Farm First: MOBA 101
Map sense over machismo. Your first week plan—last-hits, wards, wave control, and roams that actually mean something.
Why MOBAs Feel Overloaded (and How to Unload Them)
Five roles, a living economy, fog of war, and cooldown calculus—no wonder brains short-circuit. We simplify to three levers: Farm (gold/XP), Vision (see & deny), and Priority (who moves first). Win two of the three and the map starts obeying you.
Day 0 Setup (PC • Console • Mobile)
PC
- Cap FPS; disable motion blur; keep 60+ stable.
- Bind ping wheel and ward to easy keys; turn on minimap scale +2.
- Enable “cast on press” for quick abilities; turn on damage/last-hit indicators if available.
Console
- Performance mode; gentle stick acceleration; reduce deadzone.
- Map radial pings to a bumper; enlarge minimap UI.
Mobile
- 60 FPS if temps allow; increase button size/spacing; enable aim wheel/minion lock toggles.
- Use Wi-Fi 5/6; lower effects if touch latency spikes.
Comfort Pass (All)
- Turn on friendly cast previews and bigger text.
- Mute global chat; keep pings on. Signal, not noise.
First 30 Minutes: Three Habit Loops
- Last-Hit Metronome: In practice/custom, hit 7+/10 of the first wave. Learn tower last-hit timings.
- River Ward @2:30: Drop a defensive ward on the side you’ll be ganked from first; refresh on recall.
- Minimap Glance: Every 6–8 seconds (tie it to wave contact), eyes left-down then back.
Quick Win Drill (10 min): Last-Hit Lab
Spawn practice minions. Auto-attack cancel if your game supports it. Track your CS over 3 waves; repeat until average ≥ 7/10.
First 3 Hours: The Skill Ladder
- Hour 1 — Economy Floor: Focus lane presence & safe farm. Aim for CS@10 = 55+ in low ranks. Recall with purpose: spend then return on a fresh wave.
- Hour 2 — Wave Control: Freeze near tower when behind; slow-push 2–3 waves then crash to roam/recall; fast-push when you need priority for an objective.
- Hour 3 — Roam Rule: Shove wave → place vision → roam on a timer (objective spawn / enemy show). Roam with intent: ward, timer, target.
Micro-goals: CS@10 up each session · Deaths < 6 per match · Wards > 8 (or steady Vision Score growth).
Week-One Plan: Feedback > FOMO
- Session length: 45–75 minutes.
- Ritual: 5-minute last-hit warmup → 1 ranked/normal with one goal (farm/vision/wave) → 1 replay of first 6 minutes only.
Track These
- CS @10 (55+ goal; stretch 70+).
- Deaths (keep under 6).
- Wards placed / cleared (aim 8+ placed; build a triangle around lane/objective).
Objective Brain
Trade smart: if they stack 4 bot for dragon and you cannot contest, take plates/top camps/herald. Something for something beats nothing for nothing.
Common Pitfalls & Tilt Armor
- Chasing kills over plates/objectives. Gold wins games.
- Ignoring minion waves while skirmishing—your economy bleeds.
- Roaming without shoving first—your tower pays the tax.
- Face-checking bushes—use abilities or wards first.
- Build shopping sprees mid-fight—buy once, focus always.
Tilt Reset (3 min)
Deep breath → hard shove a wave → drop a fresh defensive ward → reset on recall. Stabilize economy, then play again.
Mini-Glossary
- CS: Creep score; last hits = gold.
- Freeze: Hold wave near your tower by last-hitting late.
- Slow-push: Stack waves by last-hitting only; crash for plates/roam.
- Fast-push: Clear quickly to move first (priority).
- Roam: Leave lane to impact map after shove.
- Vision Triangle: Three wards that cover river, approach, and objective angles.
- Objective Trade: Taking something elsewhere when a fight is doomed.
Pocket Drills
Drill A — Last-Hit Metronome (10 min)
Practice wave: aim for 7+/10 last hits; learn tower timings; repeat three waves and average.
Drill B — Vision Triangle (5 min)
Place three wards: defensive (your approach), river pixel, and offensive (their path). Refresh on recall; swap one to control/scan if your game has it.
Drill C — Wave Math (10 min)
Set a slow-push (last-hit only) for 2–3 waves → hard clear to crash under tower → roam or recall on the crash timer.
Cross-Platform Tweaks
PC
Bind level-up and trinket keys; use “target champions only” when diving; raise minimap scale.
Console
Radial quick-cast for abilities; map ward/ping to bumpers; lower deadzone for precise last hits.
Mobile
Enable minion/structure lock; tweak ability wheel sensitivity; enlarge minimap.
Level-Up Links (Keep It Tight)
- Official beginner tutorial for your specific MOBA.
- One creator focused on fundamentals (CS, waves, vision).
- Your game’s wiki page on ward locations/objectives.
Next Steps
Comfortable with CS, waves, and basic wards? You’re ready for trading patterns, jungle path reads, and cooldown tracking. That’s the Intermediate MOBA kit.
Reminder: change one habit per session, log results, and end on a win wave.