League of Legends X: Armored Armadillo Delivers Ambiguous Affirmative

[Spartacus]

If you speak French, Spanish or English, come on down to NA servers. If you do not, please take a course first.

[Math_Mage]

Personally, I would of thought support, an AP carry, or a ranged AD carry would all be better.

All suboptimal options, IMO. The major utility a tank brings to the table is that the team can initiate a 5v5, focus someone down with chain CC, and make a quick 5v4 more easily than any other team comp. If you don't have the initiator, the other team will have the luxury of superior poking and positioning, every teamfight, and they'll destroy you. It's true I'd prefer that this kind of team have a Janna on it--then you can jump on someone, focus him down, reset the teamfight, and repeat at leisure--but Janna doesn't boost the "jump on someone" step that's so crucial to this strategy, so is second priority to the tank. Maybe Taric--but as a support tank he fits both our suggestions. The carries are not my preferred choice, as you already have a ton of burst and sustained damage in this comp--the problem is bringing that damage to bear on a tower or protected squishy. Tanks do that best.

[Volatar]

So I now own 11 champions. I have one for every role except pure assassin (which doesn't look to be my thing anyways), but I need more in each role to flesh out my options.

I own Annie, Ashe, Mundo, Galio, Garen, Lux, Nasus, Nunu, Tristana, Xin, Zilean

Physical Carry - Tristana, Ashe
Mage Carry - Lux
Tanky-Physical-DPS - Mundo, Garen, Nasus, Xin
Tanky-Mage: None (hoping to see Vlad free again sometime soon to give him a try for this role)
Support - Annie, Zilean
Tank - Galio
Jungle - Nunu

These are not necessarily their assigned roles, but this is how I play the champions.

It looks like I need another AP Carry, another Tank, and another jungler to start with.

These champ purchases will likely be a bit delayed as I need to spend some ip on runes first, and I will play any recommendations on their next free weeks before buying them.

First one I tried out was Kennen as he is free this week. Played him in a botgame. Wheeeeeeee lightning squirrel. He was fun

[Dogmantra]

All this talk of Kennen and it being Kennen free week made me wanna write a guide for Kennen like I've been meaning to.

So for an extremely highbrow, very intellectually challenging read, open the following spoiler and you will become enlightened in the ways of the Lightning Squirrel.

Spoiler

Show

Right so there actually is some good advice there. I think.

[Arbitrarity]

Physical Carry - Tristana, Ashe
Mage Carry - Lux
Tanky-Physical-DPS - Mundo, Garen, Nasus, Xin
Tanky-Mage: None (hoping to see Vlad free again sometime soon to give him a try for this role)
Support - Annie, Zilean
Tank - Galio
Jungle - Nunu

It looks like I need another AP Carry, another Tank, and another jungler to start with.

I can't help but re-recommend Amumu. Rammus, Shen, and Malphite are also all viable jungling tanks (and normal tanks). If you want a dedicated jungler, Udyr, Shaco, or Warwick are all good bets. Ryze, Sion and Cho'gath are all quite viable tanky mages, and Ryze and Sion can pseudo-carry. Vlad is of course inherently a tanky mage-carry, and Kassadin/Akali are solid mage-carry assassins.

[ZombyWoof]

14-1-3 as Annie in ranked. I love this champ so much...

Laning vs vlad I went 3/1 mostly because I didn't realize the way the new pool mechanic worked. Apparently if you pool, it cancels out Annie's spell, removes CD, returns mana, and resets pyromania stax. Once I figured that out the lane became REALLY funny because he'd use W as a free 20% nuke, then come back and I'd Q-W him and see him at below half health. Then he freaked out and ran, over and over.

EDIT: Learn Cho or Shen (hopefully both) as your tanks because Galio's pretty nerfed.

[Dogmantra]

EDIT: Learn Cho or Shen (hopefully both) as your tanks because Galio's pretty nerfed.

I'd say Galio is still probably a better main tank than Cho'Gath though. His ult still wins teamfights. Just not as hard as he used to.

[Master_Rahl22]

All this talk of Kennen and it being Kennen free week made me wanna write a guide for Kennen like I've been meaning to.

So for an extremely highbrow, very intellectually challenging read, open the following spoiler and you will become enlightened in the ways of the Lightning Squirrel.

