Playing the middle lane in Smite 2 is a challenging but rewarding experience. Unlike other lanes, which focus primarily on farming and team fights, the middle lane is all about early-game dominance and snowballing. As a midlaner, your primary goal is to gain a lead over your opponent and use it to pressure other lanes and objectives. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the game, understanding the intricacies of middle lane strategy and execution is essential for success. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the key elements of middle lane gameplay in Smite 2, providing you with the knowledge and tools to excel and dominate in this pivotal role.
In the early game, securing farm is crucial for a successful midlaner. Fortunately, the middle lane is the shortest lane in the game, providing you with more opportunities to clear waves and gain gold. To maximize your farm efficiency, prioritize clearing the wave as quickly as possible. When the wave is under your tower, use basic attacks to last-hit the minions to avoid losing gold. On the other hand, if the wave is pushed toward the enemy tower, use your abilities to clear it more efficiently. Additionally, make sure to ward the lane entrances to keep track of enemy jungler movements and avoid ganks.
Once you have established a lead in the middle lane, it’s time to leverage your advantage to impact other areas of the map. Since the middle lane is in the center of the map, you have access to both the left and right sides of the jungle. By coordinating with your jungler, you can set up ganks on enemy side lanes, secure kills, and secure objectives like the Gold Fury or Fire Giant. Furthermore, you can also apply pressure on the enemy jungle by invading their camps and stealing resources. However, always be cautious when venturing into the enemy jungle, as you may encounter the enemy jungler or other enemy players lurking in the shadows.
Understanding the Middle Lane Role
The middle lane in Smite is a crucial position that demands a versatile and skilled player. Its central location on the map provides numerous opportunities for impact, making it an ideal role for those who want to influence the game’s outcome. The middle laner is responsible for farming minions, managing waves, controlling objectives, and securing kills to gain an advantage over the enemy team.
Responsibilities
The middle lane role in Smite carries several essential responsibilities that contribute to the team’s overall success:
| Responsibility | Description |
|---|---|
| Lane Farming | Efficiently farming minions grants gold and experience, maintaining economic parity and leveling advantages. |
| Wave Control | Strategically manipulating minion waves to gain map control, pressure objectives, and harass opponents. |
| Objectives | Securing neutral objectives, such as Gold Fury and Primal Fury, provides crucial benefits and strategic advantages. |
| Roaming | Temporarily leaving the lane to assist teammates in other lanes, gank opponents, or secure objectives. |
| Kills and Assists | Eliminating enemy gods and securing assists generates gold and experience, bolstering personal and team strength. |
Positioning
As a mid laner, your positioning is crucial for success. You want to stay in a position where you can easily farm minions and harass the enemy mid laner, while also being able to quickly retreat if necessary. Early game, this will usually mean sticking close to your tower, but as the game progresses and you get stronger, you can start to push up more aggressively and look for opportunities to gank other lanes.
Vision Control
Vision control is essential in any MOBA, but it is especially important in the mid lane. By placing wards in key locations, you can keep track of the enemy’s movements and avoid being ganked. You can also use wards to help your team secure objectives, such as the Gold Fury or Fire Giant.
Here are some tips for warding the mid lane:
| Location | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Near the enemy tower | To spot enemy ganks |
| In the jungle near the river | To track enemy rotations |
| Near the Gold Fury | To help your team secure the objective |
By following these tips, you can gain a significant advantage over your opponents and help your team to victory.
Early Game Dominance
Clear Speed
In the early game, the middle lane is essential for controlling the jungle. Mages typically have better clear speeds than other classes, allowing them to quickly rotate and assist their jungler in securing neutral camps. This gives the team a significant advantage in experience and gold, leading to early game dominance.
Harass Opponents
Middle laners have the opportunity to harass their opponents from a distance. Mages possess abilities that can deal damage and apply crowd control, making it difficult for the enemy to farm. Constant harassing forces the opponent to retreat, giving the middle laner control over the lane and priority in roaming.
