1. Introduction

With the beginning of a new season, many players start playing ranked games again, hoping to climb the ladder and get out of ‘elo hell’ as fast as possible. Often I see people failing at winning games because of many small mistakes, making a fast gain of the wanted league points impossible.

2. Pick wisely

2.1. Counter picking

One way to win your lane is counter picking your opponent. This means that you wait until your opponent has chosen a champion, then you pick one that is strong against this one. Now you should be able to zone your opponent, keeping him away from valuable minions that makes it impossible for him to win gold. If you’re really good, you can hold him far away, so he won’t even get experience points when your minions die.

However, counter picking brings several risks. Firstly, you’re most likely to encounter the enemy jungler very often in your lane, making it basically a 1v2 lane for you. Secondly, you’re often not as good on a champion you picked only to counter pick as on a champ belonging to your comfortable champion pool which makes it harder to win against experienced players.

2.2. Getting counter picked

You can only get counter picked if you pick before the enemy or if you pick a champion that is weak against the champion your opponent already picked. If this happens to you, you need to be careful and maybe ask your jungler to help you out. Once you got an advantage on lane, you should be able to win it, even if you’re counter picked. Be careful though, some champions scale and snowball better than others, meaning that an early kill is not necessarily a won lane. If however, you’re not able to get an advantage, you should play defensive because feeding your enemy is worse than losing some farm.

2.3. Comfort pick

The idea of counter picking may sound inviting but choosing a champion you’re comfortable with is often better than picking against your enemy. Being comfortable means that you’re confident enough to raise your map awareness because you don’t have to concentrate on your lane and in team fights you are more useful on a champion you know exactly how to play.

3. Vision

3.1. Do not tunnel vision

Focusing on your lane rather than on other lanes seems legit. However, you should always keep an eye on the mini map. This prevents ganks by the enemy jungler or other laning opponents.

Nevertheless, you should always try to help your teammates. This is only possible if you are watching your map from time to time though. Since a winning mate is usually able to carry, you should consider giving away a small advantage if you’re able to give one to one of your team members.

3.2. Buy wards

Wards decrease the risk of unexpected encounters with enemies coming from the jungle dramatically. Since the introduction of the river crab in the preseason 2015, players don’t need as many wards anymore because killing it grants you vision of either the dragon or Baron pit. This vision can’t be denied by your opponent and stays for 75 seconds. The crab has a respawn timer of 3 minutes which means that you’re not having vision of the pits for 105 seconds. Grabbing another few wards guarantees the vision of common spots, decreasing the power of the enemy team and maybe even increasing the one of your own team since you are able to catch your opponent off guard in the jungle or in a bush.

Knowing where your enemy is and what they do may influence the outcome of the game, so remember: grab a ward and save a life!

There are two types of wards, stealth wards (also called green wards) and vision wards (also called pink wards). Since the beginning of preseason 4, you can only carry 3 green and 2 pink wards at a time, making it impossible for one person to ward the whole map. Always help out your team and especially your support in warding the map; it will definitely help you more than you think.

3.3. Focus on both teams

League of Legends is not only about you and your enemy. In general, many players consider themselves better than their teammates or just forget that they exist.

However, it is very important to understand that you can profit off your teammates’ positioning. A gank becomes a lot more effective if you are aware of what your mate is about to do.

4. How to win

4.1. Kills and assists

Kills are an important factor of the game. Since every kill grants 58-500 gold depending on the death or killing streak of the opponent plus 50% of that amount + 0/30/45/60 gold depending on kill/assist ratio shared amongst every player who got an assist on that kill, it becomes a notable gold income source.

However, people use to overestimate this income. With an average of 300 gold per kill, 6 kills and 10 assists per game, we get to an approximate amount of 3,550 gold per game. Considering that the average player gets around 14,000 gold (estimated), kills make only 25% of their global gold.

4.2. Farm

Especially in low elo, players are rarely focusing on last hitting minions even though they grant a massive amount of gold. In the LCS we often see pro players scoring 500 or more last hits, which equals an amount of 10,000+ gold if we consider an average gold of 20 gold per minion.

Now, not every player is a pro and even pros don’t always manage to get that creep score. An amount of 300 creeps per game is feasible anyhow and it sums up a solid amount of 6,000 gold. Basically, you get more gold from minions than from kills and assists and it is by far a lot safer than trying to kill the enemy.

4.3. Objectives

4.3.1. Buffs

In the jungle you find four different buffs available for every player. I’ll talk about the drake and baron buff later on. There are two ‘Blue Sentinel’ monsters, one in the left jungle of the blue team, one in the red one’s right side. Furthermore, there are two ‘Red Brambleback’, one in the left side of team red’s jungle and one in the right side of team blue’s one.

Blue Sentinels grant a buff called ‘Crest of Insight’: This unit regens 25 flat mana regeneration per 5 seconds and 0.5% of their maximum mana (or energy) per second and has 10% cooldown reduction on their abilities. If slain, this buff transfers to the killer.