Spoiler

Show

Kennen Awesomeness
Right so there actually is some good advice there. I think.

Steps 4, 5, and 6 didn't load for me, but I totally want to save these and learn Kennen now.

[efdf]

I enjoy playing Nunu and jungling with him, but what exactly is counter-jungling? Is it just roaming through the enemy jungle trying to kill/screw with the other teams jungler? Are there more specific strategies for it? One obvious strategy is to hide at their blue for someone dependent on it and steal it or kill/drive the enemy away. What are some others?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmc4xsPIcf0
is a good guide

All suboptimal options, IMO. The major utility a tank brings to the table is that the team can initiate a 5v5, focus someone down with chain CC, and make a quick 5v4 more easily than any other team comp. If you don't have the initiator, the other team will have the luxury of superior poking and positioning, every teamfight, and they'll destroy you. It's true I'd prefer that this kind of team have a Janna on it--then you can jump on someone, focus him down, reset the teamfight, and repeat at leisure--but Janna doesn't boost the "jump on someone" step that's so crucial to this strategy, so is second priority to the tank. Maybe Taric--but as a support tank he fits both our suggestions. The carries are not my preferred choice, as you already have a ton of burst and sustained damage in this comp--the problem is bringing that damage to bear on a tower or protected squishy. Tanks do that best.

Please do not advocate a 5 tank/tanky DPS team. It's probably one of the worst ideas in the game that people still cling to and a good way to lose horribly.

[Math_Mage]

So I now own 11 champions. I have one for every role except pure assassin (which doesn't look to be my thing anyways), but I need more in each role to flesh out my options.

I own Annie, Ashe, Mundo, Galio, Garen, Lux, Nasus, Nunu, Tristana, Xin, Zilean

Physical Carry - Tristana, Ashe
Mage Carry - Lux
Tanky-Physical-DPS - Mundo, Garen, Nasus, Xin
Tanky-Mage: None (hoping to see Vlad free again sometime soon to give him a try for this role)
Support - Annie, Zilean
Tank - Galio
Jungle - Nunu

These are not necessarily their assigned roles, but this is how I play the champions.

It looks like I need another AP Carry, another Tank, and another jungler to start with.

These champ purchases will likely be a bit delayed as I need to spend some ip on runes first, and I will play any recommendations on their next free weeks before buying them.

First one I tried out was Kennen as he is free this week. Played him in a botgame. Wheeeeeeee lightning squirrel. He was fun

Ryze and Sion are cheap, fun tanky mages (Sion has more of the tank, Ryze has more of the mage).

For tanks, make a dartboard of the usual four (Rammus/Shen/Mumu/Malphite) and throw. Add Alistar if you're up to the challenge.

Junglers...well, see above. Add WW/Udyr/Shaco/Trundle.

Side note: Sivir's a good and cheap third ranged carry. TF is a good and cheap global ranged carry who can double as an AP carry on demand. (And jungler, apparently. )

All this talk of Kennen and it being Kennen free week made me wanna write a guide for Kennen like I've been meaning to.

So for an extremely highbrow, very intellectually challenging read, open the following spoiler and you will become enlightened in the ways of the Lightning Squirrel.

Spoiler

Show

<snip>
Right so there actually is some good advice there. I think.

Ow. Split sides. Dog you too funny.

Please do not advocate a 5 tank/tanky DPS team. It's probably one of the worst ideas in the game that people still cling to and a good way to lose horribly.

All right, then what would you 5th-pick in that situation? It's not like I can wave a wand and make his team not 90% of the way to a tanky DPS comp. Of course it's better to get the balanced comp, but you work with what you get, and I don't see a superior alternative to playing the tank. If you don't get the Malphite-equivalent, your team is stuck with subpar jungling and subpar initiation.

[Volatar]

Thanks for the recommendations. I will check out those champs when they come up in the free rotation.

Galio's pretty nerfed.

He is still quite awesome. Also: Riot said they will be buffing the radius of his ult soon.

[Dogmantra]

For tanks, make a dartboard of the usual four (Rammus/Shen/Mumu/Malphite) and throw. Add Alistar if you're up to the challenge.

