How to Increase Your APM in League of Legends?

What is APM?

When it comes to gaming, most of you have heard the people around you talk about APM. But what is APM? First, it is an abbreviation, which stands for Action Per Minute. Now, after you already know what it means, we have to say that this is a gamer’s way of determining how good someone is at gaming. They often use it to measure their skills, like agility, speed, and reaction speed.

Basically, it is a representation of the speed at which you can physically perform an action (clicking the mouse and operating with the keyboard) and is vital in competitive gaming. With the increase of interest in e-sports, terms like these are getting more and more popular and frequently used. They have found a place in the gaming industry, as they serve as a basic stat when calculating the players’ mechanics. But at the same time, and in everyday gaming where you play with friends, this is due to the popularity of sports gaming and the numerous tournaments and streams that popularize the industry and everything related to it.

Let us give you an example. Let us say two players are fighting in a game of League of Legends. The player with the highest action per minute can take more “actions” in the game than their opponent can perform per minute. That will give a – high advantage to that gamer, as they can react better and at the same time be faster. As we said, APM is closely related to agility and speed. In a team fight or solo lane skirmish, it is critical- to be able to react on time and outplay your enemy. 

That happens based on how well you play your cards. You have to be quick-witted and have fast-finger reactions in order to use the skills exactly at the time you need to. In such a scenario, the player who has the highest speed of action per minute will most likely defeat his opponent. Simply because the action taken will happen faster and be more- precise than the enemies.

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Why is APM important for the League?

As we already said above, action per minute is of great importance in RTS (Real-Time Strategy) games like League of Legends. The fact that- in the League of Legends, we all have to think quickly, make timely decisions, and take fast actions shows that.

Above, I gave an example of why it is crucial to have a high APM score. Now it is time to mention that this matters even more if you are an electronic sports professional. For them, it is slightly different as it’s related to their careers and things get more serious.

Earlier, we talked about how the action per minute scores are used in eSports circles to calculate how good a player is. Well, based on it, the player’s standing may increase or decrease. For example, if you have a great APM score and at the same time are an experienced player who knows how to play and handles situations well, you will be doing fine. 

Now imagine the opponents have the same knowledge and skills as you as they are PROs just like you. What is the only difference? The possibility of having a higher action per minute score. Although it’s something that may be trained and improved by various means, the APM of everyone is different. Some are naturally better at it, while others have to strive to improve it in order to be able to compete with their enemies.

When it comes to non-professional gaming, like when you play with friends just for fun, APM is of such great importance. Now we don’t say that it is not critical, but it’s not like everything depends on it. In standard matches, there are way too many factors that can decide the winner of the game.

As opposed to the professionals, in the normal games in the league in which we play, many players make mistakes. Be it a wrong build, wrong use of their abilities, or just a bad call. These are just a few examples that make the APM score fade when we compare it to a professional match. It’s simply because, in such a situation, players rarely make any mistakes, and even the smallest difference can turn the game in their favor.

Now we have to talk about ranked matches as well, as in them the action per second scores may matter. We talked about casual and professional games. When it comes to ranked matches, it is slightly different. When it comes to them, everyone is passionate. Everyone wants to earn league points and rise in rank.

In a situation like this, where everyone is competitive and wants to give their all, APM may have a significant role to play. Just like with professional matches, where things are serious, ranked games have similar value to the fans who play. It is critical, as every advantage is put to use. In the end, we did say that the action per minute score may not play such a major role in casual games, but in the end, there is still a difference. A player with a lower score will have a slightly harder time versus a player with a higher one, especially if they are both well versed in the game and the mechanics of League.

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How to Improve APM in League of Legends?

Improving your actions per minute can be harder than it seems. First of all, as we already said, the APM score is related to the agility and quick thinking of the person. The speedy action they take during gaming is essential in many RTS games and, as such, is a critical factor when it comes to professional competitions.

Being related to quick thinking and agility, it’s important to note that the first thing you have to do is take care of your physical condition. That is the first action to take. Doing so will focus on improving your speed of action and that of your reaction.

To keep yourself in top condition means exercising and eating well. To get enough rest and not be on-call 24/7 in front of the PC. Now, this may sound tiring and bothersome, but imagine staying that long in front of your computer. It is impossible to not get tired and even feel irritated. At this point, you will not be able to focus at all, and the physical fatigue will have the last word. That is why taking care of your physical condition and taking rest is of great importance.

Another thing you can do to improve your APM for your gaming session is to concentrate on your mentality. Aside from a healthy lifestyle, you can try meditating or finding something that can bring you peace. That can be done by reading manga, watching a movie, or something similar. That will greatly help you to stay calm throughout the game, but keep in mind that controlling your emotions is up to you. APM, aside from everything else, is also related to how calm you are under pressure and how you take action.

From the technical side, you can find software that observes your actions per minute and use them to monitor yourself while gaming. This way, it will be easier to spot where you have to improve, and you will do it more easily. You can also get a new gaming monitor with faster refresh rates, which may also help you, or just set up specific goals and alarms related to your APM score.

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Conclusion

APM is a great way to figure out how good someone is at gaming, as it serves as a great calculating stat when it comes to E-Sports. We already know that action per minute is linked to quick thinking and quick use of the keyboard and mouse. This helps you take action faster in the league and often gives you the upper hand in fights with equal opponents.

Although it may not be the most important aspect of LoL, it is always good to be prepared for when it comes in handy. Thus, we advise you to try and keep your APM at a good level. To do so, try to follow our small tips; if everything goes well, they will help you increase your speed.

In short, although APM is important, it’s not everything that matters, especially in casual games and often even in ranked matches. It is great to boost around when you are a gamer, but that’s in the RTS world. For other genres of games, it is something that you can do without worrying about it. Thank you for reading, and I hope the article was of help.