EPTSo I had a rather rage filled few games this past evening, starting with one in particular where I was playing Udyr in the jungle. This got me to thinking after the game, talking with Hero that I should take a moment to perhaps evaluate why these games cause such blood boiling anger and whether I should avoid it or perhaps it has its place?
Pressure
The number one reason people get upset, comes down to the simple social element of this game. There is pressure to perform, both coming from your self but especially from your peers. Some times the pressure is tangibly voiced, other times it is just silently expected, but none the less it is there looming over you in every game. When things occur that increase these feeling of pressure, this is where the rage begins.
It works both on your own decision and the decisions of your teammates but there is also some weird interplay. Pressure and rage can build even when you are doing well, even when your whole team is doing well.
Your Performance
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Obviously when you are doing poorly you will instantly feel increased pressure to make up for past bad decisions. Common pit fall is to be over aggressive as a means of edging out a kill. This rarely turns out well, turning in to a snowballed feeding fest where the only thing increasing is your frustration and your opponent's ladder points. The appropriate reaction is to play safer, allowing for opponents slip ups, team fight stage and late game farming to mitigate handing your lane opponent a few undeserved kills. There is no point in feeling anxiety over past events, but instead being sure to not repeat them. It is always good to just buy a lot of wards and stay safe regardless of what role or lane you are in, when you're in this position.
You are always going to put pressure on your self to win, the key is to not let your desire to victory turn in to tilt and frustration.
You are always going to put pressure on your self to win, the key is to not let your desire to victory turn in to tilt and frustration.
Their Performance
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This one I believe is a far bit more complex than we let on. It sounds simple that we get mad when our teammates do poorly, but there is another element to it that I do not think is thought about all that often. When you perceive your team mates as being bad, this puts the instant pressure of your need to make up for their short comings. Added pressure plus poor team mate performance often leads to a compounding ball of energy drink fueled nerd rage.
This is a misconception, your teammates early mistakes don't by any means mean imminent defeat on the basis on a pure lack of skill. All be it, there are times they are drunk and or high and you are just fucked, but such is league. However, most of the time they make a slip up or are in a lane match up they are uncomfortable with. This is a situation we all find ourselves in to, probably more than we would like and fill our teammates head with vitriolic remarks and hate, increases their anxiety and yours. This leads to poor decision on both your parts.
Remember how I mentioned how you may become over aggressive to over compensate for bad past decisions? Well the same can be true when your teammates are biting the big one. You instinctively feel like you must do more to win the game, more is on your shoulders and you start making the brash high risk plays to win. This is often not the path to victory, instead cautious play, being understanding of your teammate and saying things to calm them or negate their own frustration is the best course of action.
It is good to remember that no one is perfect at this game and we have all had bad games. Keeping a level head and empathizing with your teammates with help get more wins and you keep more hair
This is a misconception, your teammates early mistakes don't by any means mean imminent defeat on the basis on a pure lack of skill. All be it, there are times they are drunk and or high and you are just fucked, but such is league. However, most of the time they make a slip up or are in a lane match up they are uncomfortable with. This is a situation we all find ourselves in to, probably more than we would like and fill our teammates head with vitriolic remarks and hate, increases their anxiety and yours. This leads to poor decision on both your parts.
Remember how I mentioned how you may become over aggressive to over compensate for bad past decisions? Well the same can be true when your teammates are biting the big one. You instinctively feel like you must do more to win the game, more is on your shoulders and you start making the brash high risk plays to win. This is often not the path to victory, instead cautious play, being understanding of your teammate and saying things to calm them or negate their own frustration is the best course of action.
It is good to remember that no one is perfect at this game and we have all had bad games. Keeping a level head and empathizing with your teammates with help get more wins and you keep more hair
Your Lane
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Bottom Lane and Jungle is where the high pressure lies. Why not mid and top? Well both of those lanes you can choose to play champions and play styles that are safe and a farm focused. Really if you are finding these lanes high pressure you can adjust your approach to the lane and champ selection to make sure you are not giving your self a heart attack in a lane where it is not necessary.
Bottom and jungle on the other hand are a different story. Bottom lane is higher pressure by nature as small mistakes and miss plays are usually punished with death.
Example: Blitzcrank landing a one of five grabs, still results in instant death in many cases.
Lots of vision and playing to respect your opponent's abilities and your own positioning relative to them will make it an easier lane to breathe in. Buy lots of pots and do not be scared to get wards as an ADC if will help you stay safe.
Jungle receives the scorn of everyone in the game, and is likely why it is the last lane a lot of people choose to learn. Small mistakes receive enormous piles of ridicule, people losing their lane can often be blamed on the jungler, whether it is warranted or not. As a result on person feilds the burdens of four other players at all times and it can be terrifying. Deep breathes and ignoring what you know is just your own teammates synthesized frustrations at you is the key. You cannot let their rage turn in to your rage.
Bottom and jungle on the other hand are a different story. Bottom lane is higher pressure by nature as small mistakes and miss plays are usually punished with death.
Example: Blitzcrank landing a one of five grabs, still results in instant death in many cases.
Lots of vision and playing to respect your opponent's abilities and your own positioning relative to them will make it an easier lane to breathe in. Buy lots of pots and do not be scared to get wards as an ADC if will help you stay safe.
Jungle receives the scorn of everyone in the game, and is likely why it is the last lane a lot of people choose to learn. Small mistakes receive enormous piles of ridicule, people losing their lane can often be blamed on the jungler, whether it is warranted or not. As a result on person feilds the burdens of four other players at all times and it can be terrifying. Deep breathes and ignoring what you know is just your own teammates synthesized frustrations at you is the key. You cannot let their rage turn in to your rage.
Your Role
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Players serve different purposes in the team fight phase, damage dealers usually have it easy as their decisions are reflexive on what their team does. Their only priorities are do damage and don't die.
Peeler's, a role often confused with initiators must use CC reflexively to keep carries alive, sometimes they may initiate but this is undesirable most of the time.
It is the initiators who feel the burden in the team fight phase. It is often the decision to engage, how to engage, where to engage, when to engage, and why you are engaging that makes or breaks the game. When there is only one engage on your team and it is you the pressure is rank, and you are going to get mad at your team for not working with you in those team fights to make that game a win.
It is better to look for free engages and be patient, if you are getting poked out, type out a brief plan or what you want the team to do on the engage so you make the most of it. Raging at your team's lack of follow up is only going to make you shit your self in vapid disappointment.
Peeler's, a role often confused with initiators must use CC reflexively to keep carries alive, sometimes they may initiate but this is undesirable most of the time.
It is the initiators who feel the burden in the team fight phase. It is often the decision to engage, how to engage, where to engage, when to engage, and why you are engaging that makes or breaks the game. When there is only one engage on your team and it is you the pressure is rank, and you are going to get mad at your team for not working with you in those team fights to make that game a win.
It is better to look for free engages and be patient, if you are getting poked out, type out a brief plan or what you want the team to do on the engage so you make the most of it. Raging at your team's lack of follow up is only going to make you shit your self in vapid disappointment.
The key to this game is to have fun, and win in ways that you are having fun. Do not let the losses get to you and you are going to win more than you will lose on sheer force of good will alone. This is often easier said than done, as a demonstration of pure rage, with this I included a game where I play jungle Udyr, the only initiator with a team that is doing very well but relies on me to make the team fight happen. I fall victim to many of the previously mentioned pitfalls and rage ensues.
Pressure is not all bad, it makes you strive to better and causes you to engage in intense focus but too much stress will lead to poor decision making and a shorter life span, in and outside the game!
Thanks for watching and reading!
Regards,
Basic
