The most popular game in the world is incredibly complex - here's how to play it
LoL" is what's known as a MOBA — that's short for "multiplayer online battle arena.
Other MOBAs include "Dota 2" and "Smite." Each game has its fans, but they all have a lot in common.
The main goal of the game is to destroy the enemy's "nexus," a central structure at their base. They'll be trying to destroy your team's nexus, too.
In "League of Legends," you'll start by picking your character. There are 131 characters (!!!) players can choose from.
Most of these characters must be purchased to play, but players can use currency earned through winning matches, too.
Also, Riot Games (the company that makes "League of Legends") makes a random assortment of characters free-to-play for a week or so at a time, giving players opportunities to try out new characters so they can decide which ones they actually want to drop their hard-earned cash on.
Each team has five players.
Different characters fulfill different roles on the battlefield. Some deal a ton of damage but can be killed easily. Others don't deal much damage on their own but can heal their teammates.
Each character belongs to one of six categories that dictate their general strengths and weaknesses: Assassin, Fighter, Mage, Support, Tank, and Marksman.
There are several paths between each base, called "lanes." These are the main areas of traffic where you'll encounter your enemies from the opposing team.
There are also neutral zones called "jungles," where monsters lurk, attacking anyone who gets in their way. Defeating these monsters grants players additional experience to help them level up and purchase items.
At the start of every battle, everyone starts on even footing, at level one. As you defeat enemies, your character will level up, gaining new abilities and getting stronger.
You will also earn currency as you defeat enemies. You can use this currency to purchase items during the game that will help give you an edge.
In addition to enemy players, you'll face off against computer-controlled minions, known as "creeps." Each team has these minions that automatically march towards the enemy's base, attacking anything that stands in their way.
Before you can take down the enemy's base, you have to destroy their tower defenses, because they can kill you really quickly if they're not dealt with.
Each game ends when one team's base is destroyed. This can take 15 or 20 minutes, but some games can go on as long as an hour.
Most MOBAs are playable on computers, but there have been an increasing amount coming to consoles, like "Smite."
There's a new MOBA coming to PlayStation 4 and PC later this year called "Paragon," which is playable as a part of an open beta test right now.
Like "Smite," "Paragon" features an over-the-shoulder perspective as opposed to the zoomed-out tactical view of "Dota 2" and "League of Legends."
There's no denying the importance of MOBAs on the gaming world — Riot Games says 27 million people play "League of Legends" every day.
So, if you haven't tried "League of Legends" yet, give it a shot! It's pretty fun!
And if you get really good, you can get paid for it!
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