User blog comment:Nhan-Fiction/The Right Recipe/@comment-79.175.69.50-20130212114241/@comment-24.2.35.74-20130213013101

Small point I'd like to make: Some people instalock or call a role because that's what they are best at. Especially in ranked, you want to win, and if you are, say, an amazing mid player, you want to get that role; You know you can do better there than any of the randoms who you can't afford to assume are MLG pros.

About the champs:

A similar idea applies. Some people are so good at one particular champ that they know how to deal with every counter that it simply doesn't matter. (Especially since a lot of people pick counters strictly because they are counters, not because they know how to use a champ well. I, for one, first pick Akali specifically TO get countered. I'll take on a whole team of counterpicking Rivens, Swains, Lee Sins, etc. over one skilled Lux.)

Some champs, it doesn't even matter at all. A half-decent Katarina can survive laning phase, build tanky (Liandry-Warmogs), and get resets through teamfights, letting her snowball out of control even though she was "countered."

I agree completely that thought needs to be given to team composition, but particularly from low elo up until gold, asking someone to play a particular champ or role because it fits the team comp better may be a mistake. Let them play what they want; I'm willing to bet they're better at it.

About Summoner Spells:

Flash-ignite is a common spell choice because it fits so many champions so well. Flash grants a gap closer, escape, and outplaying mechanism to anybody. Ignite offers the slight bonus damage needed to win a tight all-in 1v1 or to finish an enemy after a burst.

Some champs and playstyles (Lux, Ziggs, many top laners, supports, obviously) don't need ignite, either because it's too short ranged to fit into 1100 range combos or because they don't plan on trying for kills in lane. These champs might take teleport for the easy counterganking and split pushing, or exhaust to help peel for another ally.

Flash is slightly more universal, because an escape mechanism is such a necessity, yet many champs lack one. Similar to ignite, though, there are times when it isn't appropriate. Again, many top laners favor sustained damage over up-front burst, so ghost helps them keep up with an opponent over the long lane. Some supports (taric, leona) don't need an escape spell at all, and take heal-exhaust to gain a massive advantage in early fights.