HOW TO LANE - FULL INDEPTH GUIDE - MID LANE FUNDAMENTALS

Introduction

In this section, the speaker introduces the topic of the video and provides some background information about their experience with laning.

• The speaker introduces the topic of the video, which is a comprehensive guide to laning.

• They mention that they will cover all the concepts necessary for successful laning and provide examples.

• The speaker shares their credentials as a professional player and how their techniques have worked at a pro level.

Laning Concepts

In this section, the speaker defines temporary and permanent advantages in laning and explains how to turn temporary advantages into permanent ones.

• Temporary advantages are things like health or cooldown advantage that don't impact the game beyond the current moment.

• Permanent advantages are things like gold or XP that can translate into more significant leads.

• The speaker gives an example of how a temporary advantage may not convert into anything if not used correctly.

• They explain how to turn temporary advantages like level or position advantage into more permanent ones like gold and XP.

Three Stages of Laning

In this section, the speaker breaks down laning into three stages and explains each stage in detail.

Building Advantage

• Wave control is essential for creating temporary advantages such as minion advantage or level advantage.

• The speaker explains how to use wave control to push first three waves in order to create a minion advantage.

Converting Advantage

• Once you have created a temporary advantage, it's important to convert it into permanent ones such as gold or XP by denying your opponent CS or getting kills.

• The speaker explains how to use zoning techniques to deny your opponent CS while still maintaining your own CS lead.

Extending Advantage

• Once you have established a permanent advantage, it's important to extend it by continuing to deny your opponent CS and getting kills.

• The speaker explains how to use vision control and roaming to extend your lead and help other lanes.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes the video by summarizing the key points of successful laning.

• Successful laning involves creating temporary advantages through wave control, converting them into permanent advantages through zoning and denying CS, and extending those advantages through vision control and roaming.

• The speaker emphasizes that these techniques are not one-size-fits-all but can be adapted based on matchups and playstyle.

Wave Control Techniques

In this section, the speaker discusses wave control techniques that can be used to gain advantages in lane.

Three Wave Crash

• The three wave crash is a technique that can be used to gain temporary advantages in lane.

• It allows you to harass your opponent when they go for creeps and gives you an opportunity to invade the jungle or place wards.

• When you crash three waves, the wave will eventually push back towards you, giving you the option to freeze it later on.

Two Wave Crash

• The two wave crash is a variation of the three wave crash that can be used when it's too risky to push up too far.

• It still provides a level two advantage and can be converted into an HP advantage and then into a bigger CS advantage.

Freezing

• Freezing is a risk versus reward technique where you make sure the enemy has more creeps than you and has to push up for them.

• It denies the enemy creeps, makes them vulnerable to ganks, and allows you to take trades if they use spells to clear creeps. However, it also prevents roaming opportunities and gives the enemy a chance to roam.

Freezing Waves

In this section, the speaker discusses the benefits of freezing waves and when it is appropriate to do so.

Benefits of Freezing Waves

• Freezing waves can deny creeps from the enemy laner.

• It is valuable when done correctly but can hurt your team if done at the wrong time.

• Freezing makes it difficult for the enemy laner to farm and reduces their all-in threat.

When Not to Freeze Waves

• Do not freeze if the enemy has a heavy roaming champion like Talon.

• Keep the wave in the middle against farming champions like Orianna vs Syndra matchup.

Wave Control in Different Matchups

• Range vs. range matchups require poking and keeping distance.

• Melee vs. melee matchups require pushing and trading aggressively.

Conclusion

The speaker concludes by summarizing key points about wave control in different matchups.

Key Points

• Wave control depends on what kind of matchup you're playing.

• Range vs. range requires poking, while melee vs. melee requires pushing and trading aggressively.

Wave Control in League of Legends

In this section, the speaker discusses wave control in League of Legends and how it can be used to gain an advantage over opponents.

Types of Matchups

• Melee vs. Range: As a melee champion, let the first two or three waves come to you so that you can farm safely on your side. This also makes the enemy gankable. As a range champion, freeze the wave on your side to make it hard for the melee champion to all-in and farm.

• Ranger vs. Melee: Both sides want the wave more on their side in early levels. Pushing is key in these matchups.

• Melee vs. Melee: Winning depends on specific matchups, but generally, if you are ahead or stronger, push; otherwise, pull the wave to your side.

Wave Control Techniques

• Openers: Three-wave crash or two-wave crash are good options for an all-around ranger range.

• Freezing vs Pushing: Each has pros and cons depending on different matchups and states of the game.

• Evolving Matchups: Certain matchups evolve as champions level up and unlock new abilities.

