Hello and welcome to our guide on competitive builds! Whether you’re new to the scene or a seasoned veteran, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the world of competitive builds, from the basics to advanced strategies. We’ll cover everything from team composition to itemization, and answer some common FAQs along the way. So, let’s get started!
What are Competitive Builds?
Competitive builds are a set of strategies and tactics used in competitive gaming to gain an advantage over opponents. In the context of this article, we’ll be focusing on competitive builds in MOBAs (multiplayer online battle arenas) such as League of Legends and Dota 2. These games are known for their complex gameplay and high skill ceiling, making them a popular choice for competitive play.
At their core, competitive builds are all about maximizing your team’s strengths and exploiting your opponent’s weaknesses. This can involve anything from choosing the right champions to selecting the most effective items. In the following sections, we’ll explore some of the key concepts and strategies involved in competitive builds.
Team Composition
One of the most important aspects of competitive builds is team composition. Simply put, this refers to the champions (or heroes) that make up your team. A well-rounded team composition will have a mix of different roles, such as tanks, mages, and marksmen. Each role has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to choose champions that complement each other.
For example, a team with three tanks and no damage dealers will struggle to take down opponents, while a team with all damage dealers will be too squishy to survive. A good team composition will balance offense and defense, and have a mix of crowd control (CC) abilities to lock down opponents.
Tanks
Tanks are champions with high health and defensive stats, and are typically used to soak up damage and protect their team. They excel at initiating fights and disrupting opponents with CC abilities. Examples of tanks include Maokai, Leona, and Amumu.
When building a tank, it’s important to prioritize health, armor, and magic resistance. Items like Sunfire Cape and Randuin’s Omen are popular choices for tanks, as they provide both defensive stats and CC potential.
Mages
Mages are champions who deal magic damage from range, and are typically used to deal burst damage to opponents. They excel at controlling the battlefield with their spells and can often turn the tide of a fight with a well-placed ultimate. Examples of mages include Lux, Syndra, and Orianna.
When building a mage, it’s important to prioritize ability power and magic penetration. Items like Luden’s Echo and Void Staff are popular choices for mages, as they provide both offensive stats and utility.
Marksmen
Marksmen are champions who deal physical damage from range, and are typically used to shred through opponents’ health bars. They excel at taking down objectives like turrets and dragons, and are often the primary damage dealers on a team. Examples of marksmen include Caitlyn, Jinx, and Ashe.
When building a marksman, it’s important to prioritize attack damage and critical strike chance. Items like Infinity Edge and Phantom Dancer are popular choices for marksmen, as they provide both offensive stats and mobility.
Junglers
Junglers are champions who roam the map and kill neutral monsters, providing extra gold and experience for their team. They excel at ganking (surprising opponents with a sudden attack) and securing objectives like dragons and Baron Nashor. Examples of junglers include Lee Sin, Elise, and Nidalee.
When building a jungler, it’s important to prioritize mobility and sustain. Items like Mobility Boots and Hunter’s Machete are popular choices for junglers, as they provide both movement speed and increased monster killing potential.
Supports
Supports are champions who provide utility and CC for their team, often at the expense of damage. They excel at keeping their team alive and enabling them to make plays. Examples of supports include Janna, Soraka, and Thresh.
When building a support, it’s important to prioritize utility and cooldown reduction. Items like Redemption and Mikael’s Crucible are popular choices for supports, as they provide both healing and CC removal.
Itemization
In addition to team composition, itemization is another key aspect of competitive builds. Items are purchased with gold earned from killing minions, monsters, and opponents, and provide stat boosts and unique effects. Choosing the right items can make a huge difference in a game, so it’s important to understand the different options available.
Offensive Items
Offensive items are items that provide increased damage or attack speed. They’re typically used by marksmen and mages to increase their damage output. Examples of offensive items include Infinity Edge and Rabadon’s Deathcap.
Defensive Items
Defensive items are items that provide increased health, armor, or magic resistance. They’re typically used by tanks and bruisers to survive in team fights. Examples of defensive items include Sunfire Cape and Spirit Visage.
Utility Items
Utility items are items that provide unique effects, such as increased movement speed or CC reduction. They’re typically used by supports and junglers to enable plays and protect their team. Examples of utility items include Redemption and Zhonya’s Hourglass.
FAQs
Q: How do I counter a specific champion?
A: Countering a specific champion depends on their strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you’re facing a champion who relies on mobility, try to pick a champion with hard CC abilities to lock them down. Alternatively, if you’re facing a champion who deals a lot of damage, try to build defensive items to survive their attacks.
Q: How do I deal with a fed enemy champion?
A: Dealing with a fed enemy champion can be difficult, but there are a few strategies you can try. First, try to focus on shutting them down early in the game before they get too strong. If it’s too late for that, try to focus on objectives like turrets and dragons instead of fighting the fed champion directly. Lastly, try to coordinate with your team to catch the fed champion out of position and take them down together.
Q: How do I improve my gameplay in general?
A: Improving your gameplay takes time and practice, but there are a few things you can do to speed up the process. First, watch replays of your games and analyze your mistakes. Look for patterns in your gameplay and try to identify areas to improve. Second, practice specific skills (like last hitting) in custom games or against bots. Lastly, watch high-level gameplay and try to learn from the pros.
Conclusion
And there you have it, a comprehensive guide to competitive builds! We hope you found this article informative and helpful. Remember, building a strong team composition and choosing the right items can make all the difference in a game. If you have any further questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy gaming!