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Beginners Guide to League of Legends

Beginners Guide to League of Legends

Updated on January 17, 2014
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League of Legends Build Guide Author TinyStar Build Guide By TinyStar 35 2 368,626 Views 32 Comments
35 2 368,626 Views 32 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author TinyStar Build Guide By TinyStar Updated on January 17, 2014
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Introduction


***NOTE; I'M IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING MORE SECTIONS***
Hello! My name is TinyStar aka Laci. If you're reading this it's probably because you're new or struggling. I hope this guide helps you. I'm not sure if there are other guides on here like this,but regardless of that I hope this helps you on your quest in League Of Legends. If you have any questions or concerns please leave a comment below. I hope this guide makes you learn a thing or two. If you like to add me on League please leave your IGN in the comment box. Thank you for reading.


with much love,

Laci <3
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Learning About Champions



League has tons of champions to choose from and at times it can be overwhelming to a new player. Just take a deep breath. It's okay,you're not going to know how each champion works just yet. Good news is each champion is labeled i.e.; Melee,carry,support,assassin,pusher. Read down below to learn what each of these mean.Keep in mind,each champions can be more than one. Note there is a glossary at the end of this guide for acronyms.








Assassin:
A champion who specializes in killing one champion as fast as possible. On mobafire it is quoted that these champions go after the the enemy's AD/AP Carry or any other "squishy" champion. These champions are usually strong and can be tough to kill if they are fed. An example of champions who are a assassin are Ahri, Akali, Fizz, Katarina, and LeBlanc.







Carry:
A carry is champion who is weak in the begging,but can become really strong towards the end. I personally play as a carry. A carry is suppose to 'carry' you to victory. These champions are usually high team DPS with a high amount of maneuverability / escaping ability, making it easier to get very positive kill/death ratios. You have to make sure you build your carry right for him/her to be strong just like you would any other champion. Examples of a carry are Ashe, Miss Fortune, Varus,and Vayne.







Fighter:
Champions that blend the attributes of a damager and tank, combining moderate to heavy survivability with the damage of an assassin or carry. These Just like any other champion they can get really strong if fed a lot. An example of a fighter are; Jax, Jayce, Nunu & Willump,and Wukong.







Jungler:
A jungler is someone who goes around in the jungle killing the monsters. Junglers can help out other fellow team mates such as ganking or is simple terms making it unfair fight. Like 1v2 is an example of ganking and what a jungler can do. Usually you have a jungler for 5v5 only.Example of a jungler champions are; Diana, Elise, Volibear,and Warwick.







Mage:
Champions with powerful magic damage skills or support skills but low defense. Some are meant to deal a high amount of damage in a short period of time(burst casters/burst mages) while others usually deal damage over time. Like carry champions, they can bring their team to victory due to their ability power, but tend to fall off in the very late game. Example of Mage Champions are: Annie, Lux, Rumble,and Swain.







Pusher:
Champions that can quickly kill minion waves and/or destroy turrets/inhibitors in a short amount of time. Typically, champions that destroy turrets/inhibitors have pets and/or AoE abilities and/or a high amount of attack speed. Example of a Pusher Champions are: Alistar, Nidalee, Viktor,and Ziggs.







Ranged:
Champions whose basic attack can cause damage at a distance, allowing them to avoid many harmful risks and increasing their flee capability. Examples of Ranged Champions are: Brand, Corki, Draven,and Lulu.







Recommended:
Champions whose skills don't involve any complicated mechanics and playing them effectively does not require extensive knowledge of the other champions.Examples of Recommended Champions: Ashe. Garen, Katarina,and Taric







Support:
Champions whose skills are meant to directly aid the rest of the team. They can either babysit a champion to make laning easier for them by providing healing, buffing allies, applying debuffs to the enemy team, or a combination of the above. The most common ability for a support champion is providing an ally with a shield of some kind. One of the main goals of a support is to let their lane partner farm minions for gold, as supports can buy key gold+ items to get gold for themselves, as well as controlling the map with wards, warding all key areas of the map. These champions usually rely on their skills more than their auto-attack. Example of Support Champions: Nami, Soraka, Teemo,and Zilean.







