There are many neutral monsters players can hunt in an average game of the super hit MOBA League of Legends. However, not many monsters are either as useful or as iconic as the dragons that spawn in the summoner's rift. However, have you ever wondered what you could do to increase your chances of getting dragons? So much so that you get them every time?
There are a couple of things to increase your chances of successfully getting the dragon every time. For starters, keep an eye on the timer at all times and remember when the dragons spawn. If you're playing jungler, then call for dragon when it's almost time for it to spawn, and try to keep your smite ready.
We'll be going through everything you need to know about getting the dragon, including which dragons you should prioritize as well as tips that will help you get them.
What is the Best Dragon
Now, of course, you should try to capitalize on whichever dragon you're able to get. However, the fact of the matter is that one specific dragon is considered to be the best out of all of them, and that dragon is the Cloud Drake.
There's no surprise as to why so many players, especially those in high ELO matches, try their hardest to claim this specific dragon for themselves. After all, each Cloud drake slayed grants a stack of Cloudbringer's Grace.
What this specific buff does is give each player in the team a movement boost. This boost in movement speed allows them to move around the map and get to other important objectives quicker. It also decreases any slow effect applied on the team members, making this buff invaluable.
The second most important dragon has to be the Ocean Drake because the buff given for slaying one of those heals the team members relative to the damage they deal to enemies. Fittingly, the Ocean Drake is also the second most popular drake in high ELO.
Tips for Getting Always Getting Dragons
Now that you know which dragons you should prioritize, it's time we go through some tips that are bound to help you get dragons every single time.
Know When Dragons Spawn
Knowing when a dragon spawns is perhaps the most important thing you can do if you want to be able to successfully get the dragon every single time. This is because this information allows you to prepare for it from the get go.
The very first dragon spawns as soon as the game hits the 5 minute mark. After that, every dragon that follows spawns every proceeding five minutes. Regular dragons will continue to spawn until an elemental dragon soul is claimed by one team four times, after which the elder dragon will spawn either on the 35 minute mark or 6 minutes after the elemental soul is taken (whichever comes first).
Know Which Dragon Will Spawn
Although the element of the dragon is always randomized, it's possible to know what dragon is about to spawn before the spawn time. Immediately after the death of the second dragon, the timer on the map (which is opened by pressing the tab button) shows which dragon is about to spawn.
So, say you killed the second dragon. Now you can either look at the logo in the dragon pit to know which dragon is about to spawn next, or you can press the tab button to see it from anywhere.
One thing to keep in mind is that when the third dragon spawns, the game only spawns dragons of the same kind. For example, if the third dragon in your game is Infernal, you will only see Infernal Drakes until the match is ended.
Avoid Calling Drake WIthout Smite
As we all know, smite is one of the most important abilities a jungler can have. However, what many players do is that they call for the team to take a dragon that has spawned despite having their smite on cooldown.
This is a REALLY bad idea as just because you can't use smite doesn't mean the enemy jungler can't use it either, and if it comes down to a team fight on the objective, nine out of ten times the team with the jungler that has smite will win the objective.
If You See the Enemy Jungler Top Side Call For Drake
We know we said you shouldn't call for the enemy to go after the dragon if the jungler's smite is on cooldown, but there's an exception to this rule. If you know that the enemy jungler is roaming top side, then you should ALWAYS let your team know and call for them to go for the dragon.
You should, however, try to be as quick as possible, because the goal here is to use the enemy jungler's absence to your advantage by taking the dragon before the jungler is able to act in any way.
Try to Always Have Lane Priority
Lane priority oftentimes determines whether you'll be having any backup when going for the dragon or not. If you don't know, lane priority pretty much means winning a majority of the lane, something that is determined by which side's minions are closer to the other team's tower.
If your team has lane priority in nearby lanes while you're about to push for drake, there will be a much higher chance of them coming to assist you as compared to if the enemy has lane priority. This is because they have less ground to cover in this scenario, and they can afford to leave their lane for a while.
Additionally, the enemy jungle will also be more hesitant to try and flank you or steal the objective if they see that your team has lane priority in nearby lanes.
Always Place a Ward Nearby
Low ELO players tend to forget to ward near the dragon's den when they're about to start dealing damage to this. This is a VERY bad idea because there's nothing worse than being caught off guard by the enemy team when trying to take out a dragon.
This is mostly because of the fact that not only will the enemy team champions be dealing damage to you, but the dragon would most likely have already caused you to lose some health and probably use some abilities or mana as well. Of course, there's also the fact that the dragon won't just stop attacking you either, so you'll have to deal with multiple things at once, which might result in a team wipe.
If you ward smartly, however, your team will be given those precious extra seconds to prepare in which they can decide to either group up and prepare for a counterattack or, if required, run from the fight.
Additionally, warding doesn't only apply when you're attacking the dragon, but it also applies when a dragon is about to spawn. By placing a ward in advance, you'll be able to gauge the enemy team's movement near the dragon's den.
Have a Team You Can Rely On
We know this one's a bit of a tall order since most of the time you don't have any say in the matter, but if you want to increase your chances of getting the dragon ever single time, it's crucial you have a good team supporting you.
After all, there are many instances where teamwork becomes absolutely crucial if you want the dragon, such as when you came across a champion like Nunu who can steal the objective if not dealt with quickly.
Of course, we can't expect everyone to have people they can group up with and play all the time, because of this we recommend you check out how the Eloking teammate system works, as it's without a doubt the best way of finding at least one teammate you can rely on.
Try to Be as Quick As Possible
The final tip for getting the dragon every single time is to be as quick as you can every time the dragon spawns, This might sound obvious to some people, but it's a fact that many players tend to wait for their team to level up a little more before tackling the dragon, especially when the first dragon spawns.
Although this sounds good on paper, this strategy has multiple flaws. For starters, if you're leveling up and getting stronger, doesn't that mean the enemy team will be doing the same? The more time you give them to group up and level up, the higher the chances of them sneaking away with a surprise dragon push.
Additionally, most teams tend to prioritize the dragon whenever they can. If you decide to sideline the dragon and focus on other things, chances are the enemy will decide to prioritize the dragon, which will put your team in a pickle. One dragon is all it takes to get the ball rolling and give a team the momentum they need to control the entire match.
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