AWKWARD ZOMBIE

Mr. Mander wrote:So I'm currently level 12 and not too shabby in the Intermediate Bot matches I've done

Based on the discussions over the past page or so I'm thinking of making the leap to Matchmaking. Is this a good idea or should I wait until level 20 and I get my tier three runes up.

I started doing PvP seriously around level 15 I think, and hopefully you won't get matched up with people who have tier three runes, so that doesn't matter. Go for it, see how you do.

Also, give me your username so I can add you, or just add Ablu2.

I remember back when I first started there was no co op. you had to fight in the REAL WORLD to get experience.

Tried LoL for the first time a few days ago. Loved it.

However, (and this is somewhat on topic, even) I'm level five and I've only ever played custom bot matches to get a feel for the game. Strategic item buying, runes, and advanced tactics are all still way beyond me and I'm kind of afraid to play live matches for fear of screwing my team by not knowing vernacular or movement strategy and all that.

If any kind soul wants to friend me and give me a rundown of what I should be doing, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Also, I've tried four or five different champions and have so far found Ziggs to be my favorite. Will he fare alright in actual gameplay? Or is champion choice just kind of preferential?

EDIT: I'm sleauxbreaux in game.

Ablu2 wrote:

Nancymaker wrote:I agree with Savagery though. Bot games do teach a lot of bad habits. It's nice for testing out a new champ (or getting a quick win of the day) but I'm very glad that I didn't have the option of playing Co-op vs. AI whilst levelling, because I'm a much better player as a result. The deep end seems a lot less deep when EVERYTHING is the deep end..

Or maybe you are a better player because you've had nearly 1500 matches of experience? Just a wild thought.

Also, nice 100% win rate with Lulu.

I meant, a better BRAND NEW level 30 player than other BRAND NEW level 30 players generally are now. Bot games sort of spoil people, despite their other benefits.

To offer another perspective, I think bot games are a nice (deceptive of Riot) way of getting people to like the game and keep playing. The initial confusion of adjusted to the game combined with some of the incredibly harsh attitudes can drive some new players away. Getting frustrated at not knowing what to do, and being yelled at for not doing it, can be demoralizing and some people would rather go back to other multiplayer games than sit through more turmoil. With bot games, yeah sometimes people have to deal with dumb teammates, but they can take the time to adjust to the game itself without having opponents antagonizing them in lower-level matches, or being called a "scrub" for being new when they're actually facing a level thirty player on a smurf account.

If people want to use bot games as a way of getting used to the game, then cool - hell, I know people who solely play bot games because they have fun with them, and that's fine, too. It's those that wish to eventually transition into PvP - if they want to play the actual game against others, then they need to be aware that there are many things bot games don't teach, and playing them for too long will only hurt them in the long run. I'm only going to actually criticize people that play bot matches and then claim "I'm so good at this game" because they're not experiencing the game in its entirety - they are only exploring one available option.

So I played my first PvP game as Kayle

I did

DECENTLY

Managed to keep my team alive in a few clutch situations, threw around a few nukes, heals, etc. I think the Nocturne did most of the work though. Carried hard.

Sleauxbreaux wrote:Tried LoL for the first time a few days ago. Loved it.

However, (and this is somewhat on topic, even) I'm level five and I've only ever played custom bot matches to get a feel for the game. Strategic item buying, runes, and advanced tactics are all still way beyond me and I'm kind of afraid to play live matches for fear of screwing my team by not knowing vernacular or movement strategy and all that.

If any kind soul wants to friend me and give me a rundown of what I should be doing, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Also, I've tried four or five different champions and have so far found Ziggs to be my favorite. Will he fare alright in actual gameplay? Or is champion choice just kind of preferential?

EDIT: I'm sleauxbreaux in game.

Champion choice is mostly preferential. When you pick a champion, you're mostly picking the kind of job you want to do. Riot does a fairly good job of making their characters look like they're qualified to do the jobs they're meant to do - big beefy dudes and those with obviously heavy armor are often good at taking damage, people with their hands on fire tend to cast magic, etc... a lot of exceptions to this rule exist (Amumu looks like a child with a giant head but he's supposed to take hits), but only a very few champions are outright worse than their peers. The "best" ones are simply less situational.

I'm going to add you and invite you to some 1v1 custom games so I can both show you how an experienced player operates, and watch what you're doing in real time. Summoner name's Ganelon.

Nancymaker wrote: I meant, a better BRAND NEW level 30 player than other BRAND NEW level 30 players generally are now. Bot games sort of spoil people, despite their other benefits.

I'm not saying that doing entirely bot matches until level 30 is a good idea, I'm saying that someone new to this kind of game in general would be better off doing bot matches until they lose that deer in the headlights of a car feeling. They do teach a lot of things, like how minion and turret aggro works, who usually goes in what lanes (the beginner bots always send two tanky people top, a mage mid, and an AD carry and support bot. Only way it isn't like the meta is there's no jungler.), and they can mess around with different builds a bit easier, without fear of retaliation.

Also, I've been thinking of trying out a few silly builds. AP Gangplank, 5 blood thirsters and a berserk greaves on someone like blitzcrank or master yi who has a built in MS and AS buff, and I can get my friend to be Nunu with a zekes herald, so attack speed isn't a problem.

I hit level 20 and I feel like I'm doing considerably worse than I was.

You're in Rune Land now, so some players may be worse than you, but have the runes to make up for the gear race, thus out playing you.

I bought an exp boost, time to grind to 30.

Frostfire Annie is on sale, yeeeesssssss.

I played a match against a Varus yesterday

I'm calling bullshit

Complaining about a high dps ranged carry that has no escapes other than blowing his ult?

It's like you've never fought Brand before. Or Urgot. Just close the distance and slap his shit.