The iconic map of League of Legends, called Summoner’s Rift, is one of the most well-known gaming locations in the world. However, newbies might have a hard time traversing through it, especially since it has different regions.
Nevertheless, players will have a smooth sailing experience studying Summoner’s Rift because the regions are mirrored. To make it easier for your next game, here are all the lol lanes explained!
What Is Summoner’s Rift?
Summoner’s Rift is the map where ranked and normal League of Legends games are played. If you have watched a full 5v5 LoL game, then it is undoubtedly played on this map. There are other maps in League of Legends, but Summoner’s Rift is the only one where ten players go head to head in hopes of destroying the enemy nexus.
Like all other common multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, Summoner’s Rift is divided into different lanes and has different monster camps, which may confuse newbies who are only starting to play the genre. Not only that, but the fog-of-war makes it harder to traverse through the scary League of Legends map.
You will learn more about the different parts of Summoner’s Rift, such as the jungle, bottom lane, river, top lane, and middle lane. Each of them has different styles and usage, so read on and remember every detail in the following few topics!
All Lanes In League Of Legends
Here all of the different lanes in LoL:
Top Lane
First up is the so-called “island” of League of Legends, the top lane. It is the most isolated lane in LoL, which is why people would not see any action from the players who play in this lane. The top lane is located on the upper side of Summoner’s Rift, and it is one of the two side lanes in LoL.
The top lane is connected by the river that continues up until the middle lane. And at the middle of the river, you will see a huge circular pit, and this is where the Rift Herald and Baron Nashor spawn.
You may be wondering why two jungle monsters spawn at the same spot. Rift Herald and Baron Nashor do not spawn at the same time, since the latter appears at a later time, at exactly 20:00 minutes.
You will also see a cute little crab wandering in the river—do not worry, he won’t attack you. He is often killed by the junglers because he spawns a little circle when he dies, giving bonus movement speed and vision.
Since they are the most isolated ones in Summoner’s Rift, top laners often run teleport to join team fights quickly, since numerous of them happen on the other side of the map, usually in the bottom lane, also called “dragon lane.”
As mentioned previously, players in the top lane fend for themselves, which is why the champion pool for this lane are self-sufficient characters that have tons of survivability, both in lane and teamfights.
Middle Lane
Unlike the side lanes, the middle lane is a straight line and does not run on the border of Summoner’s Rift. From the word itself, it is the middle part of the map, making it the most open out of all lanes.
Since the river from the bottom lane and top lane ends in this area, both important objectives spawn near the middle lane, namely Rift Herald, the Dragon, and Baron Nashor.
Not only that, but the two cute scuttle crabs on both sides of the river are near this lane. A middle laner will often find themself the most present in team fights because they are the ones tasked to rotate, roam, and respond to enemy movement.
Additionally, a mid laner is also open to the flank because it has a deep pathway that leads to the river, which is why they are also the most open to ganks.
If you do not know yet, the middle lane is also the shortest lane in League of Legends, which is why minions will meet the fastest in this area. And as mentioned previously, players in mid are tasked to roam and rotate, which is why champions that have a quick wave clear are ideal for this lane.
Bottom Lane
Finally, the last of the three lanes in Summoner’s Rift is the bottom lane. This is the only lane where two players from the same team play at the same time, the AD carry and support. The bottom lane is exactly the mirror of the top lane, and the only difference is that it is on the lower side of the map.
Like the top lane, the bottom lane is connected to the river. There is also a scuttle crab and circular pit in the middle of the river. However, instead of the Rift Herald and Baron Nashor, the Dragon is the one spawning in this area.
As mentioned previously, this lane is also called the “Dragon Lane.” Since the Dragon is an essential objective in the early game, most early to mid-game team fights happen on this side of the map.
You will see multiple types of champions in the bottom lane since a total of four players are playing in this area. There are lane dominators, engage supports, enchanters, and hyper carries; the list goes on.
An ADC champion is tasked to farm to get gold and carry their team to victory. However, the support of the team should always be trying to gain vision around the map, especially the dragon side. Junglers and middle laners often rotate to this lane to apply pressure and help the AD carry grab some kills to get gold. Either way, the bottom lane will be busy most of the time.
Jungle
This is not exactly a lane that has a straight path like the other three. The jungle covers the entire region between the three lanes (not including the river).
