Map Pressure

What is it?
Map pressure is being able to control the map in a manner which allows your allies to control the map whilst hindering the enemy from doing the same. This guide is based primarily for the support role however has useful information for all roles. I personally believe warding and roaming are the two main aspects of pressuring a map and when done effectively can enable your team to achieve victory.

Warding

Establishing Map Pressure
An important part of pressuring the map as a support regardless of champion is to establish vision control. By utilising yellow trinkets and pink wards in the early game as well as red trinkets when you have purchased a sight-stone you can effectively gain a visual information advantage over your opponent by placing and removing enemy wards. Having a visual information advantage can enable your team to make plays and secure objectives whether you are ahead or behind as the risk of counter-play is reduced.

Objectives
Keep note of neutral monster objective times (rift, dragon and baron) and make sure you have vision over them when there is even a slight possibility that the opponent may attempt to take it. When attempting to take these objectives it is recommended that you have adequate wards and pink wards to reduce the chance of the opposing team from stealing it. This is also particularly important when contesting towers as you can be alerted if opponents attempt to flank you. So if you are planning to team fight or contest towers and other objectives it is best to have an inventory full of wards so you can actively gain vision.

Early Game
You should ward for your lane to prevent the enemy jungler and laners from ganking you. You should also establish bush pressure if your opponent is using it to get free harass off. During laning phase if your team mate is getting camped, you can ask the jungler or the laner to ward with trinkets or pink wards. You can also proactively seek to help them by warding for them.

Mid & Late Game
During team fights you can use wards to ward over the wall and in bushes if opponents attempt to use it to gain an advantage or try to run away. Thus visual information is extremely important in all aspects of the game but even more so in the late game where one mistake can potentially make or break the game. I recommend leaving a slot for pink wards even when you are full build unless the enemy team is trapped at their nexus.

Roaming

Establishing Map Pressure
Roaming is the act of traversing the map to gain vision, assist the team with objectives or to gank an opposing lane, this is usually done in the early game. As a support you can gain map control by asserting kill pressure and ward dominance on not only your lane but the whole map which can be done by roaming effectively. This is more effective on champions with a form of CC however can be done with all supports. Roaming early can take your opponent by surprise especially if you work in cohesion with your jungler.

When to roam?

Wave is frozen near or under tower
You have killed your opponents and your adc is resetting the wave
Your adc is going back soon and the minions are pushing towards your tower
Your adc is capable of 1v2ing
You have lost lane so hard that you can no longer stay in it

Early Game
Purchasing mobility boots early in to the game can exponentially increase your chances of a successful roam as it allows you to arrive and gank faster while ensuring you return to lane faster. Paired with a sight-stone and red trinket you can also assert more map pressure by warding as you roam the map allowing your team to make plays as they will be aware of the enemies whereabouts. Roaming once can have a psychological impact on the enemy team, whenever the opponent loses vision of you they are forced to be extra wary. You can get creative with your roams depending on your champion such as ganking from behind their tower with Alistar or flashing over chickens into midlane.

Conclusion

Improving your warding and roaming can enable your team gain a lead and successfully close out games which will exponentially increase your win percentage. Dominating the map by effectively warding and roaming has allowed me to reach Diamond 3 as a support main and can enable you to do the same (: