The mid lane position in League of Legends has the highest impact potential in a game.
I will share all the essential skills and strategies you need to master this role and carry your team to victory.
Champion Selection
Mid lane features the most diverse champion pool in the game. You need to select a champion that matches your playstyle and can use gold and experience effectively.
Here are the main types:
- Assassins (Katarina, LeBlanc, Zed): High damage and mobility champions that excel at killing enemy carries. They need early kills to be effective.
- Control Mages (Lissandra, Xerath, Ziggs): Champions that focus on wave clear, crowd control, and consistent damage. They function well even when behind.
- Burst Mages (Syndra, Viktor, Zoe): Champions with high-damage ability combinations that can delete enemies quickly.
- Enchanters (Karma): Supportive champions with enough damage to work in lane. Best when paired with a carry jungler or top laner.
- Bruisers (Garen, Irelia, Yasuo): Champions with both damage and durability. Difficult to kill while still dealing significant damage.
- Marksmen (Corki, Kog'Maw): ADCs that work well with solo lane experience and gold. Good for taking objectives.
Essential Mid Lane Skills
Here are 6 important midlane skills you must master to carry the game as a midlaner.
1. Map Awareness
Good mid laners constantly check the map for:
- Enemy jungler position
- Roaming opportunities
- Incoming ganks
- Objective timers
Make your minimap as large as possible and check it after every last hit to build the habit.
2. Wave Management
Proper wave control dictates your options:
- Push before recalling to prevent losing minions to your tower
- Push before roaming to force your opponent to choose between following you or farming
- Freeze when ahead to deny the enemy and create gank opportunities
- Clear waves quickly in mid and late game to prevent sieges
3. Trading Effectively
Win your lane through smart trades:
- Watch enemy cooldowns and trade when their key abilities are down
- Avoid trading when surrounded by enemy minions
- Check jungler position before committing to aggressive trades
- Learn matchups to understand your power spikes
4. Roaming
How to impact the map:
- Push the wave into the enemy tower first
- Roam after killing your opponent or when they recall
- Coordinate with your jungler for 3v1 or 3v2 plays
Some champions (Twisted Fate, Talon) excel at roaming while others prefer to stay mid.
5. CSing (Creep Score)
Mid lane items are expensive, so farming well is crucial:
- Practice last hitting in custom games
- Learn to farm under tower (2 tower hits + 1 auto for melee minions, 1 auto + 1 tower hit + 1 auto for ranged minions)
- Use abilities occasionally to secure minions, but don't waste mana
- Aim for at least 7-8 CS per minute
6. Teamfighting
Your role in fights depends on your champion type:
- Assassins: Find flanks to access and eliminate enemy carries
- Control/Burst Mages: Position safely in the backline while maximizing damage
- Enchanters: Protect your team's main damage dealers
- Bruisers: Look for engage opportunities and create pressure
- Marksmen: Position safely and output consistent damage
Don't hesitate to use ultimate abilities - many fights are lost because players save ultimates too long.
Item Building Strategy
Build flexibility is key:
- Adapt to the enemy team composition
- Build penetration items (Magic Pen/Armor Pen) when enemies stack resistances
- Consider defensive items when targeted heavily
- Choose items that counter specific threats (Crown vs. burst, Liandry's vs. health stackers)
You can use the LoLTheory live tool to get the best items for your specific in-game situation.
Final Tips for Success
Here are some advanced tips you should learn:
- Accept your carry responsibility, don't play too passively
- Don't overextend without vision, mid is the most ganked lane
- Rotate to objectives before your opponent when possible
- Track enemy summoner spells and ultimates
- Ward one side of the lane and play toward that side
- Convert your lead to help other lanes
Learning how to play mid requires practice and patience. Focus on improving one skill at a time, and you'll become the reliable carry your team needs to win games.
