Every beginner should learn these core terms before starting their ranked journey in League of Legends. Understanding this basic terminology will help you communicate effectively with your teammates, make better strategic decisions, and improve your overall gameplay.
1-3-1
A split-pushing strategy where one team member pushes the Top lane, three team members pressure the Mid lane, and one pushes the Bot lane. It’s a tactic used to apply pressure across the map and stretch the enemy team’s defenses.
1-4
A split-push strategy where one champion pushes a side lane alone while the other four players group together and push another lane. This forces the enemy team into tough decisions, as they must decide how to split their resources to defend both lanes.
All-in
Committing all available resources—abilities, summoner spells, and cooldowns—in an attempt to secure a kill on an enemy champion. This is often used in fights where the outcome depends on one decisive burst of damage.
AoE (Area of Effect)
An ability that affects multiple targets within a specific area. AoE abilities can be powerful in team fights, as they allow you to deal damage or apply crowd control to several enemies at once.
Autofill
A matchmaking system feature where a player is assigned a role they didn’t queue for. For example, you might queue for Mid and Top but be assigned Support in order to fill out the team.
B (Back)
A command used to indicate retreating or recalling to base. For example, saying "We should b" means the team should back off from an unfavorable fight, while "I need to b" indicates a player is recalling to base to heal or buy items.
Blind Pick
Selecting a champion without knowing what the enemy team will pick. This leaves your champion selection open to being countered, making it riskier than counter-picking in later phases of the draft.
Camp
Refers either to the spawn location of a jungle monster or to the act of repeatedly ganking a specific lane. For example, if a jungler frequently ganks the Top lane, they are said to be "camping Top."
Champion Pool
The set of champions a player frequently uses, especially in ranked games. A well-rounded champion pool includes a main pick, a backup, and potential counter-picks to adapt to different matchups.
Cheese
An unconventional, high-risk/high-reward strategy that is difficult to counter if unexpected but can be easily punished if anticipated. These tactics are often used in the early game or during a surprise gank.
CD (Cooldown)
The period of time after using an ability during which it cannot be used again. Managing cooldowns is critical, especially in fights where one or two abilities can make a huge difference.
CC (Crowd Control)
Any ability that limits a champion's ability to move or act. Common forms of crowd control include stuns, slows, and knockups. CC is crucial in team fights to lock down dangerous enemies or peel for your own carries.
Dive
Attacking an enemy champion while they are under the protection of their turret. This is a risky maneuver that requires coordination but can be rewarding if executed correctly, often resulting in a kill despite the turret’s damage.
DoT (Damage over Time)
An ability or attack that deals damage gradually over a certain period, instead of all at once. DoT effects can force opponents to retreat or heal while continuously taking damage.
DPS (Damage per Second)
The amount of damage a champion, ability, or item deals over one second. DPS is commonly used to describe sustained damage dealers, such as ADCs, who rely on consistent damage over time rather than burst damage.
ELO
Originally a chess rating system, the term now refers to a player's skill level in League of Legends. "Low ELO" refers to ranks from Iron to Platinum, while "High ELO" refers to Diamond and above.
Farm
The act of killing minions or jungle monsters to accumulate gold and experience. Good farming is essential for gaining a lead in gold, which allows you to buy stronger items.
Facecheck
Entering an unwarded area, like a bush or an area hidden by the Fog of War, without vision of potential enemies. Facechecking is dangerous and can lead to being ambushed.
Fed
A champion is said to be fed when they’ve gained a significant advantage in gold, levels, or kills, making them stronger than their opponents. A fed champion can often carry a game if not shut down.
Leash
Helping the jungler with their first jungle camp by dealing damage to the monsters without taking the last hit. This gives the jungler a faster start and saves them some health, making their first jungle clear more efficient.
Kite
The act of attacking while maintaining distance from an enemy, using movement abilities or crowd control to avoid retaliation. This technique is especially important for ADCs to maximize damage while staying safe.
Peel
Using abilities or positioning to protect a teammate, usually the ADC, from enemy champions. This can involve using CC to disrupt enemies that are trying to dive or attack your backline.
Power Spike
A point in the game where a champion becomes significantly stronger due to leveling up, acquiring a key ability, or completing a core item. Knowing when your champion hits their power spike is important for deciding when to fight.
Snowball
A term used to describe a champion or team rapidly gaining momentum and becoming stronger as they accumulate kills, gold, and objectives. A snowballing champion can dominate the game if not stopped early.
