# The Complete Guide to Lee Sin
## Introduction
Lee Sin is one of the most iconic junglers in League of Legends. He combines mobility, consistent damage, and unique mechanics that reward players who dedicate time to mastering him. His complexity makes him challenging to pick up initially, but when played correctly, he can be a true game-changer capable of dominating the jungle and influencing all lanes.
## Lee Sin's Abilities
### Passive - Flurry
After using an ability, Lee Sin's next two basic attacks gain attack speed and restore energy. Maximizing this passive is crucial for energy management and damage optimization. The energy restoration makes it essential for sustained fights and jungle clearing.
### Q - Sonic Wave / Resonating Strike
- First Cast (Sonic Wave): Lee Sin projects a sound wave, dealing damage to and revealing the first enemy hit
- Second Cast (Resonating Strike): Lee Sin dashes to the marked target, dealing damage based on the target's missing health
This is his primary engagement and chase tool, crucial for ganking and securing kills.
### W - Safeguard / Iron Will
- First Cast (Safeguard): Lee Sin dashes to a target ally, shielding them on arrival
- Second Cast (Iron Will): Grants Lee Sin spell vamp and life steal
Essential for jungle mobility, creative plays, and survival in teamfights.
### E - Tempest / Cripple
- First Cast (Tempest): Slams the ground, dealing AoE damage and revealing enemies hit
- Second Cast (Cripple): Slows revealed enemies and reduces their attack speed
Great for jungle clearing and controlling enemies during fights.
### R - Dragon's Rage (Ultimate)
Lee Sin kicks a target enemy, dealing damage and knocking them back, damaging and knocking up any enemies they collide with. This is his signature playmaking ability, enabling spectacular and game-changing plays.
## Runes for Lee Sin
### Primary Path: Precision
- **Conqueror**
- Perfect for extended fights
- Stacks quickly with Lee Sin's combo-heavy playstyle
- Provides healing when fully stacked
- **Triumph**
- Heals after takedowns
- Provides bonus gold
- **Legend: Alacrity**
- Attack speed for faster clearing
- **Last Stand**
- Extra damage when low, perfect for close fights
### Secondary Path: Domination
- **Sudden Impact**
- Extra damage after using Q or W
- **Relentless Hunter**
- Out-of-combat movement speed for map pressure
## Build and Itemization
### Core Items
1. **Goredrinker**
- Provides sustain through active
- Ability Haste for more frequent abilities
- Health and AD for durability and damage
2. **Boots of Lucidity**
- Essential cooldown reduction
- Earlier power spikes
3. **Black Cleaver**
- Health and AD
- Armor penetration for tanks
- Movement speed for chasing
### Situational Items
- **Death's Dance**
- Against AD-heavy teams
- Damage delay and healing
- **Maw of Malmortius**
- Against AP burst
- **Guardian Angel**
- Late game insurance
- **Edge of Night**
- Spell shield for engaging
## Essential Combos
### Basic Gank Combo
- Q1 > Q2 > Auto > E > Auto > W out
This is your bread-and-butter combo for quick trades and ganks.
### The Insec Combo
1. Position behind target (Ward hop or Flash)
2. R to kick towards team
3. Q1 > Q2 to follow up if needed
Steps to practice:
1. Start in Practice Tool
2. Master ward placement
3. Practice timing between ward placement and W
4. Add R into the combo
5. Practice with Flash variations
### Advanced Ward Hop Variations
- W to ward > Q1 > Q2 > R
- Flash > R > Q1 > Q2
- Q1 > Ward hop > R > Q2
## Early Game and Pathing
### First Clear Options
1. Red-focused Path:
- Red > Krugs > Raptors
- Maximizes early game strength
2. Blue-focused Path:
- Blue > Gromp > Wolves
- Better for top side ganks
### Ganking Fundamentals
- Approach from unexpected angles
- Save Q for after enemy mobility spells
- Use ward hops to bypass vision
- Track enemy jungler for counter ganks
## Mid and Late Game Strategy
### Mid Game (15-25 minutes)
- Focus on objective control
- Use mobility to maintain map presence
- Look for picks with Q > R > Q combo
- Control vision around upcoming objectives
### Late Game (25+ minutes)
- Look for Insec opportunities on priority targets
- Peel for your carries with defensive kicks
- Split push only with teleport available
- Focus on vision control for picks
### Teamfighting Tips
1. Flank enemy backline when possible
2. Save W for escaping or shielding carries
3. Use R creatively:
- Kick tanks into enemy team
- Peel assassins off your carries
- Disrupt enemy formations
## Advanced Techniques
### Vision Control
- Always carry control wards
- Place wards in common gank paths
- Use blue trinket for safe checking
### Energy Management
- Utilize passive between abilities
- Don't waste W for mobility if ganking soon
- Save energy for important combos
## Common Matchups
### Strong Against:
- Immobile junglers (Karthus, Udyr)
- Squishy teams without peel
- Early game focused comps
### Weak Against:
- Tank junglers (Rammus, Zac)
- Heavy CC teams
- Late game scaling comps
## Conclusion
Mastering Lee Sin takes dedication and practice, but can lead to spectacular plays and convincing victories. Focus on practicing basic combos, learning gank timings, and studying jungle matchups. With this guide, you'll be on the right path to becoming a respectable Lee Sin player.
