Table of Contents
Key Takeaways for Mid Lane Guide:
- Mid lane is in the middle of the map and open to both side
- The lane is also the shortest, which makes it a good lane for certain characters
- Though mid is the role with the most variety in terms of gameplay and possible styles
- Mid priority is an important aspect in a game and cooperation with the Jungler is important to keep control
- Due to the variety in playing styles it is important to know what your win condition is
Mid has the highest range of play styles and possible champions — you can play almost all champions mid lane. There are just a couple of champions who are very dependent on having a lane partner and jungling. There are probably less than 10 champions that you couldn’t play in mid lane at a high level in the right circumstances.
You can play enchanters, tanks, bruisers, ADCs, mages, and assassins. There are only certain champions that are too set in playing a duo lane or jungling to be played mid.
What’s not mid is the Z League app which can provide you with LFG, tournaments, stats and more.
What Characterizes Mid?
Due to how varied it is, it is difficult to narrow down what defines the mid lane. Though at its core it’s in the middle of the map so it has the best vantage point to influence the map, and also has the closest connection to the Jungler.
Another characteristic of mid is that it is the shortest lane and is open towards both sides — this makes melee characters less effective/more risky than they are in the top lane, but they still have their place.
Since it is a short lane, you are in one sense the safest from ganks, but in another the most vulnerable due to being open, especially if you don’t have vision.
Therefore it is important to have some sort of vision on one side of the lane and to know where the opponent’s Jungler is or at least which side they are on. This is so you can posture on the other side of the lane to be a bit safer.
Due to the openness, mid also has to keep track of the top lane, bot and their potential roams. While you can be incredibly safe in the right lane state, you can also be very vulnerable in a poor lane state.
This means that mid laners have to keep a keen eye on the minimap as they are under threat from every role. It is also helpful to think about how dangerous the different ganks are to you and play accordingly.
Who Should Play Mid and What Should They Play?
Mid is the perfect lane for people wanting to lane but also play a role similar to a Jungler and helps drive the tempo. It is also a forgiving lane in terms of lane manipulation since most mid laners have long-range wave-clearing spells, so it’s hard to freeze and perform big wave crashes.
This means that matchup knowledge -while important- isn’t as important as in top lane. It is also the lane for immobile casters, as they thrive with shorter lanes and the safety of the towers.
Mid Lane Priority
As mid is smack-dab in the middle, its priority is an important factor on the map as it influences what the Jungler can do and how much under threat the side lanes are to a roam.
Due to this and how mid influences the tempo and control of the map — most mid characters try to control the lane in some way – even the scaling ones. This is why control mages are popular or characters with kill pressure like Assassins.
Very few mid lane characters give up priority completely, like Aurelion Sol or Kassadin. The reason these are still played in mid is that this is the best lane for them due to it being the safest – but one has to account for the fact that one gives up a lot of the map by this lack of priority.
2v2 partnership
An important part of mid lane is the ‘partnership’ with the Jungler. You are the Junglers primary defense against invades and help in river fights as you can join on both sides. Junglers are then crucial to help control rivers, which is important since if you don’t have vision on at least one side you are very vulnerable.
You should account for how strong your 2v2 fight is and if you want to take these fights when they are at risk of breaking out. It is also good to have a synergy in terms of making ganks easier. Leblanc + Lee Sin are really good because Leblanc can set up a gank by rooting and then Lee can follow up for an almost guaranteed kill.
If you know you win 2v2, you can play a lot more aggressively in the river and when your Jungler is near. If you lose it you need to be a lot more aware of where the opposing Jungler is.
Mid lane is a bit dependent on the Jungler — especially for roams. But mid can also be helped by the Support, which can help control the bottom river. This is also necessary to unlock the Mid to roam as they have a hard time roaming without control – as they often get beaten by Junglers in a duel and can get collapsed upon.
Win Conditions
Mid laners win conditions will be wildly varied depending on team compositions and what champions one is playing. As mid laners have so many options it is important to know what one’s role is, what the win conditions are, and how to accomplish them.
For example, if you are playing a roaming character you want to play towards a win condition on your team like a dominant bot lane or split-pushing top, if you are a scaling character, you are one of the win conditions and play accordingly to that. If you are an Assassin you can mix between trying to dominate your lane and roam.
