Welcome!

Sp4c31nv4d3r here with yet another guide. This time, for my favorite map/game mode, TWISTED TREELINE! I find that this is an extremely fun mode of play, but a bit more complex that people think. In this guide, I will help you through the mess of picking a team that will work for you and your teams type of play.

Enjoy!

As usual with my builds, I will update them as necessary and as the community asks for changes. I am very open to ideas on concepts in this mode, so if you have an idea, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

CHANGE LOG/LIST

• 13-5-2013: Guide text started. Hopefully I can do work on it as the summer goes on. :D
• 14-5-2013: Main text body and team compositions completed. Maybe a bit more on other stuff as well.
• 16-5-2013: Beginning work on a list of workable teams as well as my own tier list of champions.
• 19-5-2013: Model teams and my own tier list added. Read the notes in those sections before commenting please.
• 21-5-2013: Section titles renamed for Blind Pick Teams. Updated my tier list. (Thanks to Aseafy and TehAsian for the comments.) I have also begun working on the following:
  1) Create section on counter-picking for Draft and Ranked
  2) Gank/Lane swap section
• 29-5-2013: Added Draft/Ranked pick helper and simple list of champion counters.

If you are new to the Twisted Treeline map, then I suggest that you read and digest Aseafy's TT guide that gives the lay of the land for this map as well as some of the basic things that you need to know. Check it out HERE!

Alrighty then. Now that you have either completed reading Aseafy's guide, read it previously, or already know your way around the Twisted Treeline, Let's get the knowledge part started. This is what I will be covering in this guide (additional information will be added upon the request of the community or my ability to focus on more than one thing for more than an hour):

• Basic Team Ideas
• Team Compositions: Ranked and Non-Ranked Play
• Picks and Bans
• Team Strategies
• Champion Roles
• Champion Tier List/Ratings (Obtained from outside sources, I will comment)
• Match Reflection
• More if Needed (What I see fit/feel like adding/community requested)

As many people know, the Bruiser Composition is a strong grouping of champions for this map, but it is not the only one. I have found that there are many others that work well throughout my games on this map.

Good team compositions are:

• The Bruiser/Tanky DPS
• Disrupt and Engage
• Mobility and Kite
• Burst (AD and AP champions)

Each of these teams have strengths and weaknesses that you must take into consideration when playing in TT ( aka Twisted Treeline since I am too lazy to type it out everytime). Let's start by breaking each of these types down.

The Bruiser/Tanky DPS Comp

This is the standard team that most people end up running. It works great in non-ranked play since you can get Garen, Udyr, Darius and other strong tank champions without the worry of picks and bans. When you are playing this composition, you have to remember that you are a dominant champion with a good, if not great, chance to survive attacks and ganks ant most points in the game. You will have control of your lane and you opposing lane champion if you do this correctly.

Possible Champions:

• Garen
• Darius
• Udyr
• Olaf
• Riven
• Jax

Things to Consider:
Positives:

• Large health bank with the ability to be strong in lane and out
• Able to apply heavy damage to targeted objectives on the map
• Good map and enemy control

Negatives:

• Sometimes forces team fights/dives
• Weak to percent health damage (e.g. Elise and champions of that nature)
• May take time to build if not up early game

Overall Team Rating: 8.5/10

Though I know that this is a team composition that works, the chance that you will be able to get it to work, especially in ranked play, is lower that the rest. Most people will ban out champions of this nature for just these reasons. With a strong team come strong management.

Disrupt and Engage Comp

This is a team comp that I have found to work very well in many situations. It has the ability to not just lock down one enemy champion, but the whole team. This team focuses on the use of CC to keep not just enemy champions at bay, but as well as a use to capture objectives and prevent enemy advance. When playing this composition, be sure to be weary or champions with abilities that allow them to escape such as Elise, Fizz, Jarvan IV, Kha'Zix, and others. Be sure to communicate well with this type of team (though you should be anyways) since you will need it a lot with compounding abilities and ultimates.

