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Learn How to Ward Properly

RenownedWheat42··182 votes·11,869 views

Standard warding doesn't work for every jungler, and we know that. Lee can ward hop from any wall, Zac has HUGE range, Kha'zix will go invisible if he doesn't jump on you first, etc. Think about the jungler you're up against and consider their possible pathing when you ward. Get control wards as much as possible to increase the chances that you'll be well-defended. If you can, get wards up in the enemy jungle (when it seems like a good idea. Don't go on a suicide mission for one ward) so you know where they're farming.

Here are some typical warding locations we see: Top: http://imgur.com/dEPwuhw Mid: http://imgur.com/0kjrGKs Bot: http://imgur.com/NBzhRqe

These are basic locations that cover the river and alert you to standard ganks, especially those that happen early or on less mobile junglers. Here are some areas to consider if you're up against a more mobile champ, or you're in top or bot where blast cones are more gank-friendly:

Top: http://imgur.com/u4354s8 Mid: http://imgur.com/fN0wClU Bot: http://imgur.com/q3MS1xB

Scuttle is, of course, VERY obvious, but having the area next to blast cones warded prevents the surprise of them being used. Raptors in mid also alert you to the possibility of Lee, Zac, or Khazix coming to eat your face.

Other helpful areas to ward: http://imgur.com/hNuLPeG http://imgur.com/flKkoPI http://imgur.com/yN5xh4p

Deep wards grant you the best vision. You'll want control wards up often and, if you can, wards on enemy buffs. Dragon and Baron are obvious points to contest as well, but early-game especially, you'll want to know where that enemy jungler is at all times.

If you know any other helpful tips, drop 'em below! :)

92 Comments

Chromatic Eagle92 votes

A gameplay post that actually helps people rather than complain about balance?

Melledoneus42 votes

BLASPHEMY! BRING THE SALT SHAKER, BOYS!

Botifier5 votes

[{quoted}](name=Chromatic Eagle,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=TomNuh3f,comment-id=0002,timestamp=2017-04-17T16:12:38.368+0000)

A gameplay post that actually helps people rather than complain about balance?

There is a complaint here somewhere... just haven't found it yet...

Flennel1 votes

Have you counted the number of wards required to cover it all?!! Rito pls. :)

RenownedWheat421 votes

You should be able to have, best-case, 12 wards out at a time. 3 from support, 1 from everyone else, and then one control ward per person. Not too bad!

ModKnightsKemplar20 votes

Good thread.

If nothing else, this highlights the point that there is a minigame here. It's not as simple as "buy a ward." Riot specifically tuned vision down during season 6 preseason because it was too easy to see everything. You can't just play aggressive af because you have a ward in a bush somewhere.

On the other hand, junglers need to know this, too. If there's an Ekko endlessly shoving mid, GANK HIM. And if he sees you the first time, he probably isn't warded on another path, so do that one!

People talk all the time about the quantity of wards that good teams buy, but it's also about playing around the amount of vision that you currently have. Least well understood mechanic in the game.

RenownedWheat424 votes

This is definitely important for everyone, junglers or not, to be aware of. As laners, people need to know this to a) avoid getting ganked, b) allow easier counter ganking, and c) track the enemy jungler so they know when to push/retreat. As a jungler, knowing where your opposition is allows you to make better plays, as well - it's just all around great.

Having vision up in your own jungle is also great for the fact that, hey, if you see someone invade your jungle to steal camps or plant words, you can now collapse on them for free kills. Etc. etc.

So many good reasons to ward, not one reason not to.

Ariel the Cruel9 votes

Riot specifically tuned vision down during season 6 preseason because it was too easy to see everything.

With all three ward types (yellow, blue, pink), an active team can still see most of the map. A large part of the vision change was actually requested by the support community. We wanted the team to have more involvement in the vision game, rather than just the support doing it for everyone.

Got the system we wanted. Trinkets for everyone! And non-supports still refuse to use their free map hacks. <Face-palm>

Divewing1 votes

Wait we did?

I thought Riot made the decision because it was killing their precious pro play excitement.

I've done nothing but wish the game was less team reliant.

Don't get me wrong, i'd love for a land of pixies and rainbows where people play the game as a team, but until I'm challenger (cough), that won't happen, and as a result I get cheesed by junglers because I simply do not have access to sufficient amounts of vision to protect myself.

RenownedWheat421 votes

You do have enough vision to protect yourself, though. During the laning phase, you need maybe two wards, and you've got your trinket, plus control wards. If you're bot, you need more, but you've got a pal with a sightstone - and if they don't build it, well, then at least they've got a trinket as well.

You should be playing where you can ward and if you go past that, wait till you're safe. Don't push top unless you see the enemy jungler bot. Things like that. If you overextend or overstay, it's not that you don't have the vision necessary to protect yourself, it comes down to improper use.

