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How to improve map awareness in League of Legends
Honing this skill can dramatically enhance any gameplay, leading to better decisions and more victories.
In the high-stakes world of League of Legends, map awareness is the secret weapon that can transform an ordinary player into a strategic mastermind. Users constantly glance at the map to track the location of teammates, enemies, and minions. Understanding the minimap and using it effectively separates the pros from the amateurs.
Professional gamer Timothy “iiTzTimmy” An was high-Elo in LoL before becoming known for his FPS skills.
iiTzTimmy
© Juan Valero / Red Bull Content Pool
“I want to be an outstanding player among my peers, and I want to show that in front of other people's eyes,” iiTzTimmy said.
This League of Legends vision guide will walk players through the essentials of improving map awareness in League of Legends. This way, players can use pro gamer minimap tips to be a step ahead of the competition.
Understanding the minimap
The minimap in LoL is a small but mighty tool that provides a view of the entire battlefield to identify objects and anticipate surrounding movement. Located on the right or left side of the screen, depending on player preference, it offers critical information about ally and enemy positions, objectives, and ward placements.
There are four main types of map awareness.
- Objective awareness: When users understand each objective on the minimap, they can notice key areas with large game impacts requiring special attention. These objects can include barons, dragons, towers, inhibitors, buffs, and jungle camps.
- Enemy awareness: Knowing where one’s enemies are at every moment helps users anticipate their attacks and make informed decisions. It also allows players to make stealthier ambushes or avoid attacks.
- Ally awareness: Knowing teammates' locations and movements allows users to coordinate team fights and ambushes while making team decisions. It’ll inform players if their ally is low on health or mana, putting them in a vulnerable position and in need of help.
- Jungle awareness: Knowing the jungle and its objectives allows players to create the best route for farming and ganking.
Regularly checking the minimap allows players to use League map tactics, make informed decisions, avoid ganks, and capitalize on enemy mistakes. Without map awareness, users will only be lost and vulnerable. Think of the minimap as the strategic command center — neglecting it is like flying blind.
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Basic tips to improve map awareness
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Developing good map awareness starts with building the habit of frequently glancing at the minimap. Aim to check it every few seconds, especially when users are moving between lanes or after a major event like a team fight. By frequently looking at the minimap, players can view the scoreboard and any useful pings.
Minimap alerts, such as pings, are vital cues that can signal threats or opportunities. There are eight different ping sounds players can learn to understand what a notification means. This will help gamers know what to look for when they glance at the minimap and strategize their next move.
Customizing the LoL minimap settings can enhance visibility — gamers should consider increasing its size and contrast to ensure they never miss critical information. These simple adjustments can make a world of difference in gameplay. There’s a colorblind mode, and gamers can change keybindings to make it easier to see what’s happening. Using buttons to quickly view different map aspects allows users to realize what other players are up to.
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Advanced strategies for map control
Participants perform during Red Bull Solo Q in Budapest, Hungary
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Once gamers have mastered the basics, it's time to delve into more advanced map control techniques in LoL. Predicting enemy movements using the minimap involves understanding common jungle paths and river bushes.
How to use wards in LoL some might ask? Using minimap awareness, players should place wards in key locations, so gamers can extend their vision and anticipate enemy actions. Warding strategies involve learning the timing of jungle spawns and jungler path enemy tracking in League of Legends to gain a significant advantage.
For example, if players spot the enemy jungler on the top side, players will know that their bottom lane can be played more aggressively. Understanding jungler pathing tips and learning jungler patterns is crucial for strategic play.
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Role-specific map awareness tips
Venue during Red Bull Worlds Watch Party in Lucerne, Switzerland
© Nhat Ha Dao / Red Bull Content Pool
Different roles in LoL require unique map awareness strategies. As a Jungler, keeping an eye on both the minimap and the camps’ status is essential — they’re responsible for clearing any minions from the team’s and enemy’s camps. Ganking opportunities often arise from spotting overextended enemies or poorly warded lanes.
Support role vision control is paramount. Supporters can help teammates with shields, heals, attack damage, and movement speed to provide a high assist-to-death ratio. Tank players are the hardest to kill with high magic resistance, armor, and health. Yet they deal minimal damage, so their job is to protect the team and disable the enemy.
Effective LoL team communication about what is being seen on the minimap is just as important as the information itself. Sharing any insights can lead to coordinated plays and objectives. This way enemies will have no chance against a team that communicates effectively.
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Practicing map awareness
Improving map awareness requires consistent practice. Start with simple minimap awareness drills, such as setting a timer or a trigger word. This will remind users to check the minimap every few seconds until it becomes second nature. Users can also use the eye tracker and replay modes to play back games and learn from mistakes.
Additionally, make sure the volume is up so all different pings are audible. This way, every time a gamer hears a ping, they’ll be inclined to look at the minimap.
Outside of standard matches, try custom games that focus solely on map awareness. For instance, play a few games in which the primary goal is to predict and ping enemy movements based on minimap information. These exercises can improve game sense in LoL and map awareness.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Even experienced players can fall into bad habits. Here are some frequent map awareness errors and tips to avoid them:
- Overextending: This is when a player pushes lanes too far without sufficient vision, risking a tower. Always check for enemy positions and wards before advancing.
- Poor communication: Failing to share critical minimap information with a team can be costly. Be an overcommunicator: use pings and chat to update teammates on enemy locations and potential threats. Warning teammates of potential danger, even if they don’t listen, can be the difference between a win and a loss.
- Passive laning: Passive laning is when players stay closer to their tower and don’t push out to attack enemies. This shows that the player is playing it safe and relying on their team too much instead of trying to win. Be a tactical aggressive laner to take advantage of the enemy at the right moment.
- Tunnel vision: This is when players focus too much on one lane or target and neglect the minimap. Practice glancing at the minimap regularly to make it a habit.
By recognizing and addressing these common pitfalls and LoL gameplay tips, users will be well on their way to becoming more aware and effective players.
Masting the map, mastering the game
Improving map awareness in League of Legends is a journey that involves mastering the minimap, understanding advanced strategies, and practicing consistently. Incorporating League of Legends strategic play into a minimap plan can elevate any performance and offer a strategic edge.
Remember, map awareness isn’t just about keeping an eye on the minimap — it’s about making smarter decisions and leading the team to victory. Start practicing these techniques today and maybe it’ll become possible to beat the best League of Legends players of all time.
