It may sound strange to some and daring to others, but League of Legends can make you smart, just like chess and other games. We could even say that the best LoL players are the smartest.
But before we get into that, we need to define what intelligence is. Intelligence can be defined as the set of mental functions having for object rational knowledge (opposite to sensation and intuition).
There are 7 types of intelligence: logical-mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, musical intelligence, linguistic intelligence, intrapersonal intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and body intelligence.
Although our first thought is to have fun, just like those who enjoy fantastic new online slots, we will see how some of these traits of intelligence are required in LoL.
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The Intellectual Traits Involved
As we mentioned above, there are 7 intelligence traits but not all of them are used in League of Legends.
4 traits are involved and correspond to a facet of the game, and as we will see, if we progress in a certain aspect of the game, the intelligence responsible for it will improve and you will become smarter.
Let’s start with logical-mathematical intelligence, which is the ability to calculate, use logic, and solve problems with analysis and reasoning.
On the Summoner’s Rift, you will have to deal with issues like understanding wave management, taking objectives, when to roam on the map, calculating your moves, and remembering important timers.
These are skills that require a lot of work to improve and need to develop this intelligence trait.
Secondly, spatial intelligence is the ability to create mental images, manipulate them, and represent them.
It is useful for LoL because pro players must constantly think about possible team compositions, with their synergies, and possible scenarios that are almost unlimited given the many unpredictable moves a champion can make.
Secondly, intrapersonal intelligence is the ability to know oneself and to listen to one’s own needs and feelings.
Sometimes the game becomes frustrating, and you feel like giving up, but this is a serious mistake because the best LoL players control their emotions and focus on the essential, which allows them to come back in a game that was announced lost, this ability is necessary to reach a high level and therefore to be intelligent.
Finally, interpersonal intelligence is what allows individuals to act and react with others in a correct and adapted way.
In League of Legends, you will need to understand the intentions of your partners, their pings, and calls, and know how to play in synergy because being a solo player will not get you to the top level and therefore limit this intelligence trait. League of Legends can be awesome to play for both beginners and veteran players because of its replayability. But it could be boring if you are using a new account since you would be playing with bots and you wouldn’t have that many characters unlocked.
What Champions Should You Play to Improve Your Cognitive Skills in LoL?
As we’ve seen before, League of Legends requires several intelligence traits, similar to chess. However, we have only focused on the macro game, which is all about making game decisions and choosing your moves.
However, it will not be enough to have a good analysis and understanding of the macro of your games. Indeed, the macro is less important at the beginning of the game because there are no big decisions to make.
It’s the skills that come into play! In other words, the ability to know how to use efficiently the skills of your champion. Each character in League of Legends is unique and has its unique spells.
Some champions are easy to play, such as Garen, who won’t require much thought during your microgame, but some champions are just as easy to play, such as Veigar, Tristana, and Annie, who are champions that don’t require much effort to place their spell.
We don’t recommend you play these champions and those without skill shots if you want to improve your concentration and thus your intelligence. Indeed, some champions require a lot of effort, concentration, reflexes, and thinking to be effective.
We are thinking of Katarina, a formidable assassin that very few players know how to master correctly.
She is a champion who can teleport multiple times, who must place her spells correctly to do damage, and who on top of that is not tanky and will be killed quickly if you make a placement mistake or miss a combo.
To play her correctly you will have to be on your guard constantly, be very reactive due to her spell set, and on top of that concentrate on the above-mentioned macro game.
We can also mention champions like Zed, Irelia, Akali, and Qyianna which are among the difficult champions to control.
So, League of Legends is not a simple game as some parents may imagine and puts all your brain into practice. Now we wish you good luck on the Summoner’s Rift!
