What is the role of top lane?

Ralanr·Sep 25, 2015·1 votes·12,327 views

I play normals and I'm unranked, so please forgive me for my lack of knowledge. Based on what I've played (I main top with ) it feels like top lane has no real importance. I've seen bot lane get rushed numerous times to shut down the carry, and I've seen late games push mid because it's the shortest distance to the turret. But Top lane is usually ignored unless the other two lanes are not being pushed due to the enemy team.

So what is the point of top lane? Is it less important than the others? Is this because of the current meta or has this always been a thing?

11 Comments

redniwediSSep 25, 20152 votes

Top lane is no less important than the other lanes, however the role is the most flexible in the game. Because of it's position there is really only one requirement to a top lane champion, you have to be self reliant. It's often said Top is an island, and that's mainly because of how it's opposite works.

Bottom lane is a duo lane for a few reasons:

Having a duo lane is the most efficient way of splitting gold between the team.
Mid is safer by default due to it's length, and so it's best for less safe solo pick.
Bottom lane is a long lane, and is therefore less safe.
Unlike Top, Bottom lane is situated next to an early game, neutral objective.

Because of these reasons most of the action happens on the bottom side of the map. You want to control neutral objectives, and the top side of the map doesn't have one until the 20 minute mark. The lane itself up top is not as important, however the role, with it's flexibility, can have one of the largest impacts if played correctly.

Wolf QueenSep 25, 20151 votes

every role can have the largest impact if played right :P

redniwediSSep 25, 20151 votes

True enough.

LintheSep 25, 20152 votes

{quoted}

Top lane is no less important than the other lanes, however the role is the most flexible in the game.

Yea.. This.

And expanding.. You can be a tank or you can be a carry. Partly, it depends on you and your playstyle. And partly it depends on your team makeup, especially jungler but to a lesser degree support. Ideally, you would want to be flexible to play either role depending on what your team needed. At lower ELOs this is somewhat less important.

If you have Nidalee jungle and a Janna support, tank would be welcome since you would be the only one. You play Maokai or Sion.

But if you have a tankier jungler and/or support eg Gragas and Leona, you could play more of a damage dealing top laner.

RalanrSep 25, 20151 votes

Ok. So from what I understand, top lane truly shines once the game reaches around the 20 minute mark or gets really pushed? So if that's the case, does that mean that early game champions such as and are detrimental to the role? I know people usually play Pantheon in the jungle, but I haven't heard the same for Renekton.

Wolf QueenSep 25, 20151 votes

no. You can easily take half there base if they do a 20 min baron. If you have a nid or something on your team the nid can solo handle them at baron while your team takes half there base. Yes early game tops are good for making plays, winning lane etc. I personally prefer an early game comp to a late. Your not promised a late your promised an early. But if you lose early your pretty much fucked

RalanrSep 25, 20151 votes

Never thought about the first part before. I focus too much on the "fucked if you mess up early" part I guess.

redniwediSSep 25, 20152 votes

Champions can be easily split into three types, early game, mid game, and late game champions.

Early game top laners shine right off the bat. Their goal is to get a quick lead, take the enemy tower, and start roaming and force the lane phase to end. They fill the top lane role, but most of their strength comes from their ability to impact the other two lanes.

Mid game champions, which are arguably the most common, have a few more options. With a slightly larger lead than an early game champ needs they can roam around just the same, but they can also set up shop in the top lane for a long time. From my understanding their goal is less of getting themselves ahead, but to set their opponent behind. They waste time and zone the enemy until the team fight phase begins, where their opponent either groups and falls even further behind or stays top to catch up and leaves their team at a disadvantage elsewhere.

Late game champs act similarly to most mid game champs, however their goal is to extend their lane phase. They can often trade well in 1v1s, but not so well in group combat. They force their opponent to babysit them, or else they can adopt a full on split pushing strategy. These are the champions who truly shine in your 20 minute mark scenario.

The key thing to remember from my first post is that top lane is flexible. It has many different styles of play and the role itself isn't even tied to it's location on the map. Some top laners barely ever go top lane outside of the first 10 minutes of the game. It's uncommon, but it does happen. The above type of champions are really just an over-generalization to help my point come across, as top lane is just too volatile a role to fully sum up in a short manner like that.

To put it simply the location of top lane is important at 18 minutes and on, but the role is flexible enough to shine at any point of the game.

PROJECT BearSep 25, 20151 votes

top lane you duke it out like a man, ignore the rest of the map (other than the occasional 'bot/mid n00b stop feeding'), crush your opponent 5/0, then die (last of your team 'cause you are fed and tanky) to the enemy carry that destroyed bot/mid lane.

other times, mid/bot is destroying their lanes, so they take the nexus while you're still duking it top lane, like a man.

LICENSED HOOKERSep 25, 20151 votes

Nasus + q.. That is the foundation of the question

What is top lane

Rengar Top LaneSep 26, 20151 votes

Guess it depends on the champion to be honest.

For example: I play top lane Rengar for the purpose of farming core items/making the enemy top with me- a) weak part of the enemy team b) having to deal with me in lane. c) call jungler to help fight me

By having the enemy have a weak laner, it lowers their chance of winning. By them having to deal with me sustaining in lane, I can draw their attention from roaming. By calling jungler to gank me, one of our carry lanes are can play aggro or gank without worry.

In the end, playing top lane for me is like being the second support on the team. I'll roam when possible and at the same time, try to take the enemy jungle pressure off you. Combining wards with shoving the wave before a back can easily draw the enemy jungler's attention. Just be careful, though. Some have crazy mobility >.>