How to Get Better at League of Legends: 10 Proven Strategies to Dominate the Rift
Want to climb the ranked ladder in League of Legends? Discover actionable tips, from mastering fundamentals to refining game sense, to help you improve your skills and dominate matches.
Introduction: Why Improvement in League of Legends Feels Challenging
League of Legends (LoL) is one of the most competitive multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, with millions of players worldwide. Whether you’re a casual gamer or aiming for the top ranks, improving at LoL requires more than just grinding matches. Success hinges on deliberate practice, game knowledge, and adaptability.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in your current rank or frustrated by inconsistent performance, this guide is for you. Below, we break down 10 proven strategies to help you get better at League of Legends, from refining mechanics to mastering macro play.
1. Master the Fundamentals
Before diving into advanced tactics, solidify your grasp of core mechanics:
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Last-Hitting Minions: Aim for 7-10 minions per minute (CS score) to maximize gold income. Use Practice Tool to hone last-hitting without pressure.
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Map Awareness: Glance at the minimap every 3-5 seconds to track enemy movements and avoid ganks.
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Positioning: Stay behind frontline champions (tanks, bruisers) during team fights to avoid being caught out of position.
Pro Tip: Bind keys to toggle camera lock/unlock (default: Y) to maintain awareness of your surroundings.
2. Learn Champion Matchups and Abilities
Understanding every champion’s abilities and power spikes is critical:
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Study Popular Champions: Focus on the top 10-15 meta picks in your role. For example, if you’re a mid-laner, learn how to counter Yasuo, Zed, or Syndra.
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Know Cooldowns: Track enemy ultimates and key abilities (e.g., Flash has a 300-second cooldown). Use pings to alert teammates when enemies lack escape tools.
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Adapt Your Playstyle: Adjust your aggression based on matchups. For instance, play defensively against early-game bullies like Darius or Renekton.
3. Focus on Macro Play
Macro play—the strategic decisions that shape the game—separates average players from elites:
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Objective Priority: Secure dragons, Rift Herald, and Baron Nashor to gain team-wide advantages. Prioritize Herald early for tower pressure and dragons for late-game scaling.
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Wave Management: Freeze lanes near your tower to deny farm, or slow-push waves to create pressure before objectives spawn.
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Rotations: After taking a tower, rotate to another lane or secure vision around upcoming objectives.
Pro Tip: Use F-keys (F1-F5) to quickly check teammates’ positions and make informed macro decisions.
4. Optimize Your Builds and Runes
Itemization and runes can drastically impact your effectiveness:
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Adapt to the Game: Build situationally. For example, invest in armor against heavy AD comps (e.g., Thornmail, Randuin’s Omen) or magic resist against AP threats (e.g., Spirit Visage).
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Use Stat Websites: Analyze high-ELO player builds on OP.GG or U.GG for inspiration.
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Rune Customization: Tailor rune pages to match your playstyle. For example, take Conqueror for extended trades or Electrocute for burst damage.
5. Communicate Effectively with Your Team
League is a team game—coordination wins matches:
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Ping Smartly: Use danger, assist, and objective pings to relay information without tilting teammates.
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Shotcall Confidently: If you’re ahead, guide your team to secure objectives or split-push.
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Stay Positive: Avoid toxic behavior. Encourage teammates after mistakes to maintain morale.
6. Review Your Replays (VODs)
Self-analysis is key to identifying mistakes:
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Spot Positioning Errors: Note moments where you overextended or failed to peel for carries.
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Analyze Deaths: Ask yourself, “Could I have avoided this death with better map awareness or cooldown tracking?”
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Compare to High-ELO Players: Watch replays of pros in your role (e.g., Faker for mid-lane) to mimic their decision-making.
7. One-Trick a Champion (Temporarily)
Mastering one champion lets you focus on macro play:
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Learn Limits: Understand your champion’s damage output, survivability, and team fight potential.
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Climb Consistently: One-tricking simplifies matchup learning and reduces variables in your gameplay.
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Expand Later: Once you’ve hit a higher rank, diversify your champion pool to adapt to team comps.
8. Train Your Mental Resilience
Tilt and frustration are the enemies of improvement:
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Take Breaks: Step away after 2-3 losses to reset mentally.
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Mute Toxic Players: Use /mute all if chat distracts you.
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Set Realistic Goals: Aim for incremental progress, like improving CS by 10% or dying fewer than 3 times per game.
9. Play with a Purpose
Avoid autopilot mode:
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Set Micro-Goals: Focus on one skill per session (e.g., “Today, I’ll track the enemy jungler’s pathing”).
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Limit Ranked Games: Quality > quantity. Play 3-5 focused matches instead of 10+ mindless ones.
10. Seek Feedback from Better Players
Accelerate growth with external insights:
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Join Communities: Discord servers, Reddit how to get better at league of legends (r/summonerschool), or coaching platforms like ProGuides.
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Hire a Coach: A single coaching session can highlight blind spots in your gameplay.
Conclusion: Improvement Takes Time
Getting better at League of Legends isn’t about shortcuts—it’s about consistency, adaptability, and a growth mindset. Implement these strategies one at a time, track your progress, and celebrate small wins. Whether you’re aiming for Gold or Challenger, every match is an opportunity to learn.
Final Tip: Pair these strategies with a healthy mindset. Remember, even pro players like Doublelift and Faker started as beginners. Stay patient, stay hungry, and the LP will follow.
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