Red Bramblebacks grant a buff called ‘Crest of Cinders’: This unit's physical attacks apply a debuff that slows the target's movement speed by8 / 16 / 24% (5 / 10 / 15% for ranged attacks) for 3 seconds and a DoT that deals 8 + (2 × level) bonus true damage twice. Also heals buff holder by 1% of their maximum health per 5 seconds. If the buff holder is slain, this buff is transferred to the killer.

Each of these buffs has a duration of 2 minutes (2 minutes 24 seconds with runic affinity) and the duration is renewed each time it's transferred. Dying to a champion will transfer the buff to the killer, dying to a minion won’t and you’ll keep it.

Both monsters have a respawn timer of 5 minutes after the whole camp has been cleared.

In general, these buffs ensure that the jungler is able to successfully clear his jungle in the early game. Usually later in the game, the blue buff is given to either top or mid laner, the red buff to the adc or melee champions with a high attack speed. These two buffs are very useful in team fights and may change the result of it since these buffs allow a player to better kite an enemy and deal slightly more damage.

4.3.2. Dragon

In the bottom river, you’ll find a dragon that is harder to kill than every other monster on the map, with Baron Nashor being the only exception. The dragon is situated in the pit of the bottom river, spawns at 2:30 and has a respawn timer of 6 minutes.

Slaying the dragon grants Dragon Slayer. The first four stacks of Dragon Slayer are permanent, while the 5th stack only lasts 180 seconds:
1) DRAGON'S MIGHT: +6% attack damage and ability power
2) DRAGON'S WRATH: +15% damage to towers and buildings
3) DRAGON'S FLIGHT: +5% movement speed
4) DRAGON'S DOMINANCE: +15% damage to minions and monsters
5) ASPECT OF THE DRAGON: Doubles all previous bonuses and your attacks burn for 150 true damage over 5 seconds. This stack only lasts 180 seconds. Dying with it will cause you to lose the buff.

The dragon has a passive called ‘Ancient Grudge’ that provides him additional 20% damage to and 7% damage reduction from players with the Dragon Slayer buff. This effect cumulates with every stack, up to 80% more damage dealt and 28% damage reduction since the drake will never be available when a team has 5 stacks.

Since these buffs are very strong, both teams will try to contest every dragon kill, not only to get the buff for themselves but also to prevent the enemy from getting it. It doesn’t really matter when you get the first 4 buffs; they are strong but not powerful enough to decide the ending of the game. Trouble will cause the ASPECT OF THE DRAGON though; it empowers all 4 buffs and gives you an enormous damage buff, making it hard to win against a team that has it. Try to never give the 5th buff to your opponent since it is a game breaker, and I personally consider it stronger as the Baron buff. If you should have to choose between a 5th dragon buff and Baron, you should definitely go for dragon!

4.3.3. Baron

The Baron is by far the strongest NPC in the Summoner’s Rift, is situated in the pit of the top river, spawns at minute 20 and has a respawn timer of 7 minutes. Killing the Baron grants ‘Hand of Baron’ to you and all your team members that are alive when Baron has been slain. You lose the buff if you die or after 3 minutes. Unlike blue and red buff, this buff won’t be transferred to your enemy if you die to one.

Hand of Baron provides the following buffs:

- Self: Grants up to 40 attack damage and ability power (scales with game time)
- Improves Recall : Reduces channel time by 4 seconds. A successful recall restores 50% of your champion's maximum health / mana and grants +50% movement speed for 8 seconds.
- Minion Aura

All minions

- Increase speed to match 90% of average movement speed of nearby champions, capped at 500 movement speed
Gain resistance to slow effects.
- Non-super minions have 75% damage reduction versus area of effect, damage over time, and persistent effects

Melee minions

Gain +50% movement speed when within 800 units of enemy minions or turrets
Increased size
+30% damage reduction versus turrets (similar to cannon minions)+75% damage reduction versus champions and minions+75 attack range

Caster minions

+20 attack damage
+50% missile speed
+100 attack range

Cannon minions (beyond turret range)

600 attack range
+50 attack damage, but attack speed is halved
Attacks are now Area of Effect (200 range) and deal double damage to turrets

Super minions

Gain +50% movement speed when within 800 units of enemy minion or turret
+25% attack speed

4.3.4. Towers

Towers play an important role in League of Legends. First, you need to destroy three from a specific lane in order to be capable of destroying the inhibitor, then the nexus and its two turrets.

Furthermore, towers grant vision of a part of the lane, even if there is no player or minion near it, making it impossible for you to sneak into your opponent’s back row by running through a lane. Moreover, they grant additional defense by attacking enemies and dealing tons of damage, making it possible to win fights even if your team is behind. You need to proceed from the outer turret to the inner turret before being able to destroy an inhibitor turret and only if the inhibitor is down you’re able to hit the nexus turrets.