Control Vision
Wards play a crucial role in securing vision and preventing ganks. Middle laners can place wards in key areas such as the jungle entrance, river, or enemy buffs. This provides vision for the team, allowing them to track enemy movements and make informed decisions. By controlling vision, middle laners can create opportunities for their team and protect themselves from surprise attacks.
| Key Point | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Clear speed | Mages have fast clear speeds, allowing them to rotate and assist jungle early. |
| Harass opponents | Middle laners can constantly harass opponents, forcing them to retreat and giving lane control. |
| Control vision | Placing wards in key areas provides vision for the team and prevents ganks. |
Itemization and Build Order
Proper itemization is crucial for success in the middle lane. Start with Doran’s Ring for mana sustain and a small AP boost. Next, consider building core items tailored to your god’s role and the opposing team’s composition.
For mages prioritizing burst damage, items like Soul Reaver, Book of Thoth, and Spear of Desolation amplify their destructive power. If crowd control is your focus, items like Gem of Isolation and Chronos’ Pendant can slow and stun enemies, setting up kills for your team.
For gods heavily reliant on mana or sustain, items like Book of the Dead, Rod of Asclepius, and Pythagorem’s Piece provide additional health, mana, and healing.
Early Game Itemization
Build an early lead by prioritizing items that enhance your abilities’ damage and efficiency. A sample starter build for mages might look like this:
| Slot | Item |
|---|---|
| 1 | Doran’s Ring |
| 2 | Soul Reaver |
| 3 | Book of Thoth |
| 4 | Spear of Desolation |
| 5-6 | Situational items based on god, matchup, and team composition |
Wave Management and Clearing
Lane Positioning
Stay near your wave until it reaches your tower to prevent your opponent from freezing it near their own tower. Ward key areas in the jungle and river to avoid ganks while farming.
Positioning Against Melee Opponents
Stay behind your minion wave to draw their creep aggro, making it easier to clear and harass. Avoid pushing too hard, as this can create a gank opportunity.
Positioning Against Ranged Opponents
Stand on top of your melee minions to avoid their ranged harass. Use auto-attacks to last-hit minions while managing creep aggro, staying behind the wave when necessary.
Freezing the Lane
Kill enemy minions just before they reach your own minions without pushing the wave. This forces your opponent to either farm under their tower or risk overextending. Freezing is useful for denying gold and experience.
Pushing the Lane
Clear waves quickly and auto-attack the enemy tower when possible. Pushing creates pressure on the map, allowing you to rotate to other lanes, take objectives, or force recall. However, avoid pushing too aggressively to prevent tower dives or ganks.
Ganking and Roaming
Mid laners have a unique opportunity to influence other lanes by ganking. A successful gank can result in a kill, assist, or even an objective like a tower or Dragon. To effectively gank, it’s crucial to pay attention to the minimap and look for opportunities to capitalize on overextended enemies or team fights.
Communication is Key
Communicating with your teammates is vital. Inform them of your intentions to gank, but try to keep your team’s communication brief and focused. Avoid excessive talking to maintain focus during critical moments.
Timing and Execution
Timing is essential. Gank when your lane opponent is weak or distracted, and your allies have the necessary abilities or cooldowns to secure a kill or secure an objective like Dragon.
Warding and Vision
Warding is crucial for providing vision in key areas. Place wards around the enemy jungle and objectives to track enemy movements and prevent them from setting up ambushes or counter-ganks.
Counter-Ganking
Be wary of enemy counter-ganks. If you notice unusual enemy movements or missing enemies on the minimap, it’s wise to retreat or adjust your ganking plan to avoid getting caught out of position.
Table of Ward Locations
| Location | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Enemy jungle entrance | Detect enemy jungle activity |
| Dragon or Fire Giant camps | Track enemy rotations for objectives |
| Near enemy towers | Provide vision for potential ganks |
Team Fight Positioning and Awareness
Mid laners play a pivotal role in team fights. Their abilities often deal significant damage while also providing utility or crowd control. To maximize their impact, mid laners must prioritize the following:
-
Flanking: Position yourself on the side or behind the enemy team to avoid getting focused and to deal damage from a safe distance.
