• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 04:51
CEST 10:51
KST 17:51
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
[ASL22] Ro4 Preview: Mirror Mirror6[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: Within Reach5[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: In A Tizzy11[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Holy Diver5[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Rough Waters10
Community News
Rollback Netcode in Brood War605.0.17 Patch Notes - October 7, 202621Weekly Cups Results (Sep 28-Oct 4)0SC4ALL: II SC2 Complete Invited Player Lineup10StarCraft II 5.0.17 PTR Patch Notes (Sept 30, 2026)78
StarCraft 2
General
5.0.17 Patch Notes - October 7, 2026 [Old] StarCraft 3 Reportedly in Development StarCraft II 5.0.17 PTR Patch Notes (Sept 30, 2026) How do you feel about the mass reverts in the 5.0.17 PTR? Weekly Cups Results (Sep 28-Oct 4)
Tourneys
RSL 2026 Offline Finals LCQ Sign-Ups $3,500 WardiTV Not-Summer Championship ScienceCraft (October 24-25) - Live Event Stellar Fest TWO the Moon (Dec 16-20) ISSL (IntoTheTV x SOOP SC2 League): Premier
Strategy
[H] ZvP Mid-Late Game: Stalkers Collossi HT
Custom Maps
[M] (2) Sweltering Sands [M] (2) Frigid Storage
External Content
Mutation # 546 Catch the Train The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 545 And Drops and Rifts Mutation # 544 Double Trouble
Brood War
General
ChatGPT cheats at StarSkirmish SCAI tournament TL Sidebar missing streams [ASL22] Ro4 Preview: Mirror Mirror Rollback Netcode in Brood War Sagi.gg Launcher Released
Tourneys
[ASL22] Semifinal B [ASL22] Semifinal A [Megathread] Daily Proleagues [ASL22] Ro8 Day 4
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Cliff Jump Revisited (1 in a 1000 strategy) Replay Review Process - What do you do?
Other Games
General Games
Nintendo Switch Thread General RTS Discussion Thread Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Total Annihilation Zero
Dota 2
Dota 2 Champions League Season 3 Begins April 25!
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Artificial Intelligence Thread Canadian Politics Mega-thread
Fan Clubs
Serral Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Movie Discussion! Diablo Animated Series on Netflix
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 MLB/Baseball 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
Recent Gifted Posts
Blogs
[ASL22] Ro4 Day1 Ticket Giv…
bITt.mAN
Escaping Into Video Games: G…
TrAiDoS
38 yo Retired SWE loo…
PurE)Rabbit-SF
Can Bots Beat Pros?? Starcr…
namkraft
[meme] I finally understa…
LUCKY_NOOB
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 7505 users

One Trick or Flex Pick?

Blogs > TrAiDoS
Post a Reply
TrAiDoS
Profile Blog Joined July 2011
Germany258 Posts
April 17 2025 17:44 GMT
#1
Hey there,

"Can you play anything else?"—a classic starter to the discussion about who gets to play which role in League of Legends. Specializing or flex picking are two extremes that impact your gaming performance. Here is what professional players do.

[DISCLAIMER]: The article is written for my weekly newsletter, and published on my website. A new episode comes out every Sunday (directly into your inbox and on my website).

See ya soon,
Christian

🎮 Gaming & Esports Performance Researcher | ✖️ https://x.com/TrAiDoS | 🌍 https://www.christian-staedter.com/ | 🕹️ Esports Freelancer - Admin 👨‍🏫 University Lecturer
Yurie
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
12175 Posts
Last Edited: 2025-04-17 20:44:25
April 17 2025 20:42 GMT
#2
Specializing is generally the best thing. It isn't something unique to e-sports. How often do you see the goalie being the best penalty taker in football? There is only so much practice time you can perform. Being 0.5% better at your task over the entire team multiplies compared to flexing which is only valuable when you don't have a stable roster.

It is why role picking is popular in games with random match making. But I guess you could see it as a skill total. With some roles having more value than others. You just want to maximize that equation in every team.
DarkPlasmaBall
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States46511 Posts
April 19 2025 00:01 GMT
#3
Being able to decently flex-pick in games is nice and fun in casual and group settings, so that people can rotate and try out different options. At the highest level of competition, however, it's unreasonable to expect most people to be perfect at multiple roles, since one needs to dedicate so much time and effort for each one.
"There is nothing more satisfying than looking at a crowd of people and helping them get what I love." ~Day[9] Daily #100
LUCKY_NOOB
Profile Blog Joined June 2013
Bulgaria1616 Posts
April 20 2025 11:14 GMT
#4
On April 18 2025 05:42 Yurie wrote:
Specializing is generally the best thing. It isn't something unique to e-sports. How often do you see the goalie being the best penalty taker in football? There is only so much practice time you can perform. Being 0.5% better at your task over the entire team multiplies compared to flexing which is only valuable when you don't have a stable roster.

It is why role picking is popular in games with random match making. But I guess you could see it as a skill total. With some roles having more value than others. You just want to maximize that equation in every team.


I'll give u it's not common but there are plenty of examples of goalkeepers being great at scoring as well.
I think it also has to do with the mentality and instincts of it all.

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/goalkeepers-who-took-penalties
ko-fi.com/luckynoob
josh Williams
Profile Joined April 2025
1 Post
Last Edited: 2025-04-27 09:59:57
April 27 2025 09:59 GMT
#5
Bot edit.

User was banned for this post.
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 1h 9m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft: Brood War
Rain 4189
Leta 2904
Soulkey 550
BeSt 487
Soma 302
Rush 197
Barracks 108
Killer 49
Shine 33
Shinee 30
[ Show more ]
ZergMaN 27
Hm[arnc] 20
Sharp 10
Dota 2
Gorgc566
XcaliburYe245
League of Legends
JimRising 568
Super Smash Bros
Mew2King72
Other Games
WinterStarcraft696
Sick226
Pyrionflax116
gofns0
Organizations
Other Games
BasetradeTV219
StarCraft: Brood War
lovetv 6
[ Show 12 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Sammyuel 48
• 3DClanTV 42
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• lizZardDota2269
League of Legends
• Jankos2240
Upcoming Events
Sparkling Tuna Cup
1h 9m
Patches Events
6h 9m
BSL Open Qualifier
10h 9m
BSL Open Qualifier
10h 9m
OSC
14h 9m
OSC
1d 3h
WardiTV Weekly
2 days
PiGosaur Cup
2 days
The PondCast
4 days
Online Event
5 days
[ Show More ]
Korean StarCraft League
5 days
Afreeca Starleague
5 days
Rush vs Soulkey
CranKy Ducklings
6 days
BSL Open Qualifier
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Acropolis #5 - GSB
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
Copium Cup

Ongoing

ASL Season 22
Super Anchor Qualifying S3
Acropolis #5
HCC Season 3
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
1win Private Club #1
Logitech G Play Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #3
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026

Upcoming

Acropolis #5 - GSC
BSL Season 23
SC4ALL II: Brood War
BSL 23: Non-Korean Championship
HSC XXX
Stellar Fest 2: Lunar Cup
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Offline Finals
eXTREMESLAND 2026
PGL Major Singapore 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 6
BLAST Rivals Fall 2026
IEM Beijing 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 5
PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
1win Private Club #2
Thunderpick World Champ. '26
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.