ESEX Tips: 9 Ways to Spice up Your Boring Bot Lane

 
So, you’ve found the perfect duo partner. You use the same voice chat client, they love to get you nice and fed with your favourite support, and they never take your CS. But maybe you’re feeling like you’re maxed out on bliss. How could things possibly get any better? But then you start feeding, just a little, you lose your tower at seven minutes… It seems like the magic is gone. Don’t worry. We’ve got nine saucy tips that’ll restore the spicy chemistry to your stale bot lane combo. In a boring bot lane emergency, just bust out one of these tried and true pieces of advice. Your duo lane partner will be begging you to play again.

9. Get a Little Sloppy

Nothing puts the spice back into your bot lane like not quite being sure whether or not you can rely on one another. Miss some last hits, take a little too much creep damage. Casually miss a few skillshots and fail to harass. The thrill of danger will drive your lane partner wild.

You have last hitting and trading down to a science – but despite that, there’s no chemistry in your bot lane. Get a little messy. Miss that last hit and watch them scramble to get you gold with their Targon’s Brace. Take a few extra hits and beg for that Lulu shield. Before you know it, the element of danger will add an extra thrill to your laning phase. Make sure to let your partner know exactly how bad you need that Summoner Heal. Once they save you from the Big Bad Draven, you’re ready for a party in your pants.

8. Get a Friend to Watch

This is one bot lane trick your mother would never suggest – but it’s 2015, and you should take advantage of it. It may be a little kinky, but don’t lie: you’ve totally considered it before. Sign up for Twitch and start streaming your games. Every time the viewer count jumps, so will your heart rate. Before you know it, you’ll be vocalizing all that excitement you’re feeling to your viewers – and your bot lane partner will benefit.

7. Do it in the Dark

Imagine that, at any moment, the enemy Ekko could roam right down into your bush and unleash a devastating combo. If that doesn’t send tingles down your spine, you’re already dead. Ignore your trinket and ward the river poorly. You’ll be forced to rely on your instincts, which is a real primal, caveman way to duo. Every time you move past the river, you’ll know you’re living without fear.

6. Get a Third Person in on the Action

Who could blame you for having your head turned by that strong, dynamic jungler? Go on, live a little. Get your jungler involved more often, or better still, forego the jungle and invite that sexy mid-laner down to play. Remember, League is supposed to be fun, it’s okay to spend the first ten minutes laughing at the whole thing (and then crying after the inevitable disappointing end).

5. Establish a Code Word

Sometimes, you don’t need everyone in the party to know what you and your lane partner are doing. The rest of the team will never know why your voice is so husky when you say “washing machine,” but your lane partner will know that that’s the signal for you to get right into that pit and take the dragon.

4. Add A Little Danger

Your theorycrafting might suggest that low health, Sona’s W, shield, and barrier might save her if you dive… but what’s life without a little risk? Saucily grab your support and dive deep on that naughty little musician, and you’ll hit some real high notes in your bot lane.

3. Talk Dirty: Text is soooo 2004

Bring your communication to the next level by jumping on a voice chat client so you can whisper demands like, “right there,” “ward the river,” and “that’s the spot.”

2. Step Out on League

So you think you’ve mastered League of Legends, but maybe take a tip from Forgiven’s book and swing through another game. If you want something a little casual and no-strings-attached, Heroes of the Storm is the perfect choice. But if you’ve been dreaming of a meta-friendly trilane approach, DOTA’s just waiting for you to give it the double click to download. League will always be waiting for you to come back, so don’t be afraid to sow your wild oats.

1. Mix Things up a Little

Rules were made to be broken. Sometimes a nice, standard meta pick can be fun – but other times you really want to shake things up. Why not go with something that really blows with a Janna/Yasuo bot lane combo? Or maybe go in hard and fast without stopping by teaming up as Leona and J4. Maybe you can leave them seeing stars and breathing hard by the double blind combo of Quinn and Teemo. When it comes to the bot lane, you don’t want to get stagnant. That Yorick/Brand combo could be what reignites the spark you lost somewhere in Silver 3.