Carrying isn't always getting a bunch of kills without dying

Gare Jordans·10/24/2014, 7:25:06 AM·58 votes·9,386 views

You can carry a game through map or ward presence. Don't let people fool you into thinking you must have a spectacular kill to death ratio to carry a game. As long as you carry a strong presence throughout the game, your teammates will benefit. Some times it's actually better to not have a spiked kill to death ratio, and spread the wealth.

EDIT: Wow! I didn't expect this to go anywhere. Thanks for everyone's input; it makes a discussion lively!

47 Comments

Onegarion10/24/2014, 4:18:06 PM13 votes

I think people have this misconception. They think that just because they have the most kills that they are carrying. THe player who is carrying is the player who is successfully making plays. Ofc this doesn't mean that guy that makes that 1 play to win, but that player that is always setting your team up for success. This is how a support/tank can carry for your team. Its that player who you can't win your strategy with.

I've had games as an adc or mid where I played terrible, but because of a teammate that bad play was overshadowed by them handing me kills. This lets me play "better" and do the teams damage. Recently I had a game like this as Lissandra vs a zed. I'm a terrible mid laner so the zed had the edge. Our lee jungler came mid and made some really good plays to put me up 3/0 in lane on zed. This made it easier for me to deal with being an average mid laner. While I started to lead the team in kills there was no chance of that without the lee who continued to play well. So while he didn't get the most kills or deal the most damage without him The team would have faltered and I say that Lee carried that team to victory.

CupcakeTrap10/24/2014, 3:29:02 PM10 votes

This is definitely true. I strongly support your central message: it's a game about making their Nexus blow up, not shallowly padding your personal stats so you can fervently make the case when you lose that it wasn't your fault.

That said, I'm also reminded of a story, which I'll paraphrase below:

Teacher: Your son is really struggling with math. Parent: But isn't it true that many gifted students struggle with math? Teacher: Yes. Of course, many stupid students also struggle with math.

Getting kills and not dying is still generally a pretty good idea. I find I'm a little too quick to sacrifice a kill to the enemy team to accomplish an objective, and it's not always smart.

kitcat30010/24/2014, 4:32:37 PM8 votes

Does anyone think thank the support with over 20 assists? Nope. Just that carry who has all the kills. I'm sure all my team wide shields as karma had nothing to do with it. T_T

disregardable10/24/2014, 8:12:35 AM5 votes

You don't need to carry. You just need to not be the reason your team lost. Don't feed, don't go even just for the sake of going even, don't overextend, don't not farm at any point in the game, and don't not ward. Don't let yourself be underleveled, even as support. Don't go on tilt. Only avoid teamfights if you're confident your team doesn't need you. If you think a teamfight is destined to end badly, don't just not go in without pinging the team to back out. Just don't not communicate in general.

If you follow those guidelines, you probably won't be the reason your team lost.

Orbv10/24/2014, 6:38:41 PM5 votes

I had a team blame me for being useless playing Soraka. Yet I had about 12 assists (the game ended 14- 12) with 2 deaths and I was always healing them at the last second and people didn't notice. Like honestly in gold, NOBODY notices when they receive a heal if they are damaged at the same time. No the ability didn't completely miss you, it was negated by the heal.

LuckyReden10/24/2014, 6:18:20 PM4 votes

Yup, you don't know how many times ive played support and gotten 25+ assists and no credit.

Rikari10/25/2014, 3:56:15 AM4 votes

Lol i remember a game i was Irelia top (Silver) while lucian and braum fed ashe and the other laner lost. don't ask me how lucian lets braum go 1-5-1 against Ashe,but the game ended with me letting lucian pick back up kills from 1-5 to 10-7 and ashe's 7-2 to about 7-5. Lucian was like "carried soo hard" wasn't sure whether to laugh or educate.

Rawrful10/24/2014, 6:45:45 PM4 votes

Part of what makes League of Legends so great is the ability to carry (I define carry as repeatedly making plays that push your team toward winning) multiple ways. I carried a game last night as Tryndamere with a negative kill/death and a low k/d/a. How does one carry a game with low kill participation?

