Learn more about the way that turrets prioritize their target when there are multiple offensive units underneath. Things like pets, minions, champions (normally), and champions being affected by items or other statuses can make quite a difference!
In any game of League of Legends, being under a turret is a necessary evil. Taking down turrets is the only way you can win a game, regardless of kills, after all. It seems pretty straightforward; normally, if you’re under a turret, avoid hitting enemy Champions and you should be good. The turret will use its laser to take down your minions slowly, until either you leave (or risk taking serious damage) or the turret falls. On paper, that’s about the limit of it… But in game, you’ll see there are a lot of other things to consider when looking at turret aggro. Let’s look at the order of priority now!
While turret target selection might feel random at times, there is a direct order that the game will follow, depending on who (or what) is under turret range. The only other important things to consider for Champions are generally 1) if they are dealing combat damage to the Champions on the turret’s team, and 2) if they are using an ability that makes them untargetable/invulnerable. Dealing combat damage to Champions under their turret will make you a top priority, while using certain abilities can take you off the list completely (at least during the ability’s active time).
Any player dealing damage to members of the team that the turret belongs to will be targeted first by the turret. This includes damage dealt indirectly, through items like Liandry’s Anguish, which can get pretty annoying. Even though your ability has ended, any damage your items build will be counted as damage that comes from you. If you’re playing someone that burns a lot (like Brand, or any mage that has Liandry’s Anguish or Blackfire Torch), make sure not to start pushing under turret to avoid losing serious amounts of health.
Shaco’s infamous W ability (Jack in the Box) is always annoying, unless you’re the Shaco in question. In the jungle and in your lane, his boxes can feel like a never-ending annoyance. Luckily for anyone staying under the turret, though, it will be second to take turret aggro, but only when it is visible. It may be triggered by enemy Champions (which would then make Shaco the primary target, unless he’s out of range) or minions (that step into box range). Boxes that are invisible (untriggered) will not take turret aggro.
Most pets in the game that have HP bars and are targetable (excluding Kalista’s Sentinels) can and will take turret aggro after any boxes from Shaco are removed from the radius. If they damage a Champion while within turret range, just like before, the damage from pets against enemy Champions will fall back onto you. Some examples of the pets that will take priority at this point include:
Cannon minions, also sometimes called “Siege Minions,” will follow most pets in the game. Destructible terrain here specifically refers to Yorick’s Dark Procession, since it is a “wall” that can be destroyed through player (or turret) damage. Anivia, Taliyah, and Trundle’s terrain-building abilities do not have structures that take damage in the traditional sense, let alone from turrets. Yorick’s cage is targetable, unlike the other terrain building abilities.
Mist Walkers that Yorick has sent down a lane will be next, as long as none of the above categories of units are within turret range. They can’t tank much damage, though, so make sure to avoid using these as your only line of defense against turret beams. You might end up not being able to leave turret range at best and could even die to your enemies at worst. They might help you avoid taking damage for a few seconds, but they will never be a replacement for a proper minion wave (or your tank support, graciously allowing you to push turret without wave).
Melee and caster minions will start to take damage after all categories above them have either died or otherwise managed to leave the attack range of the opposing turret. With much less health than the cannon minions, who will chip at the turret through beam after beam of true damage, the other minions will do their best to get in an attack or two before falling. Their overall threat seems a lot less severe than most of the other categories on this list, despite them generally being what enables Champions to cut through plating and get that sweet first turret gold. Minions themselves will chip away slowly at a turret, but an enemy Champion pushing with minions is truly a force to be reckoned with.
After regular minions fall, Maiden will be next to take damage. She deals reduced damage (50 percent of her regular attack value) to turrets, but over time that burn will put in some serious work. With her natural health recovery built in, she may be a bit tankier than you expect, but the turret shots will take her down in short order.
Champions that are just attacking a turret without dealing any damage to their opponents will be the lowest-priority targets for turrets. Especially in the late game, they’re probably the highest damage threats to allied structures, but odds of them staying under turret long without any of the previously mentioned units nearby are very low because of the raw damage they’d take, along with their reduced damage output when they’re tanking.
Regardless of the role you’re playing, pushing turrets will be something you’re doing. You might be a top laner, split pushing alone with your minion wave and living on an island, as the community usually says. Your friend might be a support, helping clear waves to crash into the enemies tier three turret in the early game. Even if you’re jungling, at some point you will need to help with clearing turrets directly (with your team) or indirectly (by taking down Void Grubs, Rift Herald, and maybe even Baron Nashor). Knowing how aggro will be determined can help you and your allies avoid unnecessary damage, and maybe even unnecessary deaths.
