1v1 feedback

[runemaster]

I don't normally 1v1, but I received a contract to do it, so I'm doing it.

1. The 5 minute reward timer is too high. I won a match Ziri vs Ziri in under 4 minutes. I got nothing. I then almost won a Ziri vs Slag in under 3, but I delayed it so that I'd be rewarded. That delay should not be part of the play, especially since it plays up Slag's strength at both pushing and farming. Killing my opponent in less than 3 minutes shouldn't be penalized. I have to purposefully do nothing to get my contracts done. That's not fun.

2. A ban phase should be introduced. This will be necessary in higher level play, so you may as well introduce it here. This will allow heroes to be balanced around 5v5 and not 1v1 or 2v2.

[arakiel]

I bet that a shorter reward timer will have to come along with a smaller reward.

Ban phase like "you can ban three champions"? That works now, with the limited champion pool, but as soon as you get that fourth overpowered champion in the champion pool, you'd then need to increase the bans to four. And so forth.

A more effective (though admittedly more convoluted) solution to overcoming inbalance issues (5v5 vs 1v1) is to handicap champions. Take the combined win/loss ratio of individual champions across all player accounts, and then handicap those champions based on that ratio. Champions that win 2 for every 1 loss would get an across the board damage output reduction of X, whereas champions that lose 2 for every win would get a damage increase of X.

Alternatively, you could have this handicap apply to individual player accounts only. So even though most players have a 2 to 1 win ratio with champion X, if my ratio is 1 win for every 2 losses, then when I use that champion in 1v1 I get a damage output increase.

[runemaster]

Ban phases are pretty standard in high level MOBA play. I have no doubt it'll be introduced in this game as well. This allows work to be reused that will be applied elsewhere. Also, I feel it important to put that sort of thing in the players' hands.