What is the difference between top and bottom lanes in LoL? More experienced players tell you during the game to switch the lane if you go to the "wrong" one. So I guess that certain champions are not good for playing top/bottom. Why and what kind of champions should be played bottom, and what type should be played top (I mean generaly, not exact champions)?
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The computer sends different AI-controlled champions to the different lanes and different champions fight better against other champions, so it's best to match the right people with the right bots. – The gamer Jan 31 '14 at 17:27
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Generally, each team has one jungler, which means that there will be one lane of two, and two lanes of one. Since the middle lane will always be a solo lane, this means that top and bottom will have varying numbers of champions, depending on the lane.
Top is usually considered a solo lane because the bottom lane is closer to Dragon, an important mid-game objective. Dragon is hard to solo for most non-junglers, and by keeping 2 champions in the bottom lane, it becomes quite viable to 3-man Dragon after a successful gank (or simply a double-kill). While top lane is closer to Baron Nashor, it takes quite a bit more effort to kill him - more than 3 champions in the early game can probably afford to put out. By the time Baron becomes available, the game is usually nearing the end of the laning phase, after which the difference between top and bottom lane is moot (because all 5 champions are roaming).
With a top solo lane, the champion has a leveling advantage and the potential to farm more minions (simply because there is no allied champion to compete with). Additionally, one must consider that if the other team does not have a jungler, they need to be able to successfully last 2 vs. 1. Most often, this means champions with good sustainability are better suited to the lane, such as Cho'goth, Mordekaiser, Vladimir, or Nasus.
Conversely, there are some champions who do not do well in a solo lane - these tend to be support champions like Soraka, Sona, or Janna who perform much better with a partner to buff/shield/heal. These champions usually go to the bottom lane to ensure that they are in a 2 vs. 2 situation.
In instances where there is no jungler on either team, both top and bottom will have an even number of champions. In this case you may be asked to "switch lanes" not because one lane is "better suited" than the other, but because switching lanes means changing which enemy champions you're fighting (and presumably, have been dying to).
Raven Dreamer
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5I don't know why you got downvoted. It looks like you answered the question thoroughly and correctly. – REDace0 Jun 25 '11 at 16:32
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I don't know about downvotes, but I have seen Purple have their solo bottom (instead of top) before citation. While I agree that top is usually the solo lane, but there are definitely times when bottom appears to be the superior choice. – tzenes Jun 25 '11 at 18:10
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@Tzenes - the game you linked, purple team's Alistar was playing Roamer (there was also a jungler). This effectively gives them 3 solo lanes, rather than the 2 they would have with just a jungler. Alistar spent very little time top by the creep waves, so I don't think it's fair to say that top lane was 2 vs. 1. – Raven Dreamer Jun 25 '11 at 18:52
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@Raven go watch the game again. Alister roams some, but he spends most of early/mid game up top. – tzenes Jun 25 '11 at 19:05
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@Tzenes - more often than not, there is only 1 champion in the top lane. Alistar spends most of the early/mid game in the river, trying to set up ganks for top (like his successful gambit for first blood) but he doesn't spend much time competing with Caitlyn for last hits (like Garen and Taric do on bot lane, before Taric starts roaming himself). I don't disagree that Alistar is in the top lane often, but it's not the same dynamic as a true 2 vs. 1 lane. – Raven Dreamer Jun 25 '11 at 19:18
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@Raven I don't want to belabor this conversation but Alister spends 3.5 of the first 6 minutes top, Mal (the mid) spends only 3. Once we transition into mid game everyone's movements become very erratic and harder to track. Roaming is a useful place in the meta game, but even Roamers need lanes (or a jungle). Unless you're winning 50-0, you're just not good enough to survive on ganks alone. – tzenes Jun 25 '11 at 19:26
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2I would also add to this that sometimes without a jungler, the 2 on top and 2 on bottom may simply be mismatched, and thus in the "wrong" lane. For instance, you don't want 2 tanks top and 2 squishies bot. Balancing the lanes is important in that situation, to give both lanes the best chance for success. – Tux Jun 28 '11 at 15:07
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"Since the middle lane will always be a solo lane" -- I know this is how it's played, but why is this the case? If proximity to Dragon is why bottom gets 2, isn't middle closer than top? Without jungler you could go 1/2/2. And even though mid is a little further than bottom from Dragon, wouldn't mid give better map control? It's always seemed like a gentleman's agreement to me, but that's clearly not how LoL is played.. – PeterL Jul 01 '11 at 19:49
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@Peter - no, I think you're right. There's just Tradition. Contrast this with Twisted Treeline, which doesn't have real rules as to which lane is duo and which lane is solo. – Raven Dreamer Jul 01 '11 at 20:13
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Do you think 2 top would be the way to go until Rift Herald has been killed once 6.9 is released, significantly buffing Rift Herald? The players could then swap after it has been defeated, since Rift Herald will not respawn. – mbomb007 Apr 26 '16 at 21:39