Split pushing has been a cornerstone strategy in League of Legends (LoL) since its inception. But how do you choose the best champions for this tactic? With the myriad of champions available, selecting the perfect one for split pushing can be daunting. In this comprehensive guide, we dive deep into the best champions for split pushing in the top lane, backed by expert opinions and community insights.
Key Takeaways
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Split Pushing Basics: Split pushing is a pivotal strategy in League of Legends where a player applies pressure in one lane while the team occupies the enemy elsewhere. It demands champions that can push lanes, duel enemies, and evade when in danger.
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Champion Choices for Split Pushing: Top lane champions like Dr. Mundo, Sion, Tryndamere, Trundle, Yorick, Nasus, and Jax are especially proficient for split pushing due to their distinct abilities, durability, and wave-clearing prowess.
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Strategic Considerations: Effective split pushing necessitates precise timing, map awareness, and team communication. It’s crucial to recognize when to split push based on enemy locations, objectives, and overall team strength.
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Community Input and Adaptability: Using insights from the broader LoL community, like discussions on Reddit and YouTube gameplay, can refine split pushing strategies. Adapting to various playstyles and understanding each champion’s subtleties is essential for mastering this tactic.
What is Split Pushing and Why Is It Important?
Split pushing is the strategy of applying pressure in one lane while the rest of your team occupies the enemy elsewhere on the map. The aim is to force the opponent to divide their resources, giving your team an advantage. When executed correctly, it can be a game-changing strategy, leading to capturing objectives, securing kills, and even clinching victory.
Almost every role in the game can employ this tactic, although top laners are most frequently associated with it. However, contrary to popular belief, almost all roles and champions can split push effectively, even with kits that might not seem optimized for it at first glance as explained in this Mobalytics guide. To understand this strategy better, you can explore a detailed guide on how to play top.
The Best Champions for Split Pushing
| Champion | Role in Split Pushing |
|---|---|
| Dr. Mundo | An incredibly resilient champion who can apply continuous pressure in lanes with his tankiness and wave-clear capabilities. |
| Sion | Known for his ability to quickly clear waves and his unstoppable ultimate, making him a formidable split pusher. |
| Tryndamere | With his undying rage ultimate and strong dueling capabilities, he can push lanes aggressively and take on multiple enemies. |
| Trundle | His ability to sap the strength of enemy champions and structures makes him a unique and effective split pusher. |
| Yorick | With his summoned minions, Yorick can push lanes rapidly and exert immense pressure on structures. |
| Nasus | His Siphoning Strike, which grows stronger with each stack, allows him to destroy turrets in a few hits in the late game. |
| Jax | A classic duelist, Jax can take on multiple champions while also rapidly pushing lanes with his hybrid damage. |
Dr. Mundo
Dr. Mundo’s resilience and ability to regenerate health rapidly make him a stubborn split pusher. His passive, “Goes Where He Pleases,” allows him to resist the first immobilizing effect from an enemy champion, making it harder to lock him down. Additionally, his Masochism ability grants him bonus attack damage, helping him to take down turrets efficiently. Infected Cleaver, while primarily used for poking and slowing enemies, can also be used to farm minions effectively, ensuring a constant push. Dr. Mundo’s ultimate, Sadism, not only boosts his movement speed but also regenerates a significant portion of his health, allowing him to stay in the lane longer and withstand attempts to remove him. Given his tankiness and persistent nature, Dr. Mundo can continuously apply pressure, making him a notable mention in the split pushing realm.
Sion
A tanky champion with the ability to clear waves quickly, Sion is a formidable split pusher. His ultimate, Unstoppable Onslaught, allows him to join team fights rapidly or escape when enemies collapse on him. Combine that with his passive, Glory in Death, which lets him deal massive damage even after dying, and you’ve got a champion built for applying relentless pressure, as highlighted in Dignitas’ article on split pushers.
Tryndamere
When one thinks of split pushing, Tryndamere often comes to mind. With his Undying Rage, which prevents him from dying for a short duration, he can dive turrets with impunity. His high damage output, coupled with his Spin Slash for mobility and wave clear, makes him a split pushing nightmare for the enemy team. This perspective is echoed in a Reddit thread discussing top split pushing champions.
