GO FIRST! I am glad a lot of these stunods are getting downvoted into the ground. This is to help your team!

WolfBVApr 5, 20152 votes

You see all these down votes? It probably means you're saying something wrong.

Ariel the CruelApr 5, 20158 votes

Technically, it means he's saying something unpopular.

That's doesn't make him any less ignorant. Or OP any less correct. Just wanted to clarify that little point.

Dunkrius2gApr 6, 20152 votes

Marik, dont waste your time explaining this to him.

FantasySniperApr 5, 20152 votes

Unfortunately, the fatal flaw in this system is hoping that your team won't misread what you're attempting.

And if they don't pick their lane counter fast enough, someone else will have already picked, forcing you into one lane or risk bringing something like a Xerath top or a Nasus mid.

GingivitsApr 5, 20152 votes

The only problem with this is that nobody wants to learn that. They are too stubborn to be able to learn a different lane.

NewOnyxApr 5, 20152 votes

enters lobby me : "ADC!" faggetoverthere: " No let me play adc im really good at vayne" me : " you cant play anything else?" faggetoverthere: " adc or feed" autolocks

NewOnyxApr 5, 20152 votes

Oh hey, you need a top laner? Nunu Mid refuses to face kat? Nunu (AP dat hoe) Need a mighty fat jungler that eats shit? Nunu Dat gay ass 24/7 slow supp + some ap just for the kicker? Nunu Need an AP BASE GOD ADC? sorry were not there yet with nunu..

manbearswineApr 5, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Marik Winters,realm=NA,application-id=WEuoGbmp,discussion-id=ZREYqTEp,comment-id=,timestamp=2015-04-05T06:04:38.874+0000)

EDIT: For the sake of clarity(TM) I will add that when I refer to this I mean I am the VERY FIRST PICK IN THE GAME, so for instance I say flex for top or mid, I pick Cassiopeia, its now the other teams turn to choose their first two champions. They pick Azir (a strong counter to Cassiopeia) and malphite (a champion who Cass can bully really easily). I would then tell my team I am going top before anyone else on my team has even had the chance to pick a champion. I always tell my team where I am going based on the picks immediately following mine and BEFORE anyone else on my team is even able to pick a champion.

What happens if they pick adc and support?

Can't you just pick some idiotic BS with no real counters? like trashfox or le broken?(Or by what's lately happening in competitive,urgod?)

usul1202Apr 5, 20151 votes

If they pick adc/supp then yours get to counterpick even better.

And Ahri and lebonk have counters......... very few laners don't. But why pick an average lane when you can give your other laner a solid advantage?

manbearswineApr 5, 20151 votes

{quoted}

If they pick adc/supp then yours get to counterpick even better.

Well but your team kinda needs to know if you go mid or top,as it's unlikely the next two picks will be willing to go adc/support

And Ahri and lebonk have counters.........

On paper yes,in practice,nope. I mean sure you can say pick morde into lebroken,he can sustain her harass and she will lose some cs,but the moment she starts roaming/junglers get involved it completely turns on him,neither of those shits have actual counters,which is why competitive players are so comfortable picking them before the enemy mid laner makes his pick.