When an enemy uses Flash, they lose their best escape or engage for about five minutes. Note the game time, tell your team, and play more aggressively against that player until it is back. Do the same for Exhaust, Heal, Ignite, Barrier and Cleanse, which decide many fights.
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Why summoner spells matter
Summoner spells have long cooldowns, much longer than abilities. Flash in particular saves or wins more fights than almost anything else, so an enemy without Flash is far easier to gank, dive or catch.
The other spells matter too. Exhaust can stop an assassin, Heal and Barrier win close fights in the bot lane, Ignite turns a trade into a kill, and Cleanse removes crowd control.
How to keep track
When you see an enemy use Flash, look at the game clock and work out when it comes back. Many players type it in team chat, for example "mid flash 17:40", so everyone knows the time it is back.
Flash has a long cooldown, a bit shorter if the enemy has summoner spell haste from runes or boots. Treat your timer as close, not exact, and be careful as it gets near.
Play around missing spells
An enemy without Flash is the best gank target on the map. Tell your jungler which lane has no Flash, and push your lane harder while the enemy cannot escape.
In bot lane, a missing Heal or Exhaust can be the difference in an all-in. Trade more when they are down, and respect the fight when they are up.
Watch your own spells
The same is true for you. After you use Flash, play safer for the next few minutes: stay closer to your tower and keep vision on the river.
Don't burn a summoner spell for a small gain, like a minion or a little damage. It may be the one you need when the enemy jungler arrives.
Check what you did with their missing Flash
In a replay, find the moments an enemy used Flash and follow the next few minutes. Did your team know, and did anyone punish it?
Then check your own deaths: how many happened while your Flash was down? Those are the minutes to play safer next time.
Practice using the information
Tracking spells is one of the 51 patterns on the MOBA Trainer Pattern Map. MOBA Trainer turns real game situations into puzzles: you see the map, choose what to do, and then learn why the best players choose differently. The pattern has a video explanation and training puzzles made by top players and coaches, so you can practice the decision in a few minutes a day, outside of ranked games.
Frequently asked questions
- How long is Flash's cooldown in League?
- About five minutes, a bit less with summoner spell haste from runes or boots. That is why a missing Flash is such a good window to punish.
- How do I track enemy Flash?
- Look at the game clock when they use it, work out when it comes back, and type it in team chat, for example "mid flash 17:40".
- Which summoner spells should I track?
- Flash first, then the spells that decide fights in your lane: Exhaust, Heal, Barrier, Ignite, Cleanse, and Teleport for top laners and others who take it.
- How can I practice tracking summoner spells?
- Review what happened after each enemy Flash in your games. MOBA Trainer has a Tracking spells pattern with a video explanation and puzzles from real game situations.
- 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 and Android, in the web app, and in Discord through the Moti bot.