A Beginner Guide to Ganking in League of Legends S14

League of Legends is a diverse game that lets you play however you want, whether it be alongside another teammate in bot or completely alone up top. However, one role that has to do pretty much everything in addition to much more than the other roles is the jungle one, and ganking is the one thing every jungler is expected to do.

Ganking is when you go to a lane to assist your teammate in dealing with their counterpart champions. While it sounds easy enough, the mechanic requires excellent timing and strategy to pull off, otherwise not only will you get a death but you can also jeopardize your teammate's lane. This is why we're here to help you learn how to gank.

If you're a beginner in ganking and want to learn how to do it then you're at the perfect place because this is the only guide you'll ever need for ganking. If you want some good teammates to assist you in ganking, then you can always play with a professional-level booster, especially since Eloking provides a 20% discount to those who use the code "BoostToday".

Understanding the Basics Of Ganking

Ganking primarily takes place in the lanes, where champions engage in one-on-one or two-on-two skirmishes. It involves an allied champion, often referred to as the jungler, making a surprise appearance in a lane to outnumber and overpower the enemy. Successful ganks can lead to securing kills, helping a teammate gain a lead, and ultimately contributing to the team's victory.

Choosing the Right Champion

The foundation of a successful gank begins with selecting the right champion for the role of the jungler. Not all champions are well-suited for this position, as effective ganking requires a balance of crowd control, damage output, and survivability. Champions with strong crowd control abilities, such as stuns, snares, or slows, are particularly valuable in ensuring a successful gank.

Furthermore, mobility is a key factor. Junglers should be able to navigate the map quickly to respond to potential ganking opportunities. Champions with abilities that allow them to traverse the jungle efficiently and reach lanes swiftly are ideal for this role. Additionally, sustaining power in the jungle is crucial, as it ensures that the jungler can maintain a healthy level of health and experience throughout the game.

Timing is Everything

Once you've chosen your champion, mastering the art of ganking involves impeccable timing. Successful ganks often rely on capitalizing on the enemy's overextension or poor positioning. Keep an eye on the minimap, paying attention to the movements of both your teammates and the enemy champions. A pushed-up lane or an opponent overcommitting to a trade can be a prime opportunity for a successful gank.

Coordinating with your teammates is equally vital. Communication is key in ensuring everyone is on the same page. Use ping alerts to signal your intentions and inform your teammates about your approach. A well-timed gank can turn a losing lane into a winning one, so always be aware of the overall flow of the game.

Navigating the Jungle Efficiently

As a jungler, efficient navigation through the jungle is crucial to maintaining a strong presence on the map and setting up successful ganks. Start by optimizing your route through the jungle camps, ensuring a balance between farming for experience and gold and creating opportunities to impact the lanes.

Warding key areas of the jungle is another essential aspect of efficient jungling. Vision control not only helps you track the enemy jungler but also allows you to spot potential gank opportunities. Place wards strategically in the river and enemy jungle entrances to gather information about the enemy's movements and protect your laners from potential threats.

Understanding the respawn timers of jungle camps is also crucial. Efficient junglers maintain a balance between ganking lanes and farming their own jungle to stay relevant in terms of experience and gold. Prioritize ganks when opportunities arise, but don't neglect your own growth in the process.

Exploiting Lane Matchups

Understanding the matchups in each lane is crucial for effective ganking. Certain champions excel in specific situations, and recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of both your laner and the opponent provides valuable insight. Before initiating a gank, evaluate the lane dynamics, including the level difference, health bars, and available summoner spells.

Exploiting a lane's natural advantages can tip the scales in your favor. For instance, if your laner has a crowd control ability that can lock down the enemy, coordinate your gank to coincide with the activation of that ability. Combining your efforts with your laner's skills creates a deadly synergy that the enemy will find difficult to escape.

On the flip side, be mindful of the enemy laner's abilities and summoner spells. If they have an escape mechanism, such as a dash or flash, try to bait out these abilities before committing to the gank. Patience is key, waiting for the opportune moment to strike can be the difference between a successful gank and a wasted effort.

Dive or Not to Dive?

One of the riskiest yet rewarding aspects of ganking is diving the enemy under their turret. A successful turret dive can result in not only a kill but also the destruction of turret plates, providing your team with a significant gold advantage. However, mistimed or poorly executed dives can backfire, leading to unnecessary deaths and a swing in momentum for the enemy team.

When considering a turret dive, assess the following factors:

• Ensure that both you and your laner have sufficient health and crowd control to lock down the enemy under the turret. The goal is to burst down the target quickly to minimize the time spent within turret range.
• Understand how turret aggro works. If you initiate the dive, you'll likely draw turret aggro first. Factor in the turret shots and plan for a swift kill before retreating to avoid unnecessary damage.
• Take note of the enemy's summoner spells, particularly their escape mechanisms. If the enemy has flash or a similar ability, be prepared for a potentially tricky escape.
• Ensure that the area around the turret is warded to spot potential enemy rotations or the arrival of the enemy jungler, minimizing the risk of a counter-gank.

