Draft Phase Explained is one of the most overlooked yet most important parts of League of Legends. While many players think games are decided on the Rift, the truth is that matches often begin with the pick-and-ban stage. Drafting determines your team’s win conditions, counters, and synergy before a single minion spawns.
If you’ve ever wondered why pro teams prioritize certain bans or why they lock in specific champions early, this guide will walk you through the strategies that separate casual players from professionals.
Chapter 1: What Is the Draft Phase?
The draft phase is the pick-and-ban stage before a game begins, where each team selects five champions and bans five others.
- Bans: Deny power picks, remove enemy comfort champions, or shut down strategies.
- Picks: Build synergy, secure win conditions, and counter enemy choices.
Why It Matters: A strong draft can give your team a huge advantage before the match even starts.
Chapter 2: The Role of Bans
Bans shape the game by limiting the opponent’s options.
- Target Bans: Removing a champion the enemy excels at (e.g., banning Draven vs a Draven one-trick).
- Meta Bans: Removing current overpowered champions (e.g., banning over-tuned junglers).
- Strategic Bans: Denying champions that counter your planned strategy.
Pro Tip: Always scout opponents in ranked by checking their recent games on OP.GG.
Chapter 3: Early Picks vs. Late Picks
Early Picks
- Secure power picks like Caitlyn, Maokai, or Ahri when they’re strong in the patch.
- Reveal safe, flexible champions that fit multiple roles (e.g., Gragas).
Late Picks
- Reserved for counter-picking.
- Top lane and mid lane often get last pick to counter matchups.
Chapter 4: Drafting Synergy
It’s not just about strong champions—it’s about how they work together.
- Engage + Follow-Up: Amumu + Miss Fortune ult combo.
- Peel + Hypercarry: Janna + Jinx.
- Split Push + Global Pressure: Fiora + Shen.
Golden Rule: Always draft with team composition goals in mind: engage comps, poke comps, pick comps, or scaling comps.
Chapter 5: Understanding Win Conditions
Every draft has a win condition—the primary path to victory.
- Scaling Draft: Pick champions like Kassadin, Jinx, or Ornn. Win by stalling until late game.
- Early Aggression Draft: Champions like Renekton, Elise, and LeBlanc dominate early to snowball.
- Teamfight Draft: Champions like Ornn, Azir, and Aphelios excel in 5v5 fights.
- Split Push Draft: Camille, Fiora, or Tryndamere apply side-lane pressure.
Knowing your win condition lets you play to your strengths instead of chasing unnecessary fights.
Chapter 6: How Pros Pick and Ban
Watching pro play shows the importance of drafting:
- Priority Picks: Meta-defining champions are snapped up early.
- Flex Picks: Champions like Gragas, Karma, or Sett that fit multiple roles confuse opponents.
- Counter Bans: Teams ban away specific counters once they reveal their strategy.
Example: If a team first-picks Aphelios, the enemy might ban Lulu and Thresh to deny supports that synergize with him.
Chapter 7: Draft Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring Synergy: Randomly picking strong champs that don’t work together.
- Over-Countering: Picking weak overall comps just to counter one lane.
- No Engage: A comp without engage tools will struggle to start fights.
- Too Much Scaling: If everyone is weak early, you risk losing before scaling kicks in.
Chapter 8: Drafting in Solo Queue
Unlike pro play, solo queue drafts are chaotic, but you can still apply strategy:
- Ban what’s strongest in your elo, not just what’s meta.
- Lock in comfort picks early if they’re contested.
- Communicate with teammates for synergy picks (e.g., jungler-support engage combo).
- If you get last pick, save it for your main champion to counter enemy lane.
FAQs
Q1: Should I always ban my counter?
Yes, unless there’s a meta pick much more dangerous to your team.
Q2: What’s better—flex picks or comfort picks?
Comfort picks are best in solo queue, while flex picks shine in pro play.
Q3: How many comps should I learn to draft well?
Focus on 2–3 styles (scaling, engage, poke) so you can adapt each patch.
Q4: Is draft really that important in solo queue?
Yes—having a clear comp and avoiding draft disasters can significantly increase win rates.
Conclusion
Draft Phase Explained shows that winning starts long before minions spawn. By understanding bans, prioritizing picks, and drafting for synergy and win conditions, you’ll gain an edge that most casual players ignore.
Whether you’re in solo queue or studying pro play, mastering the draft will make you a smarter, more consistent player. Remember: The Rift may decide the game, but the draft sets the stage.
