New to the world of League of Legends? This beloved battle arena game can certainly prove confusing for novices. However, with a few tips and tricks at your disposal, you can improve your odds of trouncing your rivals and emerging as a frontrunner on the competitive scene. Read on for 10 essential League of Legends tips every beginner should know.
- Get to Grips with the Game Map
Summoner’s Rift is the main League of Legends map you’ll be playing on. This map is made up of three individual lanes. In between each of these lanes is an area of the map referred to as jungle. It’s in these stretches of the map that fiends will spawn. If you’re looking to give your characters a boost with an advantageous status effect, it’s worth engaging fiends as slaying them can grant your champions so-called buffs.
- Understanding Starting Positions
Understanding game maps is vital if you want to stand a good chance of emerging victorious in League of Legends. All in all, there are five unique positions in Legends. There are top and mid positions, as well as ADC, support, and jungle positions. Understanding how well your champion of choice fares in any given position is essential. If you’re looking to secure a spot on a competitive team, you’ll also need to determine where best to leverage your playing skills.
- Communication is Crucial
League of Legends hinges on effective communication between team members. Make sure you’re actively engaging with your teammates as you play to ensure the best chance of success. Investing in a reliable gaming headset is something to consider if you haven’t done so already. Too much chatter can prove distracting, so keep casual conversation to a minimum.
- Brush Up on Terminology
If you’re new to League of Legends or haven’t played in a while, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with basic phrases and in-game terminology. If your team relies heavily on chat, you’ll want to ensure that acronyms and shorthand phrases don’t go unnoticed.
- Experiment with Different Champions
When it comes to playable characters, you’ve plenty of options with League of Legends. If you’re a first-time player, don’t expect to find the perfect fit straight away. Instead, set aside plenty of time to experiment with different champions until you find one that best fits your playing style.
- Avoid Being Killed Early
Every time you’re defeated by an enemy, your rival will pocket a significant amount of experience. If you die frequently during a match, your enemies will benefit from a stack of gold that can be used to purchase in-game upgrades and boost their levels. This will turn the odds even further against you. Even if you think you’re fighting a lost cause, try and avoid a killing blow for as long as possible. If you’re looking to survive a protracted engagement with no hope of winning, focus on evasive tactics.
- Consider Your Inventory
You’ll want to consider the items you might need to buy during a game. Different champions fare better with certain items in their inventory, so do your homework before heading into battle. It’s worth brushing up on current prices to get an idea of how much gold you’ll need to amass before heading back to base to stock up on essentials.
- Watch the Experts in Action
Even if you plan on playing casually, it’s a good idea to follow the exploits of professional League of Legends teams. Watching matches live will give you an idea of the kind of pace you should be maintaining during play. Furthermore, you’ll get valuable insights into playing strategy and general cooperation. In addition to keeping track of LoL scores, take notes on the kind of abilities pro-level players are using.
- Don’t Tackle Turrets Head On
Whatever you do, never attempt to attack turrets directly. If your character is in close range of one of these structures, you expose yourself to punishing waves of attack that will quickly deplete your health bar.
- Make Use of Online Resources
Once you’ve got some experience under your belt, you’ll have a clearer idea of the champion you’ll want to use on a regular basis. To give yourself an advantage when playing as a certain champion, set aside plenty of time to research them. Investigate things like special abilities and the best gear to use with your champion of choice. If you’ve picked a champion that can be used in multiple positions, you’ll need to do more reading to learn how to best deploy your character in the field of battle.