Proxy farming and split pushing. From early lane phase it was obvious our bot lane was getting destroyed. Their Trist had the second highest farm in the game (After me) and 5 kills before the lane phase was ending. We had no way of beating them in a 5v5. So I just proxy farmed top lane, and when they pulled their jungler to stop me, we just did Dragon with 4, or got a tower elsewhere on the map. I died pretty often, but for every death our jungler (Who was very on point) grabbed us an objective. The one time the enemy grouped as 5, I took inner and inhib towers before they could get back to base. I eventually ended up killing top inhib, then grabbing bottom inhibitor tower while my team did Baron, and the enemy was pushing off super minions top and dealing with me bot.

It worked so beautifully. Don't fight the fed Trist in a fair fight, ever. Push for objectives. Don't worry about getting kills, worry about getting objectives. Get lots of wards up so everyone on the team can see rotations coming and get out of the way. I killed something like 5 towers and 2 inhibitors while pulling multiple enemies to deal with me, allowing my comparatively weak team to eventually win. And we never had a single standard 'line up and go' 5v5 team fight in a 35 minute long game.

Mmm, carrying through objective control and map positioning.

chaetopterus10/24/2014, 7:52:11 PM3 votes

In fact many kills and nearly no assists aren't as good as people think. Those who overkill enemies to ensure they get the kill tend to waste their cds and leave safeable teammates. It isn't just a misconception about honor and respect, it triggers selfishness that harms teamwork. We can't do anything against it though.

A Retarded Clown10/24/2014, 10:28:16 PM3 votes

This is why ADC is the least likely role to actually 'carry'. As an ADC your skill is entirely dependent on your ability to capitalize on your team mates abilities to maximize thoroughput. No frontline and you're basically neutered. All you can do is position to avoid death and put out max damage, but if your tank/support fails to neutralize enemy threats you can't really 'carry'. IN fact, you're more likely to anti carry by being a soft target that positions too forward and gets roflstomped in team fights because you think you can make them 'plays' when in fact as an ADC what you're really doing is trying to mop up a fight after it's been started and the chess pieces have been set.

Support on the other hand...can make all the plays to 'carry' but place them with an 'anti carry' and the game just became futile for the support unless he channels his efforts elsewhere. That extended carry that gets nuked by Fizz Q+W because he's always in range of it without him even needing to R or E is going to be a total waste of time to make plays for. Maybe he'll survive round 1, but with that positioning its a matter of a few short seconds before he finds a way to die again without contributing much.

BUT, if you have a top laner/jungler/mid who is going strong a support can shift their power aaand carry. A ranged AD 'Carry' cannot.

Duke Anax10/25/2014, 7:30:25 PM3 votes

Heh, I once carried a game like 0/12/5 with Alistar.

The Team ended up like 30/60/20, but we won, because most of my deaths, I took a tower with me.

Crazy game, not the norm, but it show how little KDA actually matters.

What really matters is how you kill and how you die.

Chi Vanish10/24/2014, 9:06:07 PM2 votes

Agreed yesterday i was top mao and went 0-0-24 i had no kills but set my kat mid up to go in safely while I tanked the fed trist and stunned yi everytime he tried to come in and dive her and my jinx.

Wallaroo022610/24/2014, 5:45:39 PM2 votes

This advice is rather elementary. It is pretty much a fact that lower ranks in Solo queue require carry champs to progress at a decent rate. The teamwork and fighting is usually lackluster. This means a high kda. I will agree that sometimes people with padded stats refuse to group to the detriment of a team.

The Chin10/24/2014, 7:42:02 PM2 votes

Word! I'd rather have 4 members with 6-7 kills than one guy with 29 kills

TeemoHunter133710/24/2014, 8:02:29 PM2 votes

i have a short definition for carrying.

someone who: 1.) wins team fights, with this person you ace enemy team, without this person, they ace you. ( ala jinx adc) 2.) kept everyone even or fed. basically made sure the entire team was strong for mid-late game (ala junglers who gank alot like kha zix) 3.) leads the team verbally, sort of like a shotcaller. makes the right choices, says the right things, and it all works out in the end. (ala orianna mid laner who calls for barons or dragons or pushing mid or tells top laner to split push top etc )

if u do 1 of these 3 things you are carrying.

you are not carrying the team if u are 7-0 by laning phase then u lose every team fight and basically no advatange after that , that just means u were fed by laning phase ended but u didnt know how to control the game. (ala ur toxic mid lane yasuo who asked for camp from jungler)

EMOFRATPARTY10/24/2014, 8:13:54 PM2 votes

I main Ashe and almost never end up with the most kills. But those assists...THROWN AN ARROW SOMEWHERE AND RACK 'EM UP!

