In League of Legends, vision control is and map awareness is essential to become a better player and keep your team safe and secure on Summoner’s Rift.
As one of the most underutilized ways of improving, learning the right way to scan the map and understand what to do and what not to do is a massive advantage over your opponent.
Trinkets/Pink Ward
Trinkets were a nice thing added to the game some time ago. It allows for every player to have some input or ability to have input in the vision control without having to spend their precious gold on it. More often than not every player will start with the yellow trinket allowing for early wards to stay safe.
The yellow trinket can also be used early to ward the enemies jungle and gain valuable information about their pathing. Junglers who are planning to invade often take the red trinket in order to get rid of any vision the opponents may have put in their own jungle. Red trinket is also vital on supports after they get their warding item.
Finally, the blue trinket is often picked up by the Mid lane and ADC later in the game to be able to get vision without getting too close. This can be huge for scouting things like Baron and Dragon.
Stealth Ward
Taken by almost everyone early game. Provides free early vision. Often not used as much late game but can still be good throughout.
Oracle Lens
Most often taken by Top, Jungle, and Support as a way to remove enemy vision. Can be utilized early by Junglers to invade as they know they haven’t been seen. Supports should only switch to Oracle after their support items have wards available.
Farsight Alteration
Often taken by ADC’s and Mid Lane’s late game to over some vision from afar. Great to check on big objectives if no wards are down.
Control Ward
Only one can be placed at a time by each player. Vital that all players buy Control Wards throughout the game to maximize vision control. Used most often near objectives or closer bush to your lane.
Map Awareness
Map awareness becomes a lot easier when you have vision. When you see the majority of the map or at least the area you are in you will innately take in the information.
Understanding that giving up a few minions as to not die to a gank or pressuring one side of the map can gain you more in the long term. With vision, awareness becomes second nature.
Early Game
When you first get in the game you have a brief time period before any minions are in the wave. Some people just sit afk while this time is going on. That is not the right answer though. You can learn vital information from the very beginning of the game, like where the enemy jungler is going to start or if the enemy is invading.
It’s very simple to make a wall across the map as to not allow the other team to get any early wards in your jungle or catch you off guard. By positioning yourselves in these positions the enemy team cannot get into your side of the map without you knowing. You can also drop wards in these spots to take your place if you’d rather do that.
It can also be a good idea to push into the enemy buffs to drop a ward and see where the jungler is starting. It is recommended that you group with at least 1 other teammate if you’re going to do so as to stay safe.
Laning Phase
In League of Legends, vision control is massive in the lane phase. Oftentimes people will push without warding getting themselves killed over and over by the jungler. There truly is a simple fix to that, just ward. Having the yellow trinket will give you the ability to ward whenever the cooldown is up. Dropping a ward in the bushes coming toward your lane is always a good idea.
But if you want to gain more information and give yourself time to react you will want to go with a deeper ward. Warding the buffs again is a good place to start. Wolves and Raptors are also a really good place to drop a ward if you can do it safely.
It’s important to keep an eye on the map to scan for enemies that have been scouted by your wards. Seeing them on Raptors or Wolves will let you know what side of the map the enemy jungle is on and you should play accordingly.
Everyone also needs to be thinking about Objectives such as Dragon and Rift herald. Objectives are very important which is which vision control around them is too.
Late Game
By the time the late game rolls around, whichever team has better vision control will likely come out on top. Getting picks when death timers are so long can be very impactful. No only does it allow for picks but also objective control. Baron and Elder are both massively powerful buffs that can turn fights in your favor.
Pro tip: The support isn’t the only one who should be warding!
Vision control around both objectives is pretty straightforward. Red Trinket should be used to clear out enemy vision while you try to push your vision into their jungle near the objective.
By doing this it allows you to see who is coming from where or if they are even coming at all. Don’t forget about your pink wards either. Every player can place at least 1 pink ward at a time and grant a ton of vision control.
Conclusion
In League of legends, vision control and map awareness are critical aspects of the game that many low elo players don’t take full advantage of. If you want to climb the ranks and improve your skill, learning these two things will catapult you over your competition.
In Other News
Be sure to check out our Beginner’s guide to League of Legends for more tips on how to improve your game!
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