I wouldn't add Alistar to the dartboard since I find he tends to struggle at tanking in more sustained damage team comps rather than the bursty ones, which incidentally, are the same comps that Galio has a bit of trouble tanking in (though Galio doesn't have too much of a problem, it's still noticable), so I'd go for a more sustained tank. I'd say Shen.

He is still quite awesome. Also: Riot said they will be buffing the radius of his ult soon.

That's... a completely wonderful idea for a buff to Galio. Nice.

[Astrella]

All this talk of Kennen and it being Kennen free week made me wanna write a guide for Kennen like I've been meaning to.

So for an extremely highbrow, very intellectually challenging read, open the following spoiler and you will become enlightened in the ways of the Lightning Squirrel.
----
Right so there actually is some good advice there. I think.[/spoiler]

...

I don't care what Faulty and you have going on, marry me!

Edit: On slightly less serious matter; does anyone know if the minion hotfix got through already?

[Volatar]

That's... a completely wonderful idea for a buff to Galio. Nice.

Yeah, it is. Its not happening this patch because they need an artist to change the animation before they can do it, but it is going to happen. Makes me really happy. All too often I just barely miss someone with the ult.

[efdf]

All right, then what would you 5th-pick in that situation? It's not like I can wave a wand and make his team not 90% of the way to a tanky DPS comp. Of course it's better to get the balanced comp, but you work with what you get, and I don't see a superior alternative to playing the tank. If you don't get the Malphite-equivalent, your team is stuck with subpar jungling and subpar initiation.

Ashe. Jarvan, Swain, Irelia, Xin is a low damage, way too melee heavy comp very vulnerable to being kited and is really bad at pushing towers. Adding on a tank will do very little to rectify their problem of being unable to kill anyone.

+ her arrow is best initiation ability in the game

[Darwin]

It's a common ragepost, nothing special about it, don't read it if you don't care. In fact, don't read it at all. I just need to vent.

Last night's rating: 1495
Tonight's rating: 1419

I am NOT amused Every, single, game has been ridden with whiners and leavers all blaming me or themselves for their defeat. You can have Elealar as my witness that nothing I did in those games caused us to lose, or even gain major disadvantages. I don't get how I can fill out my part to 100% satisfaction and still lose the majority of games like that. I have taken such a drastic drop in rating that I'm seriously considering quitting the game, because the sheer effort of climbing back up seems insurmountable (no, I don't know what it really means, It's just a big word for an angry post).

¤%&# League of Legends and #¤%& it's lame*** players

Hugz, anyone?

[toasty]

Ashe. Jarvan, Swain, Irelia, Xin is a low damage, way too melee heavy comp very vulnerable to being kited and is really bad at pushing towers. Adding on a tank will do very little to rectify their problem of being unable to kill anyone.

+ her arrow is best initiation ability in the game

This actually seems really reasonable. Jarvan+Ashe+Xin is good initation. Irelia jungles, Ashe and Swain solo (or have Ashe go bot with Xin). It... could work.

[Joran]

I don't get how I can fill out my part to 100% satisfaction and still lose the majority of games like that.

/hugz

I find as a mostly tank player that my success or failure is due in large part to my teammates. I've seen one single fed carry or assassin rip through a team before, just by sheer bad assitude. I've rarely seen a team carried by a tank.

So I can be a boss tank, soak up all the damage, appropriately initiate, protect my carries and still lose because my teammates don't focus fire or don't do enough damage quickly enough.

/shrug, team game is frustrating sometime, especially when you're playing with people you don't know. As Elementz once said something to the effect that "Solo queue is for practice, 5v5 is where the real game is."

[lord_khaine]

All this talk of Kennen and it being Kennen free week made me wanna write a guide for Kennen like I've been meaning to.

Hilarious

[toasty]

It's a common ragepost, nothing special about it, don't read it if you don't care. In fact, don't read it at all. I just need to vent.

Last night's rating: 1495
Tonight's rating: 1419

I am NOT amused Every, single, game has been ridden with whiners and leavers all blaming me or themselves for their defeat. You can have Elealar as my witness that nothing I did in those games caused us to lose, or even gain major disadvantages. I don't get how I can fill out my part to 100% satisfaction and still lose the majority of games like that. I have taken such a drastic drop in rating that I'm seriously considering quitting the game, because the sheer effort of climbing back up seems insurmountable (no, I don't know what it really means, It's just a big word for an angry post).