-
Target Selection: Identify the key targets on the enemy team, such as their carries or supports, and focus your abilities on them.
-
Avoiding initiation: Stay aware of the enemy team’s engage potential and position yourself accordingly. Avoid getting caught in crowd control or being forced into a disadvantageous fight.
-
Communication: Relay important information to your team, such as enemy cooldowns, ward placements, or enemy positions.
-
Enemy Positioning: Pay attention to your opponents’ positioning and anticipate their movements. Use your abilities to control space and create opportunities for your team.
-
Situational Awareness: Be aware of the overall situation in the game, including objective timers, minion waves, and ally positioning.
-
Decision-Making: Make quick and decisive judgments in the heat of battle. Choose the most appropriate abilities to use and adjust your positioning based on the changing circumstances.
Counter Picking and Matchups
Counter picking is the process of selecting a god that has an advantage in a matchup against the enemy team’s composition. In Smite, there are a few key factors to consider when counter picking:
- Role: Consider the role of the god you’re countering. For example, counter picking a tanky warrior with a high-damage mage.
- Class: Pay attention to the god’s class. Gods with different classes, such as mages and hunters, have different strengths and weaknesses.
- Abilities: Analyze the abilities of the god you’re countering. Some abilities can be countered with specific items or gods.
- Team Composition: Consider the overall team composition of both teams, as it can affect counter picking.
Here are some examples of counter picks in the mid lane:
| God | Counter Pick |
|---|---|
| Zeus | Hades |
| Poseidon | Scylla |
| Chang’e | Agni |
| Hebo | Vulcan |
Remember, counter picking is not an exact science, and there are many factors that can affect a matchup. Always consider the overall situation and playstyles of both players when making a decision.
Advanced Techniques and Strategies
Ward Placement and Jungle Tracking
Effective ward placement is crucial in the mid-lane. Ward the enemy jungle entrances to track their jungler’s movements, allowing you to avoid ganks or plan rotations yourself.
Wave Management
Control the minion wave to create favorable situations. Freeze the wave near your tower to farm safely or push it towards the enemy tower to apply pressure and deny them gold.
Roaming and Ganking
Coordinate with your team to assist in ganks on other lanes. By rotating effectively, you can secure kills, objectives, or force enemy retreats.
Split Pushing
If you have a farming advantage, consider split pushing to draw attention away from your team and create opportunities elsewhere on the map.
Teamfighting
In teamfights, prioritize staying alive and positioning yourself correctly. Focus on dealing damage to high-value targets while protecting your own carry.
Objective Control
Control of Gold Fury and Fire Giant is vital. Participate in securing these objectives as they provide buffs and gold to your team.
Switching Lanes
If you’re struggling in the mid-lane, consider swapping lanes with another teammate to improve your matchup or gain an advantage elsewhere.
Itemization
Adjust your build path based on the game situation. Consider anti-heal items if the enemy has strong healing capabilities or defensive items if they have high burst damage.
Jungle Invasions
In coordination with your team, you can invade the enemy jungle to steal camps, delay their clear, and disrupt their economy. However, be cautious of counter-invades and make sure to escape if necessary.
Positioning:
Stay in the center of the lane to farm effectively and deny the enemy midlaner. Position yourself to harass the enemy when they approach to last hit minions.
Ward Placement:
Place wards in the jungle near the lane entrances to spot enemy ganks and rotations. Additionally, ward the blue and purple neutral camps to monitor enemy activity.
Wave Management:
Control the minion wave by freezing it near your tower or pushing it towards the enemy tower to gain a lead. Use abilities and enemy creeps to manipulate the wave to your advantage.
Harass and Kills:
Harass the enemy midlaner whenever possible to deplete their health and mana. Look for opportunities to engage for kills when the enemy is vulnerable or out of position.
