Kiting. It can separate the alright League of Legends players from the good, the good from the great, and the great from the professionals. Even in the direst of situations, a master in the art of kiting can head to safety and continue to be a source of consistent damage.
Yong-in “CoreJJ” Jo, the AD Carry for our NA LCS team is among the cream of the crop when it comes to mechanical skill. With multiple challenger accounts to his name, CoreJJ is a prime example of the technique behind kiting.
“Ezreal is easy, Kalista is easy. I think every champion is easy,” CoreJJ says. Of course, coming from someone with years of competitive experience, kiting comes naturally, even in high pressure situations like the upcoming Summer Split playoffs.
Breaking it down to smaller, easier chunks to help learn to kite, CoreJJ sees two different categories. Those that work well at their maximum range, working outside of a fight and then breaking in when opportune and those that utilize their abilities and slipperiness to navigate the innards of a skirmish.
“Jinx is a really long range champion with her Q and Kog’Maw is really long range. Go from max range to go in,” CoreJJ says. By starting a fight from the outer rim, these bombardiers can stay safe while skirting their enemies. But once they find an opening for a kill, especially for someone like Jinx or Tristana, you go from out to in, as CoreJJ describes.
Champions with shorter ranges or particular abilities excel at a different style of kiting. They thrive in the turmoil, using their own powers to avoid others, creating advantageous situations. “Lucian and Kalista have abilities to dodge in fights, then use their short range,” CoreJJ says. Champions with hops, dashes and tumbles work differently in that they don’t have to worry as much about how close they are to their opponent. With a sharp eye and reflexes, they can sidestep a fatal blow, turning the tides in an instant.
No matter the style or technique you favor, mastering kiting comes down to practice, experience and muscle memory. You can’t expect to figure out something as tricky as kiting with small guides and videos, but they’re the first step to becoming as feared a botlane presence as CoreJJ!
Follow @dCorejj to keep up with his career, and @TeamDignitas for the latest news on our squads and players.
