Blood for Noxus! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWiTcGEVjUU)
By Freljord's might! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=tgHgJt9_eKI#t=21s)
As balance dictates. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-CaNRI5ytM)
For Demacia! (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ifo0qqCt54)
Boom!
headshot. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHXaWm8eksk)
Behold the might of the Shadow Isles! (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgkaeJt8Z7E)
FACTION SYSTEM IS GO
http://www.leaguefactions.net
(Scroll down to
RULES for the official Champion rosters.)
(See the
NEXT POST for FAQs.)
Wait, whats a faction match? Go home, Cupcake, youre drunk!
A faction match game mode would be awesome. By faction match, I mean a game mode where
you get placed on a team of Summoners from your declared faction and matched against a team from a different faction. The core of it would be the fun of playing thematically-charged matches with constrained rosters. Constrained rosters have two main virtues, in my mind: first, even non-pros can learn the synergies and dynamics of small rosters, and second, necessity is the mother of invention small rosters force players to think creatively about how theyre going to play up their strengths and cover their weaknesses. I think Riot should implement this sort of system. As a proof of concept, let's try doing it ourselves!
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ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
- Declare for a faction here: FACTION DECLARATION (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11dRgTksAkQWyP7MIgfO0ZrlfKr56PJU9oJRCuFDQJLI/viewform)
- "Factions": Primary chat room used for putting games together. To join, click the "speech bubble" icon and type in "Factions", then press enter:
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- See the Summoner list here: SUMMONERS BY FACTION (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ar7CfqUIXzDhdHgySU9kS3NxdVNDUjNLVmxZWTNRQ2c&usp=sharing)I suggest friending people, especially from your own faction, so you can see who's on for a game at a glance. Example (it was 9 AM so nobody was on, but):
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- I also suggest that you set your status to "Faction: ______" (e.g. Faction: Noxus) to help people add you to the appropriate buddy folder.
- I encourage you to use faction chat rooms (e.g. "Demacia", "Ionia"; same procedure as joining the main "Factions" chat) and the strategy threads to collaborate with teammates on addressing the gaps in your lineup and exploiting its strengths.
Demacia Strategy Thread (http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3216862) (Chat: "Demacia"
Freljord Strategy Thread (http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?p=36543192) (Chat: "Freljord"
Ionia Strategy Thread (http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3218733) (Chat: "Ionia"
Piltover Strategy Thread (http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3222347) (Chat: "Piltover"
Also,
see the next post for some
FAQs.
RULES
There are three options if you want to do faction stuff:
- Go to custom games, hit "show private games", and search for the name of your faction. (game password: "factions"
Join in!
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- Start a game yourself! Create a match, set password "factions", and advertise in the "factions" chat room. Use a name of the form ~Factions~ Ionia-Noxus with a password of "factions".
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To gather players, try the faction chat, or invite from your buddy list. (This is where faction folders come in handy!) You may have more luck if you message them first to let them know a faction invite is on its way, so they know it's not just a random game.
- Grab 4 people from your faction and queue up for Normals together. (Doesn't grant points, but it's fun and helps you learn champs / comps.)
MATCH CREATION
Matches can be on any map.
- SR: 5 points
- TT: 3 points
- Dominion: 2 points
- Proving Grounds: 1 point (must be at least 3v3)
Can be Blind or Draft. If Draft, you must burn all bans (ban champs who aren't on either team's roster):
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A fun custom is to take your rage out on a faction that's not actually competing in this match. e.g., in this Ionia-Piltover game, they banned Noxians.
THE MATCH ITSELF
Summoners are limited to their faction rosters (which may be adjusted as we go):
Current Rosters
DEMACIA
Fiora, Galio, Garen, Jarvan IV, Lux, Poppy, Quinn and Valor, Shyvana, Sona, Vayne, Xin Zhao (11)
THE FRELJORD
Anivia, Ashe, Gragas, Lissandra, Nunu, Olaf, Sejuani, Trundle, Tryndamere, Udyr, Volibear (11)
IONIA
Ahri, Akali, Irelia, Karma, Kennen, Lee Sin, Master Yi, Shen, Soraka, Varus, Wukong (11)
PILTOVER
Blitzcrank, Caitlyn, Corki, Ezreal, Heimerdinger, Janna, Jayce, Orianna, Vi, Ziggs (11)
Ideally, you should try to have at least 5 of the champs from your roster, to ensure you'll have someone to pick no matter what.