Stealth:
Champions that possess at least one ability that allows them to become invisible to enemies (other than when near turrets, vision wards, and enemy champions that have consumed an Oracle's Elixir). This attribute is mainly for assassin champions. Example of Stealth Champions are: Rengar, Shaco, Twitch,and Vayne.
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Champion Roles



Now that we've learned what category each champion falls under next you have to learned where each champion goes and what they do on the battle field. Down below is a map of Summoner's Rift. The red arrows are to show you the lanes and of course the black text shows you what lane it is,lastly the blue and purple lines shows where each teams jungler will go. So who is suppose to go where? This is actually really simple.







Bottom Lane:
Usually,an AD carry goes bottom lane with his or her support.

Middle Lane:
One AP Carry goes to middle lane.

Top Lane:
Assassin or Melee goes at the top of the lane.

Jungle:
Your jungler is going to all over the jungle. Those blue and purple lines mean where your jungler is going to travel and the purple teams jungler is gonna travel. Sometimes your jungler and the enemy jungler are gonna duke it out in the jungle.

Not everyone follows these 'rules',so always be best prepared if you have the enemy switches it up. Please note the colors on the map represent the team colors.
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Choosing your champion



Choosing your champion can be a tricky process. It's always good to test out each type of champion so you can feel what fits best. Not everyone is going to be able to play every champion perfectly,so don't feel discouraged if you can't play a type of role.
Okay like I said before everyone is going to have a role. Just make sure you have at least: an AD carry,AP carry,and a support. Which leaves you to decide what champion(s) you want at the top or if you want a jungler.

These are champions I recommend for people starting out:

Annie is usually used for the middle lanes. She easy to use and quite strong. She is fun to play, and I think anyone trying out middle lane would have easy time while using her. I recommend this build for her.


Ashe an ADC. She is consider the "noob champion" for starters because of the tutorial. I personally started out with her, and I love her. She is easy to use for any ADC newbie. This guide by Jhoi is perfect if you want test her out!


Garen is a great choice for people who want to try top or are completely new. Garen is a strong melee,who quiet frankly gets on my nerves(lol). Perfect for a starter. For Garen newbies, this guide is perfect.


Katarina is MY personal favorite mid. She is fun to play, and you can dominate the lane with her easily. This is the guide I use for her, it works really well.


Nunu is a fun jungler for starters. This is the guide I use for him.


Ryze is an AP carry for midlane. He's is really easy to play and a lot of people play him rank. Need a guide? Here you go!



Now after your team has chosen champions it's time to start out with your items and start building for whatever champion you choose,you may notice or ask yourself. Am I flowing? What I mean by this,do you have to think hard about your next ability you're going to use? I use to play Ashe and I didn't 'flow' with her. I had to always think about what ability I was going to use. I wasn't bad,but I wasn't good. I than switched to Miss Fortune and everything came naturally. You should never really think hard about your next move,you should just flow. I can't explain this,but you will know if you are flowing from ability to ability.
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Teamwork/Sportmanship



As you're going through your game you're going to have to talk to your team. Sometimes when you're losing you may get angry or annoyed. That is perfectly okay,but you do NOT have the right to yell or cuss at your teammate(s). It's verbal abuse and if you're being verbally abused during a game you should report them! League should be fun. In addition to that,if you see a teammate struggling just ask them what you could do to help them. You have to work as a team,so if you're losing its because ALL of you aren't working together.

