In a standard game of League of Legends, there are audio-visual cues flying all across Summoner’s Rift that, to a new and unaware player, can be particularly overwhelming. While the regular Alert and Caution pings become commonly used tools for players before too long, there are an array of Smart pings and other notifications at your disposal as well. Throughout this guide, we will be discussing both the fundamentals and the intricacies of communication via the ping system in League of Legends, so that players of all skill levels might learn a thing or two!

Missing Pings

The most versatile of all pings, the Missing ping has an unlimited number of uses. Whether you’re signaling an enemy’s disappearance from lane, going wild about an ally popping off, or questioning the intelligence of a teammate after a less-than-average play, this ping does it all. You should never be too conservative when using it, as it might take two or three chimes of the bell to get the message across. The best way to place your Missing ping is on the last known location of the enemy, so that everyone on the map knows whether it affects them or not.

Assistance Pings

The blue flag of Assistance is important for all players in the game, whether you’re directly involved or not. As a Jungler, your priority should be providing help for those in need, and while AFK farming might get you ahead as an individual, lending a helping hand is the smarter move for the team’s economy. If you’re not Jungling and you notice one of your other lanes is signaling off the hook, consider helping them out yourself! Teleport is one of the most powerful Summoner Spells in the game for a reason, using it to keep a friend above water is usually a fantastic use for such a tool. This is another ping that should be used liberally, better safe than sorry!

On My Way Pings

“On my way!” says the valiant Jungler as they appear suddenly from the fog of war to dive on an unsuspecting enemy. It is a great way to signal when you’re about to engage, where you’re moving next or even where you think your team should begin pathing towards. A few considerations need to be made, however, when using this ping; your intent needs to be clear and your timing needs to be precise, as a ping that comes too early or too vaguely can send an over-eager ally to an unnecessary end. Combining this ping with a message in chat, something as simple as “omw after Gromp”, can enhance its efficiency and improve the chances that your team is savvy with your playmaking.

Danger Pings

For the most part, the Danger ping is a widely underused one. The Caution ping is often favoured thanks to its versatility when pinging different targets (e.g. Caution pinging an allied structure will indicate its % Health), but the Danger ping can still find its uses. If you want to encourage your team to be cautious around an objective instead of fully retreating from it, the Danger ping can come in handy for just such a niche moment. Sometimes all the situation needs is a little care and a lot of poke before committing, making a retreat the sub-optimal play.

Area Warded Ping

A hidden setting in the game that all players should become aware of, regardless of skill level, is the “Area is warded” ping. You can find it in the settings, as seen below, and you should bind it to a key as soon as you know it exists. The ping communicates a great deal of vital information to unaware allies; before an overly eager Jungler strolls into the river brush right next to Botlane, it might be best to let them know they’re standing right on top of a ward before they’re collapsed on. It also optimises your team’s vision score by marking exactly where to sweep with your Red Trinkets, moving you closer to that S+ and keeping the enemy in the dark.

Item Pings

Pinging an item provides a few key pieces of information to your friendly players. Firstly, it shows that you or an enemy is at a certain stage in their build, and that everyone should act accordingly. An oblivious Toplaner chilling peacefully on one side of the map *might* appreciate it if you indicate that the enemy Draven has an Infinity Edge 5 minutes into the game. Secondly, it also shows the timers on active items and give your allies an idea on when they should go ham on the enemy, which is necessary when playing in the late game especially when every move matters.

Enemy/Ally Pings

You might think this is just used for BM, but think again! Well, it is mostly used for trash talk, but it also won’t hurt to remind your allies to go a little harder by pinging a slain enemy, bringing everyone’s attention to their respawn time. This works the opposite way too, by cautioning your friends against fighting the enemy in a 4v5 before a teammate respawns at the fountain. Additionally, pinging an enemy’s bounty can identify the biggest threat, and thus largest target, for your team to focus on in an upcoming encounter.

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Ability Pings

This ping is invaluable when orchestrating a teamfight of any scale to ensure the best results. From a successful gank to a full-on 5v5, you should always show your team when your most useful abilities will be ready for use so that you can execute the perfect wombo-combo every time. The best use of this strategy is for the engagers on the team; letting your allies know when you’re ready to open fire gives them the opportunity to hold their abilities and follow your lead when the time is right to conquer your enemies.

Timer Pings

One of the most useful pings for a Jungler to make is a timer ping. Since the majority of your time will be spend traipsing through the trees, you should take charge and micromanage the Epic Monsters / Buff Camps for your team. Give your team plenty of notice by providing regular updates on the timers of Baron, the Rift Herald and the Elemental Drakes, so that they can coordinate their plays around the map in accordance with this information. Assume your Midlaner is pushed up and the Infernal Drake is spawning in a minute, pinging the objective for all to see allows them to put a deep ward in the enemy jungle that will catch any cheeky movements by the enemy team.

Gold Pings

Pinging the gold you have is a fantastic way to let your team know how far ahead, or behind, your opposition you might be. Normally, you’re the only one who knows how much gold you’ve got in your pockets, but by allowing your team a peek at your stash, you can synchronise your movements. For example, an ADC sitting on 1100 gold and a cannon wave approaching can ping their gold so that their Support knows it’s time to put the pressure on; hard-shoving the wave gives you the most time to Recall, buy that B.F. Sword and run back before the enemy’s minions are lost to your turret.

Adopting this arsenal of assisted communication methods into your gameplay can make you a playmaking powerhouse. By finding the right ping for the right occasion, you can avoid those uncomfortable situations where communication breaks down and you give an avoidable advantage to the enemy team. Finally, remember that getting to Honor Level 5 isn’t going to be achieved without a wide spread of post-game Honors, and being on the ball with your communication is a great way to rack up the “Great Shotcalling” commendation. GLHF!