So I hit Promos to Gold again, 3rd Season in a row where I *should* be Gold assuming I can have a successful promo. I consider this an accomplishment considering it took me about 1,500 games to get gold my first time ever in Season 3, and I had played another ~2,000 games season 2 without getting gold at all. Season 4 was like 50 games to get gold but I was placed Silver I after placements.
This Season I was kinda nervous I might get stuck in Silver. I was placed Silver IV but 21 games later I had fallen to Silver V with 0 LP after a 10 game losing streak.
Some Quick Stats:
- Placements 5-5, Result Silver IV
- First 3 days of Season 5 I was 12-9 (57% win rate)
- 3rd & 4th days I lose 10 in a row, now 12-19 (39% win rate)
- Bottom out at Silver V & 0 LP
- The next 100 games I go 58-42, (58% win rate) to get in promos to Gold V
- This took 15 days playing 6.66 games per day.
The Champions I played for those 100 games:
Obviously Diana carried me through all of Silver having a 71% win rate.
Now there's a bunch of Rerolled players that are Gold/Plat and even Diamond, but I feel like we have even more that constantly come here saying how stuck they are in Silver and that higher placed players don't need to deal with the bullshit. I do agree there's a bunch of bullshit in Silver. The AFKs/DCs/Quitting/Cluelessness is just at crazy levels whereas playing in Gold and higher is more about Egos and Drama and sometimes the other stuff but to a lesser degree.
But anyway, as has been proven by every higher ranked player out there, and the fact I could play ~1500 games 2 seasons ago before getting out of Silver, and now it's taken just over 100 (hopefully 103!), there's definitely more to this game then luck!
I seriously use to rage anytime something went wrong, I would make sarcastic remarks to teammates and I would even troll and pick non-meta shit if I didn't get my role. This was back 2 years ago when I was trying to carry every game as an ADC.
I've reformed since and the results are clear.
The steps I've taken are:
- I talk infrequently, mainly a "ty" (if given Blue) or "gj" (if someone does something good) and sometimes if the team lacks coordination i'll direct an action ("push mid" / "dragon" / "baron" / etc). I keep the typing to a minimal!
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- No more raging to teammates: I keep it to myself
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- If I'm being called out specifically: I'll obviously be pissed but normally I'm being called out because I'm actually playing like shit. Accept it and try to do better. I actually don't use the ignore function too often, but will if the guy is being extremely hostile.
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- I do go into every game with the mindset I have to carry, even if I'm playing a support, however! If my team is doing great and I'm just staying even (or even losing) my lane, I'll accept getting carried. Play passive rather then taking too many risks and "throwing". Biggest problem I see are people that "I HAVE TO CARRY EVERY GAME NO MATTER WHAT". Everyone wants to be the star!
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- Play your best champs, or champs you are doing the best with: I started the season thinking Tryndamere would carry me to Gold, as he's done in the past. He probably would have if I kept playing him, but I wasn't feeling as comfortable on him and I switched off him when he was at a 56% win rate (9-7). I actually started 0-2 on Diana so I dumped her and tried going back to Syndra for a bit (most played champ in S4) but after taking Diana as a counterpick to something, and playing really well, it just clicked and I kept her rolling. The thing with Diana is she counters (or can go even with) all of the meta picks right now (ahri/akali/kat/fizz). Her counters have been nerfed or are infrequently played. Syndra was one of her main counters and now Syndra is never played.
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- Know the role you can carry from and try playing that role, but don't be drama if you can't get it. Obviously I am comfortable carrying from mid-lane, so I try to maximize getting that role by typing (just once), "mid pref". I won't say anymore after that unless I need someone to clarify their role. When it's my turn to pick I'll take mid only if it's available. With this strategy I actually got mid a lot! I've only supported ~6 times (hard to count how many times I was Vel Koz support). I also don't give up my role too easily, even if someone below me is being drama. It's always Pick Order. If someone is causing shit I don't even reply back. Just let them spew shit and shut them up with your play (hopefully).
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- Know where you suck the most: I know ADC is a carry role, and I have been able to carry hard as an ADC on many occasions, but I feel like there's way too much bullshit out there that can 1-shot you as an ADC. It's just not my comfort zone being behind the frontlines. I like to be in the middle of the action. Sometimes I consider being a support over an ADC simply for comfort, but in Silver tier I realize that me being uncomfortable on ADC is probably still better than the majority of actual Silver player ADCs. I start to support over ADC more often when I'm more sure about having a competent ADC player. If I thought my ADC play was Bronze-level then I would definitely support over ADC in silver tier.
Probably more stuff but yea, I play a fuck-ton of games and should probably be better than I am, but for now I'm just happy I am on the precipice of getting back to Gold all the way from Silver V. I was always curious about that as being Gold for so long tends to make you forget what a lower tier is like. I started this Season in games with players from Bronze. I'm also getting old (as we all are) and like to know I can still compete with the top ~10% or so. (use to be 5% were Gold+?... I think it's ~10% now).
