The jungler is known for ganking lanes and farming the jungle. However, there are instances where they might focus all of their ganks into one lane. This is called camping. Camping often frustrates players because of their inability to react or prepare for these ganks. These focused ganks create a kill and CS pressure. Even without getting a kill, the jungler and laner can deprive their opponents of any gold income and snowball that particular lane. There are a few things to take into account when avoiding these ganks.

First of all, you should understand when you are being camped. If the enemy jungler is ganking your lane significantly more than your allies lanes, you are being camped. In most cases, whenever the jungler sees you alive, they will find a pathway to your lane and attempt to blow one of your Summoner Spells or to attain a kill. Let’s take a look at a few problems and solutions to being camped.

Summoner Spells

One thing you should take into account is your own Flash. Many mid lane mages, top lane tanks and ADCs have no escape skills. For a lot of champions, Flash is a safety net that allows them to escape. Having this escape is almost essential to any lane. Let’s take a champion like Viktor. In the mid lane, Viktor is a low mobility champion and has no escape. Junglers may see this as an opportunity to gank, knowing that Viktor can not get away. If Viktor does not have his Flash, he faces the possibility of a gank and may not be able to farm safely. I am not saying that you need to save your Flash solely for escapes but it is something to keep in mind. Your summoner spells are there for a reason and to avoid dying from multiple ganks, you should learn how to use your Flash effectively. Use your Flash if you have to but there are ways to outplay your opponent. To save your Flash you should try to anticipate your opponent's next move.

In ranked, you should have a decent understanding of other champions. You should first identify the type of jungler that may gank your lane. Junglers like Elise and Rengar have great early game ganks due to stuns and slows. A large part of League of Legends is prediction. If you are in a lane with a lot of crowd control (CC), you should be aware of the possibility of being CC’ed. You may not have your Flash and being able to predict skill shots or possible strategies is all apart of avoiding these ganks.

If for whatever reason your Flash is down, use your map awareness to play safe. Know the limits for your champion, if you know that you have limited escape skills, save your Flash and avoid wasting it. If by any circumstance, you do not have your Flash, there is one thing that can help you avoid dying to ganks. You can see incoming ganks by attaining some vision.

Vision

With the release of patch 5.24, Riot has implemented a new trinket system which gives every laner 2 free wards that refill over time. Although a small change, you will have to keep in mind that there are not any Stealth Wards in the store and you will have to time your ward placement according to the charges of your trinket. That being said, the trinket wards are almost the only way to attain vision if you are not a support. However, with the removal of Stealth Wards, Riot has lowered the cost of Vision Wards which allows more vision and vision denial. Whenever going back to the shop, try to buy a pink ward, they last the entire game and they provide true sight.

Top lane, the island of League of Legends. Top lane is more likely to be camped than any other role. There are multiple ways to gank this lane and in most situations there is a 50/50 chance of counter ganks due to the location of top. If your jungler is hovering around the bottom side, you should be careful for incoming ganks. The way I like to look at it is where the jungler may come from.

Image Courtesy: Morkant

The most common way a jungler may come into the top lane is through the river. Putting a Vision Ward will tell you if the jungler is there and if they don't end up ganking you, they will spend time clearing it. Secondly you should, put one of your trinket wards in the Tri-bush. This is another common way junglers may gank if your lane is pushed. This may also help prevent a tower dive. With your last trinket ward, I would recommend warding any of the top lane bushes. There are countless times where the enemy jungler will sneak into the the bush and wait for the perfect time to attack, surprising the top laner. You should use your map awareness to prepare for anything. Wards will only help your map awareness.

The middle lane is one of the most dynamic lanes for a jungler. There are multiple ways a jungler can gank a lane. They are able to come from either side of the mid lane bushes or from the sides of the bush. There are several things to account for when a jungler is ganking your lane but putting as many wards possible will help you anticipate incoming ganks.

Image Courtesy: Morkant

Firstly I would recommend to use your trinket wards for both sides of the mid lane bushes. This is the most general warding path. If you do not have any idea on where the jungler is, this is a good way to prepare yourself for any ganks. This ward will grant you vision partially into the river and of the bushes. It is common for junglers to use this bush so warding either of them would be optimal. Vision Wards are more situational. If you feel like the jungler has a pattern in ganking in the same area, put a Vision Ward there. If there is no pattern, placing a deep Vision Ward will help you locate and find the jungler which will help your laning phase.

Tips

1) Look where you lane is. If it is pushing against you, beware of a gank from behind. If it is pushing towards you, beware of a tower dive.
2) If you are being camped, tell your jungler to focus on the other lanes. If you can’t get ahead, try to snowball the other lanes.
3) Your jungler may be stronger on a 2v2, ask your jungler to hover around your lane for a counter gank.

Whether you are being camped or not, it is always good to be aware of the map. Remember to communicate with your teammate and work together. Hopefully, you will use these tips and win your game. Good luck on the Rift!

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