Good character for a total newb

[statisticalfool]

Most disappointing rotation yet:

http://na.leagueoflegends.com/news/new-free-champion-rotation-preseason-week-5

I'm fooling around with Irelia, so I don't even really need to play Jarvan, and I *really* don't need another AP mage, thanks Xerath.

PS: It's time.

[Rasix]

I'll probably play some Nasus.  Otherwise, not sure I'll try anyone else out.  I own most of these champs already.

[Malakili]

I'll probably play some Nasus.  Otherwise, not sure I'll try anyone else out.  I own most of these champs already.

I'll be taking this opportunity to try Cho'Gath

[Strazos]

Oh for fuck's sake, I JUST bought Xerath. 

And great, that bastard Jarvan is free...what an OP piece of trash.

[Mosesandstick]

New champions always go free the week of the next release.

[Hoax]

Anyways, I considered all the champs and that's my list. If I was playing a smurf and all I wanted to do was win every game to get to level 30 and get away from playing in the dregs of mechanical skill games I would play champions chosen from those six, most likely I'd just play 100% solotop Irelia if teams would let me.

Hmm what about Gangplank ,Nocturne, Morgana, Annie, Brand  .All very strong champs who can carry. And really irelia is squishy as hell - Talon is better imho

Morgana sets up her team, if you ult four and your team still attacks their hardest targets or your team runs away while you hourglass. You still lose. Annie/Brand/<insert ap burst mage here> can't win unfair fights. If you are carrying the whole team on your back and the other team notices you will die without getting to use a cooldown twice. Gragas and Kass are on the list while Brand, Cassio and Annie are not because they can stick around long enough to finish off fights much easier. Essentially if you are the best player on your team sometimes you need to initiate a fight, killing a high value target and baiting your team into fighting, then get out of danger, then come back in and finish off remaining threats while your team flails around doing stupid shit. Kass especially but both he and Gragas are built to fight like that. Other mages will bait most players into doing a billion damage, dying, then watching as their team manages to fuck it up somehow. Brand is the least like that but Brand also kind of sucks at team fighting compared to smaller scale engagements.

As for Nocturne, he can only carry out of the jungle and while I think jungle is perhaps the most important role when everyone is competent if every lane is a sloppy killfest the jungle doesn't mean as much because he's not in a position to generate the rare kill anymore. If you are doing ranked OTOH Warwick/Noct may be the most proven elo raising champs that exist, because the level of play has gone up at least that tiny tiny amount from when everyone was level 16 or whatever so having a simple "I'm ganking, plz do some damage for free kill" champ on the team can really make it easy for people to win games.

Gangplank, I'll concede, is a pretty decent idea. Ate some oranges and it was k. I personally have never liked him from a mechanics standpoint going back to the deny + crit days. But he def could deserve a place on such a list.

***

And great, that bastard Jarvan is free...what an OP piece of trash.

His kit is OP, that's always been obvious, numbers-wise these days however he is trash he just can't compete top lane anymore because he can only do damage or tank, he can't farm enough to do both without an opponent handing him gold. Try him you'll be shocked at how weak he feels.

[HaemishM]

I actually tried Jarvan last night and got OWNED. I didn't have clue one what I was doing with him until at least halfway through the game (when I figured out the drop a standard and get zapped to the standard for airborne attack thing) and even then, he didn't feel very powerful. I got focus fired a lot when I tried to initiate fights or at least just kill someone with like 1/4 health. Morgana just ate my lunch a few times. It didn't help that I was in a lane with Morg/Twitch and my lane partner was an Ashe who fed just as badly as I did.

Then I tried Xerath and got facerolled again. I don't think I ever comprehended his strengths or proper use of combos at all.

[Der Helm]

Then I tried Xerath and got facerolled again. I don't think I ever comprehended his strengths or proper use of combos at all.

Once you learn to do the insta-stun combo, it gets much better. The name of the skills elude me atm.

