The World’s Most Exciting High School League
Introduction and Purpose
These Official Rules (“Rules”) Of the 2018 High School Esports League (“HSEL”) apply to each of the teams, as well as their players and substitutes.
The HSEL will consist of three phases (a) qualifiers, (b) Premier/Challenger, These Rules only apply to the HSEL and not to other competitions, tournaments or organized play of League of Legends (“LoL”).
The Rules are designed to ensure the integrity of the system established for the HSEL, for professional play of League of Legends and a competitive balance among the teams that play at the professional level. All matches are to be played on the Riot Games Oceania (“OCE”) server.
- League Structure
If you wish to contact the League Commissioner ,Woody “Maraudaur” Wu about the overall tournament please contact him at [email protected] with subject title as “HSEL query”.
Have any questions or require help about the HSEL? You can ask here [email protected]
General tournament format as follows;
HSEL will run leagues for 5 states(Vic, Tas, NT, SA, WA) with the following structure. Depending on number of teams per state this might change.
Qualifiers: Within the state teams will be split into pools. Unlimited number of pools and maximum 8 teams per pool.
Premier/Challenger: Top team or teams from each pool in the qualifier stage will progress to the premier league for that state while the rest will be placed into seeded challenger pools.
Both premier and challenger leagues will be round robin.
The premier league will be playing for a spot to represent their state in Riot Games’ Australia and New Zealand High school League of Legends Championships, prizes, school pride and team development. The Challenger leagues will be playing for prizes, school pride and team development.
The Premier/Challenger league will also consist of a playoffs stage which will be in a “Gauntlet’ format. (see appendix for description of Gauntlet format).
The number of teams from each qualifier pool that progress into the Premier League for each state will be dependent on the number of teams within each state. This will be communicated clearly to all teams after registrations close.
1.1 Schedule and match fixtures
Registrations close
23/05/2018 7pm AEST
Click here to see tentative schedule
Matches will be played every Thursday with games starting at 5pm
Match fixtures and specific school schedules will be communicated to teams after registration closes.
2. Player Eligibility
To be eligible to compete in the HSEL, players must meet the following conditions:
- Current full time student in high school
- Written permission from parent and teacher
- Players must be aged 13 or over with parent and teacher permission to participate
- Players must be meeting academic requirements for participation determined by their schools
- Their in game honor rating must be 2 or higher
[Players’ League of Legends honour rating must be level 2 or higher. Players can check their honour rating on the Profile tab after logging in to the League of Legends client. Honour is an in game system that encourages sportsmanlike play. Players are rewarded for consistent positive behaviour, while negative behaviour will induce penalties, which lower the level. - Players will need access to at least 20 champions.[This means the total number of champions owned, plus the 14 in the regular free rotation (which changes every 7 days). Beware that during some weeks, one or more “owned” champions might also be featured in the free rotation, reducing the total available.]
2.1 Submitting Information
Your teacher will be required to submit full team details through a form we provide.
2.2 Oceanic Pro League Team Members
Players must not be a current starting member of any team that is participating in the current Oceanic Pro League split.
Players must not have been a starter in the last 2 weeks for the Oceanic Pro League split.
2.3 Oceanic Residents
Players must be a resident of an Oceanic country at the time of entry into the tournament, and must remain as one for the remainder of the tournament.
2.4 Summoner name eligibility
Summoner names must not include profanity or inappropriate language/references. We reserve the right to issue summoner name changes to any player with an inappropriate name.
3. Team Eligibility
- Teams are eligible for the HSEL if they have a representing teacher
- All players must be from the same high school, case by case exemptions may be made based on school population.
- All teams matches played must be supervised by the registered teacher
- If matches need to be played from home, the teacher still needs to be present through online communication channels (e.g. discord)
Note: While you don’t need to have a League of Legends club at your school to participate in HSEL, we believe it can add a lot of benefits to the student experience in school. You can find out more about clubs here.
4. Roster Rules
You must contact your tournament organizer if there is any issues or question you have.
4.1 Roster Limits
Rosters must contain a minimum of five (5) and a maximum of ten (10) players per tournament. Teams names must not contain or reference any inappropriate language.
HSEL 2018 rosters are locked on 23rd May 2018 once the team submission has been made for the Qualifiers.
4.2 Multiple Rosters
Starting players may not be on multiple rosters. Substitutes may be on multiple rosters but may only play 4 games for each team they are on.
4.3 Submitting Information
Each team will be required to send information upon entry to the HSEL qualifiers
4.4 Same High School
All members of the team must be from the same high school.
4.5 Subbing players
If your team wishes to make a substitution you may inbetween games. You must inform the tournament organiser 10 minutes before your next game. The tournament organiser will then inform your next opponent.High School Esports League Rules
5. Prizes
Check out the prizes announcement
6. Tournament & Game Rules
All players will be expected to be ready to join the game lobby and start play following the start of the tournament. Readiness includes, but is not limited to, completed client patching, configuration of ingame settings, and completed runes and mastery pages.
All players are also responsible for ensuring the performance of their chosen setup, including computer hardware and peripherals, internet connection, and power. A problem with player equipment is not an acceptable reason for lateness or pausing beyond a team’s allowance, regardless of the root cause of the problem.
Every match will be played on the Summoners Rift map on tournament draft mode with 5v5.
