Strategy of the Week: Warding

Strategy of the week – Warding

Warding is one of the most fundamental aspects in League, but can also be very complex. This post will cover some top tips on how to ward effectively to get the most out of your wards.

Buy a control ward every time you shop

Let’s start with something simple: get into the habit of buying a control ward every single time you recall to shop. Many players underestimate just how valuable warding is in League; it provides crucial information about where your enemies are, shows if objectives are being taken, and can let your team know if it is safe to go for a play. If you only rely on your warding totem for vision, you are crippling how much vision you can contribute to the game.

A control ward only costs 75g, and can be the sole difference between victory and defeat. It is not only the support and jungler’s job to provide vision for your team, so do your part too and buy those control wards!

Warding for objectives

It is essential to have good vision when a dragon or Baron Nashor is spawning, given how many fights there are around these key objectives. The key to a successful fight is preparing vision before either objective spawn, as this provides full information about where the enemy is planning on engaging from before the fight has even begun. Supports should start placing wards around the dragon or baron pit a minute before either spawn, as this provides enough time to place your wards, sweep out any wards the enemy may have placed, and still be ready for the inevitable skirmish.

However, it’s likely the enemy support will be doing the same, and can clear any wards you put down. Therefore, it’s good to keep one ward spare to place in case all your initial wards are cleared by the enemy. There are also some unconventional spots to place wards that can be worthwhile as the enemy may not detect them when checking for vision; here are a couple around the dragon:

Here are some around the baron pit:

Flexibility is key

The vision game requires you to be adaptive, as the most effective ward placements will drastically differ depending on the state of the game. For example, in the early game, your wards should mainly be focused in the river and near your lane to prevent any ganks from the enemy jungler, whereas most wards should be placed near objectives toward the mid to late game.

Your wards should also reflect whether your team is playing defensively or offensively. If you’re currently on the back foot and having to play defensively, your wards are best placed in your jungle or just outside your base as this is most likely where the enemy will be. Meanwhile, if you have an advantage and are playing offensively, your vision should move up with you as you push toward the enemy base. Warding the entrances/exits to the enemy jungle can ensure your team is able to push safely without being caught off-guard by an enemy flank. It can be useful to imagine Summoner’s Rift has various lines of skirmish, and your vision should be placed near or around whichever line is currently being played on:

Finally, your trinket should change over the course of the game: Stealth Ward is best in the early game, though supports and junglers can opt for an early Oracle Lens in order to establish vision control by clearing enemy wards early. Regardless, supports should swap to Oracle Lens as soon as they have completed their Sightstone quest, while bot and mid laners can swap to Farsight Alteration in the mid game to provide instant vision from a safe distance.

In summary, warding is one of the most integral elements to success in League, and is the entire team’s responsibility. Remember to buy control wards whenever you can, prepare for objectives by placing vision in advance of them spawning, and adapt your vision to the state of the game.