[Rasix]

Despite the advice, I'm having a much easier time carrying with Jax than Irelia.  I just decided not to build gunblade and still carried pretty hard despite a somewhat meh team (the Cass was good). I think I could still build gunblade and be OK; I need to build at least something early with lifesteal on it (made a wriggles).

I think with Irelia, it depends on me getting farm.  If I can get a lot of farm, then I get scary fast.  If not,  I'm in for a mediocre game until the later stages.   Had a crappy game where I had Graves in my line and that guy took all the CS with his Q.  Had another bad match where they stuck me in bot with Janna against an Annie/Ashe combo.  Went even worse.  Janna was getting last hits and the Ashe was really smurfy.

[Nightblade]

Despite the advice, I'm having a much easier time carrying with Jax than Irelia.  I just decided not to build gunblade and still carried pretty hard despite a somewhat meh team (the Cass was good). I think I could still build gunblade and be OK; I need to build at least something early with lifesteal on it (made a wriggles).

I think with Irelia, it depends on me getting farm.  If I can get a lot of farm, then I get scary fast.  If not,  I'm in for a mediocre game until the later stages.   Had a crappy game where I had Graves in my line and that guy took all the CS with his Q.  Had another bad match where they stuck me in bot with Janna against an Annie/Ashe combo.  Went even worse.  Janna was getting last hits.  

The slow from an early bilgewater cutlass is invaluable, especially if you do well enough to get it during your lane phase.

[Malakili]

Played a Corki/Soraka combo (me as Soraka) last night and it was pretty awesome.  Effectively removing Corki's mana limitation in the early game helps him get pretty scary quick, and Soraka brings insane sustainability to her lane for obvious reasons.

[Margalis]

Irelia's main strength is that she can make a beeline for a squishy and there isn't much the other team can do about it. She's one of the best in the game at that. (Poppy and Talon being the two others that spring to mind)

[K9]

Janna was getting last hits

That's a bad Janna. That said, AP Janna (while terrible) is kinda fun.

[Strazos]

Also, still hate Singed....REALLY hate Singed. Always seems to have tons of armor, even before buying an item that gives any armor or MR.

Dude always seems practically impossible to kill. 

[Rasix]

Also, still hate Singed....REALLY hate Singed. Always seems to have tons of armor, even before buying an item that gives any armor or MR.

Dude always seems practically impossible to kill.  

I just pissed off a Nocturne so bad that all he could say was "fuck you" for the last 5 minutes of the game and this was only a 22 minute game.  My team was bad enough that it ended up being 2/12 with me picking up the only two kills.  Popped insanity potion, ran in, dropped goo, threw Vayne into goo + purple, killed Vayne, Nocture ultis onto me, I fling him, drop goo, sprint off because I'm almost dead, Nocture chases like a boss, dies in a cloud of purple poop, and I make it back to tower (shift + enter HAHAHAHAHAHA).  


I find that even if I have a bad early game with Singed, I can really wreck morons late as I get to my post RoA tank items.  Plus, I'm always, always annoying.  He's definitely going back into the rotation (Jax, Irelia, Singed).

[Slayerik]

BTW, nice choice of boots. Had your Xerath bought even one piece of armor against that team you were facing, you guys mighta had a shot :)

In games like that I like to try to spam BUY NINJA TABI or BUY ARMOR!! but it never really helps. It's less of an issue when you get to 30, but some people still just build whatever their guide tells them.

[Rasix]

The Xerath was hideously bad.  He nearly died to Ashe before minions even spawned.. in mid. His path for retreat was toward wraiths instead of toward his tower.  He was missing his skill shot by miles.

Previous game I was facing another heavy AD team,  got thornmail, and proceeded to watch the Graves and Talon kick their own ass.

[HaemishM]

Wow that is a TERRIBAD team.

[Malakili]

The Xerath was hideously bad.  He nearly died to Ashe before minions even spawned.. in mid. His path for retreat was toward wraiths instead of toward his tower.  He was missing his skill shot by miles.

Previous game I was facing another heavy AD team,  got thornmail, and proceeded to watch the Graves and Talon kick their own ass.

