League of Lessons

Tips and videos to help you get better at League of Lessons [No promises included]

[leagueoflessons-blog]

Udyr, Bear with Me Folks!

     Sorry about the hold-up everyone. I not only just started a full-time job (yay responsibility!), but acquired two new, young ferrets as well. So I'm still adjusting. I haven't forgotten and I know it's been far too long. I do have a few good days off coming soon and I'll be pumping out some posts. For now, back to work!

[leagueoflessons-blog]

Oh Me (Blog Update)

     I made a triumphant return only to be held up by something else. That else is being gainfully employed, so really I can't complain. Either way, I'm not leaving this blog and will keep on schedule more now I that I have structure once more (man summer can mess that up so fast). So why the blog update?

     Glad you asked! There's a few reasons actually. As usual, here they are in easy, bullet format:

More focused blog posts. I've covered the basics and a few advanced concepts, which means my pool of topics is much lower than before. Doesn't mean I still have a few topics to cover, but expect to see two updates a week. Primarily on Tuesday and Thursday. Quick posts may still happen at anytime throughout the week though.

Ranked Journal will start being updated once a week. Maybe more if I feel obliged. There won't be a terrible amount of content besides my musings and thoughts on characters. This will be special only as it's my initial thoughts after the game's conclusion, so it'll be interesting I hope.

"After School" is a new video series I'm looking to undertake in adding to the blog. It'll just be going over a few highlights and screw ups for one of my recent matches. This way we all learn. It'll be updated probably every two weeks. This is still in planning.

Nothing incredible mind you, but I'd rather keep you all in the loop. With that, I'm off to work. League work that is. See you all in the Rift!

[leagueoflessons-blog]

Putting the Lane on Ice

     So you know how to harass, last hit, and press the advantage. You even know what to do should things turn against your favor. Though maybe there's something you didn't know should you want to farm safely, but not quite under the turret. With enough practice, you can actually have the enemy minions fight right outside of the turrets range. Then when the next wave comes marching up, they'll once again be right outside your tower's range. So what's the point of all this you ask? And more importantly, how can you pull this off?

     Well my friend, let's start with why freezing a lane can help you. For one, it's pretty much the safest way to farm. Should the enemy decide to be aggressive, you're right next to your turret providing plenty of cover and safety. Secondly, it forces your opponent to overextend. This means your jungler can come and lend a hand from time to time with better potential to come out with a kill. Last but not least, it can cause the enemy to be afraid to get close and miss cs because of it. No one likes being stuck near a turret and unless they have excellent ward placement, they'll live in fear of where/when trouble will appear.

     So how do you freeze a lane successfully? Relatively easy actually, but as I said before it'll take some practice. At times you'll notice your minions are dead while the enemy's minions are still hanging around. You'll have to tank a few minions, but stand just outside of the turret's range while the minions smack you a little. Once your squad arrives, back up and let your minions take the hits for you. At this point, you'll want to wait until the minions have low health before taking them out. This means even if you're the AD carry and could last hit a minion when it's at half health, give it a little bit more time before throwing out that attack. This way your minions will take damage and die, allowing you to keep the lane frozen where you like. You can also employ this in the middle of the lane if you feel this will provide a better advantage.

     Now the opponent may be aware of this tactic as well and use it on you. So how does one combat the dreaded frozen lane? Simple. Push push push. If you push the wave into their tower, it'll break the freeze and return the minions roughly to the middle where you can farm safely once again or attempt to freeze the lane more to your liking. Another quick tip is to not feel terrible if you lose your first tower. This means you can actually freeze the lane somewhere between the now broken first tower and the still standing second tower. If your opponent really wants their farm back, then they'll be so far overextended to get their cs it'll be ridiculous.

     That's about it really. A tactic that when used correctly, will allow you safe farm and your enemy one hell of a frustrating time in lane. See you and your frozen lanes on the Rift!

[leagueoflessons-blog]

     While I may have missed out on providing some info for Varus and Darius before they came out, I've figured I may as well start now with the League's newest addition, Draven. He happens to be Darius's brother, but plays very different. Instead of being in your face, he sits in the background throwing axes and causing some damage. Enough of my little overview though. Riot's video should provide all the info you need.

[leagueoflessons-blog]

Dude Potential

While I've talked about map awareness and the like before, I just recently came across this video from Riot talking about Dude Potential. While roughly the same thing as awareness, it's still a great way to think about it when playing a game. It should provide a chuckle, but with a decent point added as well. Give it a look.

