Baiting means looking like an easy kill on purpose, so the enemy commits into a fight your team has already set up to win. The bait is usually a tanky or slippery champion, standing close to teammates the enemy can't see. It works only when the enemy does not see your team, so vision control and fog are what make a bait work.
Last updated
1. How a bait works
The enemy sees one target that looks easy: low health, alone, or out of position. They commit their abilities to it. Your hidden team then turns around and fights an enemy who has already used their key cooldowns.
The bait is the mistake you show them on purpose.
2. Who should be the bait
Tanky champions survive the first burst, and champions with a dash, a shield or a stasis can get away after the enemy commits.
A squishy carry can bait too, but only when help is very close and the enemy's burst is not enough to kill them right away.
3. Hide your team
The enemy only bites if they think you are alone. Clear their wards around the area and keep your team in fog until the enemy commits.
If they can see your team on the minimap, they won't come.
4. Common baits
In lane: looking low or pushed up while your jungler waits in the brush. Around objectives: starting dragon or Baron to draw the enemy in, while your team is ready to turn on them. In side lanes: farming alone while teammates wait nearby in fog.
Each one works the same way: the enemy commits first, and you choose when the fight really starts.
5. Don't fall for one
When an enemy looks too easy to kill, ask where their team is. If several enemies are missing from the map, the easy kill is often a trap.
Wait a moment, check the minimap, or send a ward in first. A kill that costs your whole team is a bad trade.
Review baits in your replays
Look for fights that started with one of your team chasing a target that looked easy. Were enemies missing from the map at that moment?
Then look for moments when an enemy chased you while your team was close. Those were baits you could have used.
Practice spotting baits
MOBA Trainer turns real game situations into puzzles: you see the map, choose the play, and learn what the best players would do and why. Baiting has its own video explanation and training puzzles on the Pattern Map, made by top players and coaches, next to the other fighting patterns.
Frequently asked questions
- What does baiting mean in League?
- Baiting is making yourself look like an easy target on purpose, so enemies commit into a fight your team is ready to win.
- Which champions are good at baiting?
- Tanky champions, and champions with a dash, a shield or a stasis, because they survive the first burst or get away after the enemy commits.
- How do I know if the enemy is baiting me?
- Check the minimap. If the target looks easy and several enemies are missing, they may be waiting in fog nearby. Ward first or wait.
- Is baiting the same as making a pick?
- They are related. A pick hunts an enemy who made a mistake; a bait creates the situation where the enemy makes one by chasing you.
- Is MOBA Trainer free?
- The daily puzzle and the first lesson are free. The full campaign with every pattern is part of the Season Pass, at $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year. MOBA Trainer runs on Windows, macOS, iPhone and Android, in the web app and as the Discord bot Moti, in 12 languages.