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Difficulty Levels

Crafter LoL offers three difficulty levels that dramatically change the challenge by adjusting the number of options, time limits, and distractor quality.

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Overview

Easy

6 Options | 50 SecondsPerfect for learning item recipes with fewer distractors and generous time.

Medium

10 Options | 40 SecondsBalanced challenge with moderate options and reasonable time pressure.

Hard

14 Options | 30 SecondsMaximum challenge with smart distractors designed to confuse you!

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Difficulty Configuration

Difficulty is configured on both frontend and backend: 
// Frontend sends difficulty parameter - gameService.js:59-61
const response = await api.get(API_CONFIG.endpoints.question, {
    params: { difficulty: 'HARD' }
});

// Backend constants - GameService.java:24-30
private static final int EASY_OPTIONS = 6;
private static final int MEDIUM_OPTIONS = 10;
private static final int HARD_OPTIONS = 14;

private static final int EASY_TIME = 50;
private static final int MEDIUM_TIME = 40;
private static final int HARD_TIME = 30;
Currently, the frontend is hardcoded to request HARD difficulty. You can change this in gameService.js:60 to test other difficulties.

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Easy Mode

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Characteristics

  • Total Options: 6 items to choose from
  • Time Limit: 50 seconds per question
  • Distractor Strategy: Random selection

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Who Should Play Easy?

If you’re not familiar with LoL items, Easy mode gives you:
  • More time to read item names
  • Fewer options to overwhelm you
  • Better odds of guessing correctly
  • Opportunity to learn common recipes
Easy mode is perfect for understanding Crafter LoL mechanics:
  • Get comfortable with the interface
  • Learn how selection and submission works
  • Understand the timer behavior
  • Practice before moving to harder difficulties

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Option Generation

// From GameService.java:243-248
private int getTotalOptions(String difficulty) {
    return switch (difficulty) {
        case "EASY" -> EASY_OPTIONS;    // Returns 6
        case "HARD" -> HARD_OPTIONS;
        default -> MEDIUM_OPTIONS;
    };
}
With only 6 options, distractors are randomly selected: 
// Random distractor selection - GameService.java:217-227
List<Item> fallback = allItems.values().stream()
    .filter(item -> !addedIds.contains(item.getId()))
    .filter(item -> item.getTotalCost() > 0)
    .collect(Collectors.toList());
Collections.shuffle(fallback);
On Easy mode, you have ~33-50% chance of guessing correctly if you don’t know the answer (depending on whether 2 or 3 components are needed).

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Medium Mode

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Characteristics

  • Total Options: 10 items to choose from
  • Time Limit: 40 seconds per question
  • Distractor Strategy: Random selection with more options

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Who Should Play Medium?

Medium mode is ideal if you:
  • Have played League of Legends but aren’t an item expert
  • Want a balanced challenge between learning and testing
  • Enjoy having time to think without being rushed
  • Are comfortable with the game interface
Medium strikes a balance between:
  • Challenge: 10 options provide meaningful difficulty
  • Fairness: 40 seconds is enough time to think strategically
  • Learning: More distractors help you learn what’s NOT correct

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Time Pressure

// Time limits by difficulty - GameService.java:251-256
private int getTimeLimit(String difficulty) {
    return switch (difficulty) {
        case "EASY" -> EASY_TIME;      // 50 seconds
        case "HARD" -> HARD_TIME;      // 30 seconds
        default -> MEDIUM_TIME;         // 40 seconds
    };
}
40 seconds provides:
  • Time to read all 10 item names
  • Opportunity to use elimination strategies
  • Slight pressure to keep the game engaging
  • Enough buffer for careful selection
On Medium, spend the first 10-15 seconds surveying all options before making selections. This helps you spot obvious distractors.

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Hard Mode

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Characteristics

  • Total Options: 14 items to choose from (maximum circle capacity)
  • Time Limit: 30 seconds per question
  • Distractor Strategy: Intelligent selection based on tags and costs

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Who Should Play Hard?

