League of Legends Objectives Guide: Understanding The Map

League of Legends objectives are the most important part of learning how to play the game. Securing these objectives increase the player’s chances of winning the game by gaining gold which will give each member of the team a significant advantage against the enemy champions. By learning how each of the objectives affects the game, players will be able to determine what they need to prioritize on the map depending on the situation. This is the first step to training like a Pro Player in League of Legends.

Gold Leads

Gold Leads refer to the overall gold difference between the two teams. The team with the Gold Lead has the highest chances of winning because they have more resources to buy items that they need to win teamfights or secure other objectives in the game. Getting kills may be a great way to secure the gold lead but objectives are the most efficient way to go because of the secondary effects that benefits the teams from securing these League of Legends objectives around the map.

While it may not be the obvious, teams are always trying to secure a gold lead in the game. Every action that you do successfully whether it be farming minions, killing champions, or destroying towers, they all contribute to securing a gold lead. The reason why League of Legends objectives are the best way to get a gold lead is because it helps the entire team instead of just helping an individual person. After all, League of Legends is a team game.

Types of League of Legends Objectives

Let’s take a look at all of the League of Legends objectives that play an important role in playing the game successfully. Here’s a list of all the things that players need to know about.

Structures

Structures are the first type of objectives in the game and are the only ones that are aligned to a specific team. These are also the only objectives in the game that are required to be taken before any team can win the game (except via Surrender).

1. Turrets

Turrets are the first structure that players have to go through. Each team has 3 turrets in every lane called the Outer, Inner, and Inhibitor turrets as well as another 2 turrets protecting the Nexus called Nexus turrets. The turrets prevents players from destroying the Nexus and Inhibitors. Players can’t attack or damage a turret or inhibitor if the turret before them hasn’t been destroyed. All outer turrets are fortified with Turret Plates at the beginning of the game until the 14-minute mark.

Turrets attack the first unit to enter its range or the first unit that attacks an allied champion. If a champion attacks another champion within the turret’s range, the turret will immediately start attacking that champion. Destroying a turret grands gold to the entire team (50 global gold + 150 local gold). Turret plates also reward 160 local gold to players whenever they are destroyed. Turrets take reduced damage if an enemy minion or The Rift Herald is not nearby.

2. Inhibitors

Inhibitors are non-hostile defensive structures. There is one inhibitor at each of the entrances inside both team’s bases. The inhibitor is the only structure in the game that respawns (after 5 minutes upon destruction). The inhibitor prevents the Nexus from being attacked or destroyed. It also regenerates health if it is not attacked for a prolonged period of time.

Destroying an enemy inhibitor causes your Nexus to start spawning Super Minions which are Melee Minions with increased stats. Super minions also replace Siege Minions in a wave. If all three inhibitors are destroyed, the Nexus will start sending 2 super minions in each lane. This objective is one of the most important in the game because it leaves the enemy base extremely vulnerable to an enemy attack.

3. The Nexus

The Nexus is the most important objective of the game. The first team to destroy the enemy’s Nexus wins the game and earns 50 gold. Like the inhibitors, the Nexus regenerates health if it hasn’t received damage for an extended period of time.

Dragons

Since the Rise of the Elements patch, Dragons have been an important objective that must be contested in the game. The first dragon spawns at the 5 minute mark. All succeeding dragons spawn 5 minutes after the previous dragon has been slain. There are four basic types of dragons called Elemental Drakes as well as the Elder Drake.

The first two dragons that spawn in the game are choses at random but can’t be the same as the previous one. Once two dragons have been slain, the Rift will change according to the element of the third dragon that is about to spawn. From the 3rd dragon onwards, only one type of dragon will spawn for the rest of the game until one team has slain 4 Elemental Drakes. After a team has slain 4 Elemental Drakes, the Dragon Pit will only spawn Elder Dragons for the rest of the game.

1. Cloud Drake

Cloud Essences adds 12% Ultimate Haste for each stack. Once a team has slain 4 dragons with the final elemental dragon being Cloud, the team is awarded the Cloud Soul which permanently increases your team’s movement speed by 10% and increases to 60% whenever a champion casts their ultimate ability.

The Cloud Rift summons air flows around the map which moves the movement speed of any champion by 35% when out of combat and 20% while in combat. Furthermore, additional Scryer’s Bloom plants will spawn around the area of the map. This Dragon’s effects are considered the least important of the 4 elemental drakes because has the least impactful effect in fights.

2. Ocean Drake

Ocean Essences heal the players by 2.5% for each stack every 5 seconds. Once a team has slain 4 dragons with the final one being the Ocean Drake, the team is awarded the Ocean Soul which causes champions to regenerate health and mana when they attack a unit, increased when the unit attacked is a minion or monster.