Trundle
Trundle’s ability to steal stats from enemy champions with his ultimate, Subjugate, makes him a formidable 1v1 opponent. His Pillar of Ice can disrupt enemy movements, and his Frozen Domain gives him increased attack speed and movement, enhancing his split push capabilities. Insights from Leaguefeed’s list of best split pushers support Trundle’s prowess in this role.
Yorick
With his army of Mist Walkers and the Maiden of the Mist, Yorick can apply immense pressure on turrets. His Eulogy of the Isles allows him to summon the Maiden, which can push a lane independently. This gives Yorick the unique ability to split push in two lanes simultaneously. Mobafire’s tier list emphasizes Yorick’s strength as a top lane split pusher.
Nasus
Nasus can become an unstoppable force in the late game, thanks to his Siphoning Strike, which permanently increases its damage every time it kills a unit. As the game progresses, Nasus can demolish turrets in a few hits, making him a split pushing behemoth. This viewpoint is further supported by Lolfinity’s list of top split pushers.
Jax
Jax’s kit is designed for dueling. With his Counter Strike’s dodge and stun mechanic and Grandmaster’s Might’s bonus damage, he can take on multiple enemies and come out victorious. His ability to jump with Leap Strike adds mobility, making him a split pusher to be reckoned with, as discussed in Dignitas’ article.
Quick Tips for Effective Split Pushing
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- Vision is Key: Before venturing deep into enemy territory, ensure you have adequate vision. Warding the enemy jungle and key pathways can alert you to incoming threats, as outlined in Runetarium’s guide on split pushing.
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- Map Awareness: Always keep an eye on the minimap. If you notice multiple enemies missing, they might be heading your way.
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- Communication: Inform your team of your intentions to split push, so they can apply pressure elsewhere and not engage in unfavorable fights.
- Objective Timing: Split pushing is most effective when there’s an objective on the opposite side of the map, such as Dragon or Baron. This forces the enemy to make tough decisions.
- Understand Your Champion: Know the limits of your champion. Can you duel anyone who comes to stop you? Do you have an escape mechanism if multiple enemies collapse on you?
- Monitor Minion Waves: Ensure you’re always pushing with a sizable minion wave. This not only helps in taking down turrets faster but also provides a buffer against enemy champions.
- Coordinate with Teleport: If you have the Teleport summoner spell, you can join your team quickly for a fight while split pushing. This dual-threat can be highly advantageous.
- Evaluate Threats: Recognize which champions on the enemy team can stop your push and how they might do it. Be prepared to adapt your strategy based on the threats you face.
- Pressure, Don’t Overcommit: The primary goal of split pushing is to create pressure, not necessarily to get kills. If you draw multiple enemies to your lane, you’ve already created an advantage for your team elsewhere.
- Adapt and Learn: Split pushing is as much about understanding the game’s flow as it is about individual skill. Continually evaluate the game situation, learn from any mistakes, and adapt your strategy accordingly.
For a more in-depth exploration of this tactic, consider reading Dignitas’ extensive guide on split pushing.
How Do Different Champion Kits Influence Their Split Pushing Capabilities
| Kit Component | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Wave Clear | Quickly dispatching minion waves to apply pressure. | Yorick's Mist Walkers, Sion's Decimating Smash |
| Duel Potential | Ability to take on and defeat enemy champions in 1v1 scenarios. | Tryndamere's Critical Strikes, Jax's Counter Strike |
| Escape Mechanisms | Abilities to evade enemies and avoid being caught. | Dr. Mundo's Sadism, Tryndamere's Spin Slash |
| Turret Damage | Inflicting significant damage to enemy structures. | Nasus' Siphoning Strike, Trundle's Chomp |
| Sustainability | Maintaining health and mana to continue pushing. | Dr. Mundo's Passive, Nasus' Passive Life Steal |
The effectiveness of a champion in split pushing largely depends on their kit. Specific abilities and traits make some champions naturally better suited for this strategy than others. Let’s break down the components of a champion’s kit that enhance split pushing potential:
- Wave Clear: The ability to quickly dispatch minion waves is crucial for split pushing. Champions with area-of-effect (AoE) damage or empowered auto-attacks can clear waves swiftly, allowing them to apply pressure consistently.