This brings me to my next point,when the game is over you will be directed to a status screen where you all can talk and see what person was building,how much gold they had,and how many kills/death/assist. As a good player should,say GG(Good Game). A little kindness is good. Also chat with your enemy team. You never know you just might become friends.
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The Basics



Now that we have all that out of the way. We can now get down to important things. These next few chapters will explain summoner spells,runes,masteries,turrets,the inhibitors,and the nexus. I will explain these the best way I can.



This section will talk about summoner spells. You have two summoner spells. Depending on what champion you choose will dictate what summoners spells will be best.Each of them have a cool down time and you have to be a certain level to get these spells.

: Shields your champion for 95+ for two seconds (Level One)

: Reveals an area of the map for five seconds (Level Ten)

:Restores 40% of mana (Level six)

: Removes all disables and summoner spells debuffs affecting your champion and lowers the duration of incoming disables by 65% for three seconds (Level Two)

: Exhaust targets enemy champion,reducing their moment speed and damage dealt by 30% for 2.5 seconds and reducing their attack speed by 50% for the duartion (Level Twelve)

: Teleports your champion to target nearby location under your mouse cursor. (Level Twelve)

: Your champion passes through any unit and moves 27% faster for 10 seconds(Level One)

: This your champions health by 75+(Level One)

:Targets a champion dealing 50+ true damage. Ignite will also reduce healing and regeneration by 50%(Level Seven)

: You can revive you champion after death. This will take you back to your summoner platform and grants 125% movement speed for twelve seconds (Level One)

: Deals 460+ true damage to target enemy minion or pet. (Level One)











There are four maps in league.Summoner's Rift,Twisted TreeLine, Howling Abyss,and Crystal Scar.

Summoner's Rift:



Summoner's Rift is the map for five on five(5v5). Summoner's rift is a large field. On this map each team has 11 turrets. There are three turrets in each lane and the last two protect the nexus. In the base there are three inhibitors. Lastly,is the nexus. You start out with 475 pieces of gold.



Twisted Treeline:



This is a two lane field. There is no middle lane. You can only have three players per team.You start off with 875 pieces of gold. In each lane are two turrets,one inhibitor,and one turret protecting the one nexus. These games are usually shorter than the ones in Summoner's Rift,so your items are going to be a little different on this map. In the 'jungle' there are two altars. Altars give you power along with the monsters in there. When you step on an altar you can be seen so be ready to fight. You can lock both altars which will give you a nice advantage.


Howling Abyss:



Howling Abyss is a map with just one lane. It has replaced Proving Grounds. This setting is placed in Freljord. It's covered in snow and has poros. You can use this mad for a 1v1 game or All Random All Mid other wise known as ARAM. If you'd like to know what ARAM please look down below in the Normal and Ranked section.

Crystal Scar:



Unlike other maps, the Crystal Scar features a new capture-and-hold style gameplay to the League of Legends experience. This new gameplay style is called Dominion. Here two teams of five players battle it out over control of five capture points in an effort to destroy the opposing team’s Nexus. Gameplay is designed to be fluid, with both teams constantly seizing the advantage from one another.














Learning about turrets, inhibitors,and the Nexus

Turrets:
These are large formations of rocks. These are very strong and each time they hit a minion or champion their attacks get stronger. It will not stop attacking until it's target is killed. It's best to stand behind you minions so you can attack it.



Inhibitors:
Inhibitor's are diamond shaped buildings. Once you destroy one of these your nexus will start spawning super minions. Super minions are stronger than your regular minions. FYI:the Inhibitor will come back up so it's best if your team acts fast.



Nexus:
If you've have at least played one game you will now know the Nexus is are target.The Nexus has 5500 HP and 25 HP regeneration per 5 seconds. The nexus has no defense after the protective turret is gone. Once you have destroyed this you have won the game.









Farming is to kill minions and get gold. It's important to farm because not only will you get to buy items with the gold you've earned,it'll help you level up and become stronger. It's so important to farm in the beginning of the game. I've seen a difference when I do and do not farm. Always farm when you get a chance. Here's a good tip, make sure to last hit on your minions. I know,you're probably like "Huh?" Well, last hitting is when you farm and you hit the minion on
the last bit of health; therefore you receive the gold and XP points. This is very important and if you practice this now, it'll be a habit and you'll do fine.







