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How Does the Execute Mechanic Work in League of Legends?

A League of Legends game can quickly get out of control if you don’t manage the gold difference between you and your enemy. However, there is a mechanic in the game that allows you to die without giving the enemy any gold.

An “execution” occurs when a champion dies without taking damage or being debuffed by any enemy champion in the last 13 seconds. While executes don’t reward the enemy with gold, nearby enemies still gain experience. It’s important to understand how to use this mechanic effectively.

What Is An Execution?

An execution is the death of a champion that doesn’t give kill credit to any enemy champion. It’s a mechanic designed to prevent accidental or intentional deaths from benefiting the enemy team.

Conditions

In order for an execution to occur, a champion must not have taken damage or been debuffed by any enemy champion in the last few seconds. It’s important to note that certain sources of damage and debuffs can reset the execution timer, so players need to be cautious.

Timer

An execution can only happen if the champion meets the conditions for 13 seconds before dying. If the champion takes damage or debuffs during this time, the timer resets. Players must carefully track the time to ensure they don’t unintentionally gift kills to the enemy team.

Cause

An execution can be caused by turrets, minions, or monsters. Turrets are commonly used for executing champions to prevent the enemy from catching up and collecting the gold bounty. Minions are sometimes used for executing champions while proxying, and monsters are an option for junglers.

Lost Resources

When a champion is executed, the gold bounty for killing the champion is lost. However, experience is still shared among nearby enemy champions. This can be beneficial in denying the enemy team gold while allowing you to reset your resource bars.

Strategy

Executions can be used strategically, such as proxying a wave and then executing under a tower to avoid being chased down. In the past, executions have been abused by players to gain advantages in lane. In ARAM, executing can be more challenging but still useful for resetting resources.

Effects On Kill Streaks

Executions do not reset important gold values like gold bounties, death streaks, or kill streaks. This prevents the mechanic from being abused and allows for potential comebacks in the game.

Difference In ARAM

In ARAM, executions can be strong due to the inability to recall and return to base. The execution timer in ARAM is extended to 20 seconds.

Conclusion

Execution is a unique and impactful mechanic in League of Legends. It can be detrimental or beneficial to your gameplay strategy. In situations where a collapse from the enemy team is likely, executing is often a better option than risking an unsafe recall.