League of Legends is fundamentally a battle of attrition. In order to accrue incremental advantages, teams must continually find opportune moments in converting priority into net gains, whether it is objectives, vision, or even tempo. While the lattermost cannot be observed quantitatively, it is arguably the most critical for a team’s overall confidence, as momentum allows the priority team to push for objectives while simultaneously forcing their enemies to respond to them. However, carelessly pushing tempo can create unnecessary entropy, dissolving any lead previously had. In this article, I will discuss how vision control can convert priority into calculated, methodical gains of tempo. I hope you learn something new!

----- Methodology -----

Throughout this article are eight maps of Summoner’s Rift suggesting appropriate vision control given varying lane priorities and stages of the game. Because macro-play accounts for varying situations, I will only be going over general tips; topics such as timing pushing waves to secure deep vision and/or ganks as well as situational vision control for unique team compositions are worth mentioning, but can only be properly explained in a later article. Furthermore, because League of Legends usually consists of ten people of differing skill levels, a lot of my suggestions are highly hypothetical due to varying levels of team synergy, game knowledge, etc. To help contextualize my tips, I have provided several games from the 2016 Worlds Group Stage Day 1 where you can VOD review in your own time. Lastly, before I begin, below is a key to help you translate the following maps.

----- Early/Mid Game Keys to Success -----

Figure 1 Suggested vision strategy for beginners during early/mid game

An entire article can be written about early game vision strategy. In short: for beginners, teams should prioritize mitigating enemy jungle invades and preserving appropriate vision to detect enemy movement (unless invading in certain favorable counter-jungling matchups). In even or lost lane priority, respective laners should maintain a defensive line of vision wards. What is imperative to understand is that vision wards are not only meant to secure guaranteed vision, but also to contest vision in contestable locations. We have all countlessly seen people place a vision ward, only to have it found and deleted just seconds later.

Junglers should look to secure the first rift scuttler, and track their respawn times as if they are another neutral objective. Rift scuttler spawns at 2:30, leaves vision for 75 seconds, and revives three minutes after death (leaving 105 seconds of nonexistent scuttler vision). Continually securing river vision will 1) force enemies to alter their pathing or be seen, 2) secure vision for certain quadrant entrances, and 3) deny enemy vision. Again, League of Legends is a battle of attrition; treat scuttle vision as another neutral objective similarly to buffs, Drakes, and Barons.

As the game progresses into mid-game, teammates should extend their defensive line of vision when securing lane priority, or when the enemy jungler appears in an opposite quadrant. Acquiring deep vision via warding totems and (later on) Sightstone wards will help track enemy jungle movements, providing information so you can make calculated plays. Furthermore, deep wards are critical in maintaining calculated—not reckless—map pressure when laners safely push up their lanes. Exerting player gravity with appropriate vision will relieve pressure elsewhere, encouraging calculated plays in the two additional lanes given appropriate execution. One strategy (not mentioned extensively in this article) is to time and communicate to your jungler when your lane will reach the enemy tower so that you can coordinate a 2-5 man tower dive.

----- Understanding Neutral Objective Control -----

Figure 2. Suggested vision strategy for neutral objective control

Besides sneaking first Drake, securing neutral objectives requires a relative understanding of enemy location. A general rule for controlling Drake vision is to secure an inner ring once junglers approach level six (six minutes), and extend that line aggressively as you gain lane priority. Mata’s ring of vision around the second Drake in TSM vs. RNG is a prime example of how preparation for neutral objectives can punish enemy over-aggression.

Figure 3. TSM vs. RNG Group Stage Day 1 (17:15 – 19:20)

Following RNG’s kill on Biofrost in panel 1, Mata and MLXG proceed through their newfound priority to secure a ring of vision around the next Mountain Drake. By acquiring river control, RNG forces TSM to spend their upcoming vision wards to reclaim control of the river. As such, when TSM attempts to contest RNG’s blue buff, Mata’s remaining ward behind the Drake punishes TSM’s overextension. With RNG’s understanding that their opponents did not clear that specific ward, Looper can stealth teleport to flank Doublelift and arrive to the teamfight five seconds faster than Hauntzer, who teleported only after RNG engaged. It is safe to say that Mata’s preparation around the Drake greatly enabled RNG to catalyze their insurmountable snowball.

