This section is work in progress. It is subject to change at any time.

Table of Contents
1. Minion Troops and Waves

League of Legends is ultimately about destroying the enemy Nexus. There are many ways of doing so, and some requirements (such as destroying the two Nexus Towers and at least one Inhibitor in order to do it). This flexibility and broad definition of what it takes to technically win the game has given space to the birth of many different kinds of strategies, builds, synergies and alike. However, one thing is always valid: no matter what build you choose, you're going to need items. Sometimes to achieve something specific to your strategy, sometimes to counter some enemy strength (e.g. buying Quicksilver Sash to counter enemy crowd control), to counter an enemy's item or even to make your allies stronger and more durable in a fight. In any of the previous cases, you will need gold. Thus, understanding the ways to acquire it, singularly and in comparison, is fundamental to making yourself into a better player.

Below I will try my best to describe the methods through which one can acquire gold, the effectiveness of these methods and general pros and cons of each one.

Minions (also called Minion Troops) are spawned by the Nexus in three groups, each heading to one of Summoner's Rift's lanes (top, mid and bottom). These groups are then called Minion Waves. There are different kinds of Minion Waves, that differ in relation to the units they are composed by.

1.1. Wave Types

Below are described the three kinds of Minion Groups (or Minion Waves) you may encounter while playing League of Legends (assuming you're playing in Summoner's Rift).

1.1.1. Basic Wave

What I will refer to in this guide as the Basic Wave is the elementary building block for other kinds of minion waves. It comprises of three Melee Minions and three Caster Minions. Bear in mind that Melee Minions reward you 21 gold and Caster Minions reward you 14 gold. It becomes visible, thus, that if you have to choose between getting the last hit on a Melee Minion and getting a Caster Minion, the most beneficial action course will certainly be the former.

1.1.2. Cannon Wave

A Cannon Wave is just like the Basic Wave, except it has a special minion as an additional troop. This special kind of Minion Troop is named Siege Minion; the community, however, seems to use the term Cannon Minion much more often, so that's the one I'll go with. The Cannon Minion is stronger than both of the previously presented minions; in terms of damage, range and durability. Not only that, a Cannon Minion rewards a varying amount of gold, that spams around the 60 gold mark and can go up to 90 gold at 25 minutes in a match. That is from 2.8x up to 4.2x the amount of gold of a Melee Minion and 4.2x up to 6.4x the amount of gold of a Caster Minion! Being an extremely valuable minion, I recommend you put a bit more effort into last-hitting this one. Note as well that Cannon Waves spawn with less frequency than Basic Waves. They start by spawning every three waves (with this I mean every third wave will be a Cannon Wave), increasing this frequency until they spawn every single wave from 25 minutes onwards.

1.1.3. Super Minion Wave

When you destroy an enemy inhibitor, Super Minions are going to start spawning in the same lane on which the enemy inhibitor is missing, until it respawns. Cannon Minions do not spawn alongside Super Minions. These minions are super tanky relative to other minions (even Cannon Minions), and cause much more damage. They are going to spawn every single wave until the inhibitor is back at full. Those minions are base demolishers; if left unhandled they will cause significant damage to enemy structures (and if the enemy team is even more careless, allowing two Super Minion Waves coming from two different lanes to gather around their base freely, they might destroy the Nexus and win the game by themselves — I've seen it happen... multiple times). They are basically worth the same gold a Cannon Minion is (that is, from 60 gold up to 90 gold). Sometimes it's smart not to destroy an enemy inhibitor even if you have the chance, just to deny the enemy team the enormous amount of free gold this minion would deliver them. Keep in mind that only one of them spawns every wave, but if you destroy all three enemy Inhibitors together, two of them are going to spawn every wave. This, combined with the Baron Buff, can lead to an unstoppable base strike.

1.2. Wave Values

Ok. With all that information regarding minions and waves provided, it's time for some important numbers and values. Stretch your brains, and take notes if you need. Throat clear...

• A Basic Wave grants 21x3 + 14x3 = 63 + 42 = 105 gold.
• A Cannon Wave can grant from 105 + 60 = 165 gold up to 105 + 90 = 195 gold.
• That by itself means that three Basic Waves are worth 3x105 = 315 gold. That is more than a champion kill at neutral, as we shall see further in this guide.
• Three Cannon Waves, by themselves, can grant from 3x165 = 495 gold up to 3x195 = 585 gold.
• Super Minion Waves grant the same amount of gold Cannon Waves do, except if all the inhibitors are destroyed, in which case two of them spawn in a single wave, thus meaning one wave of double Super Minions can grant from 105 + 2x60 = 105 + 120 = 225 gold up to 105 + 2x90 = 105 + 180 = 285 gold.
• Three waves of double Super Minions can grant from 225x3 = 675 gold up to 285x3 = 855 gold.

Now for some specific cases:

• The first three minion waves in the game, together, will grant you 3x105 + 60 = 315 + 60 = 375 gold.
• So will the next three waves. If you successfully get the last hit on all the minions (very hard to do without a lot of practice, even with champions with which it is easier to last hit minions, such as Zed) you will get 2x375 = 750 gold. We are still in the sixth wave. This is much before you or the enemy champion hit the sixth level.
• With yet another packet of three waves fully gathered, you now have 750 + 105 = 900 gold. Without killing anyone. At the ninth wave.

If it hasn't clicked yet with the previous list, I'm saying that at the ninth wave, without killing anyone, you are able to buy any one of these:

• Aether Wisp
• Blasting Wand
• full Boots of Swiftness
• Bramble Vest
• Chain Vest
• Executioner's Calling
• Fiendish Codex
• Forbidden Idol
• Giant's Belt
• Glacial Buckler
• and the list goes on and on...

And with just two more waves fully gathered, you would be able to buy any one of these:

• Serrated Dirk
• Caulfield's Warhammer
• Hearthbound Axe
• Hextech Alternator
• Ironspike Whip
• Phage
• literally any full boot (e.g. Berserker's Greaves, Sorcerer's Shoes and Plated Steelcaps)
• and the list goes on and on...