[leagueoflessons-blog]

The Business of Counter-Picking

     Like any game with multiple characters to choose from, some will always be able to have a certain edge over a few others. In the simplest terms possible, think of it like rock-paper-scissors. That's not to say if you get counter-picked then you can't win. It will still come down to who has the most skill, but it doesn't change the fact that some will have an advantage. Since listing every champion and their counters would be an exhausting and unbelievably long post, the easiest way is to link to two great resources that already offer such service.

     However, before I send curious minds off to see what their favorite champions counter and who counters them, I want to make a few things relatively clear. First off, you should always pick a champion you're comfortable with and never go straight for a counter unless you're comfortable with said counter. For example, let's take Ahri. She can do fairly well against Karthus with her burst while Ryze is fairly even. The difference is you've played as Ahri maybe once or twice compared to Ryze's 100 games. Long story short, just choose Ryze. It's not worth it picking a champ you have little experience with just to be able to say you counter-picked. Second, don't freak out if you've been countered yourself. Taking a deep breath and remembering what gives them the edge so that you can nullify it is the best way to deal with it. Now that you have those in mind, go learn up on counters here:

Champion Select

Google Doc

[leagueoflessons-blog]

Patch Day 5/1/2012

     One thing I've been meaning to do is occasionally give my opinions on how League is moving along. Even if you find yourself disagreeing with anything I write, it'll at least give this blog a more human-like quality (or so I'm hoping). So now when a pretty little patch comes strolling along, I'll be taking some time to throw in a few comments about what's likable and what's saddening. Without wasting anymore time, you can find the patch notes below and my opinions after the Read More.

Full patch notes here

Features

     First up is Riot's new Spectator Mode. There's a lot to say about this, but I'll try to sum it up nice and short: amazing. Not only can you take a sneak peek at how your friends are doing in their current game, but you can watch featured matches up on the home page as well. On top of all this, you can now rewind or fast-forward to catch all the action or skip the boring parts of the match you're watching. Riot must have taken a few notes from DotA 2 and I couldn't be happier about it. Also, the directed camera addition sounds like a godsend for people like me who want to watch a game, but not have to control the camera every second (I really like watching matches hands free). I have to say, I've never been this excited for a patch feature in quite some time.

Champions

     Annie has always been one of my most loved champs. She was the first champ I bought (granted 450 is pretty cheap) and she taught me how to last hit slowly but surely. Seeing her catch a few buffs brightens my day. Mostly the cooldown on her Molten Shield is what really makes me smile. Being almost cut in half means the shield may actually get to be used a lot more often for it's intended purposes. The real worry to me is whether this will make her stuns happen faster and harder than usual or if this cooldown change will keep things balanced.

     As much as I love Mundo, I have to say his nerf was inevitable and justified. Whenever I play as him, I feel like a giant wrecking ball. Though I wonder if these nerfs are really enough. All that's really been changed is his Burning Agony's damage and status effect dampening. These nerfs look more like a slap on the wrist if anything.

     Irelia got buffed instead of nerfed. Stay inside as armageddon may be happening soon. In all honesty though, these buffs will help her sustain herself in lane once again.

     Lulu may actually become far less annoying to deal with. On the flipside, landing those Glitterlances will become much more critical. Overall, I feel like it's a nice adjustment.

     Ryze received a lot in this patch. No real nerfs or buffs though. Just a rebalancing. Having never played Ryze (only against), it seems like a decent fix. Guess we'll see in the coming days.

     Zilean can no longer level Rewind at level 1?! OUTRAGEOUS! Also about time. Being able to level up a spell at level 1 that reduced cooldowns on your other spells confused me for the longest time. Oh Riot and your small fixes. Speaking of which...

General Stuff

     Champion skin names now appear on loading screen. Having seen a few pics and videos of this already, it looks slick and is definitely a sweet little addition.

     You can actually toggle All Chat in-game now. To me, this is brilliant. If you want some friendly banter, throw it on. Otherwise you no longer have to deal with seeing the other team hurl insults or spam the chat log. Good stuff.

     With this patch, no longer will the enemy team see a failed surrender vote. Besides the new Spectator Mode, this is my favorite addition. It was all too easy for the enemy to capitalize on the lowering morale of a team through picking off people or vocalizing their thoughts in chat. This change may actually allow teams to talk out strategies and get their heads back together without the enemy knowing when to capitalize on crushed spirits.

Items

     Kage's Lucky Pick can now be built into Deathfire Grasp OR Morello's Evil Tome. This will allow those AP's who previously wanted to pick this up to have at least two options on what they want to turn it into.

     Morello's now has a Grievous Wound active attached to it. It'll be interesting to see if this item gets some time in the spotlight or if it'll still be a rare buy.

      Items such as Atma's Impaler or Force of Nature that only told you a percentage for the added stats it provided now update dynamically. Meaning instead of 2.5% when you mouse over, it'll say 48. This is pretty nice for those of us who aren't terribly great at math and percentages.

