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Summer of 2013. They are coming to guide you to a victory.
This is League of Legends Summer Lesson. Hello. I'm Dongjoon Kim.
With the summer vacation in full swing, Summoner's Rift is even more booming.
So we are offering you special lessons for this vacation.
LoL Summer Lesson. The first lesson is about the top lane.
[Some of the best players go top]
[But in reality]
[It is a dog-eat-dog world]
[Filled with lonesome battles]
[Pros to the Rescue - First Lesson, TOP Lane]
LoL summer Lesson. Today’s instructors are
"Flame" Hojong Lee, and "Shy" Sangmyun Park.
Hello. I'm Hojong Lee aka “Flame”, the top laner for CJ Entus Blaze.
Hi, I'm Sangmyun Park aka “Shy”. I play the top lane for Frost.
[Spectacular skills]
[Flame lifts up your team!!]
[Dependable top solo]
[Korea’s best top laner, Shy]
[LoL Summer Lesson, First Position! Top - Flame & Shy]
So with these best top laners, we'll analyze everything about the top lane.
Both of you guys belong to CJ Entus. So it seems likely that you guys see each other as rivals.
It's friendly rivalry! Watching each other's game motivates us.
It is friendly rivalry, but if you lose, you let out a big sigh...
That's right. You get angry when you lose, honestly. Haha.
[Today's agenda: What does the top lane mean in LoL?]
You must have had reasons to go top, right? What intrigued you about that position?
It’s tankers, champs with high health who can initiate team fights, that can take the top lane.
Very solid against ganks and can respond well to allied ganks.
Long ago, playing top was all about 1:1 skill battles.
Back when Shy was playing Jax? / Oh, yes.
You must be able to change your style to suit your team.
Just like how you can? / Yes, you can say that.
I think playing top is making sacrifices.
Wait. I think that would upset supports and junglers.
Well, we may not sacrifice as much. / But we still do.
Then what’s the key position in LoL? / Mid and AD carry.
Similar champs go both top and mid, but why don’t I get the blue, and mid takes all the wraiths and wolves?
Let me put it this way. The top lane is so tough.
Other positions are just easy for us. Less pain. More fun.
Some even say playing top damages your personality, hence “top-chopathy”.
[Top lane in LoL] - A lonesome fight on your own - Skills matter most - 1:1 showdown based on pure skills
Summer Lesson #1: Top champs and their counter picks
Though the top lane today is less about 1:1 showdown because of frequent lane-swapping,
But it still feels like a men’s fight, doesn't it?
In the past, the top lane used to get picked later.
But now, the line-swapping has become very important and because of snowballing,
so-called OP champs get picked first.
Which brings up a new question.
Who’s the hottest top champion right now?
Everyone knows it’s Kennen.
I've tried so many champions,
but there is no difference, except for Kennen and Jayce.
If you really want to rank up, go for Kennen and Jayce.
They say top champs have clear counter picks.
“Herbivores,” team fight-oriented farmers, like Nasus, Shen and Zac, are good for beginners,
But they are hopeless against Vladimir.
They can't farm, can't start a fight, can't do anything. Be cautious when picking such champs.
Some might say, “I’ll pick an herbi against an herbi so that we can both farm.”
But some herbivores can prey on others. / That’s Right.
Say it’s Cho’Gath vs Malphite. / Cho'Gath is very strong in lane.
Or, see Nasus vs Malphite. Nasus has a very strong advantage here.
So, counter pick matters even among the “hervibores.” / Yes.
[Counter pick for top] - Counter pick matters. - Pick an OP champ with no counter pick, or counter the opponent’s pick. – Even some herbivores can counter others.
Summer Lesson #2: Top Laning Phase & Working with Junglers
I heard top lane players are very strong in lane.
Thus good top laners can dominate when they switch to mid.
It’s true.
Do you overwhelm Rapidstar in lane?
I wouldn't say I "overwhelm" him, but I win mostly.
Doesn’t he have something to say? / I'll leave it up to your imagination.
Flame did tell me that he wins mostly.
One of the most common mistakes of top laners is
giving First Blood so easily.
You get killed by the typical level 3 gank at 3:00 and yell at your jungler, “What are you doing?”
“Playing an RPG?” / What should we do?
I’ve enjoyed going very aggressive from level 1, since my amateur days.
If you strike first, your lane will be pushed. This increases the risk of getting ganked.
Say your jungler is Amumu and the enemy has AD junglers like Xin Zhao or Lee Sin. There’s a big difference in the rate at which they jungle, and therefore in the timing when they can gank top.
The timing is as important as counter picks, so be sure to factor in all those things.
Another important thing is how you die.
If I die after taking all the CS and while pushing the lane, that's like giving away 300 gold.
But when I pulled the land and have a huge wave coming in,
if I die there, now that loss is much bigger than 300 gold. It is disastrous.
How you die is very important.
Many fans also want to know when is the right time to go home during laning phase.
