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This whole top-lane ignite thing...

GoodHotFreshFly··2 votes·1,557 views

I've noticed a lot of top-laners like to take ignite, especially tanky top laners. Ok, I have one question for you: WHY???

You're a tank. You should never have to utilize ignite if you're a tank, because tanks are not meant to deal damage, yet, for some odd reason that I just cannot see, people are taking ignite over something that would be WAY more useful like Teleport or Ghost. Unless you just forgot to change it, I can understand, but I will leave any team builder queue that has a tank-top-laner with ignite. This applies especially to fighter/tanks, who are item-dependent and should farm, meaning teleport would be the logical option, for they can get back in to lane faster and farm more. This does not apply, however, to Fighter/Assassins in the top lane, like Fiora and Rengar, who should deal damage rather than utilize tankiness. If I'm really just blind and can't see why tanky toplaners would take ignite, please explain. Please know that I'm not talking about the majority of top-laners in League of Legends, just the majority of top-laners I've seen trying to pull it off with ignite.

8 Comments

EndlessSorcerer2 votes

I personally prefer teleport because I focus on surviving lane as a late game champions over snowballing with early kills. In addition, teleport gives me additional map pressure that I can use to gank other lanes, split-push and join teamfights, appear for objectives, and return to lane to get a gold and experience advantage.

Ignite is typically taken in the top lane (even on tanks) because it gives them additional kill potential to help them snowball a lane. Without ignite, tanks can typically shove an enemy out of lane by getting them low but they typically don't have the damage to kill their enemy; ignite gives some additional damage to help tanks finish off enemies. Shen, (non-proxy) Singed, and Cho'gath are three tanks who work well with Ignite for early kill pressure.

Ignite may also be taken because of how useful it can be against certain champions. As examples, Ignite is great for killing Tryndamere after his ultimate or preventing Mundo or Swain from regenerating with their ultimates when trying to kill them.

Or, if the tank plans to be diving the enemy carries later in the game (for example, Malphite), they may want the extra damage and greivous wounds to reliably kill them. Teleport is still probably better for flanking or joining fights unexpectedly but it can still work.

Provengreil2 votes

I don't top lane, and I take TP when I do, but top lane is an island whose participants tend to snowball in relation to each other with a single kill. Having ignite can mean two early kills which can transform into a monster splitpusher requiring two people to deal with. Then you've turned that dragon fight into a 3v4...and you have ignite to deal with the 1v2 you're about to experience.

Just my thoughts.

Kowe The Ewok1 votes

So which "tank toplaner" are you talking about?

I hope you don't complain aboutMalphite taking summoner 14

7he Joker1 votes

I generally always take teleport but I can see why people take ignite, if your jungler doesnt gank for the laner with tp and if they are the same skill level the player with ignite secures a win in lane which helps the team although they wont have map pressure. Overall it really pisses me off when i take teleport and the laner im facing has ignite.

Astral Zephyroro1 votes

Pantheon summoner 14

Still have a small bit of map pressure with the ult, plus a snow balled pantheon will damn near always secure your team a kill when he starts to roam.

UndeZyrablee1 votes

Ignite is a trash summoner. Only time you should ever take ignite is if you are vs Poppy or Mundo.

What i mean is, every other summoner. And yes I mean EVERY, has more utility. Ignite gets you maybe one early kill where the enemy was dumb enough to not retreat when he was low. Every other summoner either helps your exp/gold gain, or gives you lasting power for said fights.

Barrier my friends. Has saved me countless times and has given me the lasting power to kill without being killed.

Edit: On a tank though, barrier is not necessarily the best choice. Teleport or heal or exhaust + flash recommended.

Edit 2: And in reply to many of the other responses, Barrier (defensive) or Exhaust (offensive) > ignite. Every f**king time. Not only does Exhaust still secure that early kill, but it is still relevant late game. Take 300 hp from enemy adc, or slow him and cut his damage output in half for the whole fight? Before you make that choice, realize he can dish out more than 300 damage in a single second.

NightNinja131 votes

I disagree the main thing ignite has is true damage. Against tanks this can be invaluable to cut through defense. Summoner spells to me depend on the champion. Exhaust is great against squishy targets but tanks don't really deal a bunch of damage. Usually better on a support or against a high damage/burst champ like Riven.

Summoner spells are situational and fit with different play styles. There will always be exceptions to the rule and one will always trump another in the right situation. But, that does not mean one is better or worse on a champion in top or any other lane.

DrNova1 votes

Top lane isnt always, or usually, a tank. Bruiser is most common, and thats not a tank

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