How to ward in League of Legends

Warding is an important mechanic in league of legends. It gives visual information about the enemy team to prevent ganks or flanking. In league of legends, there are different types of wards namely Stealth wards, Trinket wards, Control wards and so much more. In this article, we will discuss the different warding locations, warding tips, and even how you can counter the enemy jungler with good vision control. 

Tips and Tricks on Warding in league of legends

First off, dropping vision wards is pretty simple, you just click your assigned hotkey and a ward will pop right out of your mouse cursor. The warding totem trinket is pretty much the initial item to gain vision of one area. It is by default placed in the number 4 hotkey and is automatically put in your inventory even if you don't buy one at the beginning of the match.

• Place control wards deep in the enemy jungler where it is least checked.
• Keep a second control ward and use it when an enemy tries to clear the one you placed to deny them gold.
• Always change your ward when you reset post-level 9.
• As support, keep one vision ward and one to deward.
• Wards leave behind a mark on the area after it is destroyed or expired. 

Different types of wards and how to use them

There are different wards in League of Legends and each has its own functions. At the start of the game, you will only be able to buy one of two starter trinkets. 

Ward Name	Lifespan	Function
Totem Ward	90 - 120 Seconds	Grant vision over 900 units (can be disabled by Control Ward)
Stealth Ward	150 Seconds	Grant vision over 900 units (can be disabled by Control Ward)
Control Ward	Indefinite	Grant vision over 900 units and disables certain enemy wards.
Farsight Ward	Indefinite	Has a long cast range and grants vision inside 500 units
Ghost Poro	90 Seconds	Spawns when wards expire and grants vision inside 450 units.
Zombie Ward	120 Seconds	Spawns when destroying enemy wards and grants vision inside 900 units.
Effigy	130 - 280 Seconds (depends on Level)	Replaces trinket items for Fiddlesticks and serves as a pseudo stealth ward.

The four basic wards are the totem wards, control wards, farsight ward, and stealth ward. These are the ones that you can buy anytime at the in-game shop with the exception of the farsight ward which can only be bought post-level 9. The other ones are considered special because they can only be used when you take certain runes or play a certain jungle champion.

Ghost poro and Zombie ward can only be obtained when you take the Domination rune set during the pick and ban phase. These are great as you can place wards in the bot lane or anywhere in the map for free. Supports usually take these runes as granting vision is one of their main jobs. 

Fiddlesticks' Effigy passive however is innate to him and is great for placing wards that has extra functionality and acts like a control ward when you level up. You can place a fiddlesticks ward inside a bush and deny enemy vision. 

Ward Placement

Well-placed wards can serve a huge purpose for your entire team's vision information. Placing wards on certain locations can counter your enemy team regardless of their team composition. Enemy champions spotted by a ward will increase the vision score of a player who planted the ward. We will show you the best ward placements for each lane. 

Top lane		The warding locations in top lane are there to prevent enemy flanks and jungle invades.
Mid lane		Mid lane warding locations prevent flanks and possible gank directions
Bot lane		Bot lane warding locations are there to prevent flanks and possible ganks and to help the jungler secure the dragon.

Bot lane wards are probably the most important as it has the objective that is sought after by all players and that is the dragon. Lane bushes are also great warding locations as junglers use this vision trick to gank their allies. 
These warding locations are common and also well known by the enemy team so try to protect it when enemies try to clear it. For advanced techniques, place wards in a location nobody expects so it can stay for a long time and provide you with good vision score. 

How to deny vision 

When you deny vision for the enemy team, they can't really react to your ganks and they will have to guess or predict if someone is lurking in the fog of war. When you lose vision, you miss a lot of information about the enemy team. They could be nearby ready to kill you or they could very well be securing objectives. Either way, it's bad for the side that loses vision. 

The first way to deny vision is by buying control wards. One control ward can reveal and deny vision to the other wards within its range. You can use control wards at any of the warding locations shown above. 

Another way of denying vision is to use the oracle lens. This is not a ward that you can plant but a sweeping laser that reveals all invisible structures and leaves a silhouette of camouflaged units. When a ward is swept by this item, it is immediately denied vision and can be destroyed. 
Fiddle's effigy can also be used to deny vision when he levels up. The effigy gets upgraded into a control ward when Fiddle's level is high enough. This is great, especially Fiddle is mainly a jungle champion and he needs to deward every time he ganks. 

How to ward in the jungle of league of legends? 

The jungler doesn't have a lane to stay on, its main job is to roam the entire map and kill jungle monsters to get stronger. This means that he can ward anywhere. Jungles are usually the ones that secure vision for major objectives. They can ward or deward jungle entrances to prevent invades or initiate invades. The jungler's ward spots vary but it is usually decided by the objective timers. 

• Provide vision for your buffs to know if the enemy jungler is invading your camps.
• Always carry a dewarding item so you can deny vision when preparing for a major buff. 
• Provide vision on jungle or lane entrances to prevent ganks and jungle camp invades.
• Always support your warding with the scuttle crab's vision circle as this cannot be dewarded by the opposing team.
• Have your support help you in warding the river so you can easily secure the dragon buff. 

The enemy's jungle always carries dewarding items so be careful where you plant your wards in the jungle. Even the enemy support can deward so always try to plant more wards in unexpected locations.