Definition

What's a Tower Dive in League of Legends?

Alistar Smyth

23 rd  July 2024 Edited at: 20th January 2025
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Introduction

Tower diving is a high-risk, high-reward strategy in League of Legends where players attempt to kill an enemy champion under their turret. This maneuver can significantly impact the game by securing kills and applying pressure, but it requires precise execution and understanding of game mechanics to avoid turning the dive into a disaster.

What is Tower Diving?

Tower diving involves attacking an enemy champion who is under the protection of their tower, aiming to secure a kill without dying. Towers deal significant damage to champions, making this strategy risky. However, when executed correctly, it can lead to substantial advantages for your team.

Why Tower Dive?

  • Securing Kills: Killing an enemy under their tower can help you gain a gold and experience lead. Not only will you gain them by killing an enemy you will also deny the gold and experience he would get from the minions under his turret.
  • Applying Pressure: Forcing the enemy to play defensively can give your team control over the lane and objectives.
  • Snowballing: Successful dives can help snowball your lead, making it harder for the enemy to come back.

Preparing for a Tower Dive

You have just traded successfully but you missed the kill by a sliver of health? Well now it’s time to spam ping your jungler and ask for assistance. Before you dive him immediately flow our step by step recommendations to not int the lead you have just gained.

Assessing the Situation

Before diving, assess the situation thoroughly:

  • Minion Wave Position: Ensure your minion wave is under the enemy tower to tank the initial shots.
  • Summoner Spells: Check if you and the enemy have crucial summoner spells like Flash.
  • Enemy Abilities: Be aware of the enemy’s cooldowns and potential escape mechanisms.
  • Health and Mana: Ensure you and your teammates have enough health and mana to execute the dive and escape.

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Planning the Dive

  1. Assign Tower Aggro: Decide who will take the first tower shot. It should be the player with the highest health or defensive abilities.
  2. Focus the Target: Coordinate with your team to focus the same target for a quick kill.
  3. Exit Strategy: Plan your escape route to avoid getting caught by the tower or enemy reinforcements.
  4. Prevent counter gank: Prepare wards in the river or enemy jungle to guarantee that your dive won’t turn into a 2v2 under the turret.

Executing the Tower Dive

Now that you have prepared what’s left is the sweet execution of your enemy. Be patient and move as close to him as possible before you start tanking the turret. Ideally bait him to use an ability before you get turret aggro.

Step-by-Step Execution

  1. Minion Wave Management: Push the minion wave under the enemy tower to ensure it tanks the initial tower shots.
  2. Engage Cleanly: The designated player should initiate the dive and take the first tower shot.
  3. Burst the Target: Focus all your damage on the enemy champion to kill them quickly.
  4. Drop Tower Aggro: The initial diver should use mobility spells or Flash to drop tower aggro as soon as possible.
  5. Escape Safely: All team members should exit the tower range immediately after securing the kill to avoid unnecessary deaths.

Risks and Mitigation

Diving the turret is the most rewarding and the most dangerous thing you can do in League of Legends. Remember that while there is much to be gained you can lose even more potentially giving a wave and 2 kills to your enemy.

Common Pitfalls

  • Overstaying: Staying too long under the tower can result in taking excessive damage.
  • Underestimating Enemy: Not accounting for the enemy’s defensive abilities or reinforcements can turn the dive against you.
  • Miscommunication: Lack of coordination with your team can lead to failed dives.

Tips for Success

  • Communication: Use pings and quick messages to coordinate the dive with your team.
  • Warding: Place wards to spot incoming enemy reinforcements and avoid counter ganks.
  • Practice: Familiarize yourself with tower ranges and damage output in the practice tool.

Defending Against Tower Dives

Regardless of how good of a player you are at some point you will be met with the danger of a tower dive. Very often new players feel like nothing could be done in this situation. Remember it’s often better to give up a full wave of creeps than to lose both the creeps and your life. If you decide on standing your ground follow the tips below.

Recognizing the Threat

Some indicators that you might be dived include:

  • Enemy Minion Wave: The enemy shoving the wave under your tower.
  • Low Health: You are low on health and the enemy is posturing aggressively.
  • Jungle Presence: The enemy jungler is missing, indicating a potential dive setup.

Effective Defense Strategies

  • Save Abilities: Hold onto your defensive abilities and summoner spells for the crucial moment.
  • Positioning: Stay near the tower but not directly under it to avoid easy dives.
  • Call for Help: Communicate with your team and request assistance from your jungler or roaming teammates.

Conclusion

Tower diving is a powerful tactic in League of Legends that can secure kills and apply pressure when executed correctly. It requires careful planning, communication, and understanding of game mechanics to succeed. By mastering the art of tower diving, you can gain significant advantages and help your team snowball to victory.

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Alistar Smyth

Content Writer
With over two years in Challenger Alistar now spends his queue time writing League of Legends content to help people improve.

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