Possible Champions:

• Shen
• Amumu
• Hecarim
• Kennen (I like him here for some reason. Still not sure why)
• Malphite
• Nunu & Willump
• Rammus
• Rumble

Things to Consider:
Positives:

• Strong CC to control opponents in and out of team fights
• Decent sustain in lane
• Able to focus single enemy or whole enemy team easily

Negatives:

• Requires EXTREME teamwork. Best if you are in Skype/Vent/Team Speak
• Requires time to build up to a good damaging state
• Channel time and single target CC can be bad if wrong target is hit by ability/abilities

Overall Rating: 8/10

The main thing that hold this team back is team work and timing. This is something that should not be tried the first time you play with a group but after you have played with the same individuals/group for an extended period of time. The more you know how people react and play, the better of you will be with this style (and in general).

Mobility & Kite Team

This is one of the more fun team types to play just because you can really anger your opponents when they are chasing a Hecarim or Singed around the map for an extended period of time. This tactic also allows for one member of your team to pull an enemy team into a bad position if they are just running and gunning. This will give you that advantage when engaging and disengaging in rapid succession as a team or individually. One thing though, be sure you know where YOU are running to as well and not just randomly over the map like a shroom cravy Teemo.

Possible Champions:

• Singed
• Hecarim
• Cho'Gath (Yes, I think that he works well here)
• Going where he pleases Dr. Mundo
• Evelynn
• Shaco
• Zac
• Nautilus

Things to Consider:
Positives:

• Easy to bring enemy teams into bad (or worse) positioning then when engaged
• Still has decent CC to control enemy champions
• Successful in lane as well as in jungle

Negatives:

• Team positioning is going to be key. Practice it often
• This team comp may keep your enemies from coming out very far in fear of you
• Possibly the squishiest of the teams.
  
  Overall Rating: 7.5/10
  
  Just because of the non-tankiness of this team in general (not always though) I have to give it a lower rating than the others. Not to say that this is not a strong way to play because it is, but survivability is a bit more of an issue when a enemy heavy hitter (e.g. Darius for example) can go 1-2-3 on your team.

The Burst Team

This is one of the most fun ways to play TT. The damage that can be output on a small map against less champions is much more effective. This opens the door for not just AD burst style champions, but AP burst casters and mages as well. You are going to need at least on tankier member on your team though to be more successful in the end.

Possible Champions:

• Xin Zhao
• Wukong
• Zed
• Elise
• Annie
• Syndra
• Fizz
• Talon (Even though he is still a debatable choice for me on this map)

Things to Consider:
Positives:

• Quick damage dealers (obviously)
• Good variety of CC and damage on some champions as well as escapes
• Works well if a player is not comfortable on bruisers or other champion types

Negatives:

• Usually must have the first good engage on a team fight (but not always)
• Squishiness is possible for some of the AP champions (item dependent)
• Lack strong "lock down" mechanisms (again, most not all though)

Overall Rating: 8/10

I still do like this type of play even if I don't get much of the chance to play it now a days. I find it to be greatly effective, especially when you get to the point of each person on your team being able to blow up at least 1+ enemies before dying (multiple doubles and triples incoming). The one thing that does frustrate me with this type of team is the engage. This might because I would play an AP caster in this team which limits my options. Other than that, it is a strong team with a broad potential.

Since TROLLing1999 asked for it, I have come up with a few sample teams for everyone to look at. Now, these are not even close to all of them. TT allows for, in my opinion, a very divers amount of teams to be played. This is just to spark your creativity and game play.

Team: Strong and Steady

• In Lane: Rumble and Darius
• Jungle/Roam: Hecarim

Explanation:
I find this to be a pretty solid team with some good synergizing abilities. Between Apprehend from Darius and Onslaught of Shadows from Hecarim, you can pretty much guarantee a good The Equalizer from Rumble. This team offers a decent amount of CC between the three champions as well as a distribution between AD and AP forcing your opponents to build armor and MR (spending the money there instead of damage if you pull ahead early). Also, both Rumble and Darius have good means of farming during lane phase as well as some poke (more for Rumble).