Youre encouraged to engage in some light-hearted banter. Full-on roleplay is not advised
in my experience, it just doesnt work. But this is a good occasion to yell LOOK OUT MY PRINCE instead of care jarvan. I also strongly encourage yelling DEMACIAAAAAAAAA with as many As as you want, and BLOOD FOR NOXUS, and all that sort of thing.
This is meant to be fun, and a break from insane Elo-grinding. Have fun, joke around, and enjoy coming up with strategies that take advantage of your roster or exploit weaknesses in your opponent faction's roster.
AFTER THE MATCH
Someone should take a screenshot and submit it here:
MATCH REPORT FORM (
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1pAs_6M13qpvOM9L23oEUP7HIQTi3y9f3pYXtisz0Eok/viewform)
I will update Faction point totals based on matches.
I've recorded
rough skill tiers (e.g. Bronze is "2", Silver is "3"

, and will use that to adjust points. I'll average the skill level of each team, and
for each .5 points of average discrepancy, I'll scale the point value of the match by 20%. So if you're a low-level team against a bunch of pros, you'll have a soft landing if you lose and will score mega-points if you win. I also adjust points based on faction standings: if the underdog faction beats the dominant faction, for instance, the point value of the match will be amplified to reflect the significance of this upset victory.
SCOREBOARD
Each match has a base point value (won by winners, lost by losers) determined by map type. There is an adjustment for faction strength (e.g., if a faction with a very high score is toppled by a faction with a very low score, match value is increased to reflect this amazing upset victory.) There is also an adjustment for relative skill level. (Skill level is based on approximate rating. e.g., Bronze is 2 points, Silver is 3 points.)
"Live" Standings:
FACTION STANDINGS (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ar7CfqUIXzDhdGRnZ2ZneTVEdjE2Y0dBNEpRem5rdEE&usp=sharing)
Props to
Mysterio731 and
Sparkly for their help in keeping the scoreboard updated. They're also both really positive, enthusiastic participants in general.
STORY
Yes, there
is some story for this.
FIRST ARC: MIRRORWATER
Mirrorwater (http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?p=35576367)
An opening vignette that explains why these four factions are fighting each other.
Piltover Rallies? (http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3225196)
The first update, which illustrates how player activity shapes the plot. I saw that (1) Piltover was getting wrecked (2) the Piltoverian Summoners were doing a lot of strategy work building toward a poke comp. So, I decided to write a quick story update that incorporated this. I also figured they needed a bit of help (at the time, they were DRAMATICALLY behind all other factions), and so I used this story update to introduce a new ally, Janna, who would synergize with their poke comp plans.
Noxian Reinforcements (http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?p=35900604)
Noxus has one of the most constrained rosters. I think it's time to add in a couple Champions who are great thematic fits for Noxus and also open up a few new avenues of play.
Udyr (http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3335395)
Udyr began by fighting for Ionia. The Freljord was added just a bit before the lore change hit the PBE. With the introduction of the Freljord, Udyr would have a difficult decision to make: would he stand by Ionia for the remainder of Mirrorwater, or would he switch over to the Freljord? This story contains his decision.
The True Noxus (http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3342205)
Noxian Summoners face a difficult choice not only about their Champion roster but about Noxus itself.
SECOND ARC: CERULEANA
Ceruleana (http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3421077)
The opening for the second arc. A mystical island is discovered in the ocean between the Freljord and the Shadow Isles.
Update 1: Voices Wake Us And We Drown (http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3484559)
The forces of the Shadow Isles plot to invade the Freljord with an undead army, using Ceruleana as a conduit. And someone arrives looking for friends
RAIDCALL INFO
This is apparently a combination messaging and voicechat system that a lot of people are starting to use. It can be helpful in arranging matches. Sometimes people like to spectate matches-in-progress with this, as well.
Quote:
http://www.raidcall.com/v7/download-raidcall.html Is the download link and our group number which people need to join the server is 6067412
STREAMING
Our streamers. Let me know if you'd like me to add you to this list!
- http://www.twitch.tv/themadmanofzaun
- http://www.twitch.tv/rammasaur
- http://www.twitch.tv/cupcaketraplol
- http://www.twitch.tv/elyks
Disclaimer: The idea of having faction matches dates back at least to Riot's Noxus v Ionia games. It has subsequently been discussed and proposed in a variety of forms for literally years. This implementation is mine, but the basic idea belongs to Riot and the community.