I'm amazed at how many people die or almost die before minions spawn in my game. 

[Hoax]

Despite the advice, I'm having a much easier time carrying with Jax than Irelia.  I just decided not to build gunblade and still carried pretty hard despite a somewhat meh team (the Cass was good). I think I could still build gunblade and be OK; I need to build at least something early with lifesteal on it (made a wriggles).

I think with Irelia, it depends on me getting farm.  If I can get a lot of farm, then I get scary fast.  If not,  I'm in for a mediocre game until the later stages.   Had a crappy game where I had Graves in my line and that guy took all the CS with his Q.  Had another bad match where they stuck me in bot with Janna against an Annie/Ashe combo.  Went even worse.  Janna was getting last hits and the Ashe was really smurfy.

  Yeah its really difficult to account for how different of a game you are playing from what you will be playing in not too long judging from how stupid your teammates seem and how you seem, well, not worthlessly stupid.

Irelia (and Jax) need a lane to themselves or at least need the lion's share of the farm. Is nobody jungling in your games Rasix? If that's the case you might want to try just playing warwick, although maybe forcing a teammate to play 2v1 is going to hurt more than having a jungler helps. Its really hard to say when lanes are that fucked up.

Who gets the solo lane in your games and why?

[Malakili]

Despite the advice, I'm having a much easier time carrying with Jax than Irelia.  I just decided not to build gunblade and still carried pretty hard despite a somewhat meh team (the Cass was good). I think I could still build gunblade and be OK; I need to build at least something early with lifesteal on it (made a wriggles).

I think with Irelia, it depends on me getting farm.  If I can get a lot of farm, then I get scary fast.  If not,  I'm in for a mediocre game until the later stages.   Had a crappy game where I had Graves in my line and that guy took all the CS with his Q.  Had another bad match where they stuck me in bot with Janna against an Annie/Ashe combo.  Went even worse.  Janna was getting last hits and the Ashe was really smurfy.

  Yeah its really difficult to account for how different of a game you are playing from what you will be playing in not too long judging from how stupid your teammates seem and how you seem, well, not worthlessly stupid.

Irelia (and Jax) need a lane to themselves or at least need the lion's share of the farm. Is nobody jungling in your games Rasix? If that's the case you might want to try just playing warwick, although maybe forcing a teammate to play 2v1 is going to hurt more than having a jungler helps. Its really hard to say when lanes are that fucked up.

Who gets the solo lane in your games and why?

I'm not speaking for Rasix here, but assuming he has a somewhat similar experience to me, which he does from what he is saying, the person who solos is the person either 1) runs to mid first or 2) decides they don't mind doing it because no one else wants to (which is what I usually do when I play Ashe or Vayne).   If anyone jungles, which is rare, its usually something along the lines of "HAY GUISE I HERD JUGNLING IS GOOD< IM JUNGLE OK!"

[Rasix]

  Yeah its really difficult to account for how different of a game you are playing from what you will be playing in not too long judging from how stupid your teammates seem and how you seem, well, not worthlessly stupid.

Irelia (and Jax) need a lane to themselves or at least need the lion's share of the farm. Is nobody jungling in your games Rasix? If that's the case you might want to try just playing warwick, although maybe forcing a teammate to play 2v1 is going to hurt more than having a jungler helps. Its really hard to say when lanes are that fucked up.

Who gets the solo lane in your games and why?

I'd say I only get a jungler maybe 10-25% of the time.   If we get one, I'm usually good with a solo top lane.  I don't die in 1 v 2s unless it's a combo that's really problematic and they just bust out everything to kill me.  Usually the increase in levels means I can hold my own, get some CS, and generally just let them push and perhaps get a tower assisted kill.  It's a lot better than a virtual 1 v 2 where your partner is a worthless feed bot or so passive they're just soaking up XP and making you feel like you should be protecting them.  I had a Trynd that just STARED at a Yi I flung right in front him.  He didn't even make a move and the tower hit the Yi twice.. still.. too risky I guess. I swear he was playing a support Trynd.