Runes help your champion be stronger in the start of the game. This can help a lot. You purchase runes with IP points or Riot points. There are different types of runes. Down below is a list of runes. I would advise you not to get runes until you're a level 30. The amount of IP you're gonna spend on them before a level 20 is not worth it.

Mark: offensive runes,
Seal: defensive runes,
Glyph: magical runes,
Quintessence: utility runes.

Each rune has tier. There are three levels of tiers. Tier one,two,and three. Here is what each tier means:

-Tier 1 or "Lesser" runes are dark and faded with visible scratches and chips except for Quintessences, which are simply purple.

-Tier 2 don't have prefixes, they are slightly brighter and are not tattered; Quintessences now have gold faces and purple backgrounds. You can buy them starting at level 10.

-Tier 3 or "Greater" runes are brightly lit; Quintessences are completely covered in gold. You can buy them starting at level 20.










A Mastery is an area that a summoner is able to focus their intense magical training into, categorized into three specific categories, which are collectively known as masteries. There are three trees of masteries. Offense,Defense,and Utility. Each level you become will earn ONE mastery point. When you reach level 30 you will have thirty mastery points.









There are four honorables in League. There is no set limit to honorables so don't expect to get a ribbon by an certain amount of honorables.

Honorable Opponent:
An honorable opponent is someone who is fun to play against,and sometimes hard. They are always nice during the game and nice at the end.

Teamwork:
This a common sense one. When your teammates feel as though you've played helped your team they will give you a teamwork honorable.

Helpful:
Sometimes you may know a few tips that your fellow teammates do not know. When you give advice your teammates most likely will give you a helpful honorable.

Friendly:
This one is my favorite. I'm always harping on players about being nice and friendly. When you're nice to your team,you just might get an honorable two from your team.
You shouldn't do all these four things just for ribbons. It should come from your heart.








In your home screen you will notice a little yellow button with a chest and gold on it. This is the store so you can buy champions,runes,skins,and ward skins.










Becoming ranked:
A lot of you want to be a level 30 so you can be part of ranked games. While I admire this in all of you I'm going to bare you with honest truth. Ranked can be down right dirty. These players are like the seniors in high school. You gotta know what you're doing. So I suggest you play with people you know because ranked players can be harsh. If you feel like your team is good enough you can register your team[ranked] to try and play in championships to win money and to get well known.


Normal:
Normal games are where anyone can play. Sometimes you will play against ranked players in normal games,so be prepared to to this everyonce in a while.


ARAM
All Random All Mid is a recently added game mode. It's played on the Howling Abyss map. ARAM is wonderful for people who want to work better on playing in team fights or forcing yourself to use different champions. The main reason for ARAM is to have fun. It's not suppose to be a serious as normal or rank. So, if anyone is getting on your case about not playing well in ARAM you send them to me. Lol just kidding,but do tell them to chill.











Just like Earth,the seasons change in League. What I mean by this is that after the big championship we start are new season. We get some new items and some items might be taken off certain maps. This is my first season change,so don't quote me 100% on this but they change the maps visual looks.
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Abilities





Each champion in League has 1 passive and 4 abilities. Sometimes more than four if their ult lets the champion change form. For example Elise and Nidalee.

Each ability is unique for each champion. Each ability has a use and purpose, understanding what each on does is key to controlling your lane. You may not understand what a snare is or does, or may not know what a knock up is. That is okay, below is a list of crowd control abilities.











You’re thinking, what the HECK is crowd control?!?! Crowd control, known as CC for short, is a set of debuffs, such as silence, blind, slow, stun, snare, etc. that limit movement or prevent a certain ability or autoattack from being used. CC is very useful and can turn your game around. This is why it’s important to understand each one. I will list each one below and give example(s) of champions that have one or more of these CC’s.





