LoL Patch 7.2: Tips & Tricks for Mid Lane


The Job of the Mid Laner

To begin, I should state the obvious. Being one of the most fun and important positions of the game, mid lane has a very important position, at all stages of the game. However, some people, in every Rank, will occasionally forget just that. Whether it is because they are trying out a new role, or just forgetting the basis, I must remind everyone about the job of a mid laner. The main priority of the mid laner, is to act as AP carry come mid-game, blowing up the enemy back line, and help to shove in objectives, or wave clear when being sieged. Because you, as a mid-laner, carry so much damage and CC in your kit, you are a very important member of the team and one wrong move can easily tip the balance into favor for the enemy. So let's go into some tips, on how to fulfill your role and carry.

Warding, Vision, and Your Closest Love, the Minimap

Another important tool to utilize during your game, is actually free. There is a glitch that Riot left in the game, that you can use to tell where enemy laners were last. This glitch is called the minimap. Located in the lower right hand corner of the game screen, you and your teammates can also interact with the minimap to inform others when champs have left lane or where they last saw them. Make it a habit to check the minimap very often. If you can make this a habit, you can tell when the enemy mid laner or bot lane is missing, and anticipate a gank. Honestly speaking, making it a habit to check your minimap will keep you informed of the enemy movements, and allow you to either push or retreat effectively.

CS, Objectives, & Rotations

As a mid laner, CS should not be a very difficult task to accomplish. Just about every mid lane champion has some way to efficiently, if not also quickly, clear lane and farm up. Information that you may want to keep in mind, a minion wave spawns every thirty seconds with a max of six minions; however, a siege cannon will spawn every three waves until the late game. The siege cannon is very important because, if you are getting poked out, then it is the best wave on which to back. Yes, the cannon gives a very good amount of gold, but it also takes a large amount of tower shots. So when your wave is inevitably pushed in, while the cannon may be gone, the rest of the wave will still be there to for you to farm up.

When it comes to objectives, you are usually the second most important person to take them. Your push potential makes sieging towers a lot easier, and your consistent damage and burst allows for objectives like Drake or Baron to be taken faster. Stay in the backline to provide constant pressure and damage, and force back the enemy team. A good thing to keep a lookout on during the early and mid game are the Drakes. Though bot lane typically helps the jungler take early drakes, if you rotate to bot lane and either force them to back or kill them, then you can 4-man a drake and quickly take it for your team.

For rotations, how and when to rotate depends on the game state and your champion. However, as a reminder and general rule, remember to clear and wave and force your opponent to either sit in tower and farm or back. If they back, try to push another wave into tower to force the laner to lose gold, THEN rotate. It forces the enemy mid laner into a decision. Defend tower and try to farm in a lane that they are currently losing, or rotate out as well and possibly get behind even further. Make sure to last note what lane the jungler went to and where he was last seen, because ganking a lane that the jungler is going to or around will simply turn it into a 3v3, which won’t be as prosperous as a 2v3. Also, even if they flame, do not visit/gank a lane that is losing. It sucks for that person, but you going simply gives the enemy laner another person to farm. Rotate so that you can snowball whatever lane will give you the best chance of victory.

Good Mid Lane Picks & Suggested Builds

Mid lane is currently all about farming and rotating early game. If you can kill your mid laner in the process then go for it; But with the proper amount of farm, you can blow up everyone late game anyway. God tier picks in this meta would include Leblanc and Ryze. But let's pretend I didn’t just list those champions, because they require a large amount of mechanical skill to actually carry games. Really good champions to pick up that can still carry with less mechanical practice would be Syndra, Corki.

Syndra has been good for a while, and got even better after the true damage was added to her W. Although the true damage is really for those who can work well with her mechanically, worry not, for she can still press R and 1-shot a squish. Good things to remember is that while ulting, remember to Q champions for extra damage. Also, because the balls hit and drop one at a time during her ult, you will have spheres right in front of the enemy champion to E them back and stun them. If you find yourself getting ganked or in need of extra spheres for more utility and damage, you can ult for damage and combo off that. The typical syndra build would be: Morellonomicon, Sorcerer's’ Boots (or Boots of Mobility if you're Korean), Luden’s Echo, Void Staff, Abyssal/Zhonya’s, and Deathcap.

Corki is doing incredibly well right now, because of his early game sheen damage spike, as well as his hyper destructive rotation and gank potential with his package. He can build hexdrinker and still do incredible damage, and his wave clear is just as good as any other mid laners, making it very hard to deal with him. Combine that with his constant poke from his ult and his kill potential in lane is nothing to laugh at. Remember, when your package comes in to either coordinate a mid lane gank with your jungler, or use the speed to rotate into another lane for an easy kill. The damage and zoning potential will easily turn a teamfight. Also, his Q gives vision. The typical Corki build would be: Triforce, Sorcerer’s Shoes, Hextech Gunblade, Rapid Firecannon, I.E., and the last item is more situational. Make sure to pick up an early hexdrinker if the mid laner is giving you trouble.

For all my bronze and silver tier friends, consider this a handy rulebook and decent guide. For anyone higher than that, consider it a friendly reminder. Mid lane can be challenging, but that makes it all the more fun. So I sincerely hope this helped and back into the Rift I go. Until next time, may you die after Zhonya’s and you Flash into Graves ult.

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