- Duel Potential: Split pushers often find themselves isolated in a lane. Having strong 1v1 capabilities ensures they can fend off or even kill enemies who come to stop them.
- Escape Mechanisms: Being deep in enemy territory makes split pushers vulnerable. Abilities that provide mobility, speed boosts, or crowd control immunity are invaluable for escaping sticky situations.
- Turret Damage: Some champions can deal significant damage to turrets, either through empowered auto-attacks, abilities, or passive skills.
- Sustainability: The ability to stay in a lane for extended periods, either through health regeneration, shields, or life steal, ensures continuous pressure.
What Items and Runes Enhance a Champion’s Split Pushing Potential?
| Type | Name | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Item | Trinity Force | Attack Speed, Damage |
| Ravenous Hydra | Wave Clear, Life Steal | |
| Titanic Hydra | Wave Clear, Tankiness | |
| Blade of the Ruined King | Dueling, Life Steal | |
| Sterak's Gage | Survivability, Damage | |
| Rune | Conqueror | Dueling Power |
| Demolish | Turret Damage | |
| Legend: Alacrity | Attack Speed |
Items and runes play a pivotal role in amplifying a champion’s split pushing capabilities. These tools can drastically modify a champion’s stats, provide passive benefits, or grant unique active abilities that can make the difference between a successful or failed split push. Let’s explore some of the most influential items and runes for split pushing:
Items:
- Trinity Force: Popular among bruisers, this item provides bonus attack speed, which helps in clearing minion waves and destroying turrets.
- Ravenous Hydra: This item offers life steal and an active cleave effect, ideal for champions looking for wave clear and sustain.
- Titanic Hydra: An alternative to Ravenous Hydra, it provides tankiness and an auto-attack reset, beneficial for tanky split pushers.
- Blade of the Ruined King: The life steal and attack speed are essential, but the % health damage can be crucial for dueling potential.
- Sterak’s Gage: It grants bonus base attack damage and a shield when taking damage, ensuring survival during close duels.
Runes:
- Conqueror: Grants adaptive force during extended fights, enhancing dueling capabilities.
- Demolish: A part of the Resolve tree, it enhances your next attack to deal bonus damage to turrets.
- Ravenous Hunter: Provides healing for ability damage, ensuring sustain during split pushes.
- Legend: Alacrity: Grants bonus attack speed, aiding in faster wave clear and turret destruction.
Understanding the synergies between a champion’s kit, items, and runes can exponentially enhance their split pushing potential. It’s crucial to adapt item and rune choices based on the specific game scenario, the enemy team composition, and your team’s strategy.
How Do I Counter an Enemy’s Split Pushing Strategy Effectively?
| Counter-Strategy | Description |
|---|---|
| Vision Control | Keep key areas warded to spot the split pusher early. |
| Correct Defender | Send someone capable of holding off or dueling the split pusher. |
| Global Abilities | Use champions with global skills to respond quickly. |
| Engage Fights | Take advantage of the enemy's split and engage in favorable fights. |
| Objective Play | Secure objectives when the enemy split pusher is away. |
Countering a split push strategy can be challenging, especially when the enemy has a champion particularly skilled at this tactic. However, with the right approach, map awareness, and team coordination, you can thwart their efforts and turn the tables. Here’s a guide to counteracting a split push:
- Maintain Vision: Vision is crucial. Ensure your jungle and key pathways are warded, allowing you to spot the split pusher early and react accordingly.
- Choose the Right Defender: Not every champion can 1v1 a dedicated split pusher. Send someone who can clear waves quickly or can hold their own in a duel.
- Utilize Global Abilities: Champions with global or semi-global abilities, like Shen’s Stand United or Twisted Fate’s Destiny, can quickly respond to split push threats.
