The Bounty System is a unique aspect of League of Legends in that it is specifically designed to turn the tables on the winning team. A huge shutdown on a fed enemy player can be the spark that ignites the comeback in a losing match, so it's only fair that we take some time to examine the Bounty System in its entirety. This guide will aim to simultaneously enhance your knowledge of the Bounty System in League of Legends, while teaching you effective strategies for incorporating this knowledge into your gameplay. To achieve this, we'll be analysing Bounties in 3 parts, starting with:

What Contributes to a Bounty

A "Bounty" is the gold that is earned from a kill in League of Legends, and the exact value of a Bounty is determined by a variety of important factors. As it stands currently, there are 4 different factors primarily influencing a Bounty's worth:

1. Base kill gold: A kill is worth 300g at base value, and First Blood is worth an extra 100g.

2. Kill/death streak gold: As a player dies in succession, they will earn a negative Bounty, resetting when they get a kill, while players who are racking up the kills will incur a positive Bounty, resetting when they die. The values of these are outlined in the tables below.

3. Farm gold: A slightly more complicated system than kills, you will gain a Bounty if the gold you accrue through farming minions and monsters far exceeds the enemy team's average since you last died. This has been tuned to scale less aggressively since Patch 9.6, but is still vital in ensuring that CS-oriented gameplay does not benefit the player any more than it already does.

4. Gold Bounty reduction: This is an interesting mechanic that is applied in the niche situation where you are ahead while your team is behind. Your Bounty gold, excluding base kill gold, is reduced at differing rates in relation to how far behind your team is.

The Numbers

The previously-mentioned components of the Bounty System range from straightforward to complex when considering the equations at their core. This section of the guide will focus in on exactly how the numbers work in the Bounty System before we dive into the actual Bounty Hunting. Starting with the basics, the following tables show the Bounty that's applied to the player at different points in kill streaks and death streaks respectively.

The technicalities of Farm Bounties aren't quite as clear as this, with several different equations affecting the exact figures, but we're going to be breaking it down as simply as possible for you to understand. As outlined above, Farm Bounties are applied when comparing your own income from minions and monsters with the average of the enemy team, which is found by taking the enemy team's total farm income and dividing it by 4.3 (4, for the lanes + jungle, and .3 as a balance change to consider support items).

Your Bounty increases by 50g for every 200g more than the enemy team's average farm gold you have earned, with a 100g threshold before this comes into play. Additionally, if you were previously below the enemy team's average before you had died, you must make up the difference between your deficit and their average before you begin to accrue a Bounty. Confusing, I know, but the below hypothetical gives a practical example of this confusing formula:

With her team ahead, Miss Fortune respawns and split-pushes Top Lane while her team pushes out Bottom Lane, 4v5. Prior to respawning, she was down 50g from the enemy team's average farm gold. In 3 minutes of holding off the push, the enemy team's average gold from farm is 188g, while Miss Fortune has farmed out 6 full waves as well as Krugs in Top, meaning her farm gold in the same amount of time is 940g (130g from Krugs, 630g from 6 waves and 180g from 2 Siege Minions).

So, by taking all things into account (the 50g respawn difference, the 100g threshold, the enemy team's average and her own farm), Miss Fortune has exceeded their gold income by 602g. She subsequently has a Farm Bounty of 150g, as she gains 50g in Farm Bounty per 200g ahead of the enemy team. This would continue until she is slain for her Bounty, or she reaches the maximum player Bounty for one life which is 1000g (including base kill value).

Gold Bounty Reduction can be similarly confusing, but there are fewer steps involved with the application of this mechanic. This is all about comparing total team gold between you and the enemy; taking effect when you reach a 3% team gold deficit, ALL of your team's Bounties are reduced to 80% of their original worth. This scales linearly, in increments of 0.25%, down to 60% Bounty value at an 8% gold deficit, and from there it scales again to a minimum of 20% Bounty value at a 24% gold deficit. This ensures that you're not exploited for trying to work your way back into a losing game.

So, now that we've discussed the finer points of Bounty accrual, we can begin to discuss applying this knowledge into your gameplay and some of the tips and tricks you should become familiar with for your next time on the Rift.

Bounty Hunting

Implementing your understanding of the value of Bounties at different points in the game will ensure you see a drastic improvement in your matches. Bounty Hunting gives a deadly purpose to that risky towerdive or the solo skirmish deep into the enemy's jungle.

The purpose of Bounties within the game is to add an "anti-snowball mechanic" to League of Legends; essentially, this means that they attempt to prevent either team from benefitting too greatly from an advantage, whether it be through CS or kills. As LoL is one of the world's most highly competitive games to date, presenting players with the Bounty System adds to the intensity of each game by ensuring that there is always a possibility, no matter how slim, of turning a game around. From Iron to Challenger, here are the most efficient ways you should make use of the Bounty System in your next game.

Playing Against A Bounty

There are two key points to draw from playing against someone with a Bounty. The first is that taking them down will grant you extra gold, and being able to capitalise on their Bounty Gold is a good way to ensure they don't find themselves in that position of power again. The second, and arguably the more important element of the two, is that you only get a Bounty for having a lead, so trying to cash in on a solo kill against them may not work out in your favour.

As a laner, if your enemy has a Bounty, your response should be to play defensively; freezing your lane in a position closer to your own towers is not only advantageous for your farm, but it's also encouraging for a proactive jungler looking to get in on that sweet shut down gold. Beyond the laning phase, it's important that your focus in teamfights and skirmishes should typically be on champions with a Bounty, to both knock them out of the fight early, reducing the enemy threat, and also to increase the value of the fight to your team. Bear in mind, however, that Bounties will only apply after combat is over, meaning that burning extra cooldowns to secure a kill on someone who just got a Quadra Kill will not grant you their 700g Bounty.

It's important to note that just because your team traded 2 deaths for 2 kills in a fight, for example, you have not always come out even with the other team. A player with a maximum bounty of 1000g is worth more than 3 kills in terms of gold alone to the enemy team, meaning that a shut down on that player is more beneficial than ensuring an even trade. This will invite a riskier style of play, and is where your individual skill and teamfight capability will matter the most, but while you're behind as a team a Kill Bounty is a surefire way to boost your economy and even the odds in your game.

Playing With A Bounty

Where cashing in a Bounty is a huge bonus to a losing team, losing a Bounty is equally as impactful for a winning team. While you carry a Bounty, it's important to note that you've got a target on your back regardless of what you do. Farming a lane by yourself, trying to get a crucial ward in an awkward position, or going for a hero Dragon/Baron steal are situations that become even more dangerous with a Bounty.

To assist you in maintaining your lead a change in your gameplay needs to occur, starting with your build. The first thought you might have while ahead is to continue building aggressively for more damage. In reality, this is less efficient than allocating your extra income towards a defensive item (Guardian Angel, Zhonya's Hourglass, Banshee's Veil etc.) so that you can hold onto your Bounty and continue taking advantage of your lead without allowing the enemy team a way back into the game.

If you do die with a Bounty, it's important to continue playing as safely as possible; while the maximum Kill Bounty is 1000g, exceeding 8 kills in a single life without dying will add an extra 100g per kill to your Bounty after respawning, meaning you can be shut down multiple times in a row. Not only does playing safely continue to prevent the enemy from finding their comeback, it also gives you the chance to build yourself back up and continue your dominance over the game.

Hopefully that should provide you with some extra clarity on how the Bounty System can work both in your favour and against you in your next games on the Rift. Keeping a track of them is vital in fighting for victory, so make the most of the strategies and examples outlined in this guide. GLHF!

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