https://www.vlr.gg/528188/igl-tips
its easy to say learn timings, rotations, strats etc but what does that actually mean?
One of the things I love to do as an IGL/analyst is understanding the oppositions composition and utility, You cannot have the same gameplan for double duelist as you would have for double initator. And to adapt this on the fly in game is abit hard but it does come with experience especially if you are conscious of it. For example, playing a double senti deadlock, cypher; you know they are going to contact up and have set traps. Playing vs breach neon sova on Sunset, you know they are going to be in you're face aggressively and up tempo, Playing a waylay kayo sova on ascent, you know they are going to set traps especially with the waylay C ability. You have to call around that, have a counter to their setplay.
All good teams will always have pre-determined outcomes, What does this mean? When they are setting up for defense, they know like, "hey we are going to retake A, fight B; and have a flank for retake on A". How do you call against this? default, push them off their angles, destroy utility and most importantly, ABSORB their utility(the non rechargeable utility). Make omen use his omenblind(weakens their retake utility), make breach use his C or make sova use his drone. Its simple yet really effective management. Have a lurker and even if he dies, it always puts the enemy on the frontfoot of having to reclear certain places. On the opposite side, don't giveaway utility, understanding the value of rechargeables vs non rechargeables. Never use utility to gain space and not capitalize off of it or leave the space. If you fight B on ascent and there is no pressure, have the duelist push alittle, you can make little plays like crunching the mid player, Or even if its as simple as breaking a turret or cypher trip. That takes away the enemy's minimap, its basically fog of war.
Next important thing is having competent teammates, There is nothing more frustrating than a player who doesn't listen to comms, Doesn't give time or space to preround, Can't take little adjustments mid game, I can't express to you the amount of times people threw a fit because I told them to either stop giving space up for free, to stop having habits(not communicating whats going on). Don't let them deter you, As the IGL you are the only authority in the server. If you don't have command and everyone else is doing their "own thing" and their "own plan" might as well 1v5 every round. IGLing won't work if your teammates dont respect or listen to your calls. But you also have to understand the difference between not listening to your calls and "overcalling" your call, having good teammates who overcall your calls make it alot more easier so you shouldn't get mad but at the same time knowing if its a good or not call is again just experience and skill.
Now understanding rotations and trying to timing your opponents, think of this as like trading on the stock market; a professional trader is just like the average joe, but what makes them differen't is understanding risk and timings; If you kill a CAT player on ascent, you can almost guarantee there is 2 options; Another player on CAT or no one else is close and 1 player A main. The timing exists for 5 seconds(depends if you have present pressure on market and mid), then the MID player rotates to CAT and its now 2 0 2. That timing, if you and your team are very close to CAT and A, What i would call is having my senti player(whos usually on B tiles) wrap A MAIN, I would smoke main and crunch heaven thru tree and site. It doesn't matter if the main player DIES because of deep tree and tree control, if your main player gets the kill you would leave deep tree and have 1 tree. The risk of course is 2 players swinging you heaven or swinging you main and you lose the round, But understand the risk and having the confidence to call such timings is what makes IGLs stand out. Work on this as much as possible and as you learn the maps you will learn timings and how certain 'setups' are observed.
Lastly, IGLing isn't any differen't from the other player, It doesn't give you the right to tilt or have "super powers" over other players. You are the engine of the team, if you have bad habits; or if your a terrible mental/horrible player, Your team will also be horrible. Improve your skills and always know you can be better than yesterday.
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