Forest Gem10/24/2014, 10:35:27 PM2 votes

As someone who often does support, I have to agree. I get more worried when I don't have any assists, and at the same time I try to avoid getting the kills. My least favorite ADCs are the ones who refuse to let me do anything besides the occasional heal or shield for them. It's like they forget that they aren't the only ones in the lane that need the gold. And I don't know how many games I've played as Soraka where part of why we won is because I went after the minions that were going for our turrets and pushed those same lanes. And I'm often able to run away pretty well, so the fact I do that from team fights often result in the enemy team not getting an ace.

And the times where I decide to be the carry I get flamed for dying a lot, but part of that is because I actually try to push the lane rather than just farm. At least I have the sense not to turret-dive like some people do when they carry.

Basically, sometimes when I support I feel more like I'm carrying more than the carry, and when I carry my way I get flamed.

Rivini10/25/2014, 12:37:02 AM2 votes

I'm going to share a true story that took place a few months ago...

I was playing Lulu support. I got Ardent Censor because my team had champions that would really benefit from the AS passive. One of those champions was Aatrox. The deciding team fight had just been initiated. Aatrox dove into the enemy team. He was about to be killed when I ulted him, followed by my shield which also gave a 25% AS boost due to AC. He furiously sliced and stabbed at everyone, barely staying alive via lifesteal. Without the extra AS, I wouldn't doubt he would have been taken down. After we aced the enemy team, we either pushed for the win or they surrendered. I forget.

Since AC's passive is hard to notice, I let my team know when I get the item so they will realize they will be receiving extra AS from me. 25% doesn't seem like a lot, but on champions who get AS through their kit or items, it's a considerable boost to their DPS.

While it may seem Aatrox carried, it couldn't have been done without my supporting. If you ask me, supports are the true carries. They are the backbone of the team.

Q Ball16210/25/2014, 1:41:33 AM2 votes

"It would be best not to have all our eggs in the same basket." - My friend anytime we get fed.

JSAM999510/25/2014, 10:53:35 PM2 votes

"1. What is your reasoning for pursuing this goal?

Before you can even succeed you have to know what your ambition is. If your drive is to improve at the game and climb a few divisions on the way then you probably enjoy playing this game. Other people just want to play to excel at the highest level. There is a famous quote by Milan Kundera "Anyone whose goal is 'something higher' must expect someday to suffer vertigo. What is vertigo? Fear of falling? No, Vertigo is something other than fear of falling. It is the voice of the emptiness below us which tempts and lures us, it is the desire to fall, against which, terrified, we defend ourselves." Basically the quote just talks about how being the best has no longevity rather it is something that is brief and eventually that person will fall. If someone's drive is being the best I just hope that they know that it won't last what will last however is trying to better yourself.

  1. Have a S.M.A.R.T goal

People underestimate this a lot but having a specific attainable goal can really help you in League of Legends. There is no point in having a goal like Diamond 1 when you are still in Bronze 5. Having a goal that is achievable can help motivate you to go on to the next goal that is just a small step above. Instead of having that Diamond 1 goal have a Silver 5 goal or even just a Bronze 4 goal. There is an acronym for good goals S.M.A.R.T. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely. These are the main things you need to have. An example of a S.M.A.R.T goal is going from Bronze 5 to Silver 5 in the next month. It is specific. It is measurable the 5 divisions that you pass through. Attainable because you can climb 5 divisions I have done it before. The realistic aspect of the goal will change from person to person but I think people can do these goals if they really try it is timely because there is a deadline.

  1. Execute the goal

Execution is the hardest part of achieving your goals. It is easy to make this goal that is "S.M.A.R.T" but actually following through on these goals is the tricky part. There are so many distractions that can prevent us from completing our goals but a few things you can do to keep you on the right path. Eliminate distractions. We have all played with that person who is not even paying attention to the game. He or she may have distractions like talking on the phone, texting, checking social media. People like that are asking for distractions. League of Legends is a game that demands your full attention and distractions will lower your overall play. Another tip is to break down your goals into smaller goals. Instead of fixating on the big picture which is climbing that division or moving up to the next tier think about trying to win every game. It is very easy to look at that daunting task and just quit. So if you break down those goal into smaller goals it is easier. I like to think of the analogy of chewing. You don't swallow the food in its entirety rather you break it down into many bite size pieces.