Item Building:
Adjust your item build based on the enemy matchup and team composition. Prioritize items that provide mana, damage, and survivability for effective mid-game presence.
Team Coordination:
Communicate with your teammates to coordinate ganks, secure objectives, and counter enemy rotations. Midlaners have a key role in setting up plays and controlling the map.
Decision-Making:
Make quick decisions based on lane conditions, map awareness, and enemy movements. Evaluate risks and rewards to make the best choices for your team.
Tips and Tricks for Success
1. Learn the Meta:
Stay updated on the current meta to understand the strongest midlaners, their abilities, and their counters. This knowledge will give you an edge over your opponents.
2. Practice Last Hitting:
Master the art of last hitting to maximize gold and experience gain. Practice farming in the jungle or solo lane to improve your accuracy and efficiency.
3. Dodge Skill Shots:
Become adept at dodging enemy skill shots to avoid damage and maintain control of the lane. Pay attention to the enemy’s animations and predict their ability usage.
4. Use the Mini-Map:
Monitor the mini-map constantly to track enemy movements, ganks, and ward placements. This information will help you make informed decisions and avoid surprises.
5. Abuse Enemy Cooldowns:
Identify the enemy midlaner’s cooldowns and exploit them to your advantage. Harass or engage when they are on cooldown to gain an edge in the lane.
6. Don’t Chase Kills:
While getting kills is tempting, prioritize wave management and objective control. Avoid chasing kills that put you at risk of dying or missing out on farm.
7. Don’t Overextend:
Stay within your limits and avoid overextending to farm or attack the enemy. Staying close to your tower will minimize the risk of being caught out of position.
8. Learn Combos:
Practice executing combos with your midlaner to maximize your burst damage. This knowledge will help you secure kills and control the early to mid-game.
9. Communicate with Teammates:
Use voice chat or text to communicate with your teammates, especially regarding ganks, objective control, and ward placements. Effective communication is crucial for team success.
10. Keep Your Cool:
In the heat of battle, it’s easy to get frustrated or overwhelmed. Stay calm, maintain focus, and make decisions based on logic rather than emotion. This mindset will help you avoid mistakes and play at your best.
How to Play Middle Lane in Smite 2
The middle lane in Smite 2 is a crucial role that can make or break a game. The middle laner is responsible for controlling the map, ganking other lanes, and securing objectives like the Gold Fury and Fire Giant. Playing middle lane effectively requires a good understanding of the game mechanics and map awareness.
Here are some tips for playing middle lane in Smite 2:
- Choose a god that is strong in the middle lane. Some good middle lane gods include Zeus, Poseidon, and Agni.
- Start in the middle of the lane and clear the wave of minions as quickly as possible. This will give you a gold and experience advantage over your opponent.
- Wards are crucial in the middle lane. Place wards in the jungle to spot enemy ganks and track the enemy jungler.
- Gank other lanes when you have a chance. Mid lane is a good position to gank other lanes because it is centrally located and has access to both the left and right lanes.
- Secure objectives like the Gold Fury and Fire Giant. Objectives are very important in Smite 2 and can give your team a significant advantage.
People Also Ask About How To Play Middle Lane In Smite 2
What are the best gods for middle lane?
Some of the best gods for middle lane include Zeus, Poseidon, and Agni. These gods have strong clear wave and good burst damage, which makes them well suited for the mid lane.
What items should I buy for middle lane?
Good items for middle lane include Rod of Tahuti, Book of Thoth, and Chronos’ Pendant. Rod of Tahuti increases your magical power, Book of Thoth gives you mana and cooldown reduction, and Chronos’ Pendant gives you cooldown reduction and movement speed.
How do I gank other lanes?
To gank other lanes, you need to ward the jungle to spot enemy ganks and track the enemy jungler. Once you have a good ward setup, you can roam to other lanes and help your teammates secure kills or objectives.