- Force Engagements: If the enemy split pusher is far from their team, engage in a 5v4 fight with the rest of their team. This can lead to securing objectives or even ending the game.
- Apply Opposite Pressure: If one enemy is split pushing top, apply pressure bot lane, forcing the enemy team to make difficult decisions.
- Avoid the Chase: Chasing a split pusher across the map, especially one with good escape mechanisms, can waste valuable time. Instead, focus on objectives or pushing other lanes.
- Communicate: Always keep the lines of communication open. Inform your team of the split pusher’s location and coordinate a response.
- Secure Objectives: If an enemy is split pushing, it might be an excellent opportunity to secure key objectives like Dragon, Baron, or even turrets in another lane.
- Use the Numbers Advantage: If the split pusher doesn’t have Teleport, force fights or objectives elsewhere, taking advantage of the numbers in your favor.
- Adapt Your Strategy: Sometimes, the best response might be to change your game plan. If you can’t counter the split push directly, consider grouping as a team and forcing team fights or securing objectives.
How Has the Meta Influenced the Popularity of Split Pushing Over the Years?
| Meta Aspect | Impact on Split Pushing |
|---|---|
| Summoner Spells | The popularity of Teleport greatly enhanced the feasibility of split pushing. |
| Champion Meta | Tanks reduced split pushing prominence, while assassins boosted it. |
| New Champions | Champions designed for split pushing, like Yorick, influenced its popularity. |
| Item Changes | Items like Zz'Rot Portal directly facilitated split pushing strategies. |
| Pro Play | The strategies employed by professional teams can sway the broader player base. |
Split pushing has always been a strategic component of League of Legends, but its prominence has ebbed and flowed with changes in the game’s meta. Here’s a look at how the evolution of the meta has impacted split pushing:
- Early Days of LoL: In the initial stages of League, split pushing wasn’t as defined a strategy as it is today. Players were still exploring the game’s mechanics, and team fights were more prevalent.
- Rise of Teleport: As the Teleport summoner spell became more popular, especially among top laners, split pushing gained traction. Champions could apply pressure in one lane and then quickly join their team when needed.
- Tank Meta: During periods when tanky champions dominated the meta, split pushing saw a decline. Tanks were more focused on team fights and less on solo lane pressure.
- Assassin Meta: Conversely, when assassins were in vogue, split pushing became a more prevalent strategy. Champions like Zed or Fiora could quickly eliminate a lone defender and continue their push.
- Introduction of New Champions: As more champions were introduced to the game, some were specifically designed with split pushing in mind. Champions like Yorick, with his ability to summon minions, became split push specialists.
- Item Changes: Over the years, Riot Games has introduced, modified, or removed items that influenced split pushing. Items like Zz’Rot Portal, which created pushing voidlings, were direct tools for split pushers.
- Turret Plating: With the introduction of turret plating, split pushing in the early game became more challenging but also more rewarding. Players had to strategize when to push to maximize gold from plates.
- Meta Shifts: Like any strategy in League, split pushing’s popularity shifts with the meta. Certain patches or seasons may favor team fighting, roaming, or objective control more than split pushing.
- Team Strategies: Pro teams and their gameplay strategies influence the broader player base. If a pro team finds success with split pushing in tournaments, many players adopt that style in their games.
- Map Changes: Over the years, modifications to the Summoner’s Rift, such as jungle camp placements or turret stats, have indirectly influenced the viability of split pushing.
Split pushing has seen its highs and lows in League of Legends. The strategy’s popularity is a direct reflection of the game’s evolving meta, champion pool, and the broader dynamics of Summoner’s Rift.
What Role Do Map Objectives Play in a Split Pushing Strategy?
| Map Objective | Role in Split Pushing |
|---|---|
| Turrets | Primary targets to open up the map and gain a gold advantage. |
| Dragons | A distraction tool that can be secured while the enemy is occupied with the split pusher. |
| Baron Nashor | Can be taken when the split pusher draws significant attention away from it. |
| Rift Herald | An augmenting tool that enhances the speed and effectiveness of a split push. |
| Inhibitors | Key objectives that can tilt the game's balance when secured during a split push. |
Map objectives, from turrets to dragons to the Baron Nashor, are central elements in the game of League of Legends. When considering a split pushing strategy, these objectives play pivotal roles in determining the effectiveness and timing of the push. Here’s how they interplay:
- Turrets: The primary goal of split pushing is to take down turrets. Each turret destroyed not only grants gold to the team but also opens up the map, providing more space to control and exert pressure.