Summoner Spells

     Not much else to say here other than Heal was nerfed from 145 to 100 base value. Kind of makes me question whether Heal is even worth the slot now.

There you have it folks. A long list of opinions for you to read over or entirely skip. I know it's not really fleshed out and it's mostly "this seems good" or "who knows", but this was a last minute decision to write this so it'll take some time to fine tune. Anyway, feel free to comment on what you agree with or with any insight you have on the changes. As always, get out there and have fun. This time I may actually see you all on the Rift. Though I'll be watching from the stands ;P

[leagueoflessons-blog]

Dancing Through the Battlefield

     I believe I've mentioned it before, but positioning can be everything in a fight. A misstep in lane can cause an unfortunate and unwanted death. One person being out of position in a teamfight can make the fight 4 vs 5 in no time. Learning where to stand to protect yourself can mean the difference between a death and a kill.

Know Thy Enemy

     As you jaunt off to lane, you'll probably have an idea of who you're opponent will be. Maybe you have a few ideas. Either way, you should attempt to recall each enemy's abilities to the best of your knowledge. Knowing their passives, abilities, and how each one acts (skill shot, target) will give you a better chance of survival. Let's take Mid as an example.

     You run off towards Mid as Leblanc knowing that Lux will be doing the same on the other side. You think back to her abilities and how they operate. Her Q is a snare that is a straight skill shot and will trap two units before it disappears. Her W is an AoE skill shot and her E is a shield that won't harm you. Last but not least, her Ultimate is a straight laser that does a decent chunk of damage. So looking at all these abilities, what's the best way to stay safe in lane? Well, there's a few ways really:

Moving left to right and never staying in one place while you try to last hit or harass will make it easier for you to dodge her skill shots. Maybe not the AoE so easily, but her snare and Ult will become fairly easy to dodge with enough left to right movement.

Since her Q can only snare two units before disappearing, it's not a bad idea to try and stay behind your minions while you try to last hit. If she does throw out a Q and hits two of your minions, it means you have a free chance to harass.

     These two tips touch on the most common way to position yourself in lane correctly. While moving, don't forget to keep an eye on enemy creeps' health so that you can continue to last hit. Generally though, you'll want to stay behind a few of your creeps if possible. In laning against Nautilus or Blitzcrank, if you stray to the side where none of your creeps are then you have the possibility of being pulled or grabbed into your doom. With a creep in front, they'll take the hit for you.

     Maybe you're at Bot against an Ashe. Her volley, if it hits, can slow you down. However, it can only hit one unit for each arrow, so if you stand behind your creeps then you won't get smacked by an arrow. Once again, it's always a good idea to try and have a few creeps between you and your opponent. Think of them as tiny shield against skill shots. As for targeted spells, you'll just have to keep in mind the range of the spell as there's no real way to dodge them like skill shots.

When the Fights Break Out

     Once laning phase ends and group phase begins, positioning still remains very important. Wrong positioning for group phase can turn a 5 vs 5 into a 4 vs 5 or worse real quick. Don't fear though as keeping yourself from death isn't terribly hard. In fact, each role has somewhat of a position to be in during the group phase.

If you're a tank, you'll want to hang out in the front of the pack. You can absorb the most damage and generally have a few abilities that will keep enemies from swarming in. It's your job before a fight to keep everyone safe. During a fight, the objective remains roughly the same with the added job of scaring or catching the enemy carries. Bruiser characters such as Olaf will be more carry killing oriented than tanking for the most part.

Supports will often hang out in the middle of the group before a fight and  hang out in the back during one. Their job is to disrupt the enemy and keep their allies alive. Soraka for example can silence the enemy AP Carry to prevent them from pulling off any damage while keeping her own carry alive with heals.

AD/AP Carries should always, ALWAYS remain in the back before and during a fight. Since they all build attack items, their defense and magic resist are lacking quite a bit. If not protected, you'll lose out on plenty of damage and eventually lose the fight. Moving into the middle of a fight when you're so squishy will only mean certain death. On that note, everyone must protect these champs to succeed. They're the most valuable assets on the team. If they're getting harassed by an enemy, then make sure that enemy knows it's not a good idea to touch them.

     While I listed where to be before and during a fight, I want to add one more thing. Before a fight can happen, there should always be some sort of initiation. This could be an Amumu Ult, Ashe Ult, or even an Alistar Headbutt -> Pulverize combo. The best time to start a fight is, obviously, when the enemy is out of position. If you see a Leblanc or Graves hanging out in front of their team, then starting the fight will throw it into your favor. Since typing can waste valuable time, try to ping before you jump in. This should be a good enough sign to let everyone know it's time to do some work. Just make sure everyone is relatively close and ready to fight (decent hp, abilites refreshed, etc). Otherwise your ping will be noticed, but no one will be close enough or able to help.

