How to Land More Hooks in LoL

How to Land More Hooks in LoL

Landing hooks in League of Legends is essential to winning games. Traditionally, you pick a champion with a hook or a CC skill shot to get kills in the lane and win the game. However, you need to make sure that you land these skill shots for you to get the kills.

In this Mobalytics guide by PicklePants, we will discuss several tips and tricks to help you land more hooks in League of Legends. We will discuss some general tips and tricks and timings where you should look to play aggressive and get kills.

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6 Tips to Land More Hooks in LoL

1. Avoid Blindpicking
2. Get Level 2 First
3. Pivot in the Lane
4. Get Closer to the Enemy
5. Use Control Wards
6. Bait Out Dashes First

Before we begin, if you would like to improve your skills as a hook champ, you can find guides and information on how to play champions such as Blitzcrank, Thresh, Pyke or Nautilus on their Mobalytic’s Champion Page. We will be focusing on these Champions in this guide as well.

1. Avoid Blindpicking

Many champions in League of Legends have escape tools, and when playing as a hook champion, it is best to surprise the enemy and give them as little knowledge as possible. If you are the first to pick, it is preferable not to pick a champion with a hook as the enemy could pick somebody with a dodge tool, making it harder for you to land your skills.

Preferably, you will pick a champion who doesn’t have a hook if you are an early pick. However, this tip doesn’t necessarily matter if you are a one-trick or somebody who loves to play hook champions. If you are a jack of all trades and want to become a better hooker, avoid showing your pick too soon.

However, if the enemy has already shown their AD Carry and that ADC is immobile feel free to pick a champion with a hook.

2. Get Level 2 First

Hitting level 2 first is very important in every single match up. When playing as a hooker, having the level advantage often gives you a basic combo that can completely wipe out the enemy’s health bar. If you have the level advantage, you can also go for a basic combo such as Blitzcrank’s Q>E combo and force the enemy to burn through Summoner Spells.

Similarly, no ADC takes their escape tool at level 1, but many will take it at level 2. For example, Lucian and Ezreal will start Q and then level up E secondly. So hitting level 2 before them is very, very beneficial.

To hit level 2 first, you need to kill the first nine minions. This is the first wave, followed by three melee minions on the second wave. You will not get the level up if you do not kill these minions in that order- and it has to be the Melee minions.

To make hitting level 2 easier, you can help your ADC deal damage to the minion wave, and you can use the first two stacks of your Support item on the second wave.

3. Pivot in the Lane

Pivoting in the lane is very important. Pivoting or repositioning is where you’re constantly moving in the lane to make it easier for you to land your skill shot on a moving target. You need to pivot to have a clear sight of the enemy target. It will be impossible for you to land your hook if you don’t.

You should try to always be in line with the enemy and ensure there are no enemy minions between you and the target at any given time. Even if you don’t wish to throw out your hook on the target, you can threaten the enemy with it and make them adjust their playstyle.

If there are enemy minions between you and the enemy, they know that you’re not a (currently) threat to them. You need to make sure that you move around the lane so there is never a minion between you and the enemy.

If they move to the top side of the lane, you move to the top side of the lane. If they move to the bottom side, you move to the bottom side. Do you see the pattern? Constantly adapt and pivot in the lane so you can always be a threat with your Q.

Here’s a separate guide we made that talks about positioning in the lane as the Support!

4. Get Closer to the Enemy

Being as close to the enemy as possible gives them less time to react to your hooks as they cannot always see it coming. When the target is further away from you, they have more time to react. It’s a pretty basic thing in general. The further something is away from you, the more time you have to react.

Generally speaking, it has always been easier to hit targets that are closer compared to further away from you. Sometimes, you may not even realise the range of your hook, which leaves you throwing it out, and them being just out of range.

Getting close does have its drawbacks, though. The enemy can harass you while you get into position. You also can’t just walk up to them as they know you’re going to play aggressive.

5. Use Control Wards

Vision is crucial in League of Legends. If you can use Control Wards to your advantage, it will be hard for the enemy to always know when or where you’re. For instance, placing a Control Ward inside a bush will deny vision. The enemy may know you’re there in certain situations, such as if they see you walk in the bush during the laning phase.

But, if you place a Control Ward in a bush and the enemy doesn’t notice, you can sneak into said bush and then surprise the enemy with your hook. This is a great thing to attempt when both sides have recalled, and you get to the lane before they do.

Good Control Ward locations during the laning phase are in the bushes closest to your tower. Check out our in-depth warding guide for more warding locations to help you throughout the game.

6. Bait Out Dashes First

Now, this tip isn’t as simple as it seems. However, suppose you are able to bait out the enemy’s dash. In that case, you have ample time to look for an engage as they do not have any natural way of dodging it apart from physically dodging (which isn’t always possible) or using Flash.

You can try to bait our the enemy’s dash by running towards them, throwing out a different ability if you have one (like Thresh’s E), or get your ADC to throw an ability at them. In some cases, the enemy may dash forward to trade with you. You can use this to your advantage to try and turn the exchange around.

When you can’t physically bait out an ability, play patiently and use the rest of the things we’ve already talked about to make it easier for you to land your hook.

Summary

Dodging skill shots is hard in general, but we hope these tips will help you get better at dodging skill shots, including hooks, charms, primary CC tools and basic abilities. Thanks for reading, and good luck in Solo Queue Summoner!

For more articles, head to Mobalytics!

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