Hard mode is designed for players who:
  • Have extensive League of Legends experience
  • Know most item recipes by heart
  • Want a serious challenge
  • Enjoy time pressure and strategic thinking
If you want to:
  • Test your true knowledge against smart distractors
  • Achieve the highest possible scores
  • Compete for best times
  • Push your limits under pressure

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Smart Distractor Algorithm

Hard mode uses a sophisticated 3-phase algorithm to generate deceptive distractors:
1

Phase 1: Tag Matching

Select items with overlapping tags:
// From GameService.java:170-174
Set<String> correctTags = correctComponentIds.stream()
    .map(allItems::get)
    .filter(Objects::nonNull)
    .flatMap(item -> item.getTags() != null ? 
        item.getTags().stream() : Stream.empty())
    .collect(Collectors.toSet());
Example: If crafting an AD item, distractors will also be AD items.
// From GameService.java:186-193
List<Item> smartDistractors = allItems.values().stream()
    .filter(item -> !addedIds.contains(item.getId()))
    .filter(item -> item.getTotalCost() >= costMin && 
                    item.getTotalCost() <= costMax)
    .filter(item -> item.getTags() != null &&
        !Collections.disjoint(item.getTags(), correctTags))
    .collect(Collectors.toList());
2

Phase 2: Cost Matching

If not enough tag-based distractors, add items with similar costs:
// From GameService.java:176-184
int avgCost = (int) correctComponentIds.stream()
    .map(allItems::get)
    .filter(Objects::nonNull)
    .mapToInt(Item::getTotalCost)
    .average()
    .orElse(1000);

int costMin = (int) (avgCost * 0.5);  // 50% of average
int costMax = (int) (avgCost * 2.0);  // 200% of average
This ensures distractors look plausible based on gold cost.
3

Phase 3: Random Fill

Only if phases 1 and 2 don’t provide enough items:
// From GameService.java:217-228
if (options.size() < totalOptions) {
    List<Item> fallback = allItems.values().stream()
        .filter(item -> !addedIds.contains(item.getId()))
        .filter(item -> item.getTotalCost() > 0)
        .collect(Collectors.toList());
    Collections.shuffle(fallback);
}
Hard mode distractors are NOT random! They’re specifically chosen to have similar attributes to the correct components. Visual inspection alone won’t be enough - you need to actually know the recipes.

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Example: Hard Mode Question

Let’s say the target item is Infinity Edge (crafted from B.F. Sword + B.F. Sword + Cloak of Agility): Correct Components:
  • B.F. Sword (Attack Damage, 1300g)
  • Cloak of Agility (Critical Strike, 600g)
Smart Distractors Might Include:
  • Long Sword (Attack Damage, 350g) - shares AD tag
  • Pickaxe (Attack Damage, 875g) - shares AD tag, similar cost
  • Brawler’s Gloves (Critical Strike, 600g) - shares Crit tag, exact cost match!
  • Serrated Dirk (Attack Damage, 1100g) - shares AD tag, similar cost
Notice how all distractors have overlapping attributes! This is why Hard mode is truly challenging.

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Comparison Table

FeatureEasyMediumHard
Total Options61014
Time Limit50s40s30s
Distractor StrategyRandomRandomTag & Cost Matching
Recommended ForBeginnersCasual PlayersExperts
Guess Success Rate~33-50%~20-33%~10-20%
Learning ValueHighMediumLow (needs prior knowledge)
Competitive ValueLowMediumHigh

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Switching Difficulties

To change difficulty, modify the frontend code: 
// In gameService.js:59-61
const response = await api.get(API_CONFIG.endpoints.question, {
    params: { difficulty: 'EASY' }  // Change to 'EASY', 'MEDIUM', or 'HARD'
});
You can create a difficulty selector UI component to let players choose their preferred challenge level dynamically!

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Strategy by Difficulty

Use Your Time Wisely
  • Read all 6 options carefully
  • Think about which items appear in common builds
  • Remember that basic items (Long Sword, Cloth Armor) are often components
  • Don’t rush - you have 50 full seconds
Learn Patterns
  • Note which items appear together frequently
  • Pay attention to the correct answers when you’re wrong
  • Build your mental database of common recipes

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Performance Expectations

Expected Performance:
  • Beginners: 40-60% accuracy
  • Casual players: 60-80% accuracy
  • Experts: 90-100% accuracy
With generous time and few options, even beginners should have success.
Expected Performance:
  • Beginners: 20-40% accuracy
  • Casual players: 50-70% accuracy
  • Experts: 80-95% accuracy
Medium provides a fair challenge for most players.
Expected Performance:
  • Beginners: 10-20% accuracy (mostly guessing)
  • Casual players: 30-50% accuracy
  • Experts: 60-85% accuracy
Even experts will struggle with smart distractors and time pressure!

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Next Steps

Scoring System

Learn how scores are calculated and optimized

Game Mechanics

Dive deep into the technical implementation

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