Remember:
- Start with basic mechanics
- Practice combos in Practice Tool
- Learn from mistakes
- Stay patient with progress
## Introduction
Lee Sin is one of the most iconic junglers in League of Legends. He combines mobility, consistent damage, and unique mechanics that reward players who dedicate time to mastering him. His complexity makes him challenging to pick up initially, but when played correctly, he can be a true game-changer capable of dominating the jungle and influencing all lanes.
## Lee Sin's Abilities
### Passive - Flurry
After using an ability, Lee Sin's next two basic attacks gain attack speed and restore energy. Maximizing this passive is crucial for energy management and damage optimization. The energy restoration makes it essential for sustained fights and jungle clearing.
### Q - Sonic Wave / Resonating Strike
- First Cast (Sonic Wave): Lee Sin projects a sound wave, dealing damage to and revealing the first enemy hit
- Second Cast (Resonating Strike): Lee Sin dashes to the marked target, dealing damage based on the target's missing health
This is his primary engagement and chase tool, crucial for ganking and securing kills.
### W - Safeguard / Iron Will
- First Cast (Safeguard): Lee Sin dashes to a target ally, shielding them on arrival
- Second Cast (Iron Will): Grants Lee Sin spell vamp and life steal
Essential for jungle mobility, creative plays, and survival in teamfights.
### E - Tempest / Cripple
- First Cast (Tempest): Slams the ground, dealing AoE damage and revealing enemies hit
- Second Cast (Cripple): Slows revealed enemies and reduces their attack speed
Great for jungle clearing and controlling enemies during fights.
### R - Dragon's Rage (Ultimate)
Lee Sin kicks a target enemy, dealing damage and knocking them back, damaging and knocking up any enemies they collide with. This is his signature playmaking ability, enabling spectacular and game-changing plays.
## Runes for Lee Sin
### Primary Path: Precision
- **Conqueror**
- Perfect for extended fights
- Stacks quickly with Lee Sin's combo-heavy playstyle
- Provides healing when fully stacked
- **Triumph**
- Heals after takedowns
- Provides bonus gold
- **Legend: Alacrity**
- Attack speed for faster clearing
- **Last Stand**
- Extra damage when low, perfect for close fights
### Secondary Path: Domination
- **Sudden Impact**
- Extra damage after using Q or W
- **Relentless Hunter**
- Out-of-combat movement speed for map pressure
## Build and Itemization
### Core Items
1. **Goredrinker**
- Provides sustain through active
- Ability Haste for more frequent abilities
- Health and AD for durability and damage
2. **Boots of Lucidity**
- Essential cooldown reduction
- Earlier power spikes
3. **Black Cleaver**
- Health and AD
- Armor penetration for tanks
- Movement speed for chasing
### Situational Items
- **Death's Dance**
- Against AD-heavy teams
- Damage delay and healing
- **Maw of Malmortius**
- Against AP burst
- **Guardian Angel**
- Late game insurance
- **Edge of Night**
- Spell shield for engaging
## Essential Combos
### Basic Gank Combo
- Q1 > Q2 > Auto > E > Auto > W out
This is your bread-and-butter combo for quick trades and ganks.
### The Insec Combo
1. Position behind target (Ward hop or Flash)
2. R to kick towards team
3. Q1 > Q2 to follow up if needed
Steps to practice:
1. Start in Practice Tool
2. Master ward placement
3. Practice timing between ward placement and W
4. Add R into the combo
5. Practice with Flash variations
### Advanced Ward Hop Variations
- W to ward > Q1 > Q2 > R
- Flash > R > Q1 > Q2
- Q1 > Ward hop > R > Q2
## Early Game and Pathing
### First Clear Options
1. Red-focused Path:
- Red > Krugs > Raptors
- Maximizes early game strength
2. Blue-focused Path:
- Blue > Gromp > Wolves
- Better for top side ganks
### Ganking Fundamentals
- Approach from unexpected angles
- Save Q for after enemy mobility spells
- Use ward hops to bypass vision
- Track enemy jungler for counter ganks
## Mid and Late Game Strategy
### Mid Game (15-25 minutes)
- Focus on objective control
- Use mobility to maintain map presence
- Look for picks with Q > R > Q combo
- Control vision around upcoming objectives
### Late Game (25+ minutes)
- Look for Insec opportunities on priority targets
- Peel for your carries with defensive kicks
- Split push only with teleport available
- Focus on vision control for picks
### Teamfighting Tips
1. Flank enemy backline when possible
2. Save W for escaping or shielding carries
3. Use R creatively:
- Kick tanks into enemy team
- Peel assassins off your carries
- Disrupt enemy formations
## Advanced Techniques
### Vision Control
- Always carry control wards
- Place wards in common gank paths
- Use blue trinket for safe checking
### Energy Management
- Utilize passive between abilities
- Don't waste W for mobility if ganking soon
- Save energy for important combos
## Common Matchups
### Strong Against:
- Immobile junglers (Karthus, Udyr)
- Squishy teams without peel
- Early game focused comps
### Weak Against:
- Tank junglers (Rammus, Zac)
- Heavy CC teams
- Late game scaling comps
## Conclusion
Mastering Lee Sin takes dedication and practice, but can lead to spectacular plays and convincing victories. Focus on practicing basic combos, learning gank timings, and studying jungle matchups. With this guide, you'll be on the right path to becoming a respectable Lee Sin player.
Remember:
- Start with basic mechanics
- Practice combos in Practice Tool
- Learn from mistakes
- Stay patient with progress
