Summary: Damage reduction is an important aspect of League of Legends that can often be overlooked. It allows players to mitigate incoming damage and survive longer in fights, increasing their chances of success. In this article, we will explore the various methods of damage reduction in League of Legends, including armor and magic resistance, shields, healing, and crowd control.
1. Armor and Magic Resistance
Armor and magic resistance are the most common forms of damage reduction in League of Legends. Every champion has a base amount of armor and magic resistance that can be increased through items and abilities. Effective use of these stats requires an understanding of the enemy team’s composition and damage output. Building armor against a physical damage heavy team, or magic resistance against a magic damage heavy team, can greatly reduce incoming damage. It’s also important to note that armor and magic resistance have diminishing returns as they increase, meaning it’s more efficient to spread out the stats between different items rather than stacking one specific item.
Additionally, some champions have abilities that reduce the armor or magic resistance of enemies, making them take more damage from all sources. For example, Nasus’ E ability reduces the armor of enemies within its area of effect, making them take increased physical damage. These abilities can be crucial in winning fights against otherwise tanky opponents.
A third factor to consider when it comes to armor and magic resistance is penetration. Many items and abilities exist that can reduce the effectiveness of an opponent’s armor or magic resistance, allowing you to deal more damage. It’s important to balance building penetration with building raw damage, as excessive penetration without enough damage can result in your attacks being ineffective.
2. Shields
Shields provide temporary protection against incoming damage by absorbing a set amount of damage before disappearing. They can be provided by abilities, such as Janna’s E ability, or items like the Hexdrinker. Effective use of shields requires good timing, as activating them too early can waste their potential while activating them too late can result in taking unnecessary damage. Shields can also be countered by burst damage, which can break the shield in one hit and deal excess damage to the champion.
Some champions rely heavily on shields as a form of damage reduction, such as Riven and her ability E. To play against these champions, it’s important to try and bait out their shields before committing to a fight, reducing the amount of effective health they have left.
It’s also worth noting that some abilities, such as Vayne’s Silver Bolts, deal true damage that ignores shields and other forms of damage reduction. These abilities can be particularly dangerous against shield-heavy champions, and should be used to focus them down.
3. Healing
Healing is another form of damage reduction that can be incredibly effective if used correctly. It restores a champion’s health and negates damage over time effects such as ignite. Some champions, such as Soraka and Nami, are focused entirely on healing and supporting their teammates rather than dealing damage themselves. Effective use of healing requires good positioning and awareness, as healers are often targeted first in a team fight. It’s important to keep track of which champions have grievous wounds effects, which reduce the effectiveness of healing, and to avoid using it while under their effects.
One important thing to note about healing is that the effectiveness of healing is reduced by any form of damage reduction. For example, if a champion with 1000 maximum health is healed for 300 health, but is then hit by an ability that deals 200 damage, the effective health gained from the healing is only 100. To maximize the effectiveness of healing, it’s important to combine it with other forms of damage reduction such as shields or crowd control.
It’s also worth mentioning that some champions deal “burst” damage, meaning they can quickly deal a large amount of damage in a short amount of time. While healing can be effective at mitigating sustained damage over time, it may not be enough to save you from a burst-heavy champion like Zed or LeBlanc. Be wary of these champions and try to avoid putting yourself in positions where they can easily pick you off.
4. Crowd Control
Crowd control is a powerful form of damage reduction that prevents opponents from dealing damage altogether. Abilities that stun, root, silence, or knock up opponents are all examples of crowd control. Effective use of crowd control requires good timing and awareness, as well as knowledge of which abilities can be used to escape from it. For example, a champion with a built-in dash ability like Lucian can often avoid being hit by crowd control if used properly.
One downside to crowd control is that it often requires the use of abilities that could otherwise be used for damage or mobility. Additionally, certain types of crowd control, such as stuns, can be reduced in duration if the affected champion has purchased tenacity items like Mercury’s Treads. It’s important to balance the use of crowd control with other forms of damage reduction and utility, such as raw damage or healing.
Crowd control is particularly effective against champions who rely heavily on mobility or burst damage, as it prevents them from being able to effectively use their abilities. For example, a Zed who is stunned during his ultimate ability will be unable to deal any damage during that time, greatly reducing his effectiveness in team fights. Using crowd control to target specific champions can be an effective strategy in shutting them down and keeping your team alive.
5. Movement Speed
Movement speed may not seem like a direct form of damage reduction, but it can be incredibly effective at avoiding incoming damage altogether. Champions with higher movement speed are better able to dodge skill shots and avoid being caught out of position. It’s also worth mentioning that some abilities, such as Jinx’s W ability, deal additional damage to champions based on their missing health. By increasing your movement speed and avoiding being hit by these abilities in the first place, you can reduce the overall amount of damage taken.
Additionally, some champions have abilities or items that grant them invulnerability or immunity to damage. These abilities, such as Fizz’s E ability or Zhonya’s Hourglass, can be used to avoid taking damage altogether. Effective use of invulnerability and immunity requires good timing and awareness of enemy cooldowns, as well as a good understanding of which abilities can still affect you while you’re immune.
Movement speed can also be augmented through certain items or abilities, such as Ghost or Boots of Swiftness. Effective use of these items requires good judgment and awareness of enemy positioning.
Conclusion:
Damage reduction is an important aspect of League of Legends gameplay that can often be overlooked. By utilizing armor and magic resistance, shields, healing, crowd control, and movement speed, players can effectively mitigate incoming damage and survive longer in fights. Effective use of these mechanics requires good timing, judgment, and strategic positioning, as well as knowledge of the enemy team’s composition and abilities. By mastering the mechanics of damage reduction, players can increase their chances for success and turn the tides of battle in their favor.
