A lot of people argue which lane has the biggest impact in League of Legends. The final contenders are usually mid and jungler, and rightfully so! Junglers roam the map and mid has access to both lanes. But picture this for one moment: you’re selecting your champ for the first game of the day. The timer counts down for the game to start. The minions spawn, and you’re off to your lanes to do what you do best.
You’re feeling pretty good with your picks. It’s a new day, and a new day brings endless opportunities. But then it hits you: the despair you feel as you hear FIRST BLOOD and your allied bot laners apologizing… or the worst-case scenario: arguing. Haven’t you ever wondered why it seems to be bot lane most of the time? I know I do. So let’s take a look at some of the more popular theories out there!
4. There’s More Traffic in Bot Lane
Let’s start with the most obvious, possible reason why bot lane is considered the feeding lane. There is simply more traffic in the said lane. While the top and mid mainly focus on their lanes, the mid laner occasionally ganking (depending on the jungler), bot lane has 4 people consistently competing for that gold or experience advantage.
In fact, while the jungler does – to some extent – directly control the flow of the game by choosing where and when to gank, securing objectives, and other tasks, the bot lane has the main objective of carrying the team, especially during late game. Because of how League has evolved throughout the years, a lot of changes have been made since the beginning of the early days.
Also read: Most Broken Junglers
3. Doing the Math
The marksman (also commonly known as ADC or Attack Damage Carry) is paired with a support in the bot lane, so it’s easy to understand how it can snowball. Early kills equate to them bullying the opposing laners. Mid and top lanes rarely feed uncontrollably because when they die, the opposing laner simply gains creep kills and experience along with that one kill.
However, the bot lane tells a very different story. More often than not, little skirmishes in the bot lane result in not just one death from any given team, but two – or even 3, if the junglers get involved. While it is preferred the AD Carry gets the kills, it is still very impactful, regardless of who secures it.
A quick look at the common scenarios shows that if someone – anyone – initiates, then all 4 get involved in an attempt to back up their teammates. This often results in one to three kills, with one carry frequently surviving at the very least. The aforementioned securing of the kill is impactful because those 2 kills are split among the bot lane. This gives them more early game advantages.
Remember, in the early game, every level matters. This is especially true with the first 3 levels potentially unlocking 3 separate skills for a full combo. Imagine playing against Caitlyn and Blitzcrank at level 3 while you’re stuck at level 2 because of the zoning. Not a pretty sight.
Also read: Recalling vs Walking Back
2. The Jungler Sees Key Early Game Objectives in Bot Lane
Earlier, we mentioned that the jungler usually has the luxury of choosing where and when they want to gank, and while this is technically true, the track record shows that they usually have a preference. You guessed it right: bot lane. It’s easy to blame the jungler for not ganking your lane, but we need to consider the strategic opportunities they are presented with in every game.
With four people already vying for control in bot lane, saying it’s a little bit hectic may be an understatement. Chaos is the best time for a surprise gank, so it’s not uncommon for junglers to prefer that lane over mid or top. Passive lanes with champions who play defensively, along with aggressive warding, can be a bit tricky for junglers.
The early leads gained from these ganks usually translate to a better late game. Think of a domino effect. If the jungler successfully picks off even 1 champion from the enemy team, then the allied team members have a gold advantage. This helps the jungler get enough of an advantage to successfully gank the mid or top laners. More importantly, with the allied bot lanes farmed enough, they can help the jungler secure objectives.
1. How Impactful These Objectives Are
This season, we see the Rift Scuttler’s early game impact reduced. If you think about it, securing the Rift Scuttler for your lane basically ensured you knew if the enemy was attempting a drake kill throughout its whole duration. Add the fact that the Rift Scuttler doesn’t even violently resist, and you’re looking at the enemy jungler as the only possible threat for a secure. Ultimately though, the Rift Scuttler prevents ganks and helps you defend major objectives like drakes, the Rift Herald, and Baron for the late game.
Drakes are located in the bot lane, and early drake farming actually gives your whole team long-term advantages throughout the game. While the Rift Herald is arguably just as important, it is very dependent on when you use it, where you use it, and how the enemy team reacts. The different drakes give different bonuses and change the landscape and map variance in ways that you can use to your advantage.
Even the status bonuses alone are worth it since they pay for themselves as the game progresses. Different types of drakes give different status bonuses, so there is a bit of variety in how it goes per game. However, the general consensus is clear. Drakes are easily the most attainable in the early game, especially with bot lane being right beside it.
Also read: League Of Legends Ultrawide: What Are the Pros and Cons?
Final Thoughts
Whichever role you’re playing, we hope that you learned a bit about why this seemingly consistent phenomenon occurs in every game, especially in the lower brackets. While it’s easy to blame bot lane for losing and feeding the enemy team, understanding the factors that lead up to that moment will hopefully help you contribute to preventing it from happening, which is especially true for the jungler – and to a lesser extent – the mid laner. After all, let’s not forget that League of Legends was developed early on with teamwork in mind.