Overall, understanding wave control is crucial for gaining advantages over opponents in League of Legends. Different types of matchups require different techniques such as freezing or pushing waves. It's important to understand each matchup's unique interactions and evolving stages throughout the game.

Wave Control and Matchups

In this section, the speaker discusses how wave control can change based on matchups. They explain that certain champions require different wave management strategies and item breakpoints can also affect matchups.

Wave Management Strategies for Different Matchups

• Against Kali, a player would need a wave on their side to avoid being easily all-in.

• Against Irelia, a three-wave crash against her would be very risky due to her spiking harder at level 3 than most melee champions.

• Item breakpoints can also affect matchups. For example, when Irelia gets Vamp Scepter, she becomes immune to poke and poking her under tower might not be worth it anymore.

Laning Positioning and Movement

In this section, the speaker talks about how laning positioning and movement can be useful in denying CS, baiting out skill shots, and dodging skill shots. They provide an example of Ariana versus Syndra matchup to illustrate these concepts.

Using Positioning to Deny CS and Bait Skill Shots

• Clicking around a lot allows players to dodge many skill shots.

• Players can use their positioning aggressively to deny CS after the opponent uses cooldown or force them into trading back.

• Players should look to dodge skill shots with their movement while playing aggressively when opponents go for CS.

Triangle Positioning Strategy

• If players are winning or have some temporary advantage, they should position themselves in a triangle or in line with the CS their opponent wants to get. This forces opponents to choose between hitting the player or hitting the CS.

Positioning and Cooldown Punishment

In this section, the speaker discusses how to create pressure with positioning and bait out skill shots. They also talk about how to avoid ganks by hugging towards the side with vision. The speaker then explains cooldown punishment and how to punish your opponent's cooldowns.

Creating Pressure with Positioning

• Standing aggressively conveys threat and can bait out skill shots.

• Move into your opponent, actively bait out skill shots, and click back out of them to create advantages in the laning phase.

• Pro mid laners are much better at creating pressure with their positioning than solo queue players.

Avoiding Ganks

• Hug towards the side with vision to avoid ganks.

• Make sure you have a ward somewhere if you're passing the halfway point of the lane.

• Against long-range ganking champions like Hecarim, a ward that's just in your side bush isn't going to help.

Cooldown Punishment

• When your opponent uses a cooldown, find a way to punish it.

• Not all cooldowns are punishable; think about which ones are actually useful for your opponent's champion and matchup.

• Trading is one way to punish cooldowns.

Cooldown Punishing

In this section, the speaker discusses how to punish an opponent's cooldowns in lane. There are two main ways to do this: heavy trading and denying CS.

Heavy Trading

• Wait for the opponent to use a cooldown, then play aggressively.

• Lower your own cooldown by using abilities on minions, then dash into the opponent when they use a key ability.

• When you have a big advantage, you can easily zone your opponent off the creep wave.

Denying CS

• Use your positioning to threaten opponents off of CS.

• Stand next to a minion that your opponent wants to kill and force them to choose between taking damage or missing the CS.

• Look for opportunities to poke opponents when they go for CS.

Punishing Opponents Going for CS

In this section, the speaker discusses how to punish opponents when they go for CS. This is done by either trading with them or poking them.

Trading

• If an opponent has no cooldowns, you can trade with them whenever.

• Look for opportunities to hit opponents with abilities when they go for CS.

Poking

• No additional bullet points provided.

Trading and Matchups

In this section, the speaker discusses the benefits of trading in League of Legends and how to punish opponents during CS. They also introduce the concept of matchups and explain how to identify which champions excel at extended trades versus short trades.

Benefits of Trading During CS

• Trading during an opponent's CS can lock them in place and deny them gold.

• Punishing opponents during their CS can be a convenient time to play aggressively.

• CD punishment and CS punishment go hand in hand.

Identifying Extended Trades vs Short Trades

• Champions that excel at extended trades typically have sustained damage, such as Cassiopeia or Yasuo.

• Champions that excel at short trades typically have burst damage, such as Syndra or LeBlanc.

• Recognizing which champion excels at which type of trade is crucial for winning matchups.

Understanding Matchups

• Knowing your matchup means understanding which champion excels at extended trades versus short trades.

• Cassiopeia is an example of a champion that excels at extended trades, while Yasuo excels at short burst trades.

• Understanding matchups is crucial for identifying win conditions.

Matchup Strategy

In this section, the speaker discusses how to approach different matchups in League of Legends.

Short Trades vs Extended Trades

• In matchups where one champion excels at short trades and the other at extended trades, it's important to make trades as short as possible.