6.1 Random Seeding
Seeding will be randomly assigned for the qualifier stage
6.2 Creating the match
Teams are to use tournament codes to join the lobby. If tournaments codes are not available match creation is as follows; Teams will be assigned blue or red side for each match. The team on blue side will need to create the lobby.
6.3 Choice of Side
Will be determined by the following in order of importance;
- Determined by the tournament organiser in the format
- Determined by the team’s seed
- Determined by which team is on the top side of the match up
6.4 Game Restart
There will be no game restarts unless under extreme situations. Final decision on game restarts will be at the tournament organizers discretion.
6.5 Banned Champions
Champions who have not been available on the live service for more than three (2) weeks are restricted from tournament play. This includes reworked champions.
6.6 Placeholders
A placeholder is where you pick a champion in place of a champion that you do not own, with the intent to swap the champion you don’t own with a teammate who does own it. Teams in HSEL may not use place holders.
6.7 Pause Allowance
Both teams are allowed ten minutes of pause allowance. You must unpause once you have gone past ten minutes of pause timer. Tournament admins also have ten minutes in case they need to make a decision.
6.8 Substitution
Player substitutions can only be made before and after a match during a tournament. Player substitutes must be on their roster. Furthermore, substitutions can be made during a match lobby, but once both teams have made a single ban in champion select, neither team can make a player substitution till the conclusion of the game.
6.9 Restrictions on Gameplay Elements
Restrictions may be added at any time before or during a match if there are known bugs with any items, champions, skins, runes, masteries, Summoner spells, or for any other reason as determined at the discretion of tournament admins.
6.10 Tiebreakers
If a situation occurs where two or more teams are in a tie breaking situation. We will go off previous record from the tournament. In a threeway tiebreaker scenario three teams will play a single elimination best of one, with a single team getting a bye based off their gold ratios in previous matches.
7. Infraction and Penalties
Upon discovery of any player committing any violations regarded as unfair play, the tournament director may issue any or all penalties, at his/her sole discretion.
7.1 Punctuality
Managers/captains need to check in 10 minutes before the match is scheduled to start on discord (link). Failure to do so will result in the loss of a ban.
Teams get a five minute grace period to attend their scheduled match and field five players before they receive one of two penalties. If the team is less than ten (10) minutes late to the round, they receive a ban loss. If the team is more than ten (10) minutes late, they receive a game loss penalty.
7.2 Not Following Announcements
Every player has the responsibility to follow official tournament instructions and announcements. The penalty for failing to follow announcements and instructions is a side selection loss or ban loss.
7.3 Unsportsmanlike Behaviour
All player have the right to a safe and enjoyable tournament experience and a player or team should be aware if their behaviour infringes on those principles.
Receiving three warnings will result in a side selection loss or ban loss and on the forth warning you will lose your game. Fifth warning will result in a loss of a series.
7.3.1 Minor
Minor unsportsmanlike behaviour occurs when a player or a team does something disruptive to the tournament or its participants. Examples include but aren’t limited to:
● Excessive swearing or profanity
● Demanding the opponent receives a penalty, even after a decision has been made final. The penalty for minor unsportsmanlike behaviour is a warning.
7.3.2 Major
Major unsportsmanlike behaviour falls into three specific categories and occurs when a player or team does one of the following:
● Fails to follow official tournament instructions aimed at a player or team..
● Directly insults someone using hate speech that targets a specific group (race, religion, gender, disability, etc.)
● Aggressive behaviour that’s not directed at another person (cursing, frustration, hostility, etc.).
● Aggressive behaviour targeting an individual (threats, personal attack, etc.)
Penalty for major unsportsmanlike behaviour is a game loss (The game that the behaviour is displayed in will be forfeited).
*Note please report this by sending in screenshots within 10 minutes of it happening to a tournament admin.
7.3.3 Severe
Severe unsportsmanlike behaviour includes cases that are too outrageous to fall under unsportsmanlike behaviour minor and major. An example of this is intentionally disrupting the operation of the tournament.
7.3.4 Collusion
Collusions is conspiring or cooperating with opposing teams in a tournament in order to deceive or cheat others.
Penalty for collusion is disqualification for both teams.
7.3.5 Cheating
Players have a right to receive fair and balanced treatment during our tournament. Players who knowingly do something against the rules to gain an advantage are cheating.
● Impersonating another player in the tournament, playing under false name, playing using another player’s summoner name or account sharing
● Playing with a player of another team’s roster or exceeding your roster limit of seven players and using another player.
● Trigger a pause or delay the tournament to gain any advantage.
● Exploiting or intentionally using any ingame bugs to gain an advantage. Exploiting includes, but is not limited to:
- Glitches in buying items,
- Glitches in neutral minion interactions,
- Glitches in Champion ability performance
- The penalty for cheating is disqualification from the tournament.
8. Spirit of the Rules
8.1 Finality of Decisions
All decisions regarding the interpretation of these rules, player eligibility, scheduling, tournament format and penalties for misconduct, lie solely with assigned tournament officials, the decisions of which are final.
8.2 Rule Changes
These rules may be amended, modified, or supplemented at any time in order to ensure fair play and the integrity of the tournament
Appendix
- Gauntlet Format
To progress on in this format you have to beat the next seed higher than you. This format rewards placing high in the regular season. For example at the end of the premier season we would take the top five seeded teams. 5th seed would play 4th seed, winner of that progresses to play 3rd seed, winner of that would progress to play 2nd seed and winner of that would play 1st seed in the grand finals.