The Ocean Rift produces continuous rain around the map, causing the Brushes to expand and introduce a new patch of brush around the Dragon pit. Additional Honeyfruit will grow around the map and puddles of water will be left in certain areas of the map. This dragon’s effects are extremely strong since it makes extended teamfights really hard to fight because champions have additional sources of healing.

3. Mountain Drake

Mountain Essences grant 6% Armor and Magic Resistance per stack. Once a team has slain 4 dragons with the final one being the Mountain Drake, the team is awarded the Mountain Soul which causes champions to generate a small shield after 5 seconds of being out of combat.

The Mountainous Rift causes new terrain to appear around the map which make it harder to move around. This makes it easier to hide and entrap champions inside a specific area. This dragon is most useful when the team has 1 or more tanky unit/s because it makes it extremely difficult to tear through the frontline.

4. Infernal Drake

Infernal Essences increases AD and AP by 4% per stack. Once a team has slain 4 dragons with the final one being the Infernal Drake, the team is awarded the Infernal Soul which causes basic attacks and abilities to causes an explosion on the target and any nearby enemies.

The Infernal Rift burns down terrain around the map making important areas more exposed. This makes it more difficult to hide from enemies or get into strategic positions. This dragon’s effects are the most powerful of the elemental drakes because of the raw damage it provides in fights.

5. Elder Dragon

The Elder Dragon spawns 5 minutes after a team has slain their 4th Elemental Drake. Killing the Elder dragon awards the team with with Aspect of the Dragon which slowly burns enemies that are attacked and instantly executes enemies that fall below 20% HP.

The Elder Drakes is one of the most important League of Legends objectives because of the absolute power it brings to a team. Once a team secures the Elder Drake, it is almost impossible to fight them regardless of the situation. The Elder Drake buff only lasts for 150 seconds which is why teams usually avoid direct fights during this time.

Baron Nashor

The Baron Nashor is the biggest and most contested League of Legends objectives. Baron (or Nash in some regions) awards the team with the Hand of Baron which increases the Attack Damage and Ability power of all allied champions. The Baron also gives the team Empowered Recalls which cuts down the time need to recall by half.

Champions with the Hand of Baron buff will also empower nearby minions. Empowered minions’ stats are increased which make it harder to kill the minions and easier to siege the enemy base. In addition, killing the Baron also awards each member of the team that killed it +300 gold.

Rift Herald

The Rift Herald one of the Limited League of Legends objectives. The first Rift Herald (unofficially named Shelly) spawns at the 8 minute mark while the second Rift Herald (Shirley) spawns 6 minutes after the first one dies. The Rift Herald will not spawn after the 19:45 minute mark and if an existing one is present, it will disappear during that time. Attacking the Eye of the Herald (found in between its wings) will deal bonus damage to the Herald.

Slaying the Rift Herald drops The Eye of the Herald which can be claimed by a champion from the team that killed it. The holder of the Eye is granted Empower Recalls and the ability to summon the Rift Herald. The Rift Herald will start walking towards the nearest targetable Structure and starts charging at it when in range. The Rift Herald takes a huge amount of damage after charging at a structure.

Contested Jungle Camps

Some jungle camps or neutral monsters outside of Epic Monsters are considered important League of Legends objectives. Even though they are minor objectives, they still offer some important rewards that serve as incentives for players to try and claim them.

Red Brambleback

The Red Brambleback is a Large Monster found on each side of the Rift. Killing this monster awards the Crest of Cinders, also called the Red Buff, which slows an enemy hit by a small percent and burns them for a few seconds. This monster is often contested and is given to the carries such as the ADC to help them become more lethal in fights. If another Champion kills the holder of the Crest of Cinders, the mark is transferred to the killer and the duration is reset.

Blue Sentinel

The Blue Sentinel is a Large Monster found on each side of the Rift. Killing this monster awards the Crest of Insight, also called the Blue Buff, which increases mana regeneration and ability haste. This monster is often contested and is given to mana users, specifically mages in the Mid Lane to help them cast their abilities more frequently in lane or during fights. If another Champion kills the holder of the Crest of Insight, the mark is transferred to the killer and the duration is reset.

Rift Scuttler

The Rift Scuttler is a non-hostile small monster found on the River. Killing the Rift Scuttler will drop a Speed Shrine which increases the movement speed of allied champions that walk through it as well as giving vision to the area covered by the shrine. The Rift Scuttler in itself also gives a large amount of Experience and Gold which is necessary for junglers to get ahead. This objective is contested because it gives advantage to players trying to claim the Elemental Drakes, Baron Nashor, or Rift Heralds.