Rating: 9/10

Team: Lane Control

• In Lane: Wukong and Orianna
• Jungle/Roam: Maokai

Explanation:
This team has a considerable amount of CC for team fights and solo fights. In ganks with Maokai post level 6 for Wukong and Orianna, Twisted Advance plus either Cyclone or Command: Shockwave, you should be able to get the kill every time and possibly the clean up kill on the opposing jungler if they come to the fight late. In 3v3 fights, be sure that Vengeful Maelstrom gets put down right in the middle of the fight or lead it to where the Cyclone and Command: Shockwave will be placed on the advancing or escaping enemy team. This will ensure that if there is a team fight, you will be ready. Just remember, that Orianna is going to need early help in lane especially if she is against a strong bruiser (e.g. Darius or Garen)

Rating: 7.5/10

Team: CC of the Gods

• In Lane: Cho'Gath and Zac
• Jungle/Roam: Rammus

Explanation:
With this team, you are not going to be looking at a large amount of damage being put down in a very short amount of time. This team, however, will be able to grind it out in team fights. As for your CC, you have Rupture and Feral Scream for Cho'Gath as well as all of Zac's abilities except for Unstable Matter. When you do get ganks from Rammus the combo of Powerball to Puncturing Taunt in sequence with the corresponding lanes CC should give you quite an advantage. In team fights, be sure that you control the pace of the fight and be sure to land a well placed Rupture, Soaring Slam, and Lets Bounce. Remember, you are in control of all the crowds in those showdowns. Be sure to use positioning to your advantage and you will succeed.

Rating: 8.5/10

Team: Beware of Wild Bushes

• In Lane: Jax and Nidalee
• Jungle/Roam: Nunu & Willump

Explanation:
Now I wouldn't call this team "assassins" but they do use the placement of bushes to their advantage. The passive from Nidalee teamed with a Javelin Toss plus Leap Strikes from Jax and Ice Blasts of Death or Absolute Zeros of Total Destruction (since they are scary at high AP) can truly put a damper on any roamer based or heavy jungle powered team. Be sure to use cover to your advantage as well as creative gank routes to throw off all of you enemies

Rating: 7.5/10

Team: Support all the Things!

• In Lane: Zed and Zyra
• Support: Alistar

Explanation:
Now I thought that someone like Zyra would be bad in TT until I had a couple of them rip us a new one in some draft pick games (still haven't seen her in ranked play though). Stranglethorns can be used to great effectiveness in this map due to the small areas of engagement as well has her root from Grasping Roots. Couple that with the CC Cow God Alistar with some Pulverizes and Headbutts and you are setting the stage well for Zed to do his assassin thing with Death Mark and his mobility with Living Shadow. This grouping relies heavily on the set up from Zyra and Alistar to allow Zed to do his shadow ninja thing. Get it right and you will be rewarded. Get it wrong and, well, you may end up like the Ninja Grandmaster (and we wouldn't want that would we?).

Rating: 8/10

Now, reading through the above information, the game mode that you are playing within TT will affect your choices of champions. When you look at the ranked and non-ranked games played, many of the preferred champions that many people would pick (mainly bruisers and the occasional AP or support) don't get through to picks. The non-ranked games give players a more open variety of champions that they can play. This is a good way to learn multiple champs on TT but it does not necessarily prepare you for ranked play.

In order to counteract this, I would suggest playing a few non-ranked draft picks. This will get you and you team (if you have one) into the mind set as well as figure out what champions you want to ban (e.g. Darius, Garen, etc.). This also gives you more time to practice as a team because team work equals victory.

Ranked play should be taken seriously otherwise you may find yourself in a large hole that will be hard to climb out of (or easy if you just disband your ranked team). Be sure that you have a Plan A, B, and C when you enter quota. This will be your friend and keep you from having to change your entire plan when you get to pick and bans/champion select.

Picks and bans is a good and secure way to help you along your way to dominance in TT. The main bans that are going to come out are for the bruiser type champions because of their dominance in this type of map. Be sure though that you have plenty of champions that you would like to have banned if the enemy team takes a ban that you were going to take so that you don't have to rush that Teemo pick (which isn't bad if you are afraid of shroom and furry little creatures otherwise not good). Below is a list of some of the champions that I consider HIGH PRIORITY bans:

Darius Singed Nunu & Willump Hecarim Mordekaiser

SPACE Garen Cho'Gath Amumu Diana Xin Zhao

SPACE

Again, these are just a few that I recommend you look at banning. This does not mean that you have to ban them every time in all your games. This is meant to be a base like for your choices (though Darius is usually a safe bet no matter what).

Remember, they are RECOMENDATIONS! I don't want to see a hundred comments about people complaining that they are getting stomped with these bans. I will just shake my head and look the other direction.

