From Iron to Challenger in LoL: How to Increase Your MMR
It is estimated that only 1 in 5000 – 10.000 LoL players reach the Challenger level. So the question is: what separates the very best from everyone else?
What Is Your LoL MMR
Your LoL MMR is the secret number that tells the League of Legends matchmaking system how to choose your teammates and opponents. A high MMR will require you to defeat stronger foes, while a lower MMR will make the system more forgiving, even when you lose.
To increase your LoL MMR, you need to win games and, to some extent, perform well in them. You can never know for sure what your real MMR is, but you can approximate it pretty well using an MMR checker.
How to Go From Iron to Challenger in LoL
Going from the lowest rank to the highest rank in the game is no easy task. When you compete in the Iron bracket, you are worse than almost everyone else. When you compete in the Challenger bracket, you are better than 99.9% of all players.
The journey that takes you from the bottom to the top is not a straight line. You will almost certainly go through ups and downs, and so will your LoL MMR. Because of that, the keys to success are not just tactical and technical. They’re also psychological. Your entire learning ability will be put to the test, so be ready.
Here are the most important principles to follow:
Buy Good Gear, But Don’t Rely On It For Success
League of Legends is a competitive game in which your ability to react quickly and precisely to what is happening is essential. For that, you will need a good mouse, a decent keyboard, a good headset, and most importantly, a good internet connection.
All of these things will give you a small advantage in some cases. But in most cases, they will simply prevent you from playing at a disadvantage. You don’t need to invest a fortune but you should not play with rudimentary gear either because it can be frustrating.
Specialize Early
If you’re not deeply familiar with LoL, you should play every single champion at least 3-5 times in succession. Let’s say you’re willing to play 3-5 games per day. Dedicate one day to each champion and you will have a basic understanding of the game after 4-5 months.
The next step is to analyze your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your psychological predispositions. Based on them, you should decide on a role and a set of 5-10 champions you will focus on.
You must absolutely master every one of those champions and become familiar with each aspect of your chosen role if you want to make progress quickly and become a top player.
Become a Student of the Game
To learn efficiently, you should become a serious student of the game. Have a notebook or at least a folder on your PC that’s dedicated to your learning process. Create separate files for each aspect of the game and take notes.
Study what the best players do by watching replays from their point of view. Study your own replays and try to figure out what you did right and wrong during the game. Constantly ask yourself why you lost or why you won each game and each battle.
Another thing that you can do is to watch tutorials online. Learn the combos
Work on Your Attitude
It’s easy to keep playing when you win. But how you deal with losses determines your long-term success to a much greater extent. If you lose enough games in a row, you might feel so bad that you will want to uninstall the game. You must learn to take a break when you need to instead of playing in a bad mood.
In the beginning, expect a 50% win ratio. Under normal conditions, even if you’re a decent player, you will lose 50% of your games. To win more of them, you need to make real progress in your understanding of LoL.
Develop Your Mind
You play with your mind, so you should develop your thinking skills if you want to become a better gamer. Learn about critical thinking, strategic thinking, and human psychology in general. This knowledge will help you a lot when competing against good players.
Conclusion
To increase your LoL MMR and reach the Challenger rank, you must be ready to spend at least a few years playing the game and mastering it. To improve your chance of success, follow the principles mentioned above.