A champion that can blind another champion with their ability/attack means that the champion cannot hit its target with attacks.
Example: The infamous Teemo’s Blinding Dart can blind a champion for two or three seconds











Basically, your champion walks around not able to hit anyone. They walk around in random directions for a few seconds.
Example: Fiddlesticks ‘s Terrify is a perfect example of getting ‘feared’.











This is pretty simple. Usually tanks have this ability to where they can knock you up in the air.
You can’t move or hit, but you are able to take damage.
Example: When Jarvan IV uses Demacian Standard,throws down the flag, if his Dragon Strike comes in contact with Demacian Standard then he will be dragged to the flag knocking anyone up in the air in his path.











Very simple. An ability that doesn’t allow your champion to attack with abilities.
Examples: Soraka’s Infuse is a perfect example of silencing someone. Lulu’s Whimsy that turns a champion into an animal for a few seconds.











This is a given. An ability that slows an enemy champion.
Example: Ashe’s Frost Shot slows enemies.











Snares bind any enemy to the ground. They cannot move, but can still attack.
Example: Morgana’s Dark Binding is the longest snare (3 seconds) in the game. Perfect for ganking or stopping an enemy from running away.











Stunning is just simply…well stunning. The champion cannot move or attack.
Example: Ashe’s Enchanted Crystal Arrow can stun people up to 3.5 seconds.











Suppressions are sort of like stuns. The champion cannot move or cast spells to defend him or herself.
Example: Malzahar's Nether Grasp doesn’t allow you to move at all. You just stand there and take damage.











Abilities allow you to interact with your enemy.
Example: Ahri’s Charm blows a kiss towards an enemy and they wonder to her. It’s almost like a suppress because for one second they really can’t move.
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Ping System



Okay, lets talk about the ping system. Instead of typing; “MIA. OMW,I need help bro, and watch out, Riot has created a new system to where you can bind these keys to any key on the keyboard, or you can bring it up my holding down the two pings on the map. In my opinion, it would be better to select “hot keys”* so you can alert your team mates better. Also, when choosing keys, keep in mind that you can reach them without looking down at your keyboard, I know for me I have to keep them close to my D(Flash) and F(Ignite) because my hands are tiny and keep reach across the keyboard. If you prefer to type it out, that’s fine but a lot of players have already adapted to this system already, and may not pay attention to the chat log. I have provided a picture down below so you can see what it looks like and what each symbol represents. When these are casted, they will make a noise to alert you.








*Hot keys are like how your spells are set up. Example: Q,W,E,R,D,F
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Tips and Tricks


Here are some tips that might be useful in your games.
-Always be on the look out for your enemey
-Make sure your minions are infront of you when going up to the turrets.
-Check the bushes for possible enemys.
-Don't be scared to wonder from your turret
-Always stay positive
- For players who play on laptops try investing in a wireless mouse. This makes a difference.
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Glossary



*Note I did not write a single word of this I copied and pasted from a from a site this will be helpful for you in games*

Glossary
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Guide Changes


*Two Subsections added (Farming and Season Changing) on December 28,2012 at 10:34PM

*New Chapter Added (Guide Changes) on December 28,2012 at 10:35PM

* Chapter added(Ping System) on April 14, 2013 at 4:38pm

* Added in more details in Farming,Runes, and Champion Slection on April 15,2013 at 8:30pm

* ARAM and Howling Abyss added at 9:04pm on May 2nd,2013.

* Pictures of Maps added in the 'The Basics' section at 3:23am on July 30th, 2013

* Chapter 'Abilities' added at 1:51am on August 4th, 2013

*] Updated all guide graphics for season four on Jan. 17th at 10:17am
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Ending Note


I hope you enjoyed this guide. I know there is more to be added. I can't always update right away,but when I do update it,it'll be large of amount of info.

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