Players will see various jungle monsters, special plants, and bushes in this region. It is actually the most complex part of Summoner’s Rift, because of its confusing pathways and hiding spots.
New players might be wondering what kind of things show up in this region but do not fret since all will be revealed in the next few sentences.
As mentioned previously, there are no minions that spawn in the jungle since there are different monsters that spawn in the region that junglers need to kill to gain XP and gold, which are: wolves, raptors, golems, blue buff, red buff, and gromp.
All of these are neutral, meaning they won’t attack anyone unless you provoke them. Additionally, there are also special plants seen in the jungle that give different effects for the team. The honey fruit drops fruit that gives health and mana, blast cones knock away nearby units, and scryers bloom reveals a wide area for a few seconds.
In terms of the champions that junglers use, it is ideal that they pick someone that can clear camps quickly and have strong gank potential.
Champions that have a fast movement speed are also a trait that a good jungler should have. Even though junglers do not focus on a single lane, they should be the ones helping teammates win their matchups by ganking for them.
River
A region that has been mentioned several times in this article, the river, is a long area that plays a huge part in Summoner’s Rift. This is where you can see the most important objectives in the game, which are Baron Nashor, the Dragon, and Rift Herald.
The river is a huge path of water that extends from the middle of the bottom lane up to the top lane. It also separates the two jungle areas in League of Legends. If you do not know yet, the river has a water source that you can see in the middle lane.
It is exactly beside the bush in mid, and it looks like a totem spitting out water. The community has voiced their theories about where the water in the river came from, but it is still unclear and unconfirmed by Riot Games, so leave it to your imagination!
Are All The Lanes The Same For Wild Rift?
Wild Rift, a sister game for League of Legends, is created by the same company, Riot Games. It is basically a mobile version of LoL, but you might notice several differences when it comes to controls and gameplay.
If you have not played it yet, Wild Rift follows the lane mechanics in League of Legends, and Riot only changed the name for the top and bottom lane. Riot Games used the term “baron lane” for the top since this is the side where Baron Nashor appears.
On the other hand, Riot used the term “Dragon Lane” for the bottom lane since this is the side where the Dragon spawns. Nevertheless, there is no need to worry about anything since the layout is all the same, including the jungle and river.
What Is The Hardest Lane To Play In?
All of these lanes have different difficulties that may be easy for some players while hard for others. The community often voiced that the mid lane is the most demanding in terms of skill set since they are the most prone to ganks, and they are the ones tasked to roam and create an impact around the map.
On the other hand, Tyler1 and Doublelift both agreed that the top lane is the hardest lane of all since it is punishing and tougher to play when behind.
Nevertheless, all of these lanes have different uses, and it is up to you whether you want to play in a specific lane. It would be best if you played some games in each lane and decided what you liked the most!
Are There Different Maps In League of Legends That Have Lanes?
Yes! There are a total of four released maps in League of Legends: The Twisted Treeline, Howling Abyss, The Crystal Scar, and Summoner’s Rift. All of these maps have lanes. Howling Abyss and The Crystal Scar have one, The Twisted Treeline has three, and Summoner’s Rift has three.
Unfortunately, Riot Games removed most of these maps, and the only ones remaining are Summoner’s Rift and Howling Abyss. Consider yourself lucky if you have played on the legacy maps that Riot Games released because they are not going to be back anytime soon!
Can You Play A Single Champion For All The Lanes?
It is not recommended, but it is viable. Even some professional players used Lucian, who is an AD carry, in the mid lane. And surprisingly, all of them were able to apply their kit well in matches. Not only that, but there was also a time when people used Morgana and Vayne in the top and jungle, so you are not alone if you try this type of strategy!
Remember that champions are created to have specific roles, but it is okay if you decide not to follow them as long as you enjoy them!
Is There A Lane In Teamfight Tactics?
No. Teamfight Tactics, also known as TFT, does not use a League of Legends map. Even though it is based in the LoL universe, it is just a spinoff of the original game. Players use chibis and little legends as their characters, and they battle on their boards using the iconic League of Legends champions.
Dive right into a game right away because you have reached the end for all the LoL lanes guide! Do not get frustrated if you have not found the perfect lane to play in because it really takes time and experience to fully realize what you enjoy. Just game on and do whatever it takes to win!