15 Essential League of Legends Tips for New Players

With more than 27 million active players, League of Legends stands as one of the most popular games worldwide (if not the most popular). But for those who are unfamiliar with multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, it can be intimidating, especially since veteran players often expect newcomers to already know the game mechanics (and be skilled at it!).

If you’re eager to get a handle on the game’s basics and avoid the dreaded "uber-noob" status, these 15 League of Legends tips for beginners will give you the boost you need to start your journey.

Once you’ve honed your skills in the game, challenge yourself with our Ultimate League of Legends quiz to see how well you know the game’s universe.

15. Explore Various Champions

If you're just starting with League of Legends, don’t worry about finding the perfect champion or role right away. Instead, experiment with a variety of champions. The more champions you try, the better you’ll understand which role fits your playstyle, whether it’s ranged damage, melee combat, or tanky support. Since many game features unlock only once your profile hits level 5, it’s a great time to explore as many champions as possible with your new account.

14. Master the Map

The primary map in League of Legends, Summoner’s Rift, consists of three lanes—top, middle, and bottom. The jungle area in between these lanes spawns monsters that provide buffs if defeated. Your starting location should be chosen based on the champion you've selected, as different champions excel in specific roles. The five main roles are top, mid, jungle, ADC, and support. The top lane is ideal for tanks and bruisers, who can survive solo and either take or deal significant damage. Mid lane champions generally focus on ability power (AP) and engage in duels with opposing mid champions. The ADC (Attack Damage Carry) starts in the bottom lane, focusing on farming minions early on to buy gear and increase their attack damage. The support also plays in the bottom lane, protecting the ADC, assisting with kills, and placing vision wards. The jungle role doesn’t follow a specific lane but involves leveling up by killing monsters in the jungle and then helping your team by ambushing enemies in the lanes.

13. Focus on Mastering One Role

To truly understand the nuances of a specific role, you need to practice it consistently. Playing the same position repeatedly not only helps you refine your skills but also allows you to master the champions suited to that role, making you a stronger and more competitive player.

12. Familiarize Yourself with Hotkeys

Just like in real-time strategy games, using hotkeys efficiently in League of Legends can save you valuable time and could be the key to securing victory in crucial moments. Here are the essential hotkeys you should commit to memory:

Q, W, E, R – These are your champion's main abilities.

F, D – These are your Summoner Spells.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 – These are your item slots (they work only if the corresponding slot contains an item that can be activated).

B – This key teleports your champion back to the base.

Spacebar – This centers the camera on your champion, which is especially helpful in chaotic situations like team fights.

G – This sends a ping to your teammates to communicate your intentions or to warn them of threats.

Tab – Opens the stats page for the current game.

P – Opens the menu where you can purchase items.

11. Let Minions Lead the Charge

Treat your minion waves as moving shields that protect you from damage dealt by enemy turrets and minions. Whenever friendly minions are nearby, let them engage first and absorb damage while you focus on using your abilities and targeting specific enemies.

10. Keep Out of Enemy Turret Range

Staying behind minions is a good rule to follow, but it's particularly crucial when you're engaging with an enemy turret. Turrets are defensive structures that inflict increasing damage the longer you're within their firing range. Avoid attacking a turret unless you have a significant wave of minions to act as a shield. Knowing how tough it can be to take down an enemy turret should remind you that staying near your own turret is wise, especially when facing stronger enemy champions in lane.

9. Focus on Surviving as Long as Possible

When you're slain by an enemy champion, they gain a large amount of experience and gold. Dying repeatedly gives the enemy a significant advantage as it accelerates their leveling and gear purchases. Moreover, death takes your champion out of the game for an increasingly long period. If you can survive an engagement that seems unwinnable, it’s a much better result than dying needlessly. Consider the abilities available to you; some can help you escape tough situations. If you often find yourself getting caught by the enemy, consider selecting the Summoner Spell 'Flash' during champion selection. Flash allows your champion to teleport a short distance in any direction, which is invaluable for escaping dangerous spots and almost essential in competitive play.

8. Master the Art of Last-Hitting

New players in League of Legends might think that simply auto-attacking minion waves until reaching the nearest enemy turret is enough, but this approach will hinder your progress as you level up and face more experienced opponents. To maximize your minion waves, focus on landing the killing blow on each minion to earn a gold bonus for the kill. This gold quickly adds up, especially for the ADC, and can give your team a competitive edge both in lane and in team fights. Keep an eye on the health of enemy minions and time your attacks when one is low enough to finish off with a single hit. The only position less concerned with last-hitting is support, whose job is to assist the ADC in securing those kills.

7. Master the Terminology

After some time in the game, you'll begin to notice players using a series of shorthand or acronyms to quickly refer to in-game actions. This kind of shorthand saves valuable time and keystrokes, providing your team with a tactical advantage in the heat of battle. Below are a few essential terms you'll encounter.

