Even though botlane is viewed as a 2 vs 2 situation, it can be viewed as a 1 vs 1 between the supports. Supports can either make or break the laning phase for the ADC. The support’s number one priority throughout this phase is ensuring their ADC is ahead in creep score and experience, as well as being the one to secure kills should the opportunity arise. One of the fundamentals of a good laning phase for the support and ADC is the use of “zoning”.

To zone the enemy is to deny them experience and creep score. By doing this, the ADC is able to generate more gold and experience than their opponent and use this to their advantage. If the other ADC is behind, it will be tougher for them to get back into the game, since they are deprived from any gold and experience. There are two different ways to zone out the enemy champion:

Using Poke To Zone

Art Credit: http://sanilea.deviantart.com/art/Sona-League-of-Legends-418286381

One of the ways to zone out the enemy champion is to effectively harass the enemy ADC. Champions like Sona, Zyra or Janna are able to use it to its full extent. By poking the enemy ADC down whenever they are about to farm, it creates the question of whether or not if that CS is worth the chunk of health. Sometimes, the fear of being poked is better than the actual poke. By generating fear into the ADC, they will be reluctant to farm. This tool can also be used to learn when a gank is near. If the enemy ADC suddenly is trying to get closer and is ignoring the poke, it is safe to say that the jungler is near to gank.

There are some disadvantages to using poke as a zoning technique. It places the champion in an unfavourable spot to get countered. For example, Sona going forward to harass the enemy Vayne but getting caught by Leona’s “Zenith Blade” resulting in either Sona’s death or loss of summoners plus losing the advantage over the opponent. To counteract this, you can hide in the bushes but the enemy botlane can hug the opposite side to farm up. As well, it’s important to take into consideration that the enemy ADC might try to engage. Determining when it’s appropriate to poke and when it’s not is one skill that separates the good supports from the bad.

Using Engage To Zone

Art Credit: http://anastasiareddress.deviantart.com/art/League-of-Legends-Leona-502268059

This type of zoning technique is most useful for tanks that thrive on engage. Leona, Alistar and Blitzcrank come to mind when applying this technique. It is another type of mind game that creates the question of whether or not the farm is worth the possible death. It is a high risk but high reward technique that enables you to abuse the laning phase in order to gain a significant advantage over the opponent. It starts with putting yourself in harm’s way by being near their caster minions in order for the enemy botlane to back off or to put up a fight. The bushes are also your friend in this scenario. If not warded, they will not dare to go up and farm. If you and your ADC are able to freeze the minion wave near your turret, this is beneficial for your entire team since the enemy ADC will take longer to catch up.

However, the high risk component comes into play if the enemy jungler is nearby. It is low risk at first since the enemy botlane cannot do anything against you after the engage, but if the situation evolves into a 2 vs 3, you’re going to need to back off quick.

Facing These Different Techniques

Art Credit: http://emaosavkov.deviantart.com/art/Janna-and-Alistar-352088142

If it’s two tanks that use engage as a zoning technique, only one will be able to hold the title. If both botlanes do everything right it will result in an early fight with the victor having leverage over the enemy team. Support champions who have a stronger level 1, 2, or 3 have to use it to their advantage in order to zone the enemy botlane. Two harassing support champions are different as they will poke each other until both are low. If one side has higher health, then that side is able to zone efficiently since the enemy support can’t risk death to gain back control.

When an engage support is versus a poke support, it is generally in favour of the engage support. Poke supports are usually squishy with medium range abilities while engage supports are tankier with abilities that allow them to close the gap. The only way for the poke champ to win is to significantly chunk the tank before they are allowed the chance to fight. Vice versa, the tank champion just needs to engage once they see the enemy support trying to poke.

Conclusion

Too many times I see in bronze, silver and gold, supports that do not zone to their advantage. This hinders their progress as their own ADC will be behind in gold and experience, which will put their team in an awkward scenario. When a botlane is placed at a disadvantage early on, it not only causes two of your teammates to fall behind but also causes the loss of dragon control, arguably making botlane the most important lane in the game.

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