Top 10 Player Types & How to Win With Them

Everyone has their own personal playstyles, sometimes more than one. Some people like to be on the front lines mentally and e-physically, whereas others like to take arms with the glass cannon squad. In solo queue, a successful team is a solid mix of 5 likely very different agendas. However, everyone playing their roles strongly leads to success. Which one of the following do you fit into?

Introduction

Everyone has their own personal playstyles, sometimes more than one. Some people like to be on the front lines mentally and e-physically, whereas others like to take arms with the glass cannon squad. In solo queue, a successful team is a solid mix of 5 likely very different agendas. However, everyone playing their roles strongly leads to success. Which one of the following do you fit into?

Communication Styles

1. The Leader

The leader makes the calls, most importantly when to push and when to take objectives. Some leaders are vocal, whereas many others can get by with simple smart pings. Key components to being a good e-leader are:

• Ping intelligently, not excessively;
• Respect opinions from your teammates;
• Command respect through success; and
• Know when to step down and become #2.

2. The Follower

As most of you probably know, there are leaders that don't command the respect of their teammates, but insist on leading anyway. These are not good team players and generally find little success in solo queue. Others prefer to follow and win through strong team work. Good points to remember as a follower are:

• Follow through with "the plan", don't half-heartedly do something and then say "I knew that was a bad idea afterwards;
• Identify and support the opinions of the most "successful" leader; and
• Keep the leader alive (boosts morale).

Playstyles

3. The Meta-Breaker

The meta-breaker is that Teemo mid lane and that Rengar support. These people are not necessarily the people you want on your team, but can be very successful in solo queue regardless as long as they know the following:

• Be kind to your teammates, they're already mad at you for your pick; and
• Doing "average" isn't good enough, your teammates will still blame you regardless.

4. The Split-Pusher

Similar to the meta-breaker, these tend to be every team's most hated player. They refuse to group for teamfights, and constantly have a need to be the "star" player. However, they also tend to be highly effective in solo queue and can easily carry a losing game.

• Again, don't blame your teammates for dying, they already hate you;
• Don't complain about getting ganked, watch the map, they're always ganking;
• Don't die, and especially don't die and complain about your teammates not taking objectives.If you can survive long enough and draw enough people into your lane the rest will take care of itself.

5. The Map Controller

Finally, some team players! Map controllers are generally either the jungler or support utilizing wards, pink wards, and sweepers to ensure that the team is able to keep up the pressure on the map. To be a good map controller, make sure that you also do the following:

• Try not to 1v1, with the amount of gold you're sacrificing towards map control, you'll likely be behind on items.
• Pinks and Red Trinket are extremely valuable, try and watch where the enemy is warding so you don't waste charges; and
• Always carry one pink if there's an objective available, and TWO pinks if the enemy has a champion with invisibility.

6. The Initiator

Initiation is an art, not a science. Good imitators:

• Are wary of everyone's cooldowns, both on you and your enemy's team;
• Are wary of the spacing between your team and the enemy team;
• Understand the vision control that each team has; and
• Make the call and take ownership of it.

Don't intentionally ping around the objective instead of on the objective, TAKE OWNERSHIP!

7. The Follow-Up

Follow-up players can be leaders or followers, but they still need to be aware of the following:

• Understand if you're mostly burst damage and expendable after your ultimate;
• Understand where dangerous assassins come from, and make sure you can get your damage off before dying; and
• Focus on spacing, concentrate on keeping proper distance between your team's CC/Peel and enemy targets and dangers.

8. The Peeler

Oftentimes, the peeler, initiator, and assassin tend to be very interchangeable roles depending on how fed each champion is and who's playing what. If your ability to carry a game is far less than that of your squishy backline, then peeling is a must to ensure victory. 

Remember, it's not the job of the squishy to stay near you, it's your job to stay near them.

9. The Assassin/Diver

This class is oft at odds with the peeler. On one hand, if the squishy dies then maybe "this guy is a terrible peeler". On the other hand, maybe this other guy is just an amazing assassin. 

Keys to remember when playing this role are:

• Know how important your damage is to the team compared to the target you're aiming to kill;
• If you die, does your team still have enough damage to follow-up?
• Do you have enough burst damage to be an initiator?
• Are you percentage based damage or flat numbers based damage dealer? Percentage based "divers" may do better as peelers.

10. The "Carry"

Finally, The Carry. The Carry is essentially any, or possibly all the above roles combined. In order to truly carry, you have to be the person your team counts on to make the right calls, to survive anything and everything, and finally, to dish the pain, put your team on your shoulders, and pull your 0-50 bot lane to victory.

• Be a God. Don't try and make low percentage crazy plays. If you're fed, don't die and give them your spree.
• Be a God. Draw enemy players to your lane and walk away from battles you can't win. Take out the puny ones who dare challenge you.
• Be a God. Keep your lane well warded and continuously push, this will cause your lane opponent to bait his teammates into coming to your lane and feeding you more kills.

In order to be the best carry you can be, both your team and the enemy team must respect and fear you. This gives hope to your worthless teammates to prevent the surrender and to also strike fear into the hearts of your enemies.

Which role do you fit under? Comment below!