When it comes to draft and ranked play, you are going to either provide yourself a way to victory or defeat in your picks and bans. Below, I will try to help you sort out the minor and major thoughts behind a games picks and bans. (Note to readers; when you are playing in a group, this process becomes much easier with people who you know communicating verbally in some way, shape, or form.) I know it is a long section but it can/will help.

Know Your Enemy
Since you are going to be on a movement reliant map, think about this beforehand. Many champions that your enemy/opposing teams will want to play are ones that will take advantage of the small areas of engagement and the ability to engage-disengage very, very quickly. Be sure that you are going to be able to take out this advantage for your enemy/ies while still keeping yourself ahead.

Researching/Checking Your Opponents
In draft and ranked, you have the time, if you would like, to check your opponents champion pool, seeing what they prefer to play in TT. This quick and easy tool can help you eliminate wasteful bans whereas you could have banned a champion that an opponent is good at or uses to great production in a team meta.

Know What is Available
One of the big keys to success is knowing who is a high priority in the made that you are playing. Since we are looking at TT here, looking for champions that have high mobility, vision, good map presence, and CC/lane control are ones that take precedence over most other champion types. Knowing this champion pool can and will greatly increase your success in the game that you are playing as well as the ones down the road (and hopefully higher in the Tiers).

YOUR CHAMPIONS!!!
This is VERY important especially in ranked. You have to be able to be able to play a champion(s) that you know and are extremely comfortable on. Picking the right bans against an enemy team and then picking a champion that you have no idea how to play just because you think that "they are better/counter/look cool in lane" is a great way to undo all the hard work that you have just done to get the right bans against your opponent(s).

Your Teammates Champions
This is just as important as knowing your own. There are two other people on your team and if you cannot relate to them and their play style/champions, then you aren't going to get very far. You need to have a good understanding of how your teammates are going to play. (This is increasingly more important in ranked play than in draft since you are in the competitive tiers in ranked play)

Team Strategy
Though this can be taken as a good thing or a bad thing depending on who you are, it is definitely something to take into consideration as you are going through picks and bans. Usually how we do it, when we play draft for fun or ranked, is make a solid first pick for our team based of the bans that were taken and the first pick of the enemy team (if we are second pick). From here, you will see two, if not all three picks, from the enemy team. From here, you can plan accordingly for the next 60 seconds (give or take). If you had first pick, looks for strong champions still available that well work well again the two already chosen for the opposing team. If you were second pick, be sure that your last champion picked will be able to counter an opposing champion (if need be) and still work well with the team that you have selected.

Set Strategies
If you are going to play with a set strategy in mind such as a high-burst, assassin combination, be sure to ban out the champions that you know are going to give you the hardest time to deal with AS AN OVERALL ASSASSIN CHAMPION POOL. Don't ban just a champion that is a counter to someone you want to play specifically if you can. There are many champions that can fit into a counter pool. Be wary of all of them as well as the bans from you opponent. They may just help you along and ban one of the champions that your team was considering banning. In which case, you now have a free ban to help your team composition a bit more.

Banning for the Sake of Banning
If you really do not have a plan set into place, which is perfectly fine and I know that I do this probably about 60-70% of the time anyway, you can ban champions that are overly strong on the Treeline. From the bans that your opponent is giving too, you should be able to get a feel for what they are trying to accomplish and you can pick around them as well if you see a trend in their bans.

Below is a little list that might help everyone with their picks and bans for their upcoming TT games. These are just a few, not all. I can add more if need be.

Champion

SPACE Hard Counter(s)

SPACE Soft Counter(s)

Cho'Gath

SPACE None

SPACE Percent health attacks/champions Ranged Champions High mobility to dodge knock up and stun

Darius

SPACE Kayle

SPACE Jayce Singed Yorick

Diana

SPACE None

SPACE She is like Kass, shut her down early in lane with ganks for best effect

Evelynn

SPACE None

SPACE Hard CC Vision Some AD burst Champions

Jayce

SPACE None that I can think of (accepting help here)

SPACE None that I can think of (accepting help here)

Kayle

SPACE Riven

SPACE Silence, knock up champions (e.g. Garen & Diana) Slowing abilities/champions

Kha'Zix

SPACE None

SPACE Not letting him snowball Tankier champions Root, knock back champions to keep out of range & resets (not always effective)

