Summoner Spells are powerfull abilities that enhance a champion's kit by offering extra utility, damage, or defense. Unlike a champion's regular abilities, Summoner Spells have no mana cost, but they have long cooldowns, making them important resources that should be used strategically.
Before each match, players can choose two Summoner Spells from a list of available options, each providing distinct effects to assist their champion during the game.
Types of Summoner Spells
Flash
Flash remains the most widely used Summoner Spell in League of Legends, with a cooldown of 300 seconds. It allows champions to instantly blink a short distance in any direction, covering about 400 units.
This versatility makes it invaluable for both offensive and defensive plays. Defensively, Flash can be used to escape over walls or dodge crucial skill shots. Offensively, it enables surprise engages, gap-closing, or even creative ability combinations like Lee Sin's famous "Insec" kick-flash maneuver.
Ignite
Ignite deals + damage over 5 seconds and revealing champions and dealing 70 − 410 true damage (based on level). With a cooldown of 180 seconds, it's particularly effective against champions with strong sustain or those relying on healing abilities. Ignite is often chosen by aggressive laners looking to secure early kills and snowball their advantage.
Exhaust
Exhaust slows the target by 40% and reduces their damage output by 35%. Its 210-second cooldown makes it a strategic choice for countering burst damage or protecting high-priority targets in teamfights. Supports often take Exhaust to peel for their carries or to shut down enemy assassins.
Barrier
Barrier provides a shield that absorbs damage for 2.5 seconds. The shield's strength scales with champion level, from 120 to 480, and has a 180-second cooldown.
It's particularly useful for squishy champions who need an extra layer of protection against burst damage, especially in mid lane matchups against assassins.
Ghost
Ghost grants 24-48% bonus movement speed (based on champion level) for 10 seconds and allows champions to move through units. With a 210-second cooldown, it's favored by champions who need to stick to targets or kite effectively, such as Darius or Nasus.
Teleport
Teleport allows champions to warp to allied structures, minions, or wards after a 4-second channel. It has a 360-second cooldown for the first 10 minutes, after which it becomes "Unleashed Teleport" with a shorter cooldown.
This spell is crucial for map presence, allowing champions to join teamfights or respond to split-pushing.
Cleanse
Cleanse removes most crowd control effects and grants 75% Tenacity for 3 seconds afterward. With a 240-second cooldown, it's a potent defensive tool against teams with hard CC, particularly for carries who need to stay active in fights.
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Role-Specific Summoner Spells
Smite: The Jungler's Tool
Smite is a unique Summoner Spell primarily used by junglers. It deals true damage to monsters and minions, starting at 600 and scaling up to 900 as it's upgraded through jungle item progression. It has a 15-second cooldown but can store up to two charges. Smite is essential for junglers to clear camps efficiently and secure objectives like Dragons and Baron.
Heal: Bot Lane Synergy
Heal restores 80-318 health (based on champion level) to the user and a nearby ally, while also granting a brief movement speed boost. With a 240-second cooldown, it's commonly used by AD carries for sustain and mobility in the bot lane.
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Choosing the Right Summoner Spells
Selecting the appropriate Summoner Spells is a crucial part of pre-game strategy. Players must consider their champion's strengths and weaknesses, their role in the team composition, and the potential threats from enemy champions.
Summoner Spells for Top Lane
The isolated nature of top lane requires champions with self-sufficiency and map impact potential. Top laners must select a secondary summoner spell that enhances their champion's strengths and mitigates weaknesses. The right spell choice can dramatically influence lane dominance, global presence, or extended trade capabilities in this solo battleground.
For these reasons, top laners often choose Flash for its versatility, and the most common choices for the second spell are:
- Teleport: For global map presence and split-pushing potential
- Ignite: For aggressive lanes with kill pressure
- Ghost: For champions that need to stick to targets (e.g., Darius, Nasus)
Summoner Spells for Jungle
Junglers function as the Rift's strategic wildcards, affecting all lanes and objectives. While Smite remains mandatory, the secondary spell choice defines a jungler's playstyle and gank effectiveness. This decision typically revolves around enhancing gap-closing abilities for surprise attacks or improving sustained chase potential, significantly shaping their game-wide impact.
Along with Smite, the most commonly chosen second summoner spell for junglers is:
- Flash: For most junglers due to its versatility
- Ghost: For champions that benefit from extended chases (e.g., Hecarim, Udyr)
Summoner Spells for Mid Lane
Mid lane serves as the map's central hub, demanding adaptability and swift decision-making. Mid laners encounter diverse matchups ranging from burst assassins to control mages. Their secondary summoner spell selection often indicates intentions to control the lane, facilitate effective roams, or survive high-pressure scenarios, making it a pivotal strategic choice.
Mid laners usually take Flash and choose one of these second spells based on matchups:
- Ignite: For high kill pressure or against healing-heavy champions
- Teleport: For roaming potential and map presence
- Barrier or Exhaust: Against burst-heavy opponents or assassins
- Cleanse: Against teams with heavy crowd control
Summoner Spells for ADCs
AD carries function as late-game powerhouses in many team compositions, making their survival and scaling most important. Secondary summoner spell choices for AD carries typically focus on enhancing survivability or providing lane dominance utility. This decision can profoundly affect their ability to reach power spikes and carry teamfights effectively.
AD carries usually take Flash because it offers both offensive and defensive capabilities, especially when combined with:
- Heal: For sustain and the movement speed boost
- Cleanse: Against teams with crucial crowd control abilities
- Exhaust: For self-peel against assassins or divers
Summoner Spells for Supports
Supports play a crucial role in the bot lane, tasked with carry protection and play initiation. Their secondary summoner spell choice often dictates their lane presence and teamfight utility. However, the selected spell must align with the team's overall strategy, either by amplifying offensive pressure, bolstering defensive options, or filling gaps in the team's tactical toolkit.
Supports usually take Flash and choose their second spell based on their playstyle and team needs:
- Ignite: For aggressive lanes and kill pressure
- Exhaust: For protecting carries and reducing enemy damage output
- Heal: If the AD carry prefers to take a different spell
Remember, while these are common choices, the best Summoner Spells can vary based on specific champion matchups, team compositions, and personal playstyles. Always consider how your spell choices will impact your laning phase and teamfight potential.
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