Kiting in League of Legends is a micro-mechanical skill where a player moves their champion between auto-attacks to maintain distance from enemies while steadily dealing damage. This technique involves timing attacks and movement precisely to avoid incoming threats while maximizing offensive output. Champions like Ashe, with strong ranged attacks and crowd control, exemplify effective kiting in gameplay. Mastering kiting provides a strategic advantage during skirmishes and team fights by controlling enemy positioning and mitigating damage taken. Data shows that players utilizing kiting consistently achieve higher damage-per-second metrics and improved survivability rates. Kiting is essential for marksman and ranged champions aiming to dominate the laning phase and contribute significantly in mid to late-game engagements.
Table of Comparison
Champion | Kiting Technique | Description | Example Ability Used |
---|---|---|---|
Vayne | Tumble Kiting | Using Tumble (Q) to reposition and attack while moving away from enemies. | Tumble (Q) |
Ezreal | Arcane Shift Kiting | Using Arcane Shift (E) to blink and shoot from a safer distance while keeping enemies in range. | Arcane Shift (E) |
Caitlyn | Poke and Kite | Using long-range attacks and traps to slow enemies while maintaining distance. | Piltover Peacemaker (Q), Yordle Snap Trap (W) |
Jhin | Deadly Flourish Kiting | Using Deadly Flourish (W) to root enemies and follow up with shots while maintaining distance. | Deadly Flourish (W) |
Kalista | Rend Kiting | Using Rend (E) to slow and execute targets while moving between attacks to avoid damage. | Rend (E) |
What is Kiting in League of Legends?
Kiting in League of Legends refers to the technique of attacking an enemy champion while simultaneously maintaining distance to avoid retaliation, often by using attack-move commands. This strategy maximizes damage output while minimizing damage taken, crucial for ranged champions like Ashe or Ezreal to control fights effectively. Mastering kiting enhances mobility and positioning, providing a significant advantage in both laning phase and team fights.
Key Mechanics Behind Kiting
Kiting in League of Legends revolves around precise movement and attack timing to maintain distance from enemies while dealing consistent damage. Mastering attack-move commands and animation canceling enables champions like Ashe or Vayne to maximize damage output without taking hits. Effective kiting also involves understanding champion attack range, cooldown management, and terrain positioning to control engagements and escape threats.
Classic Kiting Example: Vayne vs. Darius
In League of Legends, a classic example of kiting involves Vayne versus Darius, where Vayne leverages her superior mobility and range to evade Darius's deadly melee attacks while dealing consistent damage. By using her Tumble ability, Vayne can reposition after each auto-attack, maintaining distance and avoiding Darius's Apprehend pull and Decimate strike. This hit-and-run tactic maximizes Vayne's Silver Bolts damage while minimizing risk, demonstrating effective ranged kiting mechanics against a melee bruiser.
Kiting with Ranged ADCs: Ashe Demonstration
Kiting with ranged ADCs like Ashe in League of Legends involves attacking while maintaining optimal distance to avoid enemy threats, maximizing damage output while minimizing risk. Ashe's slow passive and Volley ability enable precise control of enemy movement, allowing her to reposition effectively during fights. Mastering Ashe's kiting technique enhances survivability and teamfight presence by combining constant damage with crowd control utility.
Advanced Kiting Techniques Using Attack-Move
Mastering advanced kiting techniques in League of Legends involves precise use of the attack-move command to balance movement and auto-attacks effectively. This method allows champions like Vayne or Ashe to maximize damage output while maintaining optimal distance from enemies, reducing vulnerability during fights. Utilizing attack-move in combination with animation canceling enhances positioning and kite efficiency, crucial for outplaying opponents in high-level gameplay.
Kiting in Teamfights: Ezreal’s Safe Damage Output
Kiting in League of Legends exemplifies maintaining optimal distance while delivering consistent damage, particularly critical in teamfights involving champions like Ezreal. Ezreal's Arcane Shift allows precise repositioning, enabling him to dodge enemy crowd control and skill shots while continuously landing Mystic Shot for sustained DPS. This technique maximizes Ezreal's safe damage output by combining mobility and attack speed, allowing him to influence fights without overexposing himself to threats.
Utilizing Summoner Spells for Effective Kiting
Utilizing summoner spells like Ghost and Flash enhances kiting efficiency in League of Legends by providing crucial mobility and escape options, allowing champions to maintain optimal distance from enemies while dealing damage. Strategic use of Heal not only sustains health but also deters enemy aggression during kiting maneuvers. Effective timing and coordination of these spells maximize survivability and control in skirmishes, exemplifying advanced kiting techniques.
Kiting Counterplay: Champions that Break the Kite
Kiting in League of Legends involves attacking while maintaining optimal distance to avoid enemy retaliation, but champions like Riven, Kamille, and Katarina excel at breaking the kite due to their gap closers and mobility spells. Riven's Broken Wings and Valor allow her to quickly close distances, disrupting ranged attackers, while Kamille's ability to dash through walls with her Tactical Sweep makes escaping kiting difficult. Katarina's Shunpo provides instant repositioning, enabling her to bypass kiting zones and engage or disengage rapidly, making them effective counters against ranged poking strategies.
Kiting Drills to Improve Micro Skills
Kiting drills in League of Legends enhance micro skills by training players to effectively attack and move simultaneously, maintaining optimal distance from enemies. Practicing targeted orb-walking and attack-move commands sharpens precision, reaction time, and positioning during skirmishes. Consistent kiting exercises lead to improved damage output and survivability in high-pressure team fights.
Common Kiting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Common kiting mistakes in League of Legends include overcommitting without attack resets, which leads to missed damage opportunities, and neglecting proper positioning that exposes champions to enemy crowd control or burst damage. Players often fail to weave auto-attacks efficiently between movement commands, resulting in slower kiting and reduced chase or escape potential. To avoid these errors, practice attack-move commands, maintain awareness of cooldowns and enemy abilities, and focus on spacing to maximize damage output while minimizing vulnerability.

example of kiting in League of Legends Infographic