Positioning can be difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it you should notice less and less deaths each game. Knowing the enemies abilities and knowing where to stand are really just half of it. The other half I can't write on as it comes down to experience. The more you play, the more you'll understand matchups and how to make your opponent miss more often. Just remember to move and use those minions for their true purpose as shields. See you all on the Rift.

[leagueoflessons-blog]

A Missed Friday is a Productive One

     Because of a few events here and there, I don't have anything ready for today as far as guides or tips. No fear though as next week should be completely back to normal. I'm sorry about this for anyone who needed their LoLessons fix. As always though, if you have questions or comments send them to me here on tumblr. If you'd prefer email for some reason, send something over to [email protected] AND if you'd like to play a game with me (doesn't matter the gametype), then add "kentare". Hope everyone has a great weekend and I'll see you all again refreshed and ready on Monday!

[leagueoflessons-blog]

The Ins and Outs of Counter-Jungling

     When facing someone in lane, it's fairly simple to put them behind. You do your best to zone them out, so they fall behind. What about the Jungler though? Without a lane, how can you put him behind instead of just not dying? This is where counter-jungling takes place. As it sounds, you counter the jungler plain and simple. Of course, there's always a little more to it than just that.

Taking Out the Jangle

     It's rather obvious that the jungler gets his exp and gold from the jungle creeps. So the best way to hinder him is? That's right, taking out his farm. This can be accomplished several different ways and by several different lanes as well. Here's a few ways to counter-jungle:

(Jungler) Wander on in to enemy territory and steal the large creeps while leaving the small creeps behind

(Top) Have you pushed the lane and have some decent health with no enemy near-by? Wander on in and grab the Golems if you're feeling confident. Don't worry about leaving any behind.

(Mid) Some champs like Ahri, Brand, and Vlad can attack the enemy wraiths from over the wall. If you've pushed the lane and no enemy is near-by, have at it. Once again, don't worry about leaving creeps behind.

(Bot) Sometimes your Support or AD Carry could use a steady blue buff. If you think it's up, why not go and grab it. The same criteria applies as before in terms of enemies and lane pushing.

*Note that this is if you're on blue team. If you're on purple, switch top and bot countering basically. 

     Counter-jungling for the lanes is relatively easy. If you're wondering whether to try or not, take a look at your own jungle. If he's doing golems, it might mean the enemy jungler is probably near golems as well unless you see him elsewhere on the map. This isn't surefire, but is a fairly decent rule of thumb.

The Jungler's bit is a little bit harder, but more or less the same as lanes. The only difference is you take the big creep in the group and then leave. If you're feeling really antsy, you can leave just one small creep if anything. Reason behind only taking the large creep is it'll get you out of enemy territory faster and leave the enemy jungler with minimal gain as the larger creeps give the most gold and exp.

Countering the Counter

     Keep in mind that while counter-jungling can be effective, it can also be quite the gamble. If you waltz into their jungle often, they may get smart and lay down a ward or few. Then once they see you trying to take the wraith for the third or fourth time, they pounce before you even know what's happening. Chances are you won't have anyone near-by either.

As you can gather, wards are the most effective way to stop counter-jungling. Having vision of the map is always important, so it makes sense that even having vision in your own jungle can be worthwhile if they're making a mess of it. The most common placement of wards to stop potential counter-jungling is near wraiths, blue buff, or red buff. Wolves or golems are often considered less of a priority due to how far back they are compared to the three other groups. (Yes Red is just as far as Golems, but the payoff is better and the escape routes are better)

     Counter-jungling is fun while you're pulling it off and aggravating when you have to face it yourself. If you're just starting to jungle, don't look to counter-jungle quite yet. Wait until your comfortable with your own jungle before venturing out to ruin the enemy jungler. Before I part, I'll leave you with a few champs who do fairly well at counter-jungling: Dr. Mundo, Shyvana, Udyr, and Lee Sin. Like I said though, get comfortable at home before visiting outside. And remember, wards are your friend. See you all on the Rift.

