What roaming is
Roaming is a support working across the whole map instead of one lane. A rotation onto a gank, help for a nearby lane, a dewarded enemy — all of it gives the team tempo it would not get playing passively. But roaming is only worth it with a purpose: leaving for the sake of leaving loses experience, gold and leaves a lane without support. For a support it is one of the main levers to raise MMR.
Roam when there is a power window (a stun, a level 6 ultimate), when the enemy overextends, or when a lane needs help. Approach from the fog and under smoke, past the wards. A support's goal is not last hits but tempo: kills, towers and vision for the team.
When to roam
Good roaming starts with the question "why right now." Map objectives often supply that reason - lotuses and outposts pull the team to one spot. Leave the lane when at least one of these is true:
- There is a power window. A ready stun, slow or level 6 ultimate — you have the means to kill, not just to "stand nearby."
- The enemy overextends. A hero standing with no vision, far from a tower, is an invitation to gank.
- A lane needs help. Mid or the hard lane is sagging — a rotation evens it out.
- A timing is coming. A power rune, an outpost or an objective is near — gather early (see timings).
How to gank
An organized gank is a sequence, not "run in and click":
- Pick the target and window. Decide who you kill and why now — do you have enough control and damage to finish.
- Check vision. Deward along the path or go around — otherwise the enemy sees you coming.
- Approach under smoke. Smoke of Deceit hides the group from vision; come out of the fog from a side they do not expect.
- Sync the control. Chain stuns and slows on the target with no gap, so the hero cannot run.
- Take the tempo. Got the kill — convert it: a tower, a rune, an outpost or the next target, not "back to lanes."
How a gank grows into pressure across the whole map — in the smoke gank guide.
Vision and smoke
Roaming and vision are inseparable — you hide yourself and take the enemy's eyes at the same time:
- Deward the enemy. A deward before a gank removes the enemy's "eyes" and makes the approach a surprise.
- Place vision for the next move. Wards are not "set and forget" — they prepare a rune, Roshan or a fight.
- Remember the smoke. It drops if you come within 1025 of an enemy hero, tower or fountain, and instantly if you attack. True Sight, though, does not reveal it: wards and dust will not give you away.
A full breakdown of vision is in the warding and map control guide.
Common mistakes
Roaming mistakes that drag a team down - most of them are about greed for resources a support does not need (more on jungle and farm):
- Roaming with no purpose. "Just wandering" loses experience and gold, and the lane sags without a support.
- Ganking into wards. An approach with no deward is a free escape and a kill for the enemy.
- Abandoning the core. Going to the far side of the map and leaving the carry to die is a loss no gank pays back.
- Being greedy for last hits. A support who steals farm off the lane leaves the team without vision and rotations.