¤%&# League of Legends and #¤%& it's lame*** players

Hugz, anyone?

One of my friends says she actually has just plain given up on the game because she is sick of this happening to her.

I'm more resilient. Plus, I just got to 1400 elo.

[Astrella]

Eh, it's basically the risk you take when you solo-queue, no point complaining about it. I only play when we have at least a group of 4; off course, this means I'll be playing less but at least I'll be having fun.

[Joran]

Eh, it's basically the risk you take when you solo-queue, no point complaining about it. I only play when we have at least a group of 4; off course, this means I'll be playing less but at least I'll be having fun.

Well, the other problem is that my group of friends tends to consist of:
tank player, off-tank player, support player, mage player, support player. We have no true carry specialists on our team. I guess we're just your usual geeks; very passive, very quiet people.

[Silverraptor]

All this talk of Kennen and it being Kennen free week made me wanna write a guide for Kennen like I've been meaning to.

So for an extremely highbrow, very intellectually challenging read, open the following spoiler and you will become enlightened in the ways of the Lightning Squirrel.

Spoiler

Show

Right so there actually is some good advice there. I think.

Curse you Dog and your Intellectually superior British writing skills. Though one question, do I start with boots, or do I get a Doran's shield first?

[Prplcheez]

Warmog's is a really bad item.

The math agrees with you. The noobs who don't know how to kill a 3500 HP Kennen don't.

[Dogmantra]

Curse you Dog and your Intellectually superior British writing skills. Though one question, do I start with boots, or do I get a Doran's shield first?

I say Doran's Shield, but I've seen other people do Boots and Potions and do well. Before the Doran's changes I would have said Shield is Just Better but now they both have their virtues. I'd say you definitely want Doran's if you're 1v2ing though.

[Eldariel]

It's a common ragepost, nothing special about it, don't read it if you don't care. In fact, don't read it at all. I just need to vent.

Last night's rating: 1495
Tonight's rating: 1419

I am NOT amused Every, single, game has been ridden with whiners and leavers all blaming me or themselves for their defeat. You can have Elealar as my witness that nothing I did in those games caused us to lose, or even gain major disadvantages. I don't get how I can fill out my part to 100% satisfaction and still lose the majority of games like that. I have taken such a drastic drop in rating that I'm seriously considering quitting the game, because the sheer effort of climbing back up seems insurmountable (no, I don't know what it really means, It's just a big word for an angry post).

¤%&# League of Legends and #¤%& it's lame*** players

Hugz, anyone?

And then we finally got a good team composition (what did it require? Me playing the jungle as 1st pick, of course) and win with stellar colors, making the enemy team groan our mass CC. Rammus/Shen FTW

[Joran]

Another tease from Guinsoo:

"Alistar playtested very well today again. I think he's ready for Mar 29. Waiting for tech for Angry run animation :)"

So... New Passive?

[Maeglin_Dubh]

Could I get some thought experiments/brainstorming/what-have-you on jungling with Yi? How low he runs, good starts, skilling, that sort of thing.

I've tried cloth+pots start, I've tried Doran's Ring start, I've tried longsword+pot start, at wolves, minigolems.

I have no trouble with him on 3v3. 5v5 jungle seems tougher, so I'd like to shape that game up a little.

[Eldariel]

Could I get some thought experiments/brainstorming/what-have-you on jungling with Yi? How low he runs, good starts, skilling, that sort of thing.

I've tried cloth+pots start, I've tried Doran's Ring start, I've tried longsword+pot start, at wolves, minigolems.

I have no trouble with him on 3v3. 5v5 jungle seems tougher, so I'd like to shape that game up a little.

I brought you something. It is worth noting that he has many viable jungle paths tho and much depends on AS procs. Starting at Small Golems and doing Blue Wraith with the 7th hit tends to be rather workable.

[term1nally s1ck]

Against low-mid elo players, warmogs makes you tanky. If they see a guy with 3500 HP, they ignore him and go for the guys with less HP.

If, like Kennen, your CC and a fairly large amount of your damage don't need AP to happen, ignoring him is a good way to die completely.