Destroying an outer turret provides 125 gold to every single team member and an additional 150 split amongst everyone who participated in the takedown of the turret. Destroying an inner turret provides 150 gold to every teammate and 100 gold is shared amongst everyone who helped destroying it. Inhibitor and nexus turrets grant 175 gold to each player and no additional gold. Shattering a turret will take away the vision it granted, giving you another advantage. Once they’re destroyed, turrets will never respawn. The life of outer and inner turrets will not regenerate, whereas the life of inhibitor and nexus turrets, such as the shield of inner turrets will.

4.3.5. Inhibitors

Inhibitors are other objectives that have a massive impact on the game. Each team has three of them and to be able to attack and destroy one, you have to shatter every turret on the lane until you get to it. Getting the last hit on an inhibitor provides you 50 gold.

Additionally, during the 5 minutes it takes an inhibitor to respawn, you get super minions which will spawn with your normal minions every 30 seconds and only on the lanes you destroyed the inhibitors. These bonus minions grant your other minions increased health, 50 for caster minions, 100 for melee minions and 200 to siege minions. Also, if you manage to destroy all three inhibitors of the opponent, an additional super minion will spawn per lane, counting 6 in total.

Since these minions are stronger than normal ones, they’re effective in pushing lanes as long as there is no enemy champion pushing against them. Use them to pressure a lane, so you’re able to get other objectives or to fight when outnumbering the opponent. If no opponent is able to back, the super minions will most likely destroy the enemy’s nexus turrets.

5. Getting started

5.1. Prepare before queuing

Make sure that you have enough time to play a game that takes you 70 minutes (60 minutes effective game + 10 minutes champ selection & loading screen). No one likes to have a teammate who leaves after 30 minutes causing your game to count as a loss. Furthermore, you’ll play a lot more aggressive and less thoughtful if you’re under time pressure.

Also, you should try to be fully concentrated while playing. If you have to pee, go before queuing or during loading screen and grab yourself something to drink. In any case, do not go afk during the game; it’ll give you a lot more disadvantages than playing with second thoughts.

5.2. Duo queue

Everyone knows that feeling; you just had another game where you are the only one with positive stats. Duo queuing may reduce the number of ‘bad’ team players by one but before doing so, you need to consider who to play with.

5.2.1. With a real friend

Playing with real friends is fun. You share experience and some funny moments.However, duo queue makes this more serious and less fun. Usually when playing ranked games, you play to win and this makes the decision harder who to play with. It may be fun to play with your friend who is in a league and three divisions lower than yours but consider that he might drag you down. Flaming a random is bad, flaming a real life friend is worse. This might cause problems in your friendship and it may be better not to play together if you’re likely to be a lot better than your friend. The best you can do is to choose a friend that plays consistently well and who matches your skill level.

5.2.2. With a stranger

Playing with people you don’t know is riskier than playing with friends. The most randoms you play with are people you added after they had a pretty decent game but this gives you no insight into their real gameplay. Everyone has excellent games, making oneself look better than one actually is. Same goes with the opposite, players also have games where they’re playing worse than usually. Now the question is: How do you know if that random is really that great without actually playing with him (or her)? The answer is easier than you would think – You don’t.

Playing a normal game with him/her might show a guideline of his/her skill level, the enemies usually are in another division as in rankeds though. Choose your mate wisely, don’t stick too long with a person that drags you down and remember that sometimes it is better to play solo games than duo queuing.

6. Your team

Never forget that you play with real people. Your actions and/or words may affect them in a positive or negative way. What most players forget about League of Legends is that it still is a game, no matter what game mode you’re playing and that people play better while supported when doing bad and having fun.

6.1. Your actions

Sometimes, you have a bad game, making you look like a feeder and a troll. Always give your best, even if you’re flamed by your teammates. In LoL, giving up and going afk simply is no option. Staying strong may increase your team’s motivation and if they see that you try hard, they might even stop flaming you. There is a simple rule that’s helpful in every game but especially in a game that has such a toxic community as the one in League:

Ignore the flame and show that you can do better.

6.2. Your attitude

Your attitude while playing is what influences your gameplay the most. Try not to play when you’re tired or angry because it influences your reaction and decision making in a bad way.

Also, treat your teammates well, do not flame them but support them once they do well. Their bad score may be related to ganks, either there were some good ones by your enemy, or there were some bad ones or simply not enough ones by your team. If they don’t stop blaming you, you can consider the mute function. Muting a flamer has the advantage that you won’t focus on his spam anymore, but you won’t be able to read anything he says, making it harder to communicate as a team. Only mute someone if you really can’t handle his flame anymore and risk raging too much because of it.

A game is never lost until your nexus has fallen and losing the attitude that a win is still possible will make it harder to win the game. You should give your best at any time, no matter what the score looks like. Even if you have a feeder, an afk or a troll in your team, you’re still able to win the game. Surely it becomes harder but nothing is impossible. There actually have already been games with people scoring more than 100 deaths without any kills or assists and their team still won the game (seen in a tribunal case).