• Giving the opponent a long distance to run down can be disadvantageous.

• Against champions like Yasuo who rely on auto attacks, retreating into minions can make trades very favorable for your champion.

Even Trades and HP Management

• Trading evenly may not always be advantageous, especially against all-in champions like LeBlanc or Zed.

• Lower HP can actually be bad for you in some matchups, so it's important to consider who is favored when HP gets lower.

• It's also important to consider gank setup and play safer if necessary.

Item and Level Spikes

• Item and level spikes can drastically change a matchup. For example, assassins or burst champions getting their first base and Hextech Revolver can suddenly become able to 100-to-zero you from 80 health.

Understanding Matchups

In this section, the speaker discusses how to understand matchups in League of Legends.

Key Elements of Matchups

• Level spikes: Champions have different power spikes at different levels. It's important to know when a champion becomes more threatening.

• Item and level power spikes: Knowing when champions hit their power spikes can change the outcome of a matchup.

• Cooldown length: Champions with shorter cooldowns tend to beat those with longer cooldowns. It's important to know which cooldowns are important and how to punish opponents during their cooldown windows.

Understanding Matchups

• Look at cooldown lengths as a starting point for understanding matchups.

• Special interactions between champions can also impact matchups.

• Knowing what to do with your wave, what items to buy, and what levels/items people spike at are all important elements of understanding matchups.

Extending Your Advantage

In this section, the speaker discusses ways to extend your advantage in League of Legends.

Wave Control

• Diving your opponent is one way to extend your advantage if you have your jungler available.

• Freezing the wave can also be an effective way to deny creeps from your opponent and keep them behind.

Lead Extension in Lane

In this section, the speaker discusses ways to extend your lead in lane when you have an advantage over your opponent. The three main ways are freezing the wave, positioning aggressively, and killing your opponent.

Freezing the Wave

• When you have a lead, freezing the wave can help you extend it even further.

• By threatening your opponent whenever they come up for a wave, they may be forced to get their jungler to help them.

• If you're strong enough that your opponent can't afford to take trades with you, you can walk them off their minions or heavy trade with them in the minion wave.

Positioning Aggressively

• When you have an advantage (champion power, level advantage, item advantage), position aggressively.

• You can walk your opponent off their minions or heavy trade with them in the minion wave.

• If your opponent wastes a key ability or takes too much damage, look for a window to all-in them and push them out of lane.

Killing Your Opponent

• Killing your opponent is the best way to extend your lead.

• Recognize when they've wasted a key ability or reached low HP and go for the kill.

• Deny them gold and XP from missed minion waves.

Examples: Ranged vs. Ranged Matchup

In this section, the speaker provides an example of how to put lead extension strategies into practice in a ranged vs. ranged matchup between Lucian and LeBlanc.

• Lucian is stronger than LeBlanc in both extended and burst trades.

• The only way LeBlanc can win a trade is by punishing one of Lucian's cooldowns.

Examples: Melee vs. Melee Matchup

In this section, the speaker provides an example of how to put lead extension strategies into practice in a melee vs. melee matchup between Renekton and Darius.

• Renekton has a stronger early game than Darius.

• Renekton should look to freeze the wave near his tower and zone Darius from CS.

• If Darius tries to engage, Renekton can use his mobility to disengage or turn the fight around.

• Once Renekton hits level 6, he can look for an all-in if Darius wastes his Q ability.

Harassing LeBlanc in Lane

In this section, the speaker discusses how to harass LeBlanc in lane and avoid getting ganked.

Harassing LeBlanc

• The speaker plans to harass LeBlanc whenever she goes for a CS.

• They have a level two advantage and can get a heavy trade onto her at level one.

• Even if it looks like LeBlanc could have dodged away, she can't W into the speaker because they will out-trade her with more auto attacks.

Avoiding Ganks

• The speaker is scared of getting ganked and wants to be careful.

• They are looking out for early ganks from Lee Sin and LeBlanc.

• They want to let the wave come to them if possible, but still keep harassing LeBlanc when she goes for CS.

Building a Lead in Lane

In this section, the speaker talks about building up their lead in lane against LeBlanc.

Warding and Wave Management

• The speaker places a ward on top side since they believe Lee Sin started topside.

• They want to make sure not to die while building up their lead.

• They plan on letting the wave come back towards them so that they are safe from ganks.

Matchup Advantage

• Lucian has an advantage over LeBlanc in extended and burst trades.

• However, they need to be careful of early ganks from Lee Sin and LeBlanc's strong early game.

• Trades are going well for the speaker so far, as they have been able to get some good damage onto LeBlanc.

