Information is vital to decision making in League of Legends, and one of the biggest tools for this are wards. Vision control through the use of wards can both further an already big lead as well as be the spark to a comeback for a struggling team. However, while it may seem that just having wards is the key to success, learning where and when to place them can bring good vision to great vision.

First and foremost it must be understood that vision is a team objective. Sure the support has the sightstone and is in most cases the main supplier for wards, but he/she can only have at max 4 out at a time and thus can only have so much impact with vision. Vision needs to be gained and won as a team moving together to both place as well as sweep and get rid of enemy vision. If done correctly, a team can either completely choke out a team from all objectives or force them to make plays in areas they do not have vision of and are not comfortable going into.

There are many phases of the game and each phase has its own optimal wards spots and patterns. The first of these is the laning phase. Good wards can make the enemy’s jungler job a living nightmare, while making yours a walk in the park. This first pattern is what I like to call camp wards. These wards are also very optimal placement for later phases such as both dragon and baron attempts as they give vision of the whole jungle and allow you to see where they enemy is coming from.

Laning/Baron/Dragon Phase

With the max of 4 wards out you can control one entire side of the map. The placements of these wards covers two things:

- It grants vision on camps, thus allowing you to know where the enemy jungler is at all times. If they are seen on a ward, then you have vision and know exactly where they are at that moment. If they are not spotted at a camp by any of the wards then you can assume that they are on the other side allowing you to warn the side lane of that side and the mid laner that if ganked they will come from that side.

- It also allows you to mirror the opposing jungler making it easy to set up for counter ganks. The only two camps not given complete vision of are the krugs, and wolves. However with the pink placed on the bottom side of the map, you can see the jungler as he walks through the entrance to the camp. The krugs are the only camp that cannot be seen by this warding pattern but are also typically they least popular camp.

- It wards the entrances to the river. By placing the wards at the river entrances, and control over the scuttle crab, you are able to see if the opposing jungler is making a move towards a gank, dragon/baron, or invade and react accordingly.

These wards are strong wards for the laning phase and can be place both offensively as well as defensively. If on the losing side of the battle, simply move those wards to your side of the map in order to gain control of what is yours and see if the enemy jungler or laners are invading and in a vulnerable position to be caught.

Sieging/Grouping Phase

Another phase of the game is the grouping/sieging phase. This is the phase that you as a group are working together to take down the enemy team structures. This is an extremely important as well as tense phase, as the opposing team now has a tower working in their favor against you. This means that warding and counter warding must be thorough. The warding patters in this phase are not as concrete as there are many different variables and scenarios that you could be in. However, I like to run by a set of rules that allow for a much easier process.

- Always ward your flanks. If there is a dark patch of map to your side or behind, ward it. This allows you to not be surprised by any sort of visible flanks such as a surprise part fiddlesticks that could possibly put your carries and team in a position to lose a fight and swing the game.

- Sweep your flanks as well. With popular picks like Hecarim top being in Meta currently, teleport home guard flanks are a reliable and effective way to both start and win fights. By sweeping you eliminate the chance of not seeing a ward deep in the fog of war being teleported to as you step up to take shots at the tower.

- Make sure you have vision on their whole team, especially the champions who initiate. If they are not on the map, then more often than not they are looking for a hole in your warding that can be exploited to win a fight.

All of these patterns and rules can be achieve on both blue and red side just flipped to whichever side you are on. With these warding patterns and rules as well as the use of both upgraded sweeping and totem trinkets (250 gold for a free sight stone, CMON MAN!!) can starve out then enemy as well as provide your team with all the information needed to take each step in the game. All that’s needed is 75 gold and a glance at your mini-map, and you’re on your way to gaining ELO through vision.