The laning phase in League of Legends is very important. How you do here can affect your team’s success later on. Whether you play top, mid, or ADC, knowing how to play your role in the early game can give you a big advantage. Here are key tips for excelling in the laning phase for each position and preparing for the mid and late-game.
Top Lane: The Fighter’s Arena
The top lane is mostly secluded but can also have a big impact. Playing as a tank, bruiser, or split-pusher means you should keep several things in mind to rule the lane.
Champion Choices
Top lane champions need a mix of sustain, damage, and durability. If you are playing a tank, consider champions like Ornn, Malphite, and Shen for their survival and late-game support. For those who want to lead the team early, champions like Renekton, Camille, or Darius are good picks due to their dueling strength.
Resource Management
Knowing your mana (if your champion uses it) and health is very important. Be mindful of your potion use and when to recall, so you won’t be low on resources. For example, champions like Nasus can build strength with his Siphoning Strike (Q) during laning, so keeping track of stacks is essential. Meanwhile, champions like Trundle or Gragas can use their sustain to outlast others and set up aggressive plays.
Minion Wave Control
Managing the minion wave is key for top lane success. You want to keep the wave near your turret to make it hard for enemies to farm without risking ganks. This works well for champions like Teemo or Jax, who can poke enemies while keeping the wave closer to safety. Alternatively, you might push the wave to put pressure on the opponent, especially if you want to roam or claim objectives like the Rift Herald.
Pro Tip: Always watch the enemy jungler’s location. If you’re pushing hard, you are easy to gank, especially by champs like Lee Sin or Evelynn.
Teleport and Map Awareness
Watch your Teleport cooldown (especially if you’re playing champions like Fiora or Kennen). A good Teleport can help your bot lane or secure objectives like Dragon or Rift Herald. Keeping the enemy laner pushed under their turret can give you map control and increase your chances of effective Teleports.
Mid Lane: The Central Force
Mid lane is very important since it connects top and bot lanes, controlling key areas like the River and Scuttle Crab. Whether you are an assassin, mage, or control mid laner, knowing the game’s flow is crucial.
Champion Choices
In mid lane, champions like Zed, Katarina, and LeBlanc offer high burst damage and can control the lane with good snowballing. If you prefer a strategic playstyle, champions like Orianna, Azir, and Viktor provide wave control and team support to win skirmishes.
Wave Control and Roaming
Being able to clear waves is critical in mid lane. Champions like Lux, Viktor, and Syndra have effective wave clear, which helps in pushing and roaming. After pushing the wave, you can roam to the bot lane for easy kills, especially if your jungler joins for a gank.
Pro Tip: Monitor your minion wave and your opponent’s. If they are pushing a lot, use your abilities to clear waves fast or use their position to your advantage for roaming.
Trading and Positioning
Mid lane often involves positioning and trading. Champions like Ahri and Akali excel here thanks to their high mobility and damage potential. When trading, always watch for times when your enemy’s main abilities are not available and try to hit skill shots with your abilities. Also, keep in mind that mid lane is where early fights often occur. It’s important to have vision, so put Control Wards in the river to help avoid surprises from the enemy jungler. Knowing the location of the enemy jungler can aid in deciding if you should take a risky action or play safer.
Bot Lane: The Center of Team Fights
The bot lane usually consists of an ADC (Attack Damage Carry) and a Support. Success in this lane generally relies on how well the two players work together, manage waves, control vision, and trade effectively.
Champion Choices
For ADCs, champions like Kai’Sa, Jhin, and Ezreal can be good choices based on what your team needs. Kai’Sa can deal heavy damage with items like Nashor’s Tooth or Runaan’s Hurricane, while Jhin provides utility and long-range poke damage. For support, champions like Thresh, Leona, and Lulu offer crowd control, and healing, and can set up kills for the ADC. If your ADC is a fragile champion such as Miss Fortune or Vayne, choose the support that can provide protection from both the jungler and enemy lane opponents.
Positioning and Trading
Trading in bot lane is all about positioning. Avoid overextending, as it makes you an easy target for ganks. Good positioning is crucial for both ADCs and supports. Leona or Alistar will look for chances to engage with their crowd control abilities, and the ADC can then follow up. Knowing when to retreat or engage is essential.
Jungle Coordination
The jungle plays a big role in the bot lane’s success. A good partnership between the bot lane and the jungler can lead to early kills or objectives. Place wards in the river or pixel brushes to watch for enemy ganks, and inform your jungler if you need help. If you have the upper hand, communicate with your jungler to secure the Dragon.
General Tips for All Roles: Winning the Laning Phase
Here are some universal tips for all roles in League of Legends to gain an advantage in the laning phase:
| Tip | Description |
| Farm Consistently | Focus on last-hitting minions to gain gold and experience. |
| Ward Key Areas | Always place wards in key areas to prevent jungle ganks. |
| Know When to Push | Don’t push the wave too much unless you’re confident it’s safe. |
| Use your Teleports | Use Teleport to make plays in other lanes or help your team secure objectives. |
Item Tips
Understanding items is important for winning your lane. Here are some that can help:
- Top Lane:
- Sunfire Aegis for tanking.
- Stridebreaker for damage and mobility.
- Ravenous Hydra for sustaining and dueling.
- Mid Lane:
- Luden’s Echo for burst and wave clear.
- Zhonya’s Hourglass for survival.
- Liandry’s Anguish for burn damage and sustain.
- Bot Lane:
- Galeforce for mobility and extra damage.
- Immortal Shieldbow for sustain and dueling.
- Kraken Slayer for consistent damage output.
Objective Management
Controlling Dragons, Rift Heralds, and Turrets during the laning phase can bring significant advantages. If you have the lead, push your lanes and secure these objectives. The jungler should also work with the team to secure these crucial points.
Conclusion
To win the laning phase, be aware of your surroundings, understand champions from your LoL account, and know when to advance or retreat. Whether you are in top, mid, or bot, mastering basic concepts of trading, wave management, and jungle coordination can greatly impact your game. Following these tips and adapting to your opponent’s actions will give you the best chance of victory in the early game and beyond.
Now that you have these suggestions ready, prepare to excel in your lane and support your team’s success. Remember, the early game is not just about mechanics, but also about smart play and staying ahead!