LoL – League of Legends

CS – Creep Score (the total number of minions a champion has slain throughout the game)

Gank – Shortened form of 'Gang Kill' (an ambush where enemy champions are overwhelmed by numbers)

CC – Crowd Control (any ability that temporarily disables enemy champions from engaging in combat)

MR – Magic Resist

Wave Clear – The ability of a champion to swiftly eliminate entire waves of minions

KS – Kill Steal (delivering the final blow to an enemy champion after a teammate has already dealt most of the damage)

Leash – A strategy used to assist junglers, involving damaging but not killing a monster to help them secure it

Drag – A nickname for the Dragon, a formidable monster that grants a powerful buff but typically requires team cooperation to defeat

AFK – Away From Keyboard

6. Communicate With Your Team – If your team can effectively communicate with one another, your chances of success are much higher than simply playing in silence. This doesn't mean everyone has to be on voice chat, but simple actions like confirming your role before the match or informing teammates when enemy champions are missing can make a big difference. While not everyone may respond as much as you'd like, the information you share still proves valuable.

5. Make Sure You Have Time to Play a Full Game – League of Legends matches can be long, so it's essential to ensure you have enough time to dedicate to an entire game before jumping in. A disrupted game can negatively impact not only your experience but also your team's chances of winning.

11. Stay Behind Minions – Minions are your front-line defense, especially when pushing forward near enemy turrets. Let them lead the charge to absorb damage, allowing you to stay safe and focus on dealing damage from behind. This strategy becomes especially critical when defending or attacking turrets.

League of Legends matches typically last between 30 to 45 minutes, though some can extend beyond an hour. Since the game doesn't offer a pause option once it starts, make sure you're prepared to dedicate uninterrupted time to the match. Eliminate distractions like turning off the TV or silencing your phone, as even a brief lapse in focus could lead to critical mistakes. Never begin a game if there's a possibility you'll need to leave early for other commitments like work or school. Abandoning a game not only hurts your team's chances of winning but can also result in penalties that prevent you from playing for a set period of time.

4. Find a Favorite Character and Look Up a Guide for Them – With numerous online resources available, you can find guides specifically tailored to different champions in League of Legends. These guides often serve as flexible templates for which abilities to prioritize and which items to purchase. Remember that many champions can serve multiple roles, so ensure the guide matches the role you're playing for that champion.

Many websites offer valuable guides for League of Legends champions, detailing which abilities to level up and which items to purchase. While most guides provide helpful advice, they should be seen as adaptable depending on the specific role you're filling. Since many champions can fit into different roles, be sure to pick a guide that's relevant to your chosen position for that champion.

3. Have an Idea of the Items You Want to Buy Before the Game Starts – After reviewing several champion guides, you'll become familiar with the core items most champions need. Try to commit the prices of these items to memory so you can quickly plan how much gold you need to save for your next purchase. Having a mental price index allows you to make faster, more efficient decisions during the game, potentially giving you an advantage over your opponents in lane.

As you spend time studying champion guides, you'll quickly recognize the key items that work well for certain champions. Start memorizing the prices of these items so you can calculate how much gold you need before heading back to base. This strategy helps you act decisively when shopping and can give you a tactical advantage when playing against opponents in the lane.

2. Be Cautious About Pushing Your Lane – Avoid automatically attacking minion waves without consideration, as this can push your lane too far forward. When your lane extends past a certain point, you’re closer to the enemy's turret than they are to yours, making you vulnerable to ganks. Use the mini-map as a guide; the river cutting across the map indicates whether you’re in a safe zone (closer to your turret) or a danger zone (near the enemy’s turret). Keep an eye on the mini-map and check the enemy jungler’s position. If the jungler is on the opposite side of the map, it may be safer to push and apply pressure to the turret.

Another reason not to auto-attack minions is because it can push your lane too far out, putting you at risk. When your lane is pushed up to the enemy turret, it becomes easier for the enemy to ambush you with a gank. Use the mini-map as a reference; if the river appears clear and the jungler is far away from you, it may be safe to push your lane and deal some damage to the turret. Stay vigilant and watch for opportunities to take advantage of the enemy's absence.

1. Farm Continuously Throughout the Game – As the game progresses, you might be tempted to leave your lane or jungle to assist your team in objectives like taking down towers or defeating the dragon. However, it’s crucial to keep farming during these moments. Neglecting minion waves could leave your turrets vulnerable, especially in the later stages of the game. If you’re far from your team, focusing on clearing minion waves can be a wise move. Not only does it give you a steady flow of gold, but it can also prevent enemy minions from overwhelming your defenses.

Even when you're busy with other objectives like taking down towers or securing the dragon, don't forget to farm. In the late game, if you leave your lane unchecked, the enemy minions can pile up and overwhelm your turrets. Farming in-between other tasks ensures you stay ahead in gold and keeps your lane controlled. If you're too far from your team, clearing large minion waves could be more beneficial than trying to assist in team fights that you're unlikely to reach in time.