What are we going to do without Worlds?
The first week of the 2016 League of Legends World Championship has concluded and already many hardcore fans are suffering withdrawal symptoms. Worlds has been everything fans could possibly ask for; significant upsets, breakout performances, and action-packed games thanks to the death of lane swaps. It has never been more fun to be a fan of competitive League of Legends.
And now we wait. It’s going to be difficult to not have 6 high level matches to look forward to every night. There are few things I enjoy more than falling asleep with my phone in my hand, Twitch app open, as the casters discuss the results of the final match. For the next couple of days, that will not be an option.
Climb the Ranks
Watching the very best players in the world play the game at its highest level is inspiring in a unique way. When you watch LeBron James play basketball, Sidney Crosby play hockey, or Roger Federer play tennis, you marvel over their superior athletic ability and understanding of their respective game. Very few people watch any of these athletes and genuinely believe, “Maybe I could do that”.
It is much easier to believe that you could pull off a 5 man Kennen ultimate flank ala Smeb, because it is in fact an achievable goal, especially against weaker opponents. The 24 Worlds matches that have taken place so far should supply you with at least a few days of in-game motivation to climb a few notches higher than your current rank.
Learn New Champions
Every year at Worlds we get an inside look at which champions the pros feel are truly the strongest. This year we’re seeing a bunch of fresh champions that we didn’t see a whole lot of during playoffs. The noteworthy champions so far include Alistar and Nami in the bottom lane, Kennen and Rumble in the top lane, and of course Olaf and Lee Sin in the jungle.
You May Like
I’ve already talked about the importance of mastering a small champion pool before. Try focusing on 1-2 of the priority champions featured at Worlds over the next couple of days to get a real feel for whether or not you are able to carry games with them. If these champions are good enough to be a priority at an international tournament, they should be good enough for solo queue.
Explore New Games
The hardcore League of Legends fans will most likely take one of the routes mentioned above to better hone their skills, but not everyone is cut out for 7 days/week of non-stop League of Legends action. In that case, the 3 day vacation from Worlds serves as a good excuse to check out other games outside of the League of Legends universe.
Start by taking a tour around Twitch. Considering none of the League of Legends pros will be streaming this time of year, there is no better time to check in on other games like Hearthstone, Overwatch, Dota 2, or CS:GO. Don’t forget about the lesser known Twitch categories like Social Eating, Poker, or the dozens of smaller games lacking an esports element.
