4521

The problem with Katarina post-laning phase is that her main contribution is her ult. It does stupid damage if allowed to go, but no one competent will ever let it go. They’ll stun you, they’ll exhaust you, whatever. Kat isn’t very helpful against competent players who will have both decent player and summoner spell picks and some presence of mind.

4522

Keep in mind I’ve still only played blind pick games. Seems meaningless to try a draft pick when I don’t know enough to know who to counter pick or whatever (and I only know how to play 2 champions).

Any recommendations on a champion to try that I could feel effective with if played properly? I don’t think I’m too terrible, and I wouldn’t mind playing a champion that’s difficult. I’d rather not jungle, but I’m willing to try almost anything else. Maybe a support? I just want to feel like if I perform adequately, I will contribute.

I’ve played talon a lot too, but he seems very similar to katarina in many respects.

4523

I buy that the first time I go back, since in a game against multiple stunners (e.g., always) I’m buying Merc Treads.

The problem with Katarina post-laning phase is that her main contribution is her ult. It does stupid damage if allowed to go, but no one competent will ever let it go. They’ll stun you, they’ll exhaust you, whatever. Kat isn’t very helpful against competent players who will have both decent player and summoner spell picks and some presence of mind.

I’ve found that Katarina is very very good in longer-running teamfights or the sort of running ganks that I occasionally (to my great delight) see. Shumpo does pretty decent damage, and getting a healing reduction on a target can often be vital (Nasus, teams with healers).

That said, I’ve never seen a Katarina pull off the shenanigans that a really fed Kassadin can pull off. Mmmm, Kassadin…

4524

One thing to note is that boots are kind of useless against Sion, especially if you’re melee, since you can’t dodge his stun and it has no cast time or animation. If you started with boots before finding out you’re going against him, rush merc treads. If you think you’re going to be laning against him at the start of the game buy something more useful than boots, like something Doran’s or a regrowth pendant (AP Sion means that you’ll probably want Force of Nature at some point as Renekton).

I wouldn’t reccomend dashing behind his creeps to attack him after he puts his shield up. Best case scenario is that he stands there doing nothing and you get to stun him before getting stunned yourself and attacked by creeps. The only time that’s going to work is if you are sure you can just outdamage him after eating his combo.

Max your Q, get Merc Treads, try to just sustain yourself eating his creeps and hiding until you are tanky enough to overwhelm him.

4525

I will probably pony up the $20 if I like the game. I went ahead and picked up Ashe as it seems to be the consensus that she is relatively good to start with.

Last night I accidentally played Caitlyn…twice…in all bot games by myself However, I had bad luck. One game, I lot my connection (I think it was here at the house) after about 25 minutes. The next game I was pretty competitive after 30 minutes,k but then one of my bots got hung up. pathing issue where he was stuck going back and forth. Held my own a bit, but then eventually was slaughtered being down a man.

Reading stuff here and there to familiarize myself.

4526

Cait is pretty awesome. I think she’s one of the toughest to go up against as a mid.

4527

As I said, Aaron should only jump on Sion if he can pop Sion’s shield, in which case there’s no combo to eat (well, or Sion lands his stun early and then runs away, in which Aaron doesn’t get hit by the shield. Or lands his stun and then fights, in which case the shield goes down). If Aaron can’t, then he just needs to hold the distance until the shield pops on its own.

Also note that AP Sion–this is AP Sion, right?–needs kills in addition to cs in order to be scary mid/late game, so if you end up being zoned, well, that sucks, but it’s not game over unless you’re feeding the bastard as well.

4528

If you’re new, don’t worry too much about this. When we talk about champions being bad, it’s relative to other champions. The gap between “good” and “bad” ones isn’t generally all that large, and player skill is a far bigger factor than champion selection. You’ll get a feel for it as you play more.

4529

Do not play a support… play Annie because her Q will teach you how to last hit and that/farm more generally is the most important skill to develop from 1-30.

4530

As Renekton even when you can break his shield, there’s no gaurantee you will in time. No ranged skills means you have 4 seconds to get to him and deal a hundred or two damage, minus 1.5 seconds of being stunned. If you’re going to go after him after the shield appears you should be prepared to potentially take his combo in the face or you might wind up feeding him kills.

I agree, just staying alive and not feeding him is a much better outcome for the early game.

4531

I think I last hit OK, especially as ranged. I can also move, zone and harass pretty well. I have a lot to learn about all the champions and their interactions. I’m also not very good at deciding when to leave a lane and gank, or any other high-level decision. I imagine it’d be easier on a premade team rather than 4 people who don’t speak except to call the other team tryhards.

4532

Just hop on the mumble server sometimes.

4533

This is true, and here’s the other thing: playing support is only useful if there’s people worth supporting in your game. The best Janna in the world can only do so much to help that Master Yi with four Zeals. It’s not the best choice for playing with pubs.

4534

At least that’s attacking the other team. Just got out of another game where the 2/9/10 Leona was blaming all the team’s problems on me, the 9/4/15 Cait. Because you know, I wasn’t “pushing hard all the time” what with teleporting back to towers and keeping their Riven from backdooring his way to victory.

I worry about the types of people who are going to be walking around as “adults” in 15 years.

4535

I won my first Bot game and it was as Ashe and had 6/5/2. Easily the best I have done. I decided to just go with the recommended upgrades until I figure more of it out. I looked up the guide, but I would rather familiarize myself with more of them before sticking to a fixed purchase order.

I am showing the Champion Bundle at 3,400 RP, which I would need to buy the $35 5,000 RP package. Will that go on sale? The $20 bundle says 2,800 RP.

4536

Going to be?

4537

You should read Letters To The Editor in your local paper sometimes if you think current adults are in comparison saner.

4538

So, I’m kind of down on Riven. She’s mechanically interesting, but being effective with her feels like so much work compared to some other champions. I like her look, I like her move animations, but at the end of a Riven match I’m exhausted. Master Yi is so much easier. Poppy is easier. (I’m limited to the Fighty Mcfight melee types I have any experience with)

4539

I don’t think those bundles go on sale, Tyler. You used to be able to buy a boxed copy of LoL that came with a DVD and a store code. If you had the game installed you could just ignore the DVD and put the code in at the store for your champion bundle. When I bought the box it was 20 dollars but it might be harder to find now.

I’m now 6XP from level 30, woot. Probably gonna play one more game tonight to make it official. Then can I hang out with you guys and you can yell at me for being a noob?

4540

Interesting. Anyone else try her? I’ve heard she’s kind of fun to play which makes me want to buy her, but allowing that I haven’t played much recently every Riven I’ve seen has been absolutely terrible. Even in coop vs AI games.