The set up at the level of play I'm at right now seems to be 2 top (melee AD usually), 1 mid (ranged usually calls or a Kassadin), 2 bot (whatever, sometimes a support is there). Everyone competing for CS. If someone jungles, there's a 50% chance you'll see them die to a minion within the first 5 minutes.  It's usually just a collection of bruisers and various carries.  No tanks, no support, no jungle.

The one time I got mid as Irelia, because my team didn't want it, I carried the hell out of the game.  I'd always want a solo lane, but it just doesn't seem to fit for how the game is played at this summoner level.  

edit: Hey... you called me stupid!  

edit: I should note that I mostly play blind pick still.  Should I move to draft at this summoner level?  That might force more sane team comps, but it also might lead to more dickery.

[Ice Cream Emperor]

I dunno, my account is currently at around the same level and I haven't noticed people being that regularly awful -- but it could be I'm just used to it.

To be honest I kind of appreciate the wider variety of team compositions compared to ranked play, even if it means you're more likely to have half-lost the game before it even starts if the other team has a tank or a competent jungler or a support or whatnot.

Though it has definitely been a relief getting to the stage where most teams at least have a tank. The 5-carry team is boring in its own way.

[Rasix]

I've played maybe 10-12 games this week and I've seen just seen a couple Cho'gaths and my Singed for tanks.  You typically see some more Alistars, being free at and all, but not this week.  

I only get in 2-3 games a night, so whatever trend I see at my level can also be attributed to just luck of the draw (skewed toward the free champs).  This week it's lots of Jarvans, Panths, Ashe, Jax, and of course the standards (Yi, Trynd, Kat, Ez).

In a way, however, you're right, I'm not looking forward to a more standardized team comp.  But, the complete lack of any sort of support play or jungle play makes the games feel  a little shallow.  It's missing something.

[HaemishM]

Does Ashe just attract either some of the most skilled players or some of the shittiest? Just had a game as Ryze laning top with an Ashe so terrible she managed 0/9/1 and we had to surrender at 20. My score was a terrible 2/9/1 and we had a Gangplank with 6/0/0. The rest of the team had no kills and no assists, just deaths. The Ashe and I were laned up against a Teemo and a skilled Singed - further cementing my hatred of Singed. I can't play him for shit, but a good player can own with him. At one point, I'm standing DIRECTLY under my tower, Singed is out of range above me and a giant fucking arrow from the other team's Ashe hits me and I'm dead in one shot. I have no fucking idea how it happened, because I think the Ashe was mid laning. It was a terrible game, made worse by the Ashe who had no fucking clue what to do with the character.

[Margalis]

Ashe ult arrow stuns for longer the farther it travels, so winging one across the map is often a good idea. You'll probably miss but if you hit it's often a kill.

[HaemishM]

I think she said something like "FROM ACROSS THE MAP!" so yeah, it was likely a long, lucky motherfucking arrow. Surprised the shit out of me.

[Ice Cream Emperor]

When you know the enemy is going to be cowering/pressured under their tower and your teammates want to dive, it's not too hard to figure out approximately where they'll be standing.

[Rasix]

Noobler question:

When do you get to buy your final set of runes? 20?  I know some slots are still going to be locked, but the ones you buy at 20 are the ones you use at 30, right?

[Prospero]

Yup.

[Dark_MadMax]

I'm amazed at how many people die or almost die before minions spawn in my game. 

Well its is actually fun to have teamfight before minion spawn (typically happens near blue) , but also if you get to "almost dead" before minions spawn you can always recall and heal up. That of course as long as you dont actually die :)

[Mosesandstick]

I'd recommend picking up some of the Halloween runes, they're practically as good as Tier 3 ones and a fraction of the price.

[HaemishM]

Yeah, I grabbed a Halloween AP Quint from that sale. Those things are definitely better than Tier 2.

[statisticalfool]

Ooh, Nocturne *and* Nidalee sale. Sold.

[Rasix]

Nocturne is tempting.  Pretty sure I'd be fucking terrible with him, however.