[leagueoflessons-blog]

ARAM/ARAB Rules

     If you've ever played a MOBA before, you know occasionally people like to play custom games with a few twists. The most common being All Random All Middle (ARAM). Thanks to Riot's Dominion, people also came up with All Random All Bottom (ARAB). As you can guess, everyone is given a random champ that they own and all go to one single lane. While not terribly competitive, it's a fun break from the norm. Of course, there's more rules than what I just mentioned. While some people may run theirs different, there are some basic rules that everyone follows. And thanks to a man named Reynbow, you can check them all out in handy gif form! So without further adieu, here you go

ARAM Rules

ARAB Rules

As I mentioned, all credit belongs to Reynbow. If you'd like to tell him how great a job he's done, go over to his ARAM thread here (or ARAB here) and give him your thanks! Now get out there and be a little random ;P

[leagueoflessons-blog]

Focus the Problem

     In every teamfight, there's always a priority target on the other side. It might be the fed Fiddlesticks, the beefed up Kennen, or the annoying Caitlyn. Sometimes getting to them can be a real pain, but the reward is often worth it. Every game is different, so who you'll have to look out for will change. There are a few ways to notice who will be bringing the most pain. Items are certainly one way, but also knowing each character and their potential can help out too. So let's take a closer look, shall we?

The Who and the When

     Since every role can have characters who fill different slots, let's break down our roles into more basic categories. Basically, the categories Riot currently use.

Tank - I want to mention this guy first for a reason. Often enough I'll see people jump onto an Alistar or Shyvana instead of the Miss Fortune sitting in the background getting free hits. Tanks should never be the focus unless their team is nowhere close. Their job is to soak up your abilities (ultimates preferably) so that their team can fight a lot easier. You may be worried to leave them alone and allow them to smack you as you try to walk past, but if they're building tanky than their damage will be marginal. So unless they're hanging by themselves, go ahead and trudge through them to get at the true problem.

AP/AD Carry - Leblanc, Kog'maw, Ahri, Graves, Vladimir, and many, many more fit here. Basically any mid or bot champ will be placed here with a few tops settling in as well. The easiest way to tell if someone is becoming a carry, press Tab and look at their items. Most carries will build damage heavy, meaning they'll buy items that raise their attack or ability power for the most part. Taking these people out first in a fight means the damage the enemy can now produce is far less threatening. With each successive carry taken out, the fight eventually becomes a stomp. These champions will be priority numero uno every time.

Sustain Support - Sona, Janna, and Soraka are a few examples for a sustain support. I mention this distinction simply because of Alistar and Blitzcrank being viable supports, but far more tanky than sustain. If they're a squishy support, then they'll be in this category. The priority level of sustain supports is mostly questionable. Generally you take them out when given the opportunity. If they're out of position at the start of a fight, then feel free. Otherwise, be careful about following them straight back into their waiting team. You can sort of place them as priority level two if anything.

There are a few things to note in attempting to focus an enemy. For one, if you're ranged than you'll have to choose a route that's not through the middle of the enemy to reach their damage dealers. I'm sure that seems obvious, but you'd be surprised.

Before I get to the summary, here's a quick piece of advice. Protect your carries the best you can. Just like I mentioned above, with each successive carry taken out, the damage a team can produce is minimized. While you're attempting to do this to the enemy, keep in mind it's their game plan as well.

With some focusing, you can turn a losing battle back into a winning one. Simply spot the carry who does the most damage to your team and look to kill them next teamfight. Keep your team in the know and have everybody agree on who to focus. While the support and even tank may look tempting, don't fall for it. They're just a consolation prize to a much juicier reward. See you all on the Rift.

[leagueoflessons-blog]

The Art of Last Hitting

     I've mentioned last hitting several times in previous posts, but I've never explained its importance fully. Yes it gives you gold, which in turn gives you precious items for your build. But aren't champ kills worth more in the long run? Not precisely. Let's delve into some light math to explain why.

     First, let's look at some basics. Minions come in waves with 3 melee and 3 caster minions. Every third wave a siege minion comes along until 20 minutes in, where they'll come after every two waves instead. Melee minions grant 22 gold on death in the first wave, while casters grant 16 gold. Both go up +1 gold after the first wave and +1 gold every 5 minutes after that. Siege minions grant 27 gold on death with +1 gold every 2-3 minutes.  To put that in perspective, not missing a single creep in your first wave will provide you with 114 gold. Second wave will offer 120, and the third will give you 147. So in 3 waves you'll have gained 381 gold assuming you miss no last hits. That's the first 2.5 minutes of the game. From then on, it really only gets better. If you're wondering what a perfect creep score gives you in 30 second intervals up until the first 30 minutes, here's a handy dandy chart (would provide credit, but don't know to who):

That is a staggering amount of gold to behold. But what about killing champs? They have to be way more than this can give, right? Well actually, no. I thought this same way for the longest time, but overtime I learned my lesson. For example, a champ kill provides 300 gold if they aren't on a streak. That is the equivalent of ~2.5 creep waves. Even if they are on a legendary streak (8+ kills), they still only equal ~4-5 creep waves.