- Dragons: While a split pusher is applying pressure in the top lane, it can provide a distraction, allowing the rest of the team to secure a dragon. This is especially effective if the enemy team sends more than one champion to counter the split push.
- Baron Nashor: Similarly, drawing attention away from the Baron pit by split pushing can give your team an opportunity to sneakily secure the Baron, especially if the enemy lacks vision.
- Rift Herald: A tool in itself for split pushing, securing the Rift Herald and using it in a lane amplifies the pressure, making it harder for the enemy to defend against the push.
- Inhibitors: Taking down an inhibitor during a split push can be game-changing. It not only spawns super minions but forces the enemy team to constantly defend against them, creating opportunities elsewhere on the map.
- Vision Control: Securing objectives often requires vision control. As a split pusher draws attention, it provides opportunities for the team to establish vision around key objectives.
- Enemy Buffs: An often-overlooked objective, stealing away enemy buffs (like the Red or Blue buff) during a split push can further weaken the enemy and bolster the pusher’s dueling capabilities.
- Pressure & Timing: Split pushing when a major objective is about to spawn can force the enemy team into making tough decisions – defend against the push, or contest the objective.
- Enemy Response: If the enemy team overcommits to stopping a split push, it can leave other objectives undefended, allowing your team to capitalize.
- Team Coordination: Objectives should never be taken without considering the team’s overall strategy. Split pushing should be coordinated with attempts to secure objectives to maximize its effectiveness.
In essence, a split pushing strategy is deeply intertwined with the map objectives. A successful split pusher not only focuses on lane pressure but also understands the broader game dynamics and the importance of each objective.
How Does Team Composition Affect the Success of a Split Pushing Strategy?
| Team Composition | Impact on Split Pushing |
|---|---|
| Duelist | Effective in 1v1 scenarios, making it hard for enemies to defend. |
| Wave Clear | Deterring enemy pushes and buying time for the split pusher. |
| Engage/Disengage | Initiating or escaping fights to capitalize on the split pusher's pressure. |
| Global Presence | Supporting the split pusher from afar using global abilities. |
| Objective Control | Securing objectives while the enemy is occupied elsewhere. |
In League of Legends, the team composition, which refers to the combination of champions selected by a team, greatly influences the viability and success of a split pushing strategy. Here’s a breakdown of how different team compositions can impact this tactic:
- Duelist Composition: Teams that have strong duelists, such as Fiora, Jax, or Yasuo, can effectively employ a split pushing strategy. These champions excel in 1v1 situations, making it difficult for the enemy to stop their push without committing multiple resources.
- Wave Clear Composition: For the remaining members not involved in the split push, having champions that can efficiently clear minion waves is crucial. Champions like Anivia, Ziggs, or Sivir can deter enemies from pushing lanes and buying time for the split pusher.
- Engage/Disengage Composition: Teams that can initiate or disengage from fights effectively can capitalize on the pressure created by the split pusher. Champions with strong engage (e.g., Malphite, Leona) or disengage (e.g., Janna, Gragas) abilities are valuable.
- Global Presence Composition: Champions with global or semi-global abilities, such as Twisted Fate, Shen, or Soraka, can support a split pusher from afar, either by joining them or providing assistance.
- Objective Control Composition: While the enemy is distracted by the split push, having champions that can quickly secure objectives, like Nunu or Shyvana with their fast dragon or baron-taking capabilities, is beneficial.
- Poke Composition: A team with strong poke champions, like Jayce or Varus, can keep enemies at bay, preventing them from engaging and taking advantage of the numbers disparity created by the split push.
