In this article, we will discuss various Warding techniques and how you can apply them to fully visualize the map. By having more vision than enemies, you can gank, avoid ganks, win fights, and eventually win the war.
What Are Wards?
Wards are items you can buy at the shop during gameplay once you level up by defeating the enemy team and bot. After buying wards, you can place them into the thick fog of war, and the wards will eliminate the fog, ultimately allowing you to view the area within the map. Placing the right Wards at the right time will result in victory for your team. There are various wards and locations where each ward works more effectively than others. We will first discuss wards, their effects, and how to use them.
Stealth Ward
Placing these wards will turn invisible to enemies, but they are detectable by control wards and sweeper drones. Each player can place a total of 3 stealth wards. Placing the fourth ward will remove the first ward.
It has a cast range of 600 and lasts 150 seconds.Wards have three hit points regardless of any attack. Wards health does not regenerate, and it grants gold to the killer.
Totem Ward
Yellow ward is the best defensive option early in the game. Using Totem within the area of your map will give you more information about the enemy’s encounter.
The limit of placing three wards is shared with stealth wards.It lasts for 90-120 based on champion level and grand sight for 900 units.The ward also has three hit points and works similar to stealth.
Control Ward
The Control ward is mostly used offensively as it can disable other enemy wards(except control wards) if they are in the range of the control ward.
You can buy control wards only after reaching level 9. Each player can only place one at a time. If you place the second one, the first one will be removed automatically.It grants sight to the surrounding 900 units and has an infinite time limit unless the enemy destroys it.
Farsight Ward
Although the farsight ward has a much smaller vision radius(500) compared to other wards(900), it can be placed up to 4000 units away, and enemies are revealed for five seconds. It’s very different from other wards, which also makes gameplay different. Using a farsight ward, you can counter enemies with different strategies.
Reveals an area up to 4000 units away for 2 seconds (148 -99 second cooldown). Enemy champion hit is exposed for 5 seconds, but this does not affect stealth Champions.It also lasts Indefinitely like Control wards.Farsight ward has only one hit point in total.
Zombie Ward
If you destroy enemy wards near the allied Wards, you will gain a Zombie ward in your Trinket Slot.
Zombie wards last 120 seconds. You can put three additional Wards along with trinkets wards.
How to Get Better at Warding?
To get better at Warding, you need to know about wards, their varieties, how they work, and where to place them. Using Wards effectively will give you more vision and information around the map.Placing wards in the right place at the right time determines victory for team players. So, you need to place wards where they can give the most results in defeating the enemy team.
Proper Ward Placement
Ward changes color according to the type of area you place them in. While placing a Ward, if your cursor changes to white, it’s ground or river. Terrain or wall will change the cursor into red color, and putting the cursor in grass changes the cursor into the green. Below are some warding places that will let you visualize enemies through the fog.
Ward Through Walls
These are the places where you can ward through walls.
In the middle of the two openings at the turret lane.When you think the enemy jungle is a bot.Walls above the river lane.
Warding Locations
You can use these tricks and tips to place wards for the best results.
Always place control wards where they can be defended potentially.Keep your stealth ward safe from the control ward.Do not put the control ward in the middle of the tri bush. Enemies can safely remove it. Instead, place it close to the lane area. Place a stealth ward at the bottom edge of tri bush to see enemies hiding for a dive.
Using Vision Effectively
There are three types of vision within the map. The map in the League of Legends is like a football field where the ground is divided into two by a halfway line. You cannot run straight to the enemy’s base due to the fog of war. You will never know how strong enemies are and their exact location. That is why Warding is very important to visualize the enemy’s location and their moves. There are three types of vision on the map.
Defensive Vision
Defensive vision covers the area and anything that falls under your side of the river. This site is where you put your stealth ward in jungles to have clear information of enemies’ movement.If possible, have vision lines so you can track your enemies’ moves.
Neutral Vision
The location of the map near the river and anything around the river is a Neutral vision. Most action happens on this map area with your turrets and enemies closing in. Successfully placing wards while engaging in the battle is the key to viewing a neutral vision further. It will allow you to engage enemies with caution and not get ambushed.
Offensive Vision
It is the area across the river. The trick here is to move one step at a time. Before going to offensive vision, make sure you have a neutral vision. You might get pushed back, and the only way to come back is to have a neutral vision with you.Remember to constantly view the overall map and be aware of your enemy’s location.
Buy Control Wards as Soon as Possible
Once you reach level 9, you will be allowed to buy control wards. Buy them to play a further offensive game because you have to destroy the enemy’s base, and the enemy team mostly uses a stealth ward to defend and has the most vision in areas near their turret.The control ward helps to deactivate the enemy’s stealth ward, and you will have the upper hand on destroying their turret.
Don’t Forget to Move the Control Wards
Control wards are detectable by the enemy team. So, once you place a control ward, you will be more prone to reveal your strategies to the enemy team. Moving control once the area is clear is an effective way to play offensively.
Every Player Should Use Wards, Not Only Support Players
Each player should buy wards and place them strategically because support players cannot lead the wave of the game if other players do not know the vision areas of the map. More players acquiring wards means more vision, and more vision means more information, and in this league game, information is critical to winning wars.
Change Your Vision as You Level Up
As I explained above about three types of vision, players often get stuck in defensive vision or neutral vision as they are pushed back. If you get pushed back often, then you need to switch from Stealth wards to Control wards and destroy enemy turrets first before going offensive. It is also a good rule to first play defensively and move one step at a time. Directly going offensive while not taking care of your defensive vision will result in a counter-attack, so change your vision one step at a time.
