In this article I will describe the different types of split pushers and the tools they possess to fulfil their strategies. I will then explain why these tools are best utilized in and against only certain types of compositions. First, it is important to make a distinction between different types of split pushers. All of the common split push picks in the current meta fall into one of two categories: a teleporter, or a duelist.

The teleporting split pusher

This applies to any split pusher who uses the teleport summoner spell or an ability (e.g. Shen, Twisted Fate) to quickly join a team fight while split pushing. This type of split pusher negates the risk of an unfavorable 4v5 teamfight as a result of split pushing. Because of this many people believe this strategy is risk-free, and hence can work with almost any composition. This is not true, and tp split pushers work well only in certain compositions.

The duelist split pusher

Duelist split pushers do not have a teleporting ability and usually run ignite instead of the teleport spell. What enables them to split push is their ability to 1v1 any champion on the enemy team. Therefore, if the enemy sends one champion to defend they are in danger of dying. If the enemy send more than one defender, then elsewhere on the map the split pusher’s team will be at a 4v3 advantage and will be able to take important objectives uncontested, even if they are not a teamfight oriented team. The duelist split pusher usually compensates for the riskiness of their strategy with lots of mobility so that they are hard to kill (e.g. Vladimir with flash/ghost).

Split pushers work great in:

1) 5v5 teamfight compositions

For teleporting split pushers: When the other team is hesitant to engage the split pusher's (sp's) team in a teamfight, their options are very limited. They cannot engage out of fear that the sp will teleport in creating an unfavorable 5v5 situation and they cannot rotate as 5 to kill the sp as the sp's team, with the greater teamfight presence, will follow and pincer them. Their best bet is countering the split push with one member who can out-duel the sp, and preferably can interrupt the teleport or damage the sp enough before they tp to minimize their impact. Even this situation is beneficial to the original sp's team because the 4v4 will still be won by their teamfight comp, which will hold the enemy 4 at a turret. This will allow the team to freely pick up objectives around the map.

For duelist split pushers: This split pusher cannot just mindlessly split push at any time like the teleporting split pusher. However, when his team is applying pressure on an objective he is free to split push as long as he is also applying pressure on an objective. This prevents the other team from simply ignoring the sp and forces them to react by sending a member. As the sp is a duelist in a 5v5 comp, his team should be able to win both the 1v1 and the 4v4 engages. The only counter to this is to defeat either the 1 (the split pusher) or the other 4 before the other can take an objective. That is why it is critical that both are applying pressure at the same time, but if they are doing this this strategy is almost unstoppable.

2) 'Pick' compositions

Pick comps excel at avoiding 5v5 engagements at all times and instead picking individual players off with a combination of insane burst and map control (heavy warding is required for this playstyle). A pick comp usually does not excel at turret sieging, especially at diving, so a split pusher offers alternative sources of pressure to get the all-important first inhibitor turret.

For teleporting split pushers: A teleporting split pusher offers the pick comp a massive advantage after a successful pick as greater numbers means the other 4 need not be concerned with getting engaged upon, even by a teamfighting comp, as you can tp in at any moment making it a 4v5. Furthermore, any champion with a teleport offers a massive increase in the ability of any comp to make picks. We see this in the feared Shen, Nocturne, Twisted Fate strat that can jump on a lonely enemy in seconds from great distances. It’s important to note that any sort of split pusher works horribly against any sort of pick comp, because of the high chance of death and also the superior vision coverage of the pick comp.

For duelist split pushers: A duelist split pusher works differently from a tp split pusher in a pick comp. The duelist usually cannot split push until after a successful pick. However, after the pick he is free to apply map pressure and it will be very difficult to counter him; the surviving 4 members of the enemy team will probably need to dedicate every resource to stop the 4 of the sp team so the split pusher should be allowed to take free objectives around the map.

Split pushers are usually weak in:

1) Poke/disengage compositions

Poke comps rely on whittling down the enemy from a distance while having reasonable methods of disengage to prevent unfavorable teamfights (when the enemy team is on full hp). A poke comp usually has very little control, and thus can’t do much to keep the other team from rotating down to stop the split pusher. Therefore split pushers are weak in poke comps.

Split pushers work very well against poke comps, as poke comps rely on extended sieges and lengthening the time of 5v5 encounters. All of this time can be utilized by the tp split pushers as literally free pushing time for free map pressure.

2) Push compositions

Push comps rely on superior strategic map control to recognize vulnerable objectives and bursting them down before the enemy team can react. The double AD comp, with a mid lane Ezreal, is a new form of the push composition which is currently very popular in Korea. Push comps rely on excellent rotation and avoiding teamfights and serious engages; so a split pusher is kind of left out from the rotation and is very vulnerable to being caught by the enemy team. Because of the heavy rotations of push comps, split pushers do not work great against them either. A team going against a push comp should press every opportunity they have for a 5v5 engagement.

Conclusion

I hope my article has shone light on why split pushing is a strategy, like any other, that is sensitive to the context in which it is used. It is simply much more easily countered when used in or against certain types of compositions than others. I have seen too many games even in the highest levels of professional play where Shen is picked as a power pick, in the first or second pick, and fails to have absolutely any impact. In my opinion power picks are overrated in both solo queue and professional play and it is of vital importance to consider the validity of each and every pick in the composition the team ends up running.