Practice makes perfect, and these heroes augment your skillset like no other.
The most efficient way to get League of Legends game knowledge
Players trying to improve their League of Legends gameplay look for lots of tips and tricks to try to help them for a few games, but then are left to dry when they stop working. However, there is a much more efficient way to learn: by not turning to short-term tips and instead focusing on building a stronger baseline understanding, games will become much easier to win.
By practicing various champions in various roles, players can build on this foundation so they can continue to grow with their game experience even after certain benchmarks have been passed. In order to start this progress, there are certain champions that are not only strong but also allow players to step back and observe their own gameplay to learn where they are making mistakes and how they can improve.
Cho’Gath: for learning to tank
Cho’Gath is a key champion when it comes to learning tanks. This is because he is fairly hard to kill and can dish out a lot of damage as well as help secure objectives like Baron Nashor and dragons. The reason players should practice Cho’Gath is because, by playing him, you can much more easily learn the basics of map awareness and team fighting.
Players can take Teleport on Cho’Gath which allows them to be a part of fights across the map. This forces the player to look at the minimap in order to look for plays in places other than his own lane. By practicing important teleport opportunities, players can learn what fights are worth trying to win and which ones are not. With Cho’Gath in particular, he can survive these difficult fights and can help his team win even the most grizzly of skirmishes, especially if it is around prioritized objectives.
He also teaches teamfighting tactics because, since he is so tanky, players can step back a bit and look at how good and bad teamfights play out and use that knowledge to improve fights in future matches.
Kalista: for learning to CS
One of the most important aspects of playing League of Legends is to kill minions, which is often referred to as farming or CSing (creep score). This requires players to last-hit them (deliver the killing blow) in order to gain gold. The faster a player earns more gold than their opponents, the bigger advantage they will have since they can buy more items to hit a quicker power spike.
However, CSing can be rather difficult, so it is important to find a champion that can efficiently farm and stay safe while doing it. Practicing Kalista is an ideal opportunity for players looking to improve in this field. This is because she can last-hit targets easier with her E ability, Rend, which can help her snowball into the later stages of the game.
To practice farming with Kalista, players need to try and last hit the minions as best they can with auto attacks and, if players know they are going to miss it, can still easily secure the CS by using Rend. By practicing this in a normal match, players can get a feel for how much damage a champion can do to a minion at different stages of a game and how much damage a tower can do to a minion. Knowing all of this is key to improving gameplay, and by practicing Kalista, it can be made a bit easier to learn.
Ekko: for learning to make picks
When it comes to making solo picks and risky plays, there are many champions that can easily dive in and kill off a squishy enemy for their team. However, this can be difficult for some characters. Champions like Zed and Diana are great at making solo picks, but they can be a bit difficult to pick up since they don’t have an easy way out of these risky situations.
Ekko, however, is ideal for new players trying to learn this strategy. This champion can easily dive under an enemy turret or find an opponent separated from their team, moving in to make a quick play and pick up an easy kill.
What makes Ekko different from other assassins is that his ultimate ability, Chronobreak, allows him to move himself back to the spot he was at four seconds ago as well as heal him for the health he took in those four seconds. This easy-out allows players to practice making risky plays and, if things go sour, can still make it out of it alive.
Fiora: for learning to duel
A key part of any strategy for winning games is to win at dueling opponents one-on-one. However, most fights are not like this, oftentimes, even if it starts out as a one-on-one, can easily turn into a two-on-one, leaving players outnumbered. However, there are ways to make it out of these fights alive, and even potentially on top.
Fiora is an ideal champion to practice this with because she excels at dueling. This is because she has multiple dashes and can heal with her ultimate as well as with her typical items or runes. While all champions may not have this luxury, Fiora is a good starting point because it allows players to get a feel for fighting one-on-one or two-on-one. Once the basics are understood it is much easier to take more high-risk champions into ranked matches.
Janna: for learning to support
While many players do not enjoy playing supporting roles, it is a key aspect of the game. Playing support can give players a lot of introspection as to how the game works as a whole. By assisting in fights instead of worrying about making plays or farming, players can learn many important aspects of the game such as marking flash times or knowing how to form waves.
It may be the job of an ADC to get CS, but if the ADC dies or is out of lane, supports need to know how to manipulate a wave in order for their carry to get the most amount of CS instead of losing it all to a tower. This is probably one of the more difficult aspects of the game, but learning it is a major aspect when playing any role.
Learning flash timers is also a key part of the game, understanding when the enemy team has their flash up allows for players to know when it is appropriate to make fights or when they can afford to overextend and make risky plays. Knowing that the cooldown of flash is five minutes and when it will be up again can make a big difference in team fights and, if properly understood, can assist in winning the game for your team.