     Now I'm not saying to ignore enemy champs completely. If you can gain harass while last hitting and possibly gain a kill, then by all means go for it. Just keep in mind that if the chase takes an extended period of time, you'll be missing out on valuable creep score (cs). If at any time you wonder how you're doing with cs, hold Tab and look at the column to the right of your k/d/a ratio. The closer it is to this chart, the better you're becoming and the more goodies you can buy.

     Before I bow out of this post, I figure I should bring up one more aspect: trying to cs as melee against a ranged. You have two options in this scenario:

If your champ has a gap closer, then you can use this to dash in if you're committed to a fight. This will show the ranged you aren't that scared to start a fight and end it if needed. Try not to use your gap closer in the middle of minions as you'll gain too much aggro, which would end quite unfavorably.

If you have no gap closer or aren't so sure of your melee versus ranged skills, you can resort to farming under the tower. This is achieved by not auto-attacking any creeps and letting the enemy slowly push to your tower without any resistance from you.

     Farming under a tower can be difficult at first, but there's an easy formula to follow. Melee minions can take 2 tower hits and then can be last hit. Caster minions require an auto before being attacked by the tower and then one after a tower hit to get the cs successfully. Siege minions are more of guessing at the right time since you'll be facing off against the tower and probably a few ally minions for the last hit. This formula should roughly stay the same throughout the game until mid-game. From then on you'll either be able to clear out a wave with relative ease or you'll want to take out the caster minions while keeping an eye on the melee so you don't let your creeps gain that sweet gold (they can't use it anyway the thieves).

Last hitting seems small at first, but is quite large if you look at the whole picture. This is useful for every lane (besides jungle who will be killing jungle creeps and support who doesn't cs at all) as good cs means better items which means advantages over the enemy which means a solid victory. Last hitting is easy enough to practice in customs and is a valuable skill in every game you'll play. Try it out for all of your champions since everyone's animation is different. In enough time, people might even call you Midas. See you all on the Rift.

[leagueoflessons-blog]

Brief Look at Dominion

For today's short post, I figured what better topic than the fast and fun gametype known as Dominion. Now some look down upon this mode, but I've grown to enjoy a few aspects it provides. Before I became a constant Rift player, I played my first 25 summoner levels in Dom. It sounds insane, but I used to love this mode and still play it on occasion to this day. So without further ado, let me give you a fast rundown with a few of the positives I've found about Dom.

How Do I Dominion

     Dominion is two teams with five players each, much like Summoner's Rift. The difference however, is the map is a circle with five capture points instead of three lanes with turrets. Plus you gain a Crystal Scar buff, constant gold, and constant experience throughout the game. Creep waves in this type are much smaller and only spawn when an enemy capture point is next to one of yours. If that sounds confusing, I promise you'll understand what I mean within the first few minutes of playing. The middle of the map is essentially the jungle. Instead of creatures and buffs, you'll find speed shrines, health packs, and a shield buff right in the middle. Each team has their own buff, so you won't have to worry about missing out.

Both teams start with 500 health on their nexus. The nexus is untouchable and can only be defeated by draining it's points. To do that, you'll need to do some capturing. Each capture point is also a turret, which works the same way Summoner Rift turrets work. The difference is they change allegiance when you capture them. To capture a point, you simply right click on the turret or push a creep wave into it to help you catch even faster. This will give you a dot underneath your team's health bar. The more points captured you have over your opponent, the faster their life drains and vice versa. 

These Are a Few of My Favorite Reasons

     As mentioned before, some players look down on this mode and dismiss it. I find that to be a shame really. Here's several reasons why I find Dominion quite useful.

First off, it's extremely short. Sure a Summoner's Rift every so often may end at 20 minutes, but 20 minutes is usually the most a Dominion will last. So if you're looking for a quick fix of League before going somewhere then look no further.

Just about any champion is viable. I literally mean any champion. Evelynn who can be a tad useless in Rift can cause people to cry on the Scar. AD Sona is silly in Classic, but can be murderous and unexpected in Dominion. You have more room to mess with champions and builds due to the constant gold and experience. Even if it turns out your idea is bad, you'll never be too far behind anyway.

You can definitely learn how to better fight with a champion in Dom than you can Classic. In fact, that's all the Scar really is after all. A giant arena for constant teamfights. Taking in a champ you're so-so with and playing multiple games in Dom will give you a better understanding of the damage you can inflict at what level and items. This is the main reason I feel confident anytime I duel someone with Sejuani, which is normally not a good idea incase you were wondering.

Less trolls if you just need some time to just relax. While you can never escape trolls and ragers forever, you can at least play often enough without being yelled at. Even if you do lose and someone gets on your case, the match will be over by 20 minutes often enough. Just ignore and play it out.

