Anyone who has ever played a game in ranked mode will tell you climbing the rank ladder is a nightmare. That is especially true if you are talking about League of Legends (LoL) ranked mode. While LoL has some of the most lovable champions and a strong esports community, it is not perfect.
The LoL player base is notoriously one of the most toxic of any MOBA game in history. Players who fell for the game’s characters and visuals now despise it. Why? Because of its toxicity. Almost every form of toxic player exists in a solo queue. You name it: Trash talkers, serial AFK players, intentional feeders, boosted players, smurfs, and trolls are enough to drive even seasoned players mad.
In some rare cases, your teammates are unskilled, or you are having an off-game. No matter the reason, the League’s ranked ladder is an unforgiving and toxic place that either makes or breaks you.
This guide will discuss the best practices you can do to get better and climb the ranks. Some of these practices take time to master; others are fundamental, but all are necessary. Here are the best ones you should incorporate in your ranked games.
Remove All Sources of Toxicity
As cliché as it sounds, the number one cause of losing games is not unskilled players but toxic players. Usually, the removal of toxicity starts from the self. It may be hard to admit, but you are pernicious if you struggle with ranking up–sometimes against others, but usually against yourself–when LoL players are most toxic.
Players often forget that LoL is a team-based game where individual skills are insufficient. How can you expect your team to win games if there’s always division and infighting within the group? How can you perform at your best while annoying your teammates?
Here are the best practices for overcoming toxicity in the rank ladder. Think of these tips as your stepping stone to a eureka moment, like that build-up of intensity as you unscramble words from a hard-won word puzzle.
Learn to accept losses and move on
Character-building is knowing how to take a loss and move on to the next game. When you know how to take a loss, you are less toxic when you think you may lose one. It means you are confident you can bounce back in the next game. That doesn’t mean you give up easily. It only means you don’t let the prospect of losing affect your confidence in-game.
Check your ego
Every player who goes into rank thinks he is better than their teammates. Even if that is true, thinking this way breeds a toxic mindset where you think you can do no wrong. As a result, once anyone on your team makes a fatal mistake, you’re likely to judge them already. As trivial as it sounds, thinking this way affects the teamwork you need to get the win.
Mute your chat
There’s that one person who trash-talks in chat during game time. Sometimes, that player might even be you. The best solution is to mute your conversation so that your focus is solely on the game. It is hard enough to play with toxic players. Do not fan the flames with trash-talking. All that does is help the enemy team.
Master Your Main Role and Be a Jack of Others
Another aspect that kills games is a lack of flexibility in roles. While it is essential to master your primary role, sometimes you will get a different part. When it happens, you need to be ready for any position the autofill gives you.
Do not be that player who begs for a switch in roles and then feeds or dodges when denied. However, there is no problem in asking if anyone is willing to switch positions. For all you know, the one who got your role may be willing to swap.
The best practice to combat this problem is to have at least three champions in your pool per role. You can have as many champions mastered for your primary role, but the recommended balance is three per role. Ideally, the three champions you choose per role have specific synergies and counter each other.
To give you an example for the top lane: A good trio would be Sett, Mordekaiser, and Darius. In the event the enemy takes Sett, you can counter with Mordekaiser. If the enemy takes Mordekaiser, you oppose Darius. Then if the enemy picks Darius, you counter with Sett. Think Rock-Paper-Scissors (the game) if you need to counter your champion pool.
Ready to Hit the Rift
Climbing rank and having the right attitude go hand in hand. If you follow this guide to the letter, you should be able to get to Challenger in no time.