Extending from this example, always remember to sweep before an objective or when securing quadrant priority. Abuse the fog of war. Even if your team leaves breadcrumb wards while heading towards an objective, if they have vision of you, they will have equal information. People often get overconfident, especially when an impeding fight could hypothetically be a 4 vs. 5 (or more imbalanced favoring your team). Denying vision is just as important as acquiring it, as the fog of war will either 1) dissuade enemies from face checking, securing yourself a neutral objective, or 2) allow teams with priority to bait for picks and acquire greater gains.

----- Translating Priority into Advantageous Play -----

Figure 4. Suggested vision strategy with lane priority after destroying enemy tier 1 or 2 tower(s)

Securing a victory can begin as early as first tower gold; this however is entirely dependent on how you and your team snowball and take advantage of lanes with priority. What many people do not realize is that snowballing can take two forms: 1) gold accrual via farming minions or champions, or 2) gold accrual via securing the enemies’ two jungle quadrants and towers, choking them out of neutral monsters and into predictable play patterns.

Following first tower gold, your team’s jungler and/or support (if priority is won bottom lane) should secure vision in your enemy’s corresponding jungle quadrant. Given lane priority, your jungler can continually counter-jungle with appropriate vision. Just be sure to replace expiring wards around relevant jungle entrances to scout enemy movement near upcoming objectives (Warding Totems and Sightstone Wards grant vision coverage for 150 seconds). With deductive reasoning, maintaining rings of vision across jungle quadrants is one of the best methods in identifying enemy champion allocation, as you are able to observe jungle entrances and exits.

When extending vision, there is a common misconception between warding volume versus warding efficiency. Look to maximize your ward distribution by spreading vision across relevant jungle entrances and exploitable areas near the fog of war to create picks. Vision doesn’t have to be all about bush control; vision can also be used to scout enemy pathing. There are several examples in G2 vs. CLG where Aphromoo and Xmithie do exactly this and take advantage of their bottom lane priority to threaten picks.

Figure 5. G2 vs. CLG Group Stage Day 1 (13:52 – 14:05)

Knowing that G2’s bottom lane was accruing a large minion wave, and that CLG had bottom lane priority with a stronger 3 vs. 3, Aphromoo and Xmithie distributed their two wards to acquire enemy pathing vision instead of bush control. With the large minion wave building, CLG recognized that the only carry who would path bottom lane would be Zven, as Expect and Perkz were seen top and mid lane respectively. While they did not end up securing a kill onto Zven, they inflicted enough damage to secure the tier 3 bottom lane turret.

----- Recovering from Lost Priority -----

Figure 6. Suggested vision strategy without lane priority and losing allied tier 1 or 2 tower(s)

Playing from behind is always the trickiest part of the game. Stalling until six items is always an option for closing out games; however, as you climb Elo, teams become more knowledgeable in creating unconquerable leads. When losing, never use your enemies’ inability as a win condition. In dynamic queue, any disadvantageous situation is always surmountable. While a gold advantage may not always be in your side, information can be.

As such, in lost priority, pick potential through asymmetrical information should always be your first option in coming back. In maintaining a defensive line of vision wards, your team is granted a cluster of contestable, guaranteed vision. Transition this advantage into aggressive gains of vision accrual and vision denial. Eventually, you and your teammates will either 1) pick overconfident enemies rotating by utilizing the fog of war, or 2) secure enough vision to command respect during a neutral objective. PawN’s flanks in INTZ vs. EDG illustrate how vision control and vision denial can salvage losing lane priority (albeit EDG suffering a loss at the end).

Figure 7. INTZ vs. EDG Group Stage Day 1 (25:50 – 27:05)

In order to understand PawN’s mid-lane flank at 27:00, we have to first recognize that the sequence started at 25:50. In the first panel, EDG prepped a vision ward near the raptors, solidifying their knowledge that INTZ never ventured beyond to secure vision control. In the second panel, as Revolta and Yang auto-attack their bottom lane turret, EDG pings for PawN to flank from their left Base Gate. Observing the mini map, because EDG littered the right Base Gate with wards, as the mid-lane flank transpires, Clearlove and Mouse can follow and slow down Revolta and Yang’s movement towards mid lane in the third panel. Following their successful flank, EDG take tier 3 mid, yet were unable to convert the flank into any other advantages.

----- Thinking Ahead -----

In conclusion, winning League of Legends is usually dependent on creating tempo, not responding to it; transitioning priority into advantages is critical in creating small leads, whether it is gold, vision, or even pressure. While you can climb the ladder by simply improving your mechanics, understanding how to manipulate the map to your benefit is one of the best ways to consistently improve your play. Mechanical outplays occur in all tiers—what you can do to set yourself apart from players in your skill range is thinking about how you can continually generate advantages outside of gold leads.

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