That's all from me on the mode that is Dominion. It's a nice break from Classic and takes far less time as well. So whether you need a quickie or just a game full of champions fighting, go give Dominion a try. See you all on the Scar sometime.

[leagueoflessons-blog]

Greed is an Awful Thing

     No, I'm not talking about Riot's business model. I'm talking about those few situations where a low health enemy is making a run for it and you start the chase. Now I'm not advocating you never chase an enemy. There are situation in which you might not want to though. If it weren't for the several times I see people rush foolishly in to a bad situation, this post would be null. However, since I do see this quite commonly, I'd like to shine a little light on when and when not to be a little greedy.

Lane Greed

     We all come across this at one point or another. You're feeling mighty confident that the opponent across from you can bend to your will as soon as you jump him. Maybe you're just sure you can burst him down enough to make him leave while you stay and farm. Or maybe that extra point that'll appear in your kill total is teasing and tempting you. Either way, you're pretty sure within the next several seconds that hell is going to break lose. BUT WAIT! Did you consider your enemy? Often enough I find that I didn't spend time thinking enough about the enemy and my glorious victory turns into a bittersweet draw or possibly worse. Consider the following:

What summoner spells does he have? Are they both still up for him?

Is there a level difference?

What are their abilities? Can you dive with no problem or should you expect cc to explode everywhere?

Are the lanes and jungler accounted for? You don't want to go all in to discover you'll be at a disadvantage right from the start.

Summoner spells are important because if they have Heal and you stay waiting to edge them out of health and they pop it, then you just got outplayed. It wasn't lucky or complete bs, you just got outplayed. Knowing they have Heal means you can try to press to make them use it, then back off. No Heal means no more last minute saves. Or maybe they have Flash, in which case you can expect them to blink away should trouble get tight. Afterwards you'll have an enemy who can't escape the next onslaught quite as easily. The point is to keep a track on their spells. That way you know how safe it is and when you can attack without much fear.

Level difference is surprisingly overlooked. Think of levels as the best indicator when you have a chance. Same level means an equal chance of victory or defeat. If they have a level up, that means they're a tad stronger. If you have the level up, then you have an advantage. It really is the simplest way to determine if you'll be okay or not. Items can be a decent indicator as well if you check Tab often.

Abilities can be just as important. You don't want to chase a Sion just so he can turn around, stun you, and make you curse yourself into oblivion. But maybe it's just Fiora and you know you can win. She has no way to escape ability wise or any cc, so a hard enough rushdown will knock her out if you catch her off-guard. You should always keep in mind the enemy teams abilities so you know what you may need to dodge or expect if a fight breaks out. It's the difference in being burst down and getting a scratch.

Once again, map awareness (as I've talked about before) is a big thing. If you overextend in your lane in attempts to grab a kill and find the jungler staring back at you, it's not going to be pretty. As previously mentioned, wards and the minimap are the best way to know how safe you are. If you see the jungler hanging out in another lane, that means you have some freedom to fight. Though just because you have the freedom doesn't always mean you should. Just take everything in and make the decision that works for you.

The Lone Roamer

     You start walking around in the river and come across a lone Ezreal. Keeping in mind his abilities, you dodge a few skillshots and make him pay. Knowing he's outmatched, he starts running off afraid of the death that's to come. You speed off after him thinking this is in the bag. Once again, consider the following:

Is there any way he can easily escape you and leave you for easy pickings for the rest of his team? In the Ezreal example, he could use his E to teleport over a wall in his jungle leaving you stranded behind enemy lines. This means unless you're positive you can catch them and kill them before any funny business, it might not be the best idea.

Where is the rest of the team? By this I mean, who's in their lanes or who's dead? A quick press of the Tab key will remind you of who's alive, while the minimap will provide the where. This is important because a low health enemy could bait you into a waiting team. Suddenly the kill you worked for is gone and instead you were killed yourself. There's never a good reason to chase if you're certain their team is just waiting for you.

Where's your health at? If it's also low, then chasing really isn't the greatest idea. Maybe they're running to refresh their abilities. Then when you finally catch up, you hit the floor hard. Maybe they're running to at least one other ally who will be able to clean you up. When your health is low, staying alive is much more important than providing them a kill. Especially if you have a spree going on.

In short, finding stragglers while roaming can be a blessing or a curse. Regardless of which one it is for you, staying alive should be a priority. So if something feels off or your health is low, don't stick around. No sense in dying and you can just try again later.

The biggest lesson for me to give you in the end of all this is "don't chase unless you're confident you can grab the kill and not die". If you do die, then don't fret. Trading one kill for one kill isn't terrible if you can accomplish it. Even if you weren't able to take someone out, you now have a better idea what to be prepared for. After awhile, you'll learn when you can be as greedy as you want. See you all on the Rift.

