League of Legends is a global sensation. There are more than 150 million registered players of the game, making it one of the most competitive computer games of all time. One of the reasons so many people are fascinated and infatuated with the game is the fact that it has so much depth to it. There are a lot of skills to master for players who want to get to the very top.

Also, there are different roles within LoL, so players can play as Top Lane, Jungle, Mid Lane, Bot Lane, and Support. All of these roles are slightly different and therefore have a variety of skills.

The Professional Scene of League of Legends

Players can learn a lot when they watch the professionals playing. There are nine different regional professional leagues around the world, meaning hundreds of different players who are making a living playing the game.

The League of Legends World Championships prize pool has been over $2 million for the last 10 years, meaning that there are some big prizes at the elite level of esports competitions.

The game has spawned a huge scene around it. League of Legends betting markets are some of the most popular in the world of esports, and thousands of people bet on LoL events. This also leads to more event streaming as top betting companies offering esports markets make it easier for people to watch the top events such as the World Championships. It makes sense for them to show these events to their fans.

It isn’t just betting companies offering the chance for people to watch the matches, either, as there is a huge demand on Twitch and other online platforms. In 2022, the World Championship peaked at an incredible 5.1m viewers.

Some people who play the game as a hobby have the intention of getting to a professional standard one day. Others just want to fully understand the skills involved to try to get to a point where they can win amateur games.

The Skills Involved in League of Legends

Let’s dive into those specific skills required to get good at the game.

Tracking the Map

While some of the skills are specific to one of the roles in League of Legends, it is highly recommended that all players are able to track the map and observe the other players and what is going on.

This skill alone isn’t that difficult to master, but the multitasking involved is such a big part of the game. For example, if you are having to guard against incoming danger or farm at the same time then you might get bogged down and not be able to track the map as well.

The most important factors in map-tracking and map awareness include whether enemy champions have left their lane, and if a tower has become exposed. Also, tracking if an enemy champion has become isolated can also be a crucial skill to end up winning the game.

Farming

Farming falls under the roles of Top, Jungle, Mid, or Bot and it is important that all of them are able to farm if they’re going to get to the point where they can play competitively at a good level. Farming is relatively simple to understand, and it is a good way to boost income and be able to buy important items in the game. It is also the safest way to bring in income, as kills come with a level of risk.

Knowing When to Roam

Roaming is an undeniable part of the game, but there are times when it is better to do this.

The Top, Mid, and Support definitely need to know how to roam and the appropriate points to do so. Roaming is best at points in the game such as coming back from your base, or when your Jungler is fighting an objective who is neutral to the game, such as when fighting a Rift Herald. It is also possible at other times in the game so it is really important to know when to support your partners and how to roam well, without leaving yourself weak.

Teamwork

This is a more abstract skill, but the best teams are great because they know how to play together. This is a team game for a reason. The more you play with the same group, with predefined roles, the better your LoL teamwork is likely to be.

Conclusion

These are some of the main skills that you will need to master if you want to be good at LoL. There are other soft skills too, such as the need to be able to communicate with your teammates, and the need to analyze games and skills to see what went wrong (and what went right). LoL is competitive and there are great players out there so you should be constantly looking to improve.