Shadowing means moving close to an ally, or following the enemy jungler's path, without being seen, so you can protect a play or join a fight the enemy doesn't expect. A jungler shadows a laner who is playing aggressively, or follows the enemy jungler toward a lane to counter their gank. It works because the enemy cannot see you; once they do, the advantage is gone.
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Shadowing an ally
When your laner is pushing hard or trading aggressively, the enemy jungler may try to punish them. If you walk nearby out of sight, their gank turns into a 2v2 they didn't plan for.
Tell your laner you are close. They can then play a little more aggressively, knowing you will join if the enemy commits.
Shadowing the enemy jungler
If you know where the enemy jungler is going, you can walk the same direction on your side of the river. When they gank, you arrive too, and the gank becomes a counter gank.
This works best when you track their clear and can guess their next move. A ward on their path helps you follow them.
Stay unseen
Shadowing depends on fog of war. Walk through your own jungle, avoid enemy wards you know about, and use a sweeper if you can.
If the enemy sees you, they will probably cancel their play. That is still useful, because your laner is safe, but the chance for a counter gank is gone.
Common shadowing mistakes
Walking where enemy wards can see you, shadowing so far behind that you arrive late, and staying near a lane too long while camps and objectives go to the enemy are the usual mistakes.
In a replay, look at fights near your lanes. Ask whether you could have been nearby, unseen, when the fight started. Small changes in pathing often decide whether you arrive in time.
Practice the decision on real game situations
Shadowing 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
- What does shadowing mean in League?
- It means moving near an ally, or following the enemy jungler's path, while staying out of their vision, so you can join a fight or turn a gank they started.
- Is shadowing only for junglers?
- Junglers shadow most often, but supports and mid laners do it too, for example walking near a side laner who is pushing alone so a gank on them turns into a fight.
- How is shadowing different from counter ganking?
- Shadowing is the movement: being nearby and unseen. Counter ganking is the fight that follows when the enemy commits and you join.
- 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.