Learn to Utilize Counter-Ganking

The flip side of ganking is being on the defensive end, counter-ganking. Predicting the movements of the enemy jungler and positioning yourself accordingly can turn their gank attempt into a disastrous encounter for them.

Effective counter-ganking involves:

Map Awareness

Keep a close eye on the minimap to track the enemy jungler's movements. If you spot them heading towards one of your lanes, position yourself to intercept their gank attempt.

Warding

Establish vision control in key areas to gain information about the enemy jungler's whereabouts. Warding river entrances and jungle buffs can provide valuable insights into their route.

Communication

Coordinate with your teammates to share information about the enemy jungler's location. Pinging the enemy's position and intentions helps your team respond proactively.

Roaming and Invading

While traditional ganking primarily focuses on helping laners, successful junglers also extend their influence across the map by roaming and invading the enemy jungle. Roaming involves leaving the jungle to support your teammates in adjacent lanes, creating pressure and potential gank opportunities.

Invading the enemy jungle is a riskier yet rewarding tactic. By stealing camps, placing deep wards, and engaging the enemy jungler on their turf, you disrupt their farming efficiency and gain valuable information about their location. However, be cautious, as a poorly executed invade can result in a dangerous skirmish or being caught by the enemy team.

Early Game Dominance

The early game sets the stage for the remainder of the match, and as a jungler, your decisions during this phase can have a profound impact. Prioritize ganks in lanes with champions that scale well into the late game or those that can snowball and carry the team. This might include champions with strong laning abilities or those who are particularly vulnerable early on.

Additionally, focus on securing vision control around key objectives like the Dragon and Rift Herald. Early game ganks that result in kills or force the enemy laner to recall can create opportunities to secure these objectives, providing your team with valuable buffs and gold.

Transitioning to Mid-Game Impact

As the game progresses into the mid-game, the dynamics shift, and your ganking strategy should evolve accordingly. Mid-game ganks often revolve around securing objectives like the Dragon and transitioning to the outer turrets. Prioritize ganking lanes that can contribute to these objectives, creating a domino effect that propels your team ahead.

Communication becomes even more critical during the mid-game. Coordinate with your teammates to execute ganks that set the stage for larger objectives. Successful mid-game ganks can result in turret plating, turret destruction, and increased map control.

Late Game Decision-Making

In the late game, ganking takes on a different flavor. The focus shifts from individual kills to team fights and securing major objectives like the Baron Nashor and Elder Dragon. While ganking lanes remains important, the primary objective is often to catch opponents out of position and create advantageous team fight scenarios.

Consider split-pushing strategies during the late game. If you have a strong duelist on your team, coordinate with them to apply pressure in a side lane while the rest of the team positions for objectives. This can force the enemy team to make difficult decisions, potentially creating opportunities for picks and ganks.

Objective Control and Ganking Synergy

Successfully ganking and controlling objectives go hand in hand. Dragons, Rift Heralds, and Barons provide significant advantages to the team that secures them, and a well-timed gank can pave the way for capturing these crucial buffs.

When planning a gank, consider the proximity to important objectives. Ganking a lane just before a Dragon spawns, for example, can lead to a numerical advantage when contesting the objective. Similarly, securing a pick in the enemy jungle can provide your team with control over Baron Nashor, turning the tides in your favor.

Adapting to Enemy Strategies

Effective ganking also requires adaptability to the enemy's strategies. If you notice a pattern in the enemy jungler's movements, exploit their predictability by setting up counter-ganks or invading their jungle. Understanding the enemy team's playstyle and adapting your ganking approach accordingly can catch them off guard and disrupt their game plan.

Additionally, keep track of the enemy team's vision. Sweeping wards and placing control wards in key areas can create opportunities for surprise ganks, as the enemy will be unaware of your movements. Denying vision is a powerful tool that opens the door to successful ganks and strategic plays.

FAQs

Can any champion be effective for ganking in League of Legends?

While any champion can attempt a gank, the effectiveness often depends on the champion's kit. Champions with crowd control abilities, mobility, and a balance of damage and survivability are generally more successful as junglers for ganking. It's essential to choose a champion that complements your team composition and can adapt to various situations.

How do I deal with a counter-gank as a jungler?

Dealing with a counter-gank requires quick thinking and adaptability. Communication is key. Inform your teammates about the incoming threat and adjust your strategy accordingly. Evaluate the situation and decide whether to commit to the fight, retreat, or call for backup from nearby teammates. Vision control is crucial in anticipating counter-ganks, so make sure to maintain awareness through proper warding of key areas.