Nidalee

SPACE Kassadin

SPACE Vi Burst (Before she gets tanky)

Olaf

SPACE Ranged Poke

SPACE Jarvan IV (can't ult out of the ult once in) Percent health damage (provided going tank)

Renekton

SPACE None

SPACE Jayce Ranged poke/harass Ranged CC

Rumble

SPACE Diana Riven

SPACE Shielding abilities CC removal

Singed

SPACE None

SPACE Elise (still weak) Evelynn (still weak) Slows (none are very good though)

Wukong

SPACE None

SPACE Exhaust (helps hinder ulting) Champions with vision (e.g. Lee Sin) Ranged poke/harass

Zyra

SPACE Kassadin (post 6)

SPACE Diana Tenacity (reduces snare and knock up duration) Quick burst

There are three main layouts to how you can play your team in TT. They are the following:

• 1 top, 2 bot
• 2 top, 1 bot
• 1 top, 1 bot, and 1 jungle/roam

The 1-2 and 2-1 strats were used more in the old TT map in Season 1 and Season 2, but they can still be used in Season 3 but I find it to be less effective with the new map. Most people are switching to the 1-1 + jungle routine. I find this to be the most beneficial to all three members of your team. It allows for constant ganks to be made in both top and bot lanes while the jungler is still able to get farm in the jungle part of the map. With generous jungle camp respawn timers, your jungle should be sitting well for the majority of their jungle phase.

If you still run a 1-2 or a 2-1 comp still, choose your double lane accordingly. If you are like me and you have a friend who, for some reason, does better in a 1 on 2 than a 1 on 1, let him take the solo lane. Otherwise, choose the two champions who can:

• Survive on less farm that normal
• Whose abilities work well together
• Who can 'counter' or are strong against the enemy champion.

If for some strange reason, your opponent is running a 1-2 or 2-1 as well, go through the same thought process, though generally it is more beneficial for the 2s to go against each other.

In TT, contrary to popular belief, there are still the conventional roles for champions. You can still play your AP carry, top laner, jungler, AND your support. Support champions are sometimes over looked in TT but a champion like Alistar can be quite the beneficial champion to your team as well as set up many engages for you and your team. Now I am not going to re-explain what all the roles are for all the champions but I just more or less wanted to touch in the subject to you to not count out some supports. Alistar, Nunu & Willump, and Leona (even the occasional Thresh and Blitzcrank) and provide a great mix of damage, CC, and engage power for your team. Make sure to explore the many different support options as well as the normal champions.

Credit for this wonderful list of champions goes out to Manele and ZerdiusTheJungler. You may have seen their tier lists before and I find them to be a decent base line, even though I don't always agree with their choices. Below is the list:

Tier Pick or Ban every game:

• Bruiser/AD: Darius
• Jungle: Nunu & Willump
• AP: Nunu & Willump
• Support: Nunu & Willump

Tier 1:

• Bruiser/AD: Jax, Riven
• Jungle: Xin Zhao
• AP: Rumble, Cho'Gath, Evelynn, Mordekaiser, Diana
• Support: Leona

Tier 2:

• Bruiser/AD: Kayle, Lee Sin, Jayce, Wukong, Olaf, Garen, Irelia
• Jungle: Amumu, Lee Sin, Olaf, Maokai
• AP: Ryze, Orianna, Swain, Karma, Malphite, Singed, Anivia, Teemo
• Support: Maokai, Lulu

Tier 3:

• Bruiser/AD: Pantheon, Vayne, Corki, Yorick, Warwick
• Jungle: Trundle, Zed, Dr. Mundo, Jarvan IV, Rengar, Shyvana
• AP: Elise, Fizz, Vladimir, Cassiopeia, Zyra, Lux, Nidalee, Viktor, Gragas
• Support: Shen, Sejuani

Tier 4:

• Bruiser/AD: Renekton, Gangplank, Urgot, Kha'Zix, Hecarim, Caitlyn, Tristana, Graves, Ezreal, Volibear, Tryndamere
• Jungle: Elise, Volibear, Skarner, Hecarim, Kha'Zix, Gangplank, Rammus, Nocturne
• AP: Zilean, Karthus, Morgana, Ahri, Master Yi, Katarina, Syndra, Annie, Ziggs, Galio, LeBlanc, Fiddlesticks
• Support: Blitzcrank, Alistar, Janna, Taric

