League of Legends — 5 Tips for Climbing Out of Silver
In the multi-tier ranking system present in League of Legends, no rank possesses more players than the Silver division. There are a plethora of factors that make Silver the most common ELO, and while the obvious answer to climbing into higher divisions is to improve one’s gameplay, there are a few easily applicable concepts that can be the difference maker between a player staying in Silver or escaping to higher divisions. Let’s take a look at five easy tips that can help a player – any player – climb out of Silver.
1: Play Simple Champions with Clearly Defined Strengths
If the ultimate goal is to climb out of silver, there is absolutely no reason to be playing difficult champions with complex abilities. Champions with lower levels of execution will result in fewer mechanical mistakes and can allow a player to focus on the flow of the game. Yes, combos on Riven, especially with animation canceling, are very impressive, but Malphite’s durability and point-and-click can provide just as much impact in a teamfight (if not more) with far less risk for mechanical error.
It’s not just about individual play, either. Solo queue is far less coordinated than professional play, and that’s especially true at lower levels. Having an ability that can decisively start a teamfight like Amumu’s ultimate or pick off uncoordinated opponents like Blitzcrank’s Rocket Grab is easy for teammates to understand, play around, and follow up on successfully. These champions aren’t always the most fun to play, but if climbing is the goal, simple is best.
2: Be Okay with Getting Carried
If a player sets aside their ego and accepts that they won’t always be the reason a game is won, they will win more games. Climbing isn’t about smashing your lane and carrying every single game – that’s obviously the ideal scenario, but those won’t always be the conditions. If the enemy jungler is constantly focusing your lane, or if you got counterpicked, the best thing a player can do is take their lumps and allow their team to win on the other side of the map. Losing gracefully is not a fun experience, and sometimes, it’s even best for the team to essentially leave you on your own, even if you’re losing your lane.
Setting aside your ego is crucial for climbing, and if the goal is to win as many games as possible, start looking at getting carried as a fortunate opportunity to help your climb as opposed to an affront to your own abilities.
3: Avoid Tilt at All Costs
Tilt exists at all levels of solo queue in League of Legends, and it’s understandable. Team-based games where things are not entirely in one’s control can be frustrating to some, so it’s important to know your own limits and boundaries to keep a clear mind. If you find yourself carrying the feelings of a previous loss into another game, it’s going to affect how you play, so if that’s something you identify within yourself, it may be good practice to take a break after losses or just call it a day after a loss or two.
No matter how clear a head you keep throughout your climb, you’re bound to run into teammates from time to time who are tilted, or tilt easily. As important as teamwork is in League of Legends, if you find yourself getting rattled or distracted by frustrated teammates, /muteall and communicate solely through pings. There will always be things out of one’s individual control in League of Legends, so going into every game with a clear head and avoiding self-sabotage is vital for climbing.
4: Watch Streamers/Pro Players
Like any other game, sport, or craft, a player can learn a lot about League of Legends by watching those better than them. Fortunately, there are dozens of streamers who play League of Legends at all levels and a robust global competitive scene with hundreds of pro players. Of course, it’s still important to know what to look for. Not every single thing from a professional game or a challenger streamer is going to apply to games in silver and gold — watching Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok play Azir isn’t going to magically make you better at playing Azir overnight.
However, seeing how players control their minion wave based on where their jungler is when they choose to push and when they choose to freeze, and how often they are checking the map are all things that can be, in some capacity, applied to your own game. Watching isn’t going to improve your gameplay all on its own, but a higher level of awareness than other players in Silver could be the difference maker between a win and a loss on your climb to Gold.
5: Find a Duo
Silver isn’t the lowest level of play in League of Legends, but it’s low enough to be nearly an entirely different game compared to professional, team-based play due to the lack of coordination and familiarity amongst teammates. Having another player you can queue up with that you have good chemistry and experience can increase your chances of winning.
Having pre-established synergy with at least one teammate reduces the number of unexpected variables on your team. If your duo pairing is bot lane/support, mid lane/jungle, or top lane/jungle, the superior coordination you’ll have over two players who randomly got put together via matchmaking can be the difference between a win and a loss.
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Esports/gaming journalist since 2016. He's covered live competitive gaming events from coast to coast in the United States and is based in the esports epicenter of Los Angeles, CA. Over the better part of the last decade, he has developed a unique voice in the LoL Esports space as a columnist, built relationships with premiere organizations, told captivating stories through interviews and features and authored industry-shaking reports all the while maintaining razor-sharp understanding of the game at its competitive peak. He has published exclusively with Inven Global for four years and has been freelancing/writing independently since parting with the publication. If you need someone to tell a story, let's chat.