How Long Do Blue Wards Last? A Comprehensive Guide
Blue wards in League of Legends are unique vision tools, distinct from the more commonly used stealth wards and control wards. Unlike their counterparts that have a timed duration, blue wards last until destroyed by an enemy player. This makes them a strategic asset for extended vision control, especially in high-traffic areas. Let’s dive deeper into the specifics of these wards and answer frequently asked questions about them.
Understanding Blue Wards
The Mechanics
Blue wards, also known as Farsight Alteration wards, operate differently than other wards in the game. Here’s a breakdown:
- Lifespan: They don’t expire over time. They remain on the map until an enemy champion destroys them.
- Targetability: They can be targeted by enemy champion basic attacks. Unlike stealth wards, they are not invisible.
- Health: Blue wards have only 1 health point. One basic attack is enough to destroy them.
- Recharge: They have a scaling recharge time, starting at 148 seconds at level 9 and decreasing to 99 seconds at level 18.
- Charge: You can only hold one blue ward charge at a time.
- Purpose: They are designed to provide long-range vision, making them useful for checking objectives or scouting potential enemy movements.
- Visibility: They are visible to all players once placed on the map.
- Strategic Use: Because of their permanence and single health point, blue wards are best placed in areas that are not regularly traversed by the enemy team.
Strategic Implications
The permanent nature of blue wards has strategic implications:
- Objective Control: Placing blue wards around Dragon or Baron pit can provide consistent vision, allowing your team to make informed decisions.
- Early Warning: Blue wards can help spot enemy roams or jungle rotations, giving your team time to react.
- Lane Security: While not always the best choice, blue wards can be used to provide vision of the river or jungle entrances for a lane, when you have good bush control in lane.
- Counter-Vision: Blue wards can help identify and counter enemy vision strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Wards
1. How Do Blue Wards Differ From Other Wards?
Blue wards are fundamentally different from stealth wards and control wards. Stealth wards have a timed duration (90-150 seconds) and are invisible. Control wards are visible but provide true sight and last until destroyed or replaced. Blue wards, in contrast, are visible, have a single health point, and last until destroyed by an enemy, making them a unique long-range vision tool.
2. Can Blue Wards Be Targeted By Abilities?
No, blue wards can only be destroyed by basic attacks. Abilities will not damage them.
3. Do Blue Wards Give Gold When Destroyed?
No, unlike some other wards, blue wards do not grant gold to the player who destroys them. This further encourages their strategic placement in less contested areas.
4. Can You Stack Multiple Blue Wards?
No, you can only have one blue ward charge at a time, so you can’t strategically stack them.
5. What Is the Effective Range of a Blue Ward?
Blue wards do not have a vision range; rather, they grant a fixed vision radius around their placement. Blue wards are most useful for scouting in a particular direction from their placement location, as opposed to having vision around the ward itself. The vision area is large and is typically used to scout into an objective area, or to scout for a flank.
6. Can Control Wards Remove Blue Wards?
No, control wards do not reveal or disable blue wards. Because blue wards are visible already, control wards don’t affect their presence or functionality.
7. Are Blue Wards Visible to the Enemy?
Yes, blue wards are fully visible to the enemy team once placed on the map. This contrasts with stealth wards, which are invisible to enemies without true sight.
8. How Quickly Can You Replace A Blue Ward?
The time it takes to replace a blue ward is dependent on its recharge time, which scales with your champion level (starting at 148 seconds at level 9 and decreasing to 99 seconds at level 18). You can’t immediately replace one.
9. Are Blue Wards Good for Warding Bushes?
While you can place a blue ward in a bush, it’s not always optimal. Blue wards have a single health point and are easily destroyed by anyone checking the bush. Better choices include stealth wards or control wards for such locations.
10. When Should I Use Blue Wards?
Blue wards are best used for long-range scouting, checking for objectives, or gaining vision in areas that are not often traversed by the enemy. They’re less suitable for guarding lanes or bushes. Consider using them to scout deep into enemy jungle areas if you know the opponent isn’t around to destroy it right away.
11. How Do Blue Wards Interact With Invisibility?
Blue wards, because of being visible, do not detect invisible champions. Pink wards or other true-sight tools are required to see invisible enemies. Blue wards are simply a tool that allows for long range scouting.
12. How Does the Scaling Recharge Time Work?
The recharge time of the blue ward decreases as your champion level increases, making them available more often in the later stages of the game. This scaling mechanic is designed to keep pace with the increasing pace of map movement in later stages.
13. Can Allied Champions Destroy Blue Wards?
No, allied champions cannot destroy blue wards. Only enemy basic attacks can remove them from the map.
14. Can you see stealthed units with a blue ward?
No, because the blue ward itself does not have true sight, it does not provide the ability to see stealthed units.
15. Are Blue Wards worth taking over the normal Yellow Warding Trinket?
Whether blue wards are worth taking depends on your play style and the game situation. If you require more long range vision, or are playing a champion that is less likely to be getting close to the front lines, then it is worth taking the blue trinket.
Conclusion
Blue wards are a unique and strategic vision tool in League of Legends. While they don’t have the invisibility of stealth wards or the true sight of control wards, their permanence until destroyed and long range make them invaluable for specific strategic purposes. Understanding their limitations and how they function can help you make the most out of them, further increasing your understanding of warding. Always keep in mind the recharge time and place your wards in areas where they are less likely to be quickly destroyed, maximizing their utility.