Master a Champion on League of Legends
League of Legends is a strategic and fun online MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game. There are over 100 champions, and each of them have different skills. Here's how to master them.
Contents
Steps
- Pick a champion. You can try different champions out each week. Find your style.
- There are several roles you can play in the League. Marksman (ADC/Attack Damage Carry), Mage (APC/Ability Power Carry), Tank, Support, and Jungler. Each play an important role in the game.
- The Marksman attacks from range, dealing physical damage. The marksman are accompanied by the support character.
- The Mage, or APC, attacks and deals magic damage using a variety of spells.
- The tank is the "front line" for the team. They build defensively, able to progressively take more and more damage.
- The support aids the ADC (and later on the entire team). Whether the support has a slow, a stun (which is called crowd-control, or CC), or abilities to heal the ADC, they're very useful in the laning phase and are very important. The ADC depends on the support to get them "fed" (a lot of kills so they can be more useful late game).
- The Jungler goes around to camps on the map, and killing them. At the same time, they can gank (ambush the enemy team for a kill) for their team, and provide kills for themselves or the lanes they're ganking. Good j=Junglers know routes, buffs, have good map awareness, and know when to gank.
- Learn the mechanics. Mechanics are the way the game works, and the way the champion works. Learn a bit about each role so you know what you could be matched up against. It's also good to learn about an enemy, and learn your boundaries.'
- Learn how to farm. Farming is very important in League; it brings in income, which buys items, and items win games. Last-hitting is sometimes hard, especially when you're getting harassed down by the enemies.
- Learn map awareness. Look at the mini-map frequently. Try looking every 5 seconds. Having map awareness can sometimes save you from a gank. If you see someone coming, knowing your champion, and how they work (also the same with the enemy champ) can help you get out alive. Make it a habit to look at the map. If you can't spare a glance at the mini-map, you're not in that hard a fight.
- Learn how to "juke". Juking means going into a bush, going stealth, etc., waiting for the champ to find you, and go the other way. Juking can be hard to do at first, but it can keep you alive and put distance between you and your enemies.
- Study the champion you're wanting to play.
- For example, if you are playing Annie, learn what her Q, W, E, and R does, her passive, her builds, and how she can initiate or escape a fight.
- The Q, for most champions, is the thing that does damage (such as Caitlyn's Q; Piltover Peacemaker).
- The W, for most champions, usually gives a boost (such as Varus's W; Blighted Quiver).
- The E, for most champions, is utility or gives a bit of damage. For ADCs, it gives damage. For mages, could be a shield or power-up. It depends on what champion you're playing.
- The R, or ultimate, is the handiest ability for any champion. It gives them a boost, it gives them more damage, it can heal, stun, etc., and has a long cooldown.
- Champion passives are very useful; make the most of them.
- For example, if you are playing Annie, learn what her Q, W, E, and R does, her passive, her builds, and how she can initiate or escape a fight.
- Learn how to use your abilities to your best advantage. Find out what each ability does on your champion. Learn combos (ways to use your champion, in one fell swoop to hopefully get the enemy low, or even kill them).
- Find out builds. See what items work best with your champion. Look up builds online, and ask for help from friends on League.
- Find out who counters your champion, and vice versa. You can look up champion counters online. Just study them, and learn to counter pick.
- Get runes and masteries. Runes and masteries are little boosts that help you early game. You don't need runes until at least level 20 (so don't buy them pre-level 20), and you get mastery points per level (up to 30). Find out what runes and masteries are best for your champion.
- Play your champion a lot. It's not going to be easy to master a champion. You have to put time and energy into it. You need knowledge of what your champion, and enemy champion, is capable of.
- Learn from your mistakes. You aren't going to be a pro player from reading a few guides. The best way to learn, is by doing. Make note of your mistakes, and try to do better next time.
- Try out new things with your champ. Find new builds, make new plays, etc..
Tips
- Each week, Riot does "champion rotations", which means they put 10 different champions on the roster to pick from without buying.
- Knowledge is your friend. The more you know about the game, the items, and the people you're playing against, the better off you are. Before the game starts, look up on lolnexus.com your username, and study the team you're playing against.
- Note that League of Legends is completely free. You do not need to spend any money, if you don't want to. The way you "buy" things in game, is by playing games, and getting things called IP (Influence Points). IP lets you buy runes, champions, etc..
- Watch the pros. See how they play champions, and if they have any tricks they use.
- Ranked is a good way to learn. A lot of people mess around in normal games (and they do in ranked, but it's a more serious and competitive way of playing).
- Only play against bots if you are new to the game or it is your first time playing a champion. Playing bots regularly leaves you unprepared for actual games. Also, playing against bots will give no indication to how good you are or how well you play a champion.
Warnings
- Never try out a champion in ranked.
- League of Legends is a VERY toxic game. There are a lot of ragers. Before the game starts, let your team know that you're just trying to learn your champ.