Usually, it's when your ward goes out.
It's the best moment.
The most ideal moment would be after sending your enemy home.
Here's another situation. I have my lane pulled but my health is low.
And if you feel like you'll get dived when the wave arrives, you better go home.
That's the worst of the worst. You’re doomed if that happens.
[Top laning phase] - Calculate the enemy's jungling speed and ganking timing - Coordination with your jungler matters most - How you die and when you go home is also important
Summer Lesson #3: Good Teamwork and Team Fight
What champion you play decides what you do in team fights.
What should your recommended champs Kennen and Jayce do?
Use your ult well. 00:07:31.000,00:07.36.000 Let’s say you landed your Q and it happens to be the enemy mid or AD carry,
You just chain with ult right away, it's the best.
But be sure to check whether your teammates are around and able to help.
What a useful tip. / He's very good at that.
Jayce is so OP. Played by a pro-level player, he'll always be devastating.
Try poking the support.
When Jayce pokes someone, most of them just go home. Then you can dominate, like destroying their towers.
So, you target the support?
Frankly, it’s our little secret, but Jayce will soon get nerfed and is always banned, so it’s okay.
[In a team fight] - Target the enemy dealer. - Use ult at the right moment. - Target squishy enemies when poking.
Teemo on the list also catches my eye. He’s really popular.
He has a hidden passive: aggro-attraction. So effective.
You really want to go kill him, gank him. But he's so evasive, especially after level 6.
Make sure you kill Teemo before level 6. Get that Yordle.
So many players still play Teemo. He has an army of maniac fans.
I’ve been thinking Teemo is so strong in lane. He pokes so well.
Against which champion should you pick Teemo? / Most melee champs.
Not just melee champs, Teemo can defeat most champs in lane.
Most?
Yes, but in the end, Teemo does too little in team fights than other champs.
You see, so-called Teemo maestros have somewhat different ratings on average.
I think that shows how good the champ is.
People call them Teemo-pest.
Teemo fans will take that so nicely. / I’m Sorry.
[Top laning phase] - Top is where you go alone - Pure 1:1 skills matter - Pick a champion with counter picks in mind - Coordination with the jungler matters
Practice #1: Lessons from Shy, Korea’s Best Top Solo
LoL Summer Lesson, Top. Let's dive into the field.
Shy is getting ready. I was going to ask him what he would play…
He locked in Jax. / No hesitation. / PAX Jax.
[Game screen]
[The original Jax maestro]
[Shy's top playing?]
Will be interesting. / With a lot to learn.
Jax was very hot in Season 2.
Wears a limited edition skin. / PAX Jax
I also want to try this one. The Mighty Jax / Never seen this one. / The Mighty Jax
I want it. / It's a limited edition. / Are you jealous? / I want it.
The best Jax is Shy. / Here’s Shy!
“Irelia vs Jax” has been discussed so much, both being so popular.
The ultimate showdown.
What’s most crucial in fighting Irelia as Jax? / In the early trading... oh, wait a sec.
He took damage. Can't go home. Looks so bad.
First of all, using E as well as you can is important.
As for Jax, you really have to use E with as many minions as possible hitting you.
If you use your E like this, you have to be passive until E is up. My mistake. / Was that a mistake?
I am pretty nervous, more than in a pro match.
This can be a very favorable situation, in both pro and ranked matches.
Sejuani with double buffs…
She must back off!
So now Jax has a great chance. Irelia used up all her spells and is low on health. Jax can dive and kill her now.
That was nice. Sejuani did a good job.
She went a little overboard but Jax seized the opportunity well.
LoL is fun. / LoL is fun.
I'll place a ward here.
With any extra gold, Jax should buy a spare ward.
It doesn't hurt for most top laners to have more wards, up to two.
I pushed a bit too hard. In this case, I shouldn’t have pushed too early.
Irelia can’t get the CS and I can easily last hit minions. So you should push with as many allied minions as possible.
Die! / Irelia’s down, but Jax may die too… He did.
This could be an advantage for me.
He can say, "I got ganked but won a 2:1.”
“I scored a kill before dying.” A boost to your confidence. / Morale boost. / Definitely.
A Phage. It’s a rarity.
You’ve once bought two… / Let’s not talk about this.
It’s a famous story.
Well, Shy once bought two pairs of boots.
Yes, I did. / You guys both did it.
I'm so proud. We’re so alike.
So here's how to escape ganking.
A good escape. He can turn this around. Now, it's under the tower.
He can score kills in 2:1. / This is SHY!
That was a close call. / He was so cool. I'm so proud.
Shy is now building Trinity Force, right? / Yes.
Some say Blade of the Ruined King is better.
Trinity is so good on Jax. Without it, it doesn't seem right to me.
So now, I'll upgrade my boots. Afterwards, either Blade of the Ruined King or Randuin's Omen.
Bilgewater Cutlass is better if you focus on laning.