[leagueoflessons-blog]

Small Break - Follower Feedback!

Not much to report as I'm still setting up the next few posts. Soon I'll be transferring into more "advanced" topics, so I'm trying to see if I can find a way to add some info that isn't stale and possibly new. Maybe even photos. I'm not sure. I should be back on track Wednesday and shall continue with a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday schedule with small posts on Tuesday and Thursday possibly. Of course feel free to message me with anything you'd like to see the blog do as well or really any feedback at all. Don't even be scared to ask about specific topics if you feel I should really be talking about them. Chances are I'll make the topic a priority and write it up for the next day. On to a little better follower participation though.

I'm thinking of doing champion breakdowns and am looking for suggestions for who to work on! Any suggestion will do. However, I would recommend offering up to at least 5 champs since I sadly have yet to own them all. So message me with the champs you'd like to see and you may see one of them covered in a video done by yours truly. It's my hope I can make a video that you find informational, entertaining, and for the most part correct. We'll see if I can keep the last part the strongest, but that's for time to tell. So there you have it. Give me champ suggestions!

[leagueoflessons-blog]

Dragon and Baron - The Friendliest Objectives

     So over the course of your games, I'm sure you've come across the Dragon and Baron at one point or another. They lie on opposite sides of the river, but their importance is equal when it comes down to propelling your team forward. How important? Well, let me explain.

Dragon

     Dragon is important for one reason. He gives your team, regardless if they help or not, gold. To be exact, 190 gold. Globally that's 950 gold it gives your team. That's the equivalent of 7-10 minions for each person. I can't stress this importance enough as it helps everyone and not just those around. As an added bonus, the champ who grabs last hit gets 25 extra gold and the killer, along with nearby allies, gain a little experience as well. While the Dragon isn't quite as important late game, it's critical early and mid game. Once Dragon is dead, add 6 minutes to the clock and throw that time into chat. Keeping track of when Dragon is up next will give your team an advantage by allowing you to grab it as soon as it comes up. This means more gold for your team and no extra gold for your enemies.

     The easiest time to grab Dragon is when the enemy bot has either died or gone back to base. Be wary either way as if they have vision on Dragon, you can expect the enemy team to come contest. Never feel like you have to kill the Dragon if a fight breaks out either unless it's at low health and the enemy could possibly steal. Peeling away from a half health Dragon to run/fight is better than focusing on Dragon and then dying.

Baron

     Baron pops in to the Rift at 15:00 and is even more important than the Dragon. Like the Dragon, he provides global gold. Unlike the Dragon, he also provides global experience on top of a buff for all teammates alive at the time of his demise. To once again be more specific, each member gains 900 gold, 300 experience and the "Exalted with Baron Nashor" buff. This buff alone gives your team 40 attack damage, 40 ability power, 3% of your max health in health regen every 5 seconds and 1% of you max mana in mana regen every 5 seconds. If that seems like a lot, it is. The buff alone can either propel your team further ahead or allow you to amount a comeback. It lasts for 4 minutes or until you die. Unlike red/blue buff, it won't transfer upon death. Once dead, he'll respawn in 7 minutes. Just like the Dragon, you should keep track of when he'll reappear next.

     When to Baron is a little more difficult to determine than the Dragon. The best time is when you have a team advantage. Just kill three enemies and lost none of your team? Might be time to heal up and give it a go. Late game you also have the option of starting Baron to draw out the other team for a teamfight. This should really only be an option if your team is certain they can either:

Kill Baron fast enough before the other team can react

Destroy the enemy team in a teamfight

A small tip for fighting Baron some people may not know about is to move around him when fighting him. Small green pools will appear under you and do tons of damage if you stick around for them to activate. So make sure to move around. Another quick tip is to have one team member (generally support) hang outside of the Baron's living space in the river. This way they can warn the team if the enemy is coming to contest early, giving you a chance to peel off and run/fight depending. Should the enemy grab Baron, you may want to switch to defense or pick off enemies who are by their lonesome.

Smite and How/When to Use It

     Junglers are rather important in these fights for one reason besides tanking them. That little reason is a summoner spell called Smite. Waiting until the Dragon or Baron is low and then using Smite to finish them will ensure your team the kill. Using it early can be troublesome as if the enemy comes in, you won't be able to insure that they can't steal it. This is why you'll often see people hit the dragon and pull him a little outside of his lair. If you don't, the enemy jungler may jump the wall and steal it. You can't pull Baron out though, so placing a ward on the other side of the wall to see if someone is prepping to steal it can help make sure the Baron stays yours. In essence, Smite insures you the objective much more than having everyone there.

Two objectives that are both important. One doesn't outweigh the other, as both can turn the tide ever so slightly.