What? I'm trying to become better at looking at our team and figuring at which kind of champ would most fit in and how to assess team balance and completeness. My general guideline is 2 dps, 1 tank, and 1 caster, but I'm not sure what beyond that. I figure at least 2 of them should be ranged. There should be a strong imitator for team fights, but which champs can initiate well? I know of malphite, but if he's not on the team, who else can initiate well? Do you need to have a certain number of stunners? A certain number of healers, nukers, carrys? I'm sure some things about team building isn't rigid, but are there some things that all complete teams need to have?

well as of late I believe a lot in having physical dps on our team being mandatory, if only for taking down towers. I can remember many many close games where we only had one big break, and getting our tristana to the tower meant GG.

I also cringe when I see that our team is squishy. Team confidence may not be a statistic but it's noticeable when our squishies go 1/2 life in a team fight and we all turn tail. On that note, having a tank (immediately gets a mental picture of Alistair in mid) for the team to rally behind is a great benefit.

In general, I try to go for diversity when filling in the gaps.

An initiator (Malphite, Blitzcrank, Cho'gath, Poppy, Alistar, Singed)
Support (Kayle, Morgana, Soraka)
Map control (TF, Teemo)
Bait that can also bring the pain (Anivia, Corki)
And a Hard carry.

i have learned that you can pretty much be a map controller/solo pusher with heimerdinger... he is super easy to farm middle with.. and your whole strategy is to get turrets down to surpress fire down the middle pushing to there base.. more times the none i come out with ther first turret down by the time i hit lvl 7... and second tower down by lvl 9...
I run boots of mobility.. yet there not the best item.. but it give me that great speed boost to switch lanes to support someone and to help a lane out from minion push...
key things.. when your pushing the lanes.. keep as many turrets up as you can.. as soon as they all die.. ask a team member to help harrass while you relay or go back to tyour tower and start over.. then plant them one after the other running right to there base.. this will piss them off alot so try to keep an eye on the mini map aswell stay in the middle of your towers cause at moments notice they will try to gank you and you just have to drop grenade by your feet and kite around your turrets.. many times i have wipped out all 5 when done correctly..
i average 11+ kills a game not trying to gank.. just pushing and supporting.. you will hit lvl 18 before anyone cause of your turrets.. aswell you will be maxed slotted for gear long before anyone else..so early on you have the advantage

HAHA, i find this so true. I find noobs pick heimer, want a solo, and then **** it up. When i play hiemer, my sole purpose is to push the towers, i max turrets and grenades for this. The only things he contribututes to the team is his passive early game (close to useless), and his rockets, and the grenade blind/stun (if he can aim it). Heimer can be okay support, but should NEVER solo imo, and is close to useless endgame. I hate playing w/ hiemers because of how little they offer, and can do 1v1. It is nice if you have a good heimer, but even then i'd rather have some other caster...annie ryze vieger anyone.

I often say "Hes the worst design ever" because most people depend on him camping one spot, and a champ like twitch or gangplank can ****in dominate 5-10 minutes of turret placing w/ one ult. Heimer adds nothing to a team, and i honestly think unless you're really good w/ grenade, and can help gank that you shouldn't play him, buy him, or waste any time learning him. lol.

this just shows how many games i've lost cuz ****** hiemers though, or because of his uselessness endgame.

Hell sivir can just turn on ricochet and he cant place any turrets. and if he maxes rockets/grenade first, spellshield.