Struggling to last-hit minions or manage waves efficiently? This in-depth guide teaches you how to improve CS in League of Legends while mastering lane control, wave freezing, fast pushing, and resetting for better gold and XP.

Category: How-To Guides

How to Improve CS and Wave Management in League of Legends (2025 Guide)

Why Farming is the Secret to Winning

When most players think about climbing in League of Legends, they imagine flashy plays, insane mechanics, or highlight-reel teamfights. While those