Bilgewater is a must? / Yes.
Life steal works well on Jax. So go for Blade of the Ruined King.
[Shy's recommended item build for Jax]
Instead of pushing the lane hard, I would go down the river and score kills.
Helping other lanes.
I should just go down the river and join the fight now. / Irelia can’t come.
It would be a very good decision. Hurry and go fight. / It’s the fight signal!
These gentlemen are easy targets for Jax. / These gentlemen? / Yes, gentlemen. /
So respectful to the opponents. / Wow. / So polite.
Wow. A double kill. / We should take it here.
So, it is better to help other lanes than to struggle on your own lane.
In fact, Irelia is so good at defending under her tower.
It is hard for Jax to destroy the tower against Irelia. It’s no use to try.
So I think it's better to repeat pushing and roaming like this.
But it doesn’t always play out so well. Playing top is very tough. / Sometimes, your lane is just devastated.
It’s gentle guys that take the top lane, they always suffer. / Then where do the mean guys go, mid? / Yes, mid and jungle.
Folks, listen up. Gentle guys go top, and mean ones take mid.
Ladies watching this video should make sure you hang out with a top laner.
Indecision is a huge disadvantage playing top. / Be firm. / Either play for your own good or the team. / Choose one or the other.
So, let's say your opponent went to join a team fight. You may hesitate to follow him as the fight might be over before you get there.
Then you’ll end up awkwardly moving up and down... Be decisive.
Which is more likely to be better? / Well, I’d just push my lane.
If I’m on the top when my opponent is found down here, I'd tell my team I will just push. Then CloudTemplar says okay.
Why is it a better decision? Are you just too lazy to move? / Because I can’t do anything. / But if the battle lasts longer, it's better to join the fight.
Yes, but it's up to you. / And since it's a 4:5, the team fight should just be avoided.
[Korea’s best top laner Shy's tip] - Coordination with junglers is important - Do not skimp on wards - Try to spread the gain you've earned to other lanes. - Join or push? Be quick with decisions!
Practice #2: Flame Carries the Team
I am very nervous right now. / Flame is about to play.
I'd like to play Jayce.
Some may say Jayce is a mid champ, but he originally goes top.
[Art of poking]
[Flame as Jayce]
[How does Flame carry with Jayce?]
Kennen vs Jayce. / Kennen!
I forgot to select my skin. / What a bummer. /
Should have picked the "power slam” skin.
I’m at a disadvantage with my default skin.
A ward on the top, please.
Folks, have you ever seen Flame being this nice?
Hurry up. / Hurry.
Very good start. No ward seems to be placed for Kennen.
It's a bummer there’s no ward here. I demand a lot.
He's doing well at the moment.
Minions are hitting Kennen. It's a good idea to trade damage.
Look, it’s time for a 2:2. Kennen has no flash. Good chance for Jarvan. / Tell your team whether the opponents’ spells are up or not.
This is a good tip. / Check the enemy’s summoner spells./
First Blood! / Oh, how. / Wait. The game is going nowhere.
This pretty much ends the game.
But as Jayce, he can still last hit. Use E-Q to clean up the minions.
Do that for a while and if it still looks hopeless, give up the tower and go for the dragon.
Keep poking Kennen to send him home. / With E-Q? / Yes.
[Jayce narrowly saved by the mid laner]
Flame is good at landing E-Q.
Did he get it? / No. / E-Q, oh!
To be good at the skillshots, place the gate right in front of Jayce. / Yes. / Makes the missile quicker.
Right in front of you. / I first saw this from MakNooN's play. I learned a lot from him.
Same here.
Very good. Now.
[Kennen pushes the lane]
[Excessive lane push is risky]
Can you briefly explain your item build?
Though it’s not my typical order, but eventually I get Muramana, Last Whisper, and the Black Cleaver.
He'***. / Chained CC!! It was a close call just now. / Jayce was lucky. / He could have died instantly.
They’re rushing in! Attack! Attack! It hurts, the bouncing fireball! Oh, no! E-Q from Jarvan! A heroic death! Just one more hit! They’re gone. / I’ll finish it off when revived. / E-Q!
[This is how Flame carries the team!]
[Tips from the pro carry, Flame] - Play it safe if you're losing in lane (Avoid engaging the enemy) - Excessive lane push is bad - Poke squishy enemies - Take the enemy's buff monsters after team fight.
We have covered top lane play with Shy and Flame. It was very useful indeed.
Finally, I'd like to ask for your comments. Start with you, Flame.
I had a good time, very fun and enjoyable.
I did my best, so hopefully, many people will find it helpful.
Yeah, I want to give a big hand for you.
Thank you too. The laning phase is important, but you can catch up by making good decisions even if you didn’t do well in lane.
So don't just depend on laning. There are other ways you can contribute to your team.
I'd like to thank both of you for giving us a great lesson.
We'll come back next time with another episode of LoL Summer Lesson. Bye now. / Good bye.