Divewing2 votes

My main issue is the trinket does not last long enough, so "having 2 wards out" is not practical. It's risky, most of the time I'm fine, but I intentionally delay my first ward so I can have at least some vision for longer before my first recall. If there were only 2 ways to gank a lane I'd probably agree with you, but there isn't, and witht he removal of stealth wards, the trinkets don't have the cooldown to ward everything.

Not to mention crap like Lee running around where you need vision of when he leaves fountain to have time to get out of his effective range.

I hate that I'm disagreeing so heavily, because this is a very constructive post, and it feels like i'm trying to shit on it, but all of your ward locations it's clear you just warded them before you took the screenshot.

The warding totem has a higher cooldown than duration UNTIL LEVEL 18, at which point it only REACHES EQUAL.

So even with the glorious trifecta of wards shown in your pics, that would leave you literally in the dark with exception to the control ward if it's still there until the cooldown comes back, at which point you can only place ONE ward.

Chaos6891 votes

Wait so you WANTED to have to place responsibility in the hands of your team? What were you thinking?

Ariel the Cruel1 votes

That it's 5 people per team in a MoBA. Not 4 people in CoD and a super minion.

Catastrop18 votes

This should be stickied.

RenownedWheat425 votes

That would be great!

Yfrappefort1 votes

{quoted}

This should be stickied.

Was thinking exactly this. Helpful post like this one need more, if not constant, visibility.

starelementpoke8 votes

Hell yes. Why aren't there more posts like this to help with basic game knowledge? This is the shit I want and need.

Khadaver2 votes

Yea, It would be cool if better players put out guides like this from time to time

Ariel the Cruel7 votes

When warding blue buff, try to place it at the very edge of the brush. That way you can see three lanes of traffic (Intersection to blue, gromp, and wolves). It's also viable in that spot too just ward the intersection. You lose brush vision, but gain vision on the fourth traffic lane.

If your camps get poached a lot (hello Ivern) or are pushing second turret, ward the tip of the brush opposite red buff. You will still get enough vision of the pit to see when they take it and it's less likely to be disabled/swept. This also gives you vision of the Krugs intersection if you're deep-warding.

58697132DEL14 votes

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD USE CONTROL WARDS AT BARON! Literally any 2 people please buy a control ward, one in the pit (usually in back) and one in the bush behind barons wall. If you can a third one thats in the pathway leading to Blue sides Blue buff is good too, so you can get the jump on anyone sneaking by to steal.

3 simple 75 gold items can secure you what is one of THE best buffs in the game people please use this. It even auto shuts down THEIR ward so unlike pinks, you dont have to give up baron to clear the vision.

Ariel the Cruel5 votes

LeeSin pings baron Sona wards pathing Vayne "WTF, Sona. help!" Sona𝄢 ♪♪♪ ♩ ♪♪♩♪ ♪♪♩ 𝄫 ♩♪ ♩♩♩ ♩♩♩ ♩♪♪♪

macromite3 votes

as a jungler I don't want people to see this, but as someone that likes having decent teamates I am giving you an upvote.

RenownedWheat422 votes

I use these blind spots as advantages all the time when I jungle, and in my elo NO ONE wards them. It's pretty satisfying to pop in despite warded areas and wreak havoc - but it's really no fun when your team is on the receiving end, haha.

Can't go wrong from having more vision on your own team.

MissingKayo3 votes

"hur dee dur Zac jump no counterplay can't see coming so broken unfair no skill blah blah blah"

never ever wards over wall hop spots

???

RenownedWheat422 votes

Same issue people have with Lee or Kha'zix :/

"You can never see him ward hop/jump from raptors!"

... Then ward raptors. Haha.

Chromatic Eagle3 votes

Someone sticky this. It's very rare to get threads that help learn the game this way.

SSShutTheDuckUp2 votes

Great job! I have one question to ask. Sometimes I see wards around the position of Amumu in the first of the last 3 pics. I also put a ward there often. Is it a mistake, is it valid or there is better options? For example if I only have 1 available ward or whatever?

Hardstuck G43 votes

It's definitely a great spot. If you have 2, just place them in the bushes, but if you just have one, that's a great position

RenownedWheat423 votes

This is also a good position for stealth wards, especially in the early game. It's a great spot to take if you're mid or jg. This is always one of the first spots I ward.

An Actual Ghost2 votes

Evelynn tips?

RenownedWheat424 votes

If you have camps warded you'll know where Eve is. Warding river will also let you know if she's taking scuttle. The key with her is catching her while she's in combat, or at least before the stealth reactivates. Any jungler worth their salt will clear camps on the way to a gank, you just gotta get deep wards to play around her because of stealth.

Wards in your brush won't do a LOT to help her so in general I would suggest playing safer until you know where she is. Maybe pick up a sweeper and pop it any time you feel like your opponent is playing a little too aggressive, as it might be preparation for a gank. Given that Evelynn has no gap closer and you get a ! over your head every time, you're only in a bad spot if you force an engage without know where she's at, and you're pushed too far ahead.

