League of Legends for Newbies

The most popular game in the world

Its name : League of Legends, developed by Riot Games, an American society based in California. LoL was released in 2009, and until today, its popularity increased in the entire world. With many competitions all through the year, professional players are considered as real athletes and it counts about 100 million summoners.

My article will help newbies ("New in Buisness") to discover this game, or will make pros laugh because they already know everything !

Star Guardian, on League of Legends website

How to play ?

Two teams of five players fight in a battlefield called the « Summoner’s Rift ». They have to mix strategy and unwavering communication, in order to destroy the opposing Nexus, the essential spot of the team.

There is a red base in the North and a blue one in the South of the map, within a small shop, to buy the equipment. During a game, kills give you money, which is useful to build a strong champion throughout the match. With gold and experience, he gets levels, from 1 to 18, and by extension power. There are three lanes : Toplane on top, Midlane in the middle and Botlane at the bottom, and between them the dangerous jungle. In this area, monsters and dragons give buffs (boosts) when killed.

Map of the Rift

Around 140 champions are playable, and after each match, the player earns Influence Points to buy champions, runes, skins and many more. But you can buy with real money, the « Riot Points », to get everything faster !

The IP device will soon be converted into Blue Essence, after the Worlds !

Levels

When you pass your account at the level 30, you play in ranked games to get your place in the classification. It is called the "ELO" or "Tiers", a system made by Riot to calculate, with numerous parameters, your grading. And each of these league are partitioned into 5 divisions, except for Master and Challenger tiers. The different ranks are :

Roles

To go deeper into the game, let’s study the different lanes.

➳Jungle :

His kingdom is the Jungle, between the lanes. The player has to clean his own side, which means to kill the four monsters, the two buffs (red and blue) and the Scuttle Crab (Carapateur in French) in the river. Then he can gank, in other words to help the laner in his path, or invade : killing the mobs from the enemy Jungle. At a certain moment, the Jungler can kill the different dragons to give a bonus to his team. The Baron and the Herald guarantee not always the Victory, but a great push.

Profile : good vision, perfect timing, move all over the map

A few great champions : Hecarim - Elise - Ivern - Lee Sin - Graves

➳Midlane :

The Midlane is the shortest one, where most teamfights happen. In every lane, farming is crucial : kill the waves of minions without losing any of them, or you'll get late with your levels. But never forget to play safe, because two bushes are right and left in the river, and in a bush, every champ is invisible. Place wards for the vision and stay under tower. The more objectives you get, the more you'll be closed to winning. Then, if you hurt the enemy, he will have to back in base. Take advantage of everything and don't walk straight.

Profile : mages, assassins, good vision, aware, power

Save a life. Place a ward.

Some good champs : Katarina - Ahri - Syndra - Lux - Orianna

➳AD Carry :

A team coordination is based on him, and has to be both powerful and strategic. With low armor in early-game, he's accompanied by a support, who will take the damages, to keep him alive as long as possible. Most of Carry champs are scaling ones : they will be more and more powerful throughout the game. Before the power spike (moment when you can start fighting), the AD Carry must farm more than the other one, or it will be hard to win the lane. He’s based on auto-attacks, and key spells. If you want to be powerful and control the matches, this is for you. Always keep in mind that you need to be in a perfect sync with your support, this duet means very often Victory.

Profile : perfect farming, good position, attack damage

Xayah and Rakan, duo champs on Botlane

Champions : Ashe - Varus - Ziggs - Lucian - Caitlyn

➳Support :

Always bad considered, a Support has to protect the ADC. If he dies, it's your fault. When he moves, you move, when he fights, you follow, and even if you're not a real protecting Supp, you let him the farm. With this major role, why is it bad considered ? Because not taking the farm is boring, during teamfights, you mostly protect and don't kill.. But don't be fooled, a Supp must have a great vision and act in a second or less, so you possess the whole strategy. Usually, a Support has a great resistance and controls. Look at the mini map, and think again and again about anticipation. And never forget that without a Supp, an ADC is lost !

Profile : protection, controls, no farm, resist

Nami, River Spirit skin, Support

Support champions of 2017 : Karma - Lulu - Tahm Kench - Zyra - Malzahar

➳Toplane :

« Captain Teemo on duty ! »

A Toplaner is usually the tank in the team composition, with his strong armor he can win a 1v1. Toplaners feel like far from what is happening, because on contrary to Botlane with Supp and Carry, and Midlane with Mid and Jungler duet, the Toplane has to work on itself. But don’t worry, the Jungler is always here and ganks a lot on Top as well.

Profile : tank, agressive, fighter

Left : Cursed Revenant Nocturne, Jungle
Middle : Kayle Iron Inquisitor, Toplane
Right : Singed Black Scourge, Toplane

Champions : Galio - Gragas - Shen - Nautilus - Rumble

Capacities

Last things : capacities.
You HAVE TO make the distinction between AP/AD, because it will help you to build your champ, and know which one to take against another.
↠AD : Attack Damage

↠AP : Ability Power

Prefer Magical Resistance against AP compo, and Armor against AD compo. Your decision to take AD against an AP and the opposite, happens in a few seconds during the picks & bans phase, before the match starts. But if your champ is banned, you must know how to play another one.

Then, what about the abilities and spells ? Each champ has three abilities and an ultimate. Four keys are used : Q (A for French people), W (Z in FR), E and R for the ultimate. Then, D and F are for the spells, like the Smite for the Jungler, the Shield and Heal for Botlane, Flash etc.

The abilities of Ryze, Midlane

Spells

I hope it helped you, so good luck Summoners and see you in the Rift, and in the next article !!