Tanks in League of Legends: Assisting Your Team and Hindering the Enemy
Tanks may not be popular in League of Legends, but they are far from weak. Their gameplay revolves around protecting their teammates and disrupting the enemy champions. As a tank, your job is to peel for your carry, engage the enemy when suitable, and soak up damage for your team.
Looking for Engage
If you’re playing as the tank on your team, finding the right moment to engage is crucial. Engaging at the right time and place is more important than how you engage. Make sure your teammates are close by to follow up on the engage and avoid engaging when your team is trying to avoid a teamfight. Use your engage tools on important targets, even if it’s just a single champion, to gain a numbers advantage in teamfights.
Peel for Your Backline
As a tank, it’s your job to protect your carry when they are targeted by the enemy. Use your crowd control abilities to prevent enemies from reaching your backline. For example, as Malphite, you can hold your ultimate to peel for your backline when they are in danger. This buys time for your carry to escape and allows your team to focus on the diver or assassin attacking them.
Positioning Matters
Tanks should always be in the frontline, soaking up damage for their team. However, this also puts them at a higher risk of being caught by the enemy. Be aware of your positioning and stay close to your team while protecting them. This way, your team can assist you if the enemy tries to focus you down.
Target Priority and Crowd Control
Tanks don’t have a specific target priority in terms of dealing damage. Hit whoever you can in teamfights and prioritize squishy enemy champions if possible. Use items that allow you to stick to your targets, such as Frostfire Gauntlet and Randuin’s Omen. Save your crowd control abilities for important targets, especially high-threat champions that can kill your entire backline.
Using Teleport Effectively
Tanks can benefit from summoner spells like Teleport or Exhaust. Teleport allows you to contribute to teamfights and join your team from a side lane with slight delay. Make sure to choose suitable teleport locations close to your teammates for their support. Teleport can catch enemies off guard and give your team an advantage in fights.
Soaking Damage and Sacrificing for Your Team
Don’t be afraid to take damage as a tank. Your role is to keep your teammates alive, even if it means sacrificing your own health. Block important skillshots and CC enemy carries to disrupt their effectiveness. Keep in mind that tanks are not invincible, so be strategic in how much damage you can absorb before needing to retreat.
Conclusion
Tanks play a crucial role in protecting and assisting their team. By selflessly sacrificing themselves for their team, tanks create opportunities for their carries to deal damage and win teamfights. Don’t underestimate the impact of tanks in League of Legends.