The last piece of advice that I think can really help you meet your goals is to find a mentor. Asking for someone else to help you is something that works for a lot of people. Finding a mentor is as simple as finding a knowledgeable friend who is a tier above you. Another way to find a mentor is to go on YouTube. There are hundreds of people on YouTube that have made it to Diamond and are very successful. Most of the small to medium size ones answer all your messages and if they stream you can sometimes get a 1 on 1 experience that almost feels like a coaching session. The last method is to actually find a personal coach. Although I don't like it because there is plenty of information online it is helpful to some people. There are plenty of websites you can find on Google that can grant you access to personal coaching. It cost money but some people see it as an investment in the goal that they are trying to do." to view the whole article go to http://www.infobarrel.com/How_to_Be_Successful_in_League_of_Legends

Kuroi8610/26/2014, 4:15:11 AM2 votes

There are several ways to carry.

Playing as Leona I carry the early game by setting up kills for Jinx to snowball off of and carry late game by peeling for her while Amumu leads the charge.

Playing as Pantheon I carry early game by handing kills to my laners as often as possible and carry late game by tanking turrets as we push up mid after finally landing an ace on the enemy team.

As Nautilus I carry by throwing myself at the enemy team and just being as big of a distraction as I can be, I force them to focus me, I die, but in return we ace them and can grab objectives and push for the win.

I finish most games with more deaths than kills, but that is how I carry, I make myself a high priority target and forcing the enemy to focus me so my team can do what they need to do.

VesperNadal10/14/2015, 10:59:00 AM1 votes

There's more than a few people I know who need to see this.

badooga10/26/2014, 7:42:09 PM1 votes

As an Aatrox player, I do get a lot of kills and I strive to get a high K:D ratio. However, I do acknowledge how other players help me get the kills. For example, when a support throws a stun to help me get a kill, I (and most people should) thank them for the CC that otherwise wouldn't have let you get the kill. Without supports and play-makers, you can't carry, so as many said, they are the true carries.

Aggression11/20/2014, 5:16:24 PM1 votes

had a normals game where I fed HARD on lissandra, like 10 deaths at 30 minutes. I still ended up winning the game for our team, because though we were behind, I flash ulted their jungler during a baron contest, letting ours steal it, which led to a 2 inhib push and then victory despite massive gold deficit.

you can make plays and win the game regardless of score (although i'm sure if I hadn't fed we wouldn't have NEEDED that, but well, yaknow)

DaBawesome1/22/2015, 11:03:56 PM1 votes

Hi i have a very very bad K/D/A. and my CS at 10 min. normally is not close to good. But i still spend a lot of time playing adc , its just Fun. But i also have a decent to good win percentage (18 out of my last 20 games are wins at the time of this posting) normally its just over .500. I'm also am good at warding often better then my supports and jungles the people on the team responsible with warding. As an adc, I'm looking for where the gankes are coming from is my first thought in map awareness, then who needs help (normally me) I die a lot, i go ham. I'm playing a game, and that is the first thing many league players forget, this is a GAME we are here for play and fun. yes i know wining is fun bragging rights are fun, but sadly this is what many people focus on, and this is a mistake. Unless you are one of the 1000 professional players or half million streamers, League of Legends is just a game. I know that more then a few players have dreams of going pro. and i encourage you to try. but i also want you to remember that when you are in solo queue you are just being matched with random people off the street. also remember that some times we have bad games and bad days, all the players that you play with are people and we can all get better some of it is skill, some strategy, teamwork, composer, and mostly levity.

Drukyul10/24/2014, 3:33:48 PM1 votes

Sounds more like supporting than carrying. Not that there's anything wrong with supporting; I win many games that way even if I'm top/mid/jungle technically.

T M Riddle10/14/2015, 4:37:41 AM1 votes

NO. This is team deathmatch, not actual League of Legends, idiot. Objectives? Lol noob.