League Of Legends -- Noob questions

[Andy14]

Afternoon all, I've watched the noob guide video to LoL and it looks very interesting. As a break from Witcher 3 it could be quite good fun. However I have a few very basic questions.

1) Do you level up over time or are your characters reset to scratch every time you play ?

2) When you start are Noobs grouped together with other beginners or are you randomly placed with experienced people who are none to pleased to see you ?

3) Is this subscription based ?

4) Fear of incompetence (see above questions) has kept me off Overwatch so wondering if this is any different.

Thanks for any help.

[bsodmike]

I'll do my best, as I'm starting out as well.

Just had my second 5v5 PVP and managed to lvl upto 16 pretty fast. My stats end game was 7/14/x, best I've had so far!

1. seems all chars are reset per game.
2. doesn't seem so, but it depends on the matching system?
3. nope, free. RP points may need to be purchased though for 'upgrades', skins etc.
4. So far people have been friendly; less rude than DOTA for example.

[Terbinator]

1) Do you level up over time or are your characters reset to scratch every time you play ?

Your champion resets after every game, but your profile does rank up to level 30 - at which point the Ranked ladder is unlocked. I've never played an MMO, but I've been told it's like the new champ to max level/gear experience condensed into 30-40mins.

2) When you start are Noobs grouped together with other beginners or are you randomly placed with experienced people who are none to pleased to see you ?

Generally, yes. But like anything, there is nothing to stop a season player creating a new account and it stomping everyone until Riot match the in-game performances to relevant opponents. In my experience, the matchg-making is pretty good - bear in mind you're going to be a headless chicken for the first 100 games anyway.

3) Is this subscription based ?

No, but you can buy champs and skins with real money if you so wish. I've been playing the game for close to 8 years now and have only ever bought 1 champ with the in-game currency.

4) Fear of incompetence (see above questions) has kept me off Overwatch so wondering if this is any different.

I haven't played a lot of OW, so I can't say, but depending on your own KB/M dexterity, I'd be surprised if OW isn't a lot more accessible.

If you want I'd be more than happy to play a few games

I'll do my best, as I'm starting out as well.

Just had my second 5v5 PVP and managed to lvl upto 16 pretty fast. My stats end game was 7/14/x, best I've had so far!

1. seems all chars are reset per game.
2. doesn't seem so, but it depends on the matching system?
3. nope, free. RP points may need to be purchased though for 'upgrades', skins etc.
4. So far people have been friendly; less rude than DOTA for example.

There are no upgrades that can only be bought with RP. Skins, really, are the only things that can only be bought RP.

MY tip would be to never turn /all chat on and mute anyone who begins to be toxic, rather than constructive, until you get into the swing of things.

[bsodmike]

Hey, hit me up chaps as 'bsodmike'. I'd be happy to jump in on a few games. What time do you normally play (UK time)?

[Andy14]

Hey, hit me up chaps as 'bsodmike'. I'd be happy to jump in on a few games. What time do you normally play (UK time)?

Haven't even installed it yet. Currently knee deep in Witcher 3 HoS. I'd imagine when I do I'll be desperately trying to remember that Q is not a Spell, CTRL is not roll and left mouse probably doesn't whack someone with a Silver Sword.

[Andy14]

Update & First Thoughts

I've installed, played for a few hours and read a few guides online. Initial thoughts from someone not used to playing this sort of game are :-

• It's good fun in the tutorial. I'd love more to play and learn.
• Playing the real game is fun to start but when you aren't very experienced it quickly gets very boring always being the one who's the lowest level.
• Really not knowing what's going on gets dull fast too. There's very little comms in the games I've played.
• There's very little in the way of tutorials. For such a massive game I thought there would be a much more advanced campaign.
• When I play multiplayer the Q to fight AI is very fast. To fight 5x5 it says "1 min" and I'm still sat there 5 minutes later (quit Q)
• When you do get a game it takes AGES for players to "load".
• There are so many Champions that it instantly puts me off playing. I forced myself to pick one and just try to learn it.
• There are also so many things presented all at once that it puts me off too. Mastery. Runes. All the gear to buy in the shop. Etc.
• Fighting the AI on "beginner" is ok. The intermediate level seemed very tough (only tried it once and we got hammered).

So I've enjoyed the tutorial, definitely improved my skills and knowledge a bit, enjoyed some games against the AI too BUT quickly getting bored. I can now only play 1 game before I have to quit and go do something else.

Interested in knowing the thoughts of others who either play / are learning.

[Disturbedguy]

Update & First Thoughts

I've installed, played for a few hours and read a few guides online. Initial thoughts from someone not used to playing this sort of game are :-

• It's good fun in the tutorial. I'd love more to play and learn.
• Playing the real game is fun to start but when you aren't very experienced it quickly gets very boring always being the one who's the lowest level.
• Really not knowing what's going on gets dull fast too. There's very little comms in the games I've played.
• There's very little in the way of tutorials. For such a massive game I thought there would be a much more advanced campaign.
• When I play multiplayer the Q to fight AI is very fast. To fight 5x5 it says "1 min" and I'm still sat there 5 minutes later (quit Q)
• When you do get a game it takes AGES for players to "load".
• There are so many Champions that it instantly puts me off playing. I forced myself to pick one and just try to learn it.
• There are also so many things presented all at once that it puts me off too. Mastery. Runes. All the gear to buy in the shop. Etc.
• Fighting the AI on "beginner" is ok. The intermediate level seemed very tough (only tried it once and we got hammered).

So I've enjoyed the tutorial, definitely improved my skills and knowledge a bit, enjoyed some games against the AI too BUT quickly getting bored. I can now only play 1 game before I have to quit and go do something else.

Interested in knowing the thoughts of others who either play / are learning.