- Siege Composition: If the enemy team decides to group and push against a split pushing strategy, having champions that excel at sieging, like Caitlyn or Vel’Koz, can hold them off.
- Catch Composition: Champions that can catch out and quickly eliminate isolated enemies, like Blitzcrank or Thresh, can create opportunities and further amplify the split push pressure.
- Flexibility: A flexible team composition that can adapt to various situations and strategies, including split pushing, team fighting, or objective control, has a higher chance of success.
- Coordination: Regardless of the composition, team coordination is paramount. Even the best split pushing champions can falter without proper communication and support from their team.
In conclusion, while individual champion skills are essential for split pushing, the overall team composition and synergy play a monumental role in determining the strategy’s success.
How Can Beginners Practice and Improve Their Split Pushing Skills?
| Improvement Aspect | Strategy for Beginners |
|---|---|
| Champion Selection | Choose champions that naturally excel at split pushing. |
| Map Awareness | Regularly check the mini-map and be aware of enemy positions. |
| Vision | Always prioritize vision in the enemy jungle before pushing deep. |
| Wave Management | Learn techniques like freezing and slow pushing to control minion waves. |
| Team Coordination | Communicate with your team to ensure they're applying pressure elsewhere. |
Split pushing can initially seem like a daunting strategy for newcomers to League of Legends, but with practice, understanding, and the right approach, beginners can quickly grasp and excel at it. Here’s a comprehensive guide for rookies looking to hone their split pushing prowess:
- Understand the Concept: At its core, split pushing is about creating pressure in one part of the map, forcing the enemy to divert resources to address it. This can lead to advantages elsewhere on the map. Beginners should familiarize themselves with this fundamental idea.
- Start with the Right Champions: While many champions can split push, some are naturally better suited for it. Champions with good wave clear, dueling potential, and escape mechanisms, like Tryndamere or Jax, are great for starters.
- Practice Map Awareness: Constantly glance at the mini-map. Recognizing where enemies are allows you to gauge when it’s safe to push and when it’s time to retreat.
- Prioritize Vision: Before pushing deep into enemy territory, ensure you have vision in the enemy jungle. This will provide early warnings of incoming threats.
- Learn Wave Management: Understand how to control minion waves. Freezing, slow pushing, and fast pushing are essential techniques that can influence your split pushing success.
- Coordinate with Your Team: Split pushing isn’t a solo endeavor. Communicate with your team about your intentions and ensure they’re applying pressure elsewhere.
- Analyze Professional Play: Watching professional players or high ELO streamers can provide insights into effective split pushing. Take note of their decision-making processes and timings.
- Practice, Practice, Practice: Like any skill in League of Legends, the more you practice split pushing, the better you’ll become. Play games with the intent to split push and learn from each experience.
- Seek Feedback: After each game, review your performance. Ask more experienced players for advice or use tools like the in-game replay feature to analyze your split pushing decisions.
- Stay Updated with the Meta: The effectiveness of split pushing can vary with changes in the game’s meta, champion buffs/nerfs, and item modifications. Stay updated to ensure your approach remains relevant.
In summary, while split pushing might seem complex at first, with dedication, practice, and the right approach, beginners can master this strategy and significantly impact their games.
Community Insights and Different Playstyles: Diversifying Your Split Push Strategy
The beauty of League of Legends is the diversity of its player base and the myriad of strategies they employ. Split pushing is no exception. By embracing different perspectives and playstyles, you can adapt and overcome even the most challenging opponents.
Community Perspectives on Split Pushing
The LoL community is a treasure trove of insights. From Reddit threads to YouTube gameplay footage, there’s a wealth of knowledge waiting to be tapped.
- Reddit’s Take on Split Pushing: Multiple threads on the League of Legends subreddit and Summoner School discuss the intricacies of split pushing. Players share their experiences, successful strategies, and potential pitfalls to avoid.
- Learning from Gameplay Footage: Observing high-level gameplay can provide invaluable insights. Renowned players often showcase their split pushing strategies on YouTube, offering a practical demonstration of the tactics discussed in this guide, as seen in this YouTube gameplay and another in-depth guide.
