The Importance of the Early Game in League of Legends
Having a strong start in a League of Legends match can give you a significant advantage and put pressure on your enemies. Winning the early game requires specific champions, communication, and game knowledge.
The Top Lane: Your Key to Success in the Early Game
The top lane is the easiest lane to win in the early game and maintain influence throughout the match. By defeating your opponent and gaining a lead, you can help other lanes while still dominating top lane. With the right items and spells like Teleport, you can secure quick wins.
However, not all top laners are designed to excel in early-game skirmishes. Some champions are better suited for scaling and late-game dominance.
Here is a list of some of the best early-game top laners in League of Legends, along with tips on how to win both the early game and the match with them.
Renekton: The Dominator
Renekton is an excellent choice if you want to engage in early fights and quickly finish the game. With three offensive abilities that deal high damage and have low cooldowns, and the sustain from his Q ability, Cull the Meek, Renekton can win fights on his own. His ultimate also empowers him and makes him even more formidable at level six.
To succeed with Renekton, focus on trading with your opponent in the top lane and then roam to other lanes or the enemy jungle to create advantages. In teamfights, target the enemy back line with your E ability, Slice and Dice. Building bruiser items will give you both damage and sustainability, allowing you to make a significant impact in fights.
Related: Watch a video about Renekton’s early-game dominance in League of Legends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_URL
Mordekaiser: The Juggernaut
Mordekaiser is another top laner who can snowball early and dominate the game single-handedly. Trade with your opponent until you reach level six, and then go for solo kills using your ultimate ability. You can also ask your jungler for help.
During the mid-game, Mordekaiser can confidently face the biggest threats on the enemy team by trapping them in the Realm of Death. This ability can change the tide of a teamfight in your favor. Take advantage of your other abilities to deal damage to remaining enemies.
Olaf: The Berserker
Olaf is an excellent pick for dominating the early game. His kit includes ranged poke that slows down enemies and allows you to chase them, as well as spells perfect for melee combat. His E ability deals true damage, allowing him to cut down tanks.
Olaf’s ultimate, Ragnarok, makes him unstoppable by preventing opponents from using crowd control on him. It also grants him bonus movement speed and attack damage. Save Ragnarok for teamfights when you are ready to chase enemy carries. With your other abilities, shutting them down will be tough but valuable for you and your team.
Darius: The Hand of Noxus
Darius is notorious for annihilating top laners. His kit allows for single-target damage, and his E ability, Apprehend, makes it easy to lock down enemies. While he excels in the early game, teamfights require more strategy. Since Darius doesn’t have a gap closer, you need to flank enemies to pin down valuable targets.
Related: about the new LoL champion, Briar, with this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_URL
Kennen: The Lightning Shuriken
Kennen, a ranged champion, may not be the first choice for early-game domination, but hear me out. He can easily harass enemies from a safe distance with his abilities. After poking your enemy, you can transition this advantage into a kill with your E and R abilities.
Related: Find out about the upcoming changes in LoL preseason: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_URL
Even if you don’t secure early game kills, you can still make an impact in the mid-game by teleporting and using E to flank enemies. Engage in a fight and use your ultimate along with Zhonya’s Hourglass. This will deal damage and buy time for your team to follow up and secure kills. Make sure to engage when your teammates can support your lead.
League of Legends, early game top laners, Renekton, Mordekaiser, Olaf, Darius, Kennen