With regards to the level side of thing. I played a while ago and cant remember if it was explained in the tutorial or not, but the key is in last hitting (killing) the minions.
You don't have to hit every minion until it dies (if you do start hitting a minion when its full health, make sure you finish it), you can hang around, behind your minions, letting them fight the other minions then just finish the lowest health minion off.

[Terbinator]

[LIST][*]It's good fun in the tutorial. I'd love more to play and learn.[*]Playing the real game is fun to start but when you aren't very experienced it quickly gets very boring always being the one who's the lowest level.

Theoretically, every you're with should be the same "level" in terms of in-game skill. I can appreciate people may have a higher/lower profile level, but really it doesn't mean much if they're only a few levels different rather than lvl5s vs lvl30s.

[*]Really not knowing what's going on gets dull fast too. There's very little comms in the games I've played.[*]There's very little in the way of tutorials. For such a massive game I thought there would be a much more advanced campaign.

I'm not sure what you mean by "know whats going on". In terms of comms, it varies game to game, but few people have time to type as the most common types of comms in the game is the ping wheel: (alert, retreat, on my way, assistance).

[*]When I play multiplayer the Q to fight AI is very fast. To fight 5x5 it says "1 min" and I'm still sat there 5 minutes later (quit Q)[*]When you do get a game it takes AGES for players to "load".

Can't really comment on the queue times, but Blind Pick should be quite fast unless you've got someone queueing with you which may warp the queue times if they're significantly better or worse skill-wise. Again, in terms of game loading, that's down to other people loading into the game.

[*]There are so many Champions that it instantly puts me off playing. I forced myself to pick one and just try to learn it.[*]There are also so many things presented all at once that it puts me off too. Mastery. Runes. All the gear to buy in the shop. Etc.

Why would choice put you off playing? Starting a new account is the best time to learn new champions through those which are on free rotation- I believe there is 10 champs always available, plus a few others rotated in and out IIRC. The game proper only really starts when you get on the Ranked ladder, which you're quite a fair bit off at the minute. In terms of runes/masteries - these do have a tutorial IIRC but anyway:

Masteries - These are skills/traits you assign to selectable 'pages' which have a more mid/late-game effect on your champion in-game. Think of it like the Perks from BF/CoD.

Runs - More general stat boosts(+5AD, armour etc), mainly, to shape your early game.

[*]Fighting the AI on "beginner" is ok. The intermediate level seemed very tough (only tried it once and we got hammered).

So I've enjoyed the tutorial, definitely improved my skills and knowledge a bit, enjoyed some games against the AI too BUT quickly getting bored. I can now only play 1 game before I have to quit and go do something else.

Playing bot game *is* boring - it completely strips the competitive element out which is the main hook for League/Dota.

Beginner bots really are brain-dead where as Inter will actually attack and move around. As mentioned, I would practice your last-hitting minions, positioning behind the minion waves so you don't take aggro and other basic concepts with beginner bots before moving up.

Do you find yourself dying a lot?

[Macman]

Is this game just another version of SMITE? But LoL being bigger?

[Terbinator]

Is this game just another version of SMITE? But LoL being bigger?

By version it's another game in the same genre yeah, but there's a world of difference in gameplay due to KB/M requirement of League (and the extra options that affords you in terms of interaction and accuracy).

[Andy14]

Cheers Terbinator for all the tips. I will add you in game the next time I login.

In terms of levels, some appear like me, others are level 30 (highest level ?). In regards to Comms I mean that everyone declares some code and runs off like they've been playing 20 years, I don't know if I'm in the right place or when I should change.

I Q on my own. Have only played against the AI as other Q's were far too long. When you all start then a screen appears with all players on and it appears as if every game has at least 1 player in Bali on a 56k modem.

I'm sure that I run forward too much, I chose Garen as he seemed easy to play (out of the free ones) and then "bought him" as he was cheap and I can get used to his controls at my leisure. As he's a tank type my natural instict is to go forward. I know this is wrong and will try to learn. I will also try to learn about the only shot counting is the kill.

I don't die much. BUT when I do it's usually 2 or 3 champions against me and I'm slowed, whacked and dead before I can think about running.

[Terbinator]

...I'm sure that I run forward too much, I chose Garen as he seemed easy to play (out of the free ones) and then "bought him" as he was cheap and I can get used to his controls at my leisure.

That's one of the hardest bits to naturally pick-up, but once you get "it" a rhythm will develop so you can both CS (creep-score aka last-hit) and not take aggro.

Garen is probably one of the best champs to learn that games mechanics with, certainly it was with Garen that the game clicked for me. His passive allows you to regen HP out of combat meaning you can stay in lane longer and his kit generally quite clear in what it does.

You can also get Tristana (ADC) and Alistar (Tank/Support) champion for free by linking your account with Riot's YT and Facebook pages IIRC.

[bsodmike]

lvl7 now and been using Garen since I don't have Shyvanna yet (i should soon!).

Yes, the AI runs are boring, and it gets to be so much more fun in the real 5v5 playing other players.

I too now wait behind the minions and do my best to _not_die you don't want to die quickly turning into 'farm food' for the other team.

[Terbinator]

I'll add you once I'm out of this clown fiesta in Ranked

[Terbinator]

Comes up with name not found for bsodmike? Are you on the EUW server?

Edit: http://lolalytics.com/ Is probably the best place for build/skill suggestions but more so in terms of raw win/lose stats. Not much in the way of guide/explanations.

[bsodmike]

Comes up with name not found for bsodmike? Are you on the EUW server?

Edit: http://lolalytics.com/ Is probably the best place for build/skill suggestions but more so in terms of raw win/lose stats. Not much in the way of guide/explanations.

Aah, I'm on the North America server.