Discover League of Legends (LoL), the popular free-to-play MOBA with millions of players worldwide. Get started with this guide to understand the basics, improve your skills, and land gameplay-level advice. With over 100 champions to unlock, the game offers you different champions to play for free each week so that you can try and then buy.
Battlegrounds Overview
Summoner’s Rift is the main battlefield, which is a 5v5 map with three lanes – Top, Mid, and Bot – divided by jungle areas. Players will spawn either on the blue side (bottom) or purple side (top). A river cuts through the map, and it has two crucial neutral objectives: Dragon and Baron, which give gold and buffs for the whole team if you kill them. Riot Games has improved the Summoner’s Rift appearance dramatically while enhancing performance on low-end PCs.
Other maps that can be useful for champions are Twisted Treeline a smaller 3v3 two-lane map with its own mechanics like capturable altars and a Vilemaw a strong neutral monster similar to Baron. Dominion focuses on controlling points rather than just pushing lanes, offering an interesting take on League of Legends. ARAM (All Random All Mid) has fast-paced action on just a single lane where champions are assigned randomly.
Riot brings game modes for special occasions from time to time. Over the past few years, there have been several modes like Ultra Rapid Fire (U.R.F.), which offers a large cooldown reduction and allows players to cast their abilities without using any resources, and Hexakill which offered a 6v6 match with all players using the same champion.
Training Grounds
New players can practice their skills in a bot match. Compete against computer-controlled opponents that provide a realistic experience without the pressure of competition. Gamers can modify these practices with any quantity of AI allies and opponents, and still receive Influence Points (IP) and experience.
First Steps in League
When you first log in, you will see the landing page with a news feed, chat feature, profile and store access, and a play button. Those new to League of Legends are encouraged to complete the tutorial that teaches players how to champion moving, strategic work, and combat mechanics found on the map Summoner’s Rift. The experience develops map awareness and it’s a skill of a level above the common player.
Once you are done with the tutorial and you destroy the enemy nexus, you will know the basics of playing the game. Better to start “beginner” Vs AI matches. First, master at least one champion (preferably a champion with earned IP) before moving on to “intermediate”.
The bot matches are available on different maps such as Summoner’s Rift, Twisted Treeline, and The Crystal Scar. Once players become comfortable with these controlled environments, they can step into the more challenging Player vs Player matches – but be careful!