Tier 5:

• Bruiser/AD: Talon, Udyr, Zed, Shen, Fiora, Poppy, Nasus, Ashe, Sivir, Twitch, Varus, Miss Fortune, Draven, Kog'Maw
• Jungle: Shen, Tryndamere, Shaco
• AP: Xerath, Akali, Kennen, Brand, Twisted Fate, Malzahar, Sion, Kassadin, Veigar, Heimerdinger
• Support: Nautilus, Nami, Sona, Soraka

Now in regards to this list, I feel like the Tier 1 list is pretty solid with good champs that fit a range of roles that have abilities that greatly differ and affect the composition of your team. As we move down though, there are a few that I feel should be higher or lower based on their placement. For example, I think that Alistar is higher than a Tier 4 support, but hey, I didn't make the list so I have less room to criticize/debate the choices that these two have made for TT game play. Feel free to voice your opinion about this list in the comments. I want to see how everyone else views their favorite champions for TT.

Now, this is just a rough outline, and no where near perfection. This is how I rated different champions for the TT map. Now, before you get all excited, I had categorized everyone into ONLY ONE DESIGNATION. This means a champion like Kha'Zix is only in the jungle bracket and not lane. This does not mean that he is a bad laner but it helped me keep the champion list straight.

I AM OPEN TO ANY AND ALL SUGGESTIONS/CHANGES. FEEL FREE TO TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK. AS I SAID, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS PERFECT IN LEAGUE.

My Own Twisted Treeline Tier List V2.0

Tier 1:
Bruiser: Darius, Wukong, Riven, Jayce, Renekton, Vi
ADC: Ezreal, Draven
Jungle: Kha'Zix, Hecarim, Xin Zhao, Jax, Nocturne
AP: Rumble, Cho'Gath, Diana, Mordekaiser, Singed
Support: Leona, Lulu, Zyra

Tier 2:
Bruiser: Shen, Malphite, Yorick, Zac
ADC: Vayne, Twitch, Caitlyn
Jungle: Amumu, Dr. Mundo, Shyvana, Zed, Udyr, Volibear
AP: Annie, Elise, Evelynn, Nidalee, Orianna, Gragas, Kayle, Syndra
Support: Sejuani, Janna, Taric

Tier 3:
Bruiser: Garen, Fiora, Irelia, Lee Sin, Pantheon, Olaf
ADC: Graves, Kog'Maw, Tristana, Corki
Jungle: Jarvan IV, Shaco, Trundle
AP: Ahri, Brand, Fizz, Ryze, Swain, Xerath, Viktor, Vladimir, Kennen, Ziggs
Support: Nunu & Willump, Karma

Tier 4:
Bruiser: Gangplank, Poppy, Talon
ADC: Ashe, Miss Fortune, Varus
Jungle: Nasus, Nautilus, Rengar, Maokai
AP: Akali, Anivia, Cassiopeia, Fiddlesticks, Kassadin, Katarina, Morgana, Veigar
Support: Alistar, Blitzcrank, Nami, Thresh

Tier 5:
Bruiser: Tryndamere
ADC: Quinn, Sivir, Urgot
Jungle: Sion, Skarner, Warwick, Rammus
AP: Galio, Heimerdinger, Karthus, LeBlanc, Lux, Malzahar, Master Yi, Teemo, Twisted Fate
Support: Lissandra, Sona, Soraka, Zilean

I think that this might be the single most overlooked thing when it comes to play the game on a competitive level. I have all the ranked 3s games stats that I have played in saved on my laptop as well as a few notes about each game. Major or minor things that would have helped me or my team in the outcome of the match. This something that you should greatly look into for future games so that you can improve on your weak points and come back a better and more skilled player.

Once again, thank you for reading guys and gals. I know that it isn't the shortest read out there on Moba but I do feel like I have good information for everyone and I plan on adding more as we progress throughout Season 3 and we have new champions and maybe items (I like to spend the golds :D). Again, any constructive criticism that you may have, feel free to leave in the comments section and I will address it accordingly when I get a break from work.

Have a good one all!

Sp4c31nv4d3r/EODJarhead