Taking Advantage of Gold Lead

In this section, the speaker discusses how they plan to take advantage of their gold lead in lane.

Denying XP and Gold

• The speaker has denied LeBlanc a wave of XP and will be ahead in both gold and XP after basing.

• This will allow them to take advantageous trades against LeBlanc.

• They plan on keeping the wave frozen near their tower so that it is safe from ganks.

Matchup Advantage

• Lucian has an advantage over LeBlanc in items and XP, making it difficult for her to play the game.

• If LeBlanc ever uses her cooldowns to thin the wave, the speaker can trade aggressively with her since they are so strong.

Keeping Lane Frozen

In this section, the speaker talks about how they plan on keeping the lane frozen near their tower.

Wave Management

• The wave is bouncing back towards the speaker's tower, making it easy for them to keep it frozen.

• This makes it difficult for LeBlanc to farm without spamming her jungler to fix the wave.

• The speaker plans on trading aggressively with LeBlanc if she ever uses her cooldowns to thin the wave.

Avoiding Ganks

• Keeping the wave frozen near their tower makes it safe from ganks.

• However, there is still a risk of LeBlanc getting roams off or Kane invading.

Pushing Advantage in Lane

In this section, the speaker discusses their thought process for pushing the lane and harassing their opponent.

Pushing the Lane

• The speaker considers pushing harder to deny more CS.

• Slow pushing allows for more opportunities to harass the opponent.

• The speaker feels safe from ganks due to their level and CS advantage.

• They plan to use their priority to help Kane invade.

Denying CS

• The power difference makes it difficult for LeBlanc to take fights around mid lane.

• Zoning LeBlanc off of CS denies her gold and experience.

• The speaker's CS lead is around 40, making it difficult for LeBlanc to come back.

Freezing the Lane

• Freezing the lane allows for safer farming and denies LeBlanc roaming opportunities.

• With Tom Kench top and bot lane close to tower, there are no good roaming opportunities for LeBlanc.

End of Lane Phase

In this section, the speaker discusses how they end the laning phase with a large advantage over their opponent.

Pushing for Objectives

• The speaker pushes when Kane is doing dragon in case there is a contest.

Final Thoughts on Laning Phase

• 100 cs to 43 against a master LeBlanc player shows that they were not just bullying silver players.

Tips for Melee vs Range Matchups

In this section, the speaker provides tips for playing as a melee champion against ranged champions in League of Legends.

Keeping the Wave on Your Side

• In melee vs range matchups, it's important to keep the wave on your side in the early game.

• This allows you to have more space to run your opponent down and take advantage of extended trades.

• Avoid pushing in the first few levels as you may get frozen on and find it hard to do anything.

Surviving Against Ranged Champions

• Melee champions can use items like Doran's Shield and runes like Second Wind from Resolve setup to help survive against ranged champions.

• Avoid taking unnecessary damage by avoiding Syndra's harass or other ranged champions' abilities.

Taking Advantage of Extended Trades

• Extended trades go very nicely in favor of melee champions, so look for opportunities to run down your opponent when you have more room to move around.

• Position aggressively once you are ahead in CS and zone your opponent off CS.

Importance of Flash

• If playing an extended trade champion that runs opponents down the lane, forcing an opponent's flash is a big deal since they won't be able to disengage from an all-in with flash.

Melee vs Range Matchups

In this section, the speaker discusses melee versus range matchups in League of Legends. They explain how to manage these matchups and what to look for.

Wave Control is Key

• Wave control is crucial in melee versus range matchups.

• Keeping the wave on your side can waste the enemy jungler's time and make it difficult for the enemy laner to play.

• Melee champions with high amounts of wave clear are an exception to this rule.

Punish Cooldowns and Look for Opportunities

• Punishing cooldowns and looking for opportunities are important in all matchups, including melee versus range.

• Avoiding damage, especially in the early game, is also crucial.

Item Advantage

• Once you have an item advantage, you are very strong at all-ins.

• Pulling the wave towards your side can make it difficult for the enemy laner to farm safely.

Ranged vs Melee Matchups

In this section, the speaker discusses ranged versus melee matchups in League of Legends. They explain how to manage these matchups and what to look for.

Early Game Strength

• In general, ranged champions are stronger than melee champions in the early game.

• Some exceptions include Irelia (strong at level 2), Yasuo (strong at level 1), Akali (spikes at level 6), and Fizz (spikes at level 3 and 6).

Wave Control

• Ranged champions want the wave on their side to avoid getting all-inned.

• Melee champions want the wave on their side to make the enemy laner gankable.

