Boost is the lifeblood of Rocket League. Without it, most of the plays attempted by players would be unthinkable. Whether you want to beat your opponent to the ball, aerial, or just move around the pitch optimally, boost is a necessary ingredient for your efforts. Big boost is not always an option, especially in 3v3 matches where stealing a big boost can leave you starved if you do not know how to pick up pads optimally. In this article, we’ll go over some of the most common and important boost paths that can make sure that you’re never low on boost. Boost management is crucial to anything you may wish to do, so let’s dive into the most popular boost route to start.

Rotating Around the Field

The center of the field is where most of the play in the game takes place, and as such knowing the optimal pathing through it serves two purposes: firstly, you can ensure that you keep up your boost count without leaving the play for a big boost, and secondly, you can deny your opponent from doing the same thing. The pictured boost path, vaguely resembling an American football, represents the most common route for advancing upfield while maintaining a high boost total. This route is perfect for maintaining rotations, keeping you in the play while allowing you to stay fueled for sudden changes. Knowing this route inside and out can deny your opponent midfield pressure through taking pads and possession. This central boost rotation route is one of the most popular for a reason, and if you are yet to leverage it, it is a crucial tool to add to your arsenal.

A Straightforward Boost Path

Sometimes, a simple boost path can be the most effective, and that is the case with this straight boost path down the center of the field. Though it is uncomplicated, its primary advantage is speed; geometrically, there is no faster way to get from one goal to the other than through a straight line. If you need to make it back to your goal as soon as possible, or you need to catch up to a play that is developing on your opponent’s half of the field, this is the most straightforward route to take. However, be aware that the lack of an angle towards the net can make some saves difficult, so be aware of where the ball is as you approach closer. Picking up all of the boost pads on the way can mean up to 72 boost secured. With that, you can make a clutch save or finish off a play with ease, so always keep the simplest routes in mind.

A Defensive Path

While the boost paths which we focused on thus far have had an offensive or neutral usage, this arc around the goal is crucial for longer defensive standoffs. When the opponent assaults your net with a barrage of shots and steals your big boost pads, every small pad counts, and this route allows you to keep up your efforts against your aggressors. This path is designed to keep your presence in front of the net to ward off attacks, avoiding the fatal positioning that can result from grasping at a big boost pad. Although a full tank of boost can be tempting, positioning is crucial on defense, so be sure to use this path to stay around the net while slowly building up boost to break out and punish opponents who may have overcommitted. A useful guideline is to stay inside the shaded area around your goal and pick up the pads of the perimeter, letting you know that you’re within a safe distance to avert any crisis that may arise due to your opponent, letting you bide your time until you can storm down the field with a counterattack.

Switching Sides

Especially when you are not in possession of the ball, switching sides of the field is rather common. You may need to cross over to be in position for a pass, or to pressure an opponent who is bringing the ball downfield. Big boost pads are notably absent from the center of the field, so this makes optimal pathing even more crucial. Crossing the field by tracing these boost pads towards the center can allow you to space optimally from your teammates as well, to avoid double commits and give yourself both optimal offensive and defensive coverage. As you can recall from the straight path down the middle, straight lines are the fastest way to move across the field, so following these straight lines of boost across the field can make sure that you have enough boost to make plays while getting you all the way to the other side of the pitch.

Orbiting on Offense

Once you make it to your opponent’s side of the field, it takes a significant amount of work to keep up the offensive pressure that you have, especially when the defenders are optimally rotating to preserve boost and monopolizing their big boost pads. Just as defenders have to preserve their boost, so do attackers, and this circular path around the opponent’s goal can help. While the ball handler may opt to use the ellipsoid route as was first shown in this article, circling around the opponent’s goal can be a good way to intercept their boost routes, keep up an offensive presence, and even disrupt their defense through bumps and demos. This boost path can keep you in an excellent position while also giving you enough boost to take over from your teammates.

Conclusion

Boost is important, not only in respect to how much you have but also how you obtain it. Not all boost paths are equal, and hopefully this article has shown you how to leverage some frequently-used boost paths in different situations to ensure you get your fill of boost while keeping your position strong. Make sure to be considerate of how you get your boost, and good luck with keeping your tanks full throughout your games. I hope this article helped you gain a better understanding of boost and positioning, and good luck boosting up the ranked ladder with those extra small boost pads!