Following up from my last thread, I reallllly wanted to try out RSS with a totally clean slate and see what the results would be. Like many players, I geared up through RSS and took the losses for it the first time around.
So, I leveled up my alt hunter almost entirely through other content before stepping foot into RSS. (Well almost completly, I had a few matches not fully geared, but you get the idea…)
In the end, I pushed to 2400+ in 25 matches. I probably could have done it in less had I not had two people leave and my main computer dying mid push.
Why you ask? Well, from the first thread it became easy to see how important managing your MMR is. MMR is everything. A good MMR makes the losses not nearly as bad and makes the wins that much better. That starts from your first match on. NOT that you can’t fix your MMR over time, but fixing your MMR may not be what you think it is.
The unfortunate side of MMR in RSS are the large swings. I have had multiple 300-500+ MMR swings in RSS so far on my main. Getting to 2k and then dropping down to 1600 or lower. Getting to 2.4 and dropping down to 1900. It’s painful and can easily kill a player’s drive, but it’s very important to keep in mind that hitting those low MMRs can actually be very important in the long run as the system currently works. While I’m not suggesting players lose games to tank their MMR, just know that a low MMR as you climb isn’t always a bad thing.
What you need is momentum and having a low MMR allows that to happen. That’s why this ‘test’ it was key to see how much momentum I could get from the start and how well that momentum would cover my losses.
It should be noted, from what I can tell, rating increases at a rate greater then +74 per win below 1800CR. That might extend past 1800 if you don’t have any losses, but that would need further testing.
So let’s look at the numbers.
As with the previous thread, it looks like when you’re pushing it’s rare to have your MMR be lower then the groups average. This is funny in a couple ways. One, you’re essentially beating lower players to push your rating. Not that they are that much lower, but worth considering. Second, as with before, any loss while you’re pushing can be that much more detrimental because every win comes with higher stakes. Over all the games my main hunter did, 2/3rds of every match my MMR was higher. I’d be curious to see how long that would take to establish on my alt.
Every win counts…
If you go 0-5, don’t toss in the towel yet. If you have enough wins previously, those losses can be far less detrimental.
Worth noting on my second 1-5 loss that someone left after 3 rounds. I wish Reflex would properly record that instead of showing the other 3 rounds as losses.
6-0 wins count for a lot. I know this is easier said then done, but while you’re pushing, a 6-0 match can almost completely negate a 1-5 loss.
TLDR & Key Take Aways
- If you want to push RSS, get your gear first. Every win from the start counts. The higher you push your MMR early, the higher you’ll be able to push your CR. You’ll continue to gain rating even with 3:3 or even 2:4 matches. Obviously winning is still key, but every player is going to plateau eventually. Well, at least us mortals.
- While I wouldn’t advise losing matches to tank MMR, know that a low MMR is a good spring board to start pushing rating. When you’re at your lowest, it’s a great time to rebuild, so don’t get discouraged.
- Luck… While I hate to say it, there is some luck with it. When I hit 2.4 on my main the first time, I kept getting ferals over and over and would tank back down. Having good queues can be really important for some specs. So if you aren’t finding success… STOP! Try queueing during peak hours to ensure comp diversity. SV does really well with diverse queues. Maybe this is obvious to everyone, but it’s good to put into practice.
Now to try the same on a healer!