Invade when you know where the enemy jungler is and your nearby laners can move first, so you can steal camps without being caught. Counter invade when the enemy jungler shows on one side of the map: their camps on the other side are open, and taking them sets the jungler back. Never invade blind: without knowing where they are, you are walking into a fight you can't see.
Last updated
Invade with information
The safest invade is the one where you saw the enemy jungler on the other side of the map. If they just showed bot, their top side camps are yours to take. Count their clear, and you'll know how long you have.
Wards in the enemy jungle make invades much safer. A single ward at their camp entrance tells you when they are coming back.
Invade with your lanes
An invade is safest when the laners nearby have pushed their waves. If a fight starts, they arrive first; the enemy laners are still stuck under their tower catching the wave.
Ping your laners before you go in, and ask them to push. An invade without priority can turn into a 1v3.
Counter invading: punish their invade
When the enemy jungler invades your side, you have two answers. If your team is closer and stronger, fight them: they are deep in your territory. If not, go to their side and take the camps they left behind.
Counter invading works best when you know which side they are on. A ward on your own camps or a laner who spots them gives you the information you need.
Common invade mistakes
Invading with no idea where the enemy jungler is, invading when your laners have no priority, and staying too long to finish a camp after you've been seen are the mistakes that turn invades into deaths.
In a replay, check each invade: did you know where the enemy jungler was, and could your team come? If the answer is no, the invade was a gamble.
Practice the decision on real game situations
Invades & counter invades is one of the 51 patterns on MOBA Trainer's Pattern Map, in the Map movement group. It has a video explanation from a coach and training puzzles built from real game situations: you see the map, choose where to go, and learn why the best players choose differently.
Frequently asked questions
- When should I invade the enemy jungle?
- When you know where the enemy jungler is, your nearby laners have priority, and you would win the fight if they found you. Wards in their jungle make it safer.
- What is a counter invade?
- It is going into the enemy jungle while their jungler is on your side or elsewhere, taking the camps they left behind, or fighting them when they invade you.
- How do I stop being invaded?
- Ward your own jungle entrances, ask your laners to tell you when the enemy jungler shows, and keep your laners with priority so they can come help.
- 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. MOBA Trainer runs on Windows, macOS, iPhone, Android and the web, and the Discord bot Moti brings the daily puzzle to Discord.