Beginner's guide: jumping into League of Legends

How do you learn to play League of Legends? It seems like a simple question, but for many of us, it has been a while since we first hit the Rift. With thousands of new players, many of them our friends or family trying out League for the first time each day, it's a question that we should be able to answer for them.

Learning a new game can be tricky, and League of Legends certainly is no exception. If you or someone you know is looking to get started playing, here are a few things that can be done to make getting into League as painless and fun as possible.

Play Against the Bots

It may not seem glamorous to play a custom game against computer controlled opponents but as the old saying goes, "If you can't kill a bot you probably can't kill a human." Bot games are a great way to get used to the different mechanics involved in League, especially using your champ's abilities and scoring the last hit on minions. Even high level players will sometimes use bot games as a way to warm up before matches, so there is no shame in using them to learn!

Take it Online, Co-op Style

When you've got the hang of navigating your champ around the map, and perhaps killing a bot or two, you're ready to play with others. Instead of jumping into a normal game, it is very worthwhile to play a few Co-op games first. Co-op is a great way to get used to communicating with your team, see the different roles in action and practice fighting alongside your fellow summoners. Oh, and the pesky bots you will be fighting can be set to be a lot tougher as well.

Play with Friends

Sure you can brave the wilds of solo queue on your own, but League is a game designed to be enjoyed with friends. Even if you can't get a group together, working with a friend to win your lane is a very fun experience. League is the kind of game that you have to play a decent amount of before you can really figure it out. Getting through a lot of games is easier when you have someone to keep you playing, or perhaps even give you some advice along the way.

 

The tips above should help you to jump right in and actually start playing the game, which is definitely the fun part. If you find that you want to stick with League, or you really want to develop a theoretical understanding of it before playing too much, here are some advanced tips that will help you efficiently reach a mainstream level of play.

 

Focus on Several Champs

Some people would tell you to try and pick a role that you like playing and start with that, but most of your early games won't be using the proper roles. Trying to figure out which champions you like, and who really suit your play style, is one of the best parts of this game. It takes a while to get really good with most champions.  Instead of trying to learn to play all of the champions, which would take you a very long time, try to find several champs you really like and work to get better with them. You can then learn to play those champions in the different roles that they would fill in a standard match.

Read a Guide

There are a lot of excellent guides out there that will help you learn everything from how to play the champions you like to how to defeat the champions you don't like. You will find that there are many sites offering a variety of guides written in a variety of styles. Find a site that works for you and use it to increase your understanding of the different parts of the game.

Watch a Stream

Maybe reading isn't your style or you just want to see some really good players in action. A great way to do this is by watching the streams of pro players. Watching replays of old games is ok, but the play by play people often won't explain what each champion is doing nearly as well as "streamers" do.

Some streamers do an excellent job of explaining what they are doing and how to do it. Others may not talk as much but will give you a chance to watch some very talented players playing the game. Just remember that you and those you are playing with are, very likely, not pros and should not be expected to do everything that the pros can do - despite what some people might think.

Whether you are playing for fun or dream of going pro, these tips should help you get started playing League of Legends. If you have any of your own suggestions for things that new players can do to help them get started feel free to add them in the comments below. Otherwise, good luck and happy playing!