WHEN Should You Ward?

Mandenand·3/6/2015, 7:16:34 AM·2 votes·3,975 views

Anyone can hear Faker tell you the best spots to ward 100 times, anyone can watch a pro player stream and see they warded X spots, but you're never really told when to ward. Obviously, if you plan on being aggressive, ward before you start heavily pushing, but aside from that, people just ward randomly.

Can someone post an in depth guide, or even just some really good advice, on the best times to ward? Preferably for mid lane, but all lanes are fine.

In case you don't know what I'm asking, or are confused -- basically, you could go to ward, ward the best spot, but when the jungler isn't close to your lane, making the ward mostly useless. Or warding when the lane is in a bad spot, and you'll end up missing cs, or giving the enemy laner an advantage when you leave lane. I need to avoid this but don't know how.

16 Comments

KillnYall3/6/2015, 7:47:21 AM2 votes

All the time. If you have 75 gold and a slot get a ward. If you jungle you need to pick up wards every back. Vision is so key in LOL today, 3 seasons ago it was more forgiving on vision when you could have unlimited wards placed.

GundayMonday3/6/2015, 8:08:40 AM2 votes

It really depends on what you're planning on doing in the next 3 minutes of the game, and where the enemy team COULD be.

Like if I'm supporting bot lane, and about to ward because we want to shove the wave into their tower, BUT THEN see a 3 man dive top, I save my ward. I know where the enemy team is, so it's wasting the ward to use it now. I have a mental timer in my head of how long it takes for them to recall and walk towards my lane, so I look to see if we're going to be in a vulnerable position. If yes, I ward a little before the enemy team COULD come and gank us. If no (maybe we're farming at tower), then I save the ward.

If I'm jungling, maybe dragon is up in the next 3 mins and I know my team will be fighting for the objective when it spawns. So I'll ward up the enemy jungle around dragon ~2 mins before the fight to give us an advantage.

See what I mean? Think about what you're going to do in the next 3 mins, and what information you need to pull it off. That line of thought will tell you when it's smart to ward.

4nth0l0gy3/6/2015, 10:18:23 AM2 votes

The answer is yes, OP

Standard o Honor3/6/2015, 8:23:58 AM2 votes

Actively place wards when it's relatively safe to do so and you feel you'll get benefit out of the vision. ex. panth jungle shows top, and you're pushed passed river, go ward the path near his blue so you know when he's bot. his ult is annoying.

When you know an objective or an area of a map might be contested in the near future. ex. someone starts a minion wave top, might be worth warding out your path to get to the tower they'll be targetting in 45 secs or so.

Around the time's the enemy jungler would start ganking.

When giving up vision in a lane bush would give the enemy too much zoning potential. ex. thresh, blitz, leona

The More vision you have the easier it is to guess where the enemies are even if you can't see them so if you're about to go back unload your wards in the best places you can get to quickly. provided it won't clear an already existing and more important ward and you have sightstone

Lv16 Flaaffy3/6/2015, 9:56:07 AM1 votes

I always ward the bush in river when I play support. I do this around 4 minutes in and have my adc ward the lane bush. Then I don't recall until I have around 900-1300 gold then buy Sightstone.

Then after that you really have to decide when to ward. If you play aggressive you need to ward ASAP around possible gank areas (enemy jungle).

DoomBot Shelby3/6/2015, 6:04:40 PM1 votes

It really depends on your playstyle and the opposing team. Some people have posted some really good pieces of advice but keep in mind that you want to make the most out of your ward timer.

If I'm playing support and it's early game and I have green ward, I want to pick the right time to place it because its my only one. I usually look at their jungler. Do they tend to farm until 6 and then gank? Or are they likely to gank early? Does the opposing team let us push? Or are they hard-pushing for our turret?

GummyBearWookiee3/6/2015, 6:21:26 PM1 votes

When you're mid lane...hold onto your yellow trinket ward until about 3 mins in....then ward one of the sides of the river brush. Hang on that side for added protection. As a mid laner...do not over extend unless you have vision of the jungler elsewhere on the map.

You want as much vision as possible...when you port back try to always buy a green ward. When your lane starts to push a bit...drop the sucker in the brush and again...play to that side for protection. There's never a bad time to ward really. Always peek at your map...if you have a ward...and the jungler's top...don't drop it...wait a while. If they get a successful gank...wait a good 10 secs then drop the ward. If the gank isn't successful...talk to the lane. Is the jungler low? Did he die? If so...hold onto your ward for a good 30 seconds (or 15 seconds after their death timer) then ward.

ModKnightsKemplar3/6/2015, 9:01:13 PM1 votes

When it's safe to ward the area you want to ward. If it isn't warded, and you can ward it, then do so.

Drunk Rummate3/6/2015, 9:04:13 PM1 votes

if you're ever going to extend to a place where getting ganked would result in your death, go ward before extending

The Chin3/6/2015, 7:39:53 AM1 votes

when the lane is shoved and you don't have vision of the enemy jungler, or as you're coming back to lane from shop

FedAsFuk3/6/2015, 10:17:23 PM1 votes

http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/tips-tricks/IwZA58zE-warding-a-guide-to-effective-warding I wrote a general guide including do's and don'ts as well as lane specific warding,

fdissht3/6/2015, 7:57:13 AM1 votes

Are you botlane and you see jungler top? No need to ward yet, ward slightly after jungler disappears from map

Is dragon coming up soon? Start warding enemy jungle opposite the dragon, same for baron (if applicable)

Did you just win a teamfight and you're support? Refresh deep wards if you're winning fights

Do they have a fiddle, lee sin, blitzcrank, etc? Ward awkward places where a surprise (insert skill here) may appear, especially in areas where teamfights frequently happens

Are you winning? Deep wards, especially junctions (multi path, high traffic areas) and creat ambush/pick opportunities

Losing? River enterances to your jungle, baron, ward when you either won a fight or when you see the enemy farming, bring an escort

Try to ward near objectives that your team are gunning for, it would ensure good teamfights and/or allow you to safely take it

Mandenand3/6/2015, 7:57:21 AM1 votes

2 of you literally replied with when to buy a ward. That's not what I'm asking. When should I actually actively place it. 2 waves at my turret, do I ignore them and go ward? No. Obviously you always need wards.

Duke Anax3/6/2015, 9:31:14 AM1 votes

The best advoice is:

Ward when you can, because you may not be able to when you need it.