When you leave base, do not walk straight back to the same spot out of habit. Look at the map first: which waves are about to crash, which objective is next, and where the enemies were last seen. Then go where you matter most right now, whether that is your own lane, a side wave nobody is catching, an objective your team is setting up, or a play with your jungler.
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Read the waves first
Waves are free gold and experience. If a big wave is about to crash into your tower and nobody else can catch it, that is usually your first stop. If your lane is fine but a side lane is losing a wave, that wave may be worth more.
In the mid game, the player who leaves base first often catches the waves for the whole team. Talk with your team so two players do not walk to the same wave while another lane is empty.
Then read the objectives
If dragon, Herald, grubs or Baron is coming up soon, the best place to go after recall is often the river around it, with wards, before the enemy arrives.
Buy a Control Ward when you recall before an objective. Walking out of base toward the objective with a ward and your team is one of the simplest ways to win the next fight.
Then read the enemies
Check who is missing and where they were last seen. If the enemy jungler showed bot, the top side is safer; if three enemies are missing, do not walk alone into the side lane they could be heading to.
If an enemy is alone in a side lane and your team is grouped nearby, leaving base can be the moment to catch them. Paths through your own jungle keep you out of sight longer.
Common mistakes after recall
Walking back to your own lane while an objective starts without you, walking alone into fog where enemies are missing, and letting a side wave crash into your tower while you go elsewhere are the usual mistakes.
In a replay, pause every time you leave the fountain and ask where the best place to be was. Comparing it with where you actually went shows quickly whether you read the map or just walked to your lane.
Practice the decision on real game situations
Opening on the map 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
- Where should I go after recalling in League?
- Go where you matter most at that moment: catch a wave about to crash into your tower, join your team at the next objective, or make a play where the enemy is weak. Read the waves, objectives and enemy positions before you choose.
- Should I always go back to my lane after recalling?
- In the early game, usually yes. In the mid game, not always: an objective, a side wave or a fight with your team can be worth more than your own lane.
- What should I buy before an objective?
- Your item components as usual, plus a Control Ward if you have the gold, so you can deny enemy vision around the objective.
- 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.