Aggression

• Ranged champions can be very aggressive in the early game to build a lead before melee champions hit their power spikes.

Tips for Playing as a Ranger Against Melee Champions

In this section, the speaker provides tips for playing as a ranger against melee champions. They discuss how to harass early and build up a lead in gold and experience, how to be careful of enemy junglers, and how to punish melee champions in the early game.

Harass Early and Build Up Lead

• Harass melee champions early to build up a lead in gold and experience.

• Continually push the wave and contest every CS to make it difficult for the enemy champion to scale for free.

• After building up a significant CS advantage, you can look for opportunities to roam or keep the wave on your side for safety.

Be Careful of Enemy Junglers

• Be aware of the enemy jungler's gank setup, but don't be overly scared if they have weak ganking potential.

• When you don't feel safe or are at risk of being all-inned by an enemy champion, keep the wave on your side until it's safe again.

Punish Melee Champions in Early Game

• Punish melee champions in the early game before they hit level 6 when they are strongest.

• After level 6, try to freeze the wave near your tower so that it's difficult for them to engage on you.

How to Play Against Irelia as Corki

In this section, the speaker discusses how to play against Irelia as Corki. They explain that this is one of Corki's worst matchups and provide tips for keeping the wave on your side to avoid being all-inned by Irelia.

Keep the Wave on Your Side

• In a difficult matchup like Corki vs. Irelia, keep the wave on your side to avoid being all-inned.

• Try to freeze the wave near your tower so that it's difficult for Irelia to engage on you.

Wave Control in Different Matchups

In this section, the speaker discusses how to control the wave in different matchups to gain an advantage.

Controlling the Wave Against Threatening Opponents

• Keeping the wave where you are safe from your opponent is important.

• If you can keep the wave on your side, it makes it harder for your opponent to all-in you.

• In ranged vs melee matchups, freezing the wave denies CS and keeps you safe from ganks.

Freezing Against Jump Champions

• When playing against jump champions like Zed or Irelia, keeping the wave on your side at level 6 makes it harder for them to all-in you.

• Eventually, the wave will push out, so be careful and try to fix it yourself or get help.

Denying CS in Ranged vs Melee Matchups

• Freezing the wave denies CS for melee champions who have a hard time farming from range.

• This strategy also helps avoid getting ganked and prevents opponents from all-inning you.

Melee vs Melee Matchups

In this section, the speaker discusses how to win extended trades and punish cooldowns in melee vs melee matchups.

Winning Extended Trades

• Winning extended trades is crucial in these matchups.

• Punishing cooldowns is also important since many melee champions have longer cooldowns than ranged champions.

• Minions play a significant role in these matchups since whoever has more minions often wins trades.

Specific Matchup Example: Nocturne vs Lee Sin

• Nocturne wins extended trades and has sustain advantage over Lee Sin.

• Nocturne's spell shield ability counters Lee Sin's key skills (Q or R).

• Nocturne's ability to clear minion waves gives him an advantage in this matchup.

Top Lane Matchup Strategy

In this section, the speaker discusses their strategy for winning a melee versus melee matchup in the top lane.

Winning Extended Trades

• If one player gets far enough ahead of the other, they can freeze the wave and prevent it from ever being broken.

• The speaker is letting the wave come to them because their jungler is far away and they have no vision on either side.

• The speaker wins extended trades against their opponent and forces them to use flash during a trade.

Champion Advantage

• After returning to lane, both players are at full health with equal items and experience. However, the speaker knows they have an advantage in champion strength.

• Even when down in experience, the speaker's champion advantage allows them to win trades against their opponent.

Melee vs Melee Matchups

• Melee versus melee matchups are often more about stat checks and champion checks than ranged matchups.

• Identifying who wins extended trades, item breakpoints, and using minions to your advantage are key factors in winning these matchups.

Special Interactions Compared to Other Matchups

In this section, the speaker discusses special interactions in matchups and emphasizes the importance of knowing melee versus melee matchups.

Importance of Knowing Melee Versus Melee Matchups

• It is important to know melee versus melee matchups if you play a melee champion.

• Most of the time, melee champions are picked as counters to range champions rather than just taking a melee versus melee.

• Focus on one thing at a time when learning and practicing laning.

Special Interactions in Matchups

• Syndra's E can cancel LeBlanc's W.

• There are not many range matchups with special interactions.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this section, the speaker concludes the video and provides final thoughts on laning.

• The speaker apologizes for the delay in making the video and explains that it was difficult to put everything into actual concepts that could be taught.

• The speaker recommends checking out their other videos on laning for additional information.

• The speaker thanks viewers for their support and encourages them to like and subscribe.