Penta Penguin8 votes

Ward the Scuttle Crab or her camps, she has to come out of stealth to clear them so regular wards will see her

Buy pinks literally and hide them in bushes she can't easily walk into

BG Death2 votes

thank you!

Tobias Brackner2 votes

Thank you <3

I have to deal with supports who don't get sightstone and teams that don't ward in general. Spreading that ward love and knowledge is awesome <3

RenownedWheat421 votes

That can always be problematic, but it unfortunately happens. Making the most of what vision you CAN get is always good though!

Mannny2 votes

I love these tips, they've helped me win games against Lee Sins and Zacs. Thank you!

RenownedWheat423 votes

Glad to hear it! Good warding habits won't win games, but they'll definitely help big-time.

[slayer-pantheon-thumbs]

TyrekGoldenspear2 votes

Totally bookmarking this. Thanks for the info! I may rise up a whole division thanks to this!

RenownedWheat421 votes

I hope it helps! That would be fantastic.

DarkHeadgear2 votes

You can combine the two wards that spot

  1. The blasting plant
  2. The jungle entrance from blue into the river

by placing the ward directly beside the sharp-looking piece of terrain beside the blasting plant. It should have enough vision to cover the jungle walking into the river and enough to spot the blasting plant, which is enough to stop blasting plant ganks and junglers who are coming from blue. To path around it they have to take an inefficient route going around blue buff into the second entrance and then to lane, which can be spotted by rift scuttler or a secondary ward.

The two ultimate wards: Blasting plant+Blue-to-river ward (one ward for both with this trick) and control ward in the small circular river single spot brush. You are immune to ganks with these 2 wards.

Dream High2 votes

Bump tp save

RenownedWheat421 votes

Thank you!

iLLp1 votes

ok but how are you going to get people to ward in the first place?

Aeszarck4 votes

[{quoted}](name=o f u c k,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=TomNuh3f,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2017-04-17T16:11:43.043+0000)

ok but how are you going to get people to ward in the first place?

Be charismatic and encourage them to when you see they have a free ward! If your teammates respect your decision-making ability, then they'll do it for you! :)

Daedric Etwahl1 votes

As a Bronze support main, I feel like I should have the hang of warding by now, but I still constantly am told that I need to be putting down vision, so I probably only have the bare basics really.

I don't play tanky supports, and Sona is my main, so I'm usually scared to try and go on warding missions becauae with my luck an enemy will be somewhere they usually would have no business being, but since I'm there, I get killed.

Honestly trying to keep track of so many spots is almost baffling, it kinda makes my head spin a little bit.

RenownedWheat422 votes

The easiest thing to do about this is only ward deep when you know where the enemies are at. Is everyone in their lane? You see that enemy jungler go top? Perfect time to slip into the river or his bot jungle and throw a ward or two around. It is not your job to ward everywhere during the laning phase, so don't worry about that.

As the support, yes, you should have sightstone. But, it's everyone's job to ward. :)

Sexy Jack Rabbit1 votes

I'm a little confused and not very good. Whenever I buy control wards I have the concern of the just being destroyed and me effectively giving the enemy even free-er gold. Is the 75gold worth it?

ThugWalrus2 votes

In general, yes the 75g is always worth it. Even if you walk into mid lane, drop it in one of the side bushes and the jungler walks right up and kills it instantly, you still gained a lot of information, certainly 75g worth. That being said, you do want to maximize you ward efficiency. This usually means you want to wait for lane control.

So, for example in bot lane, let's say you want to ward tri-bush and you are on blue side. If they just pushed the minion wave to your tower you shouldn't walk up and place the ward right away since they will probably have the tribush warded if they are pushing up and they will just walk over and clear it as a duo. Your adc won't be able to help you contest since they are focusing on minions meaning your ward will go to waste. Instead, wait for the lane to push back to the middle or towards them before dropping a ward. You will probably be able to clear a ward they had (making your ward even more efficient since you make back 30g).

This goes for mid lane too. If you have 0 pressure and are constantly getting shoved in, you can't really just drop a control ward in the side bushes whenever you want. Often you can bait yourself doing this. For example if you're Ziggs and you drop a ward against Zed, he will go to clear it and if you contest he will take the opportunity to all-in you.

The best way to avoid getting your ward killed if you are under pressure is to ward low-traffic spots for your respective lane. For mid this is river in the little bush, or the entrance to your jungle from river (or that push on the outside of redbuff). For bot this can be the bush behind your tower (by krugs on blue side or by gromp on red side) or (again) the bush on the outside of red buff by river.

TLDR: Yes, the 75g is almost always worth it, but if you want to maximize your warding efficiency, wait for lane-control to place your wards OR ward spots where they are less likely to get destroyed if you have no pressure.

jama6551 votes

but i can only have 3 wards out ???????

RenownedWheat422 votes

This isn't saying "ward every location yourself." This is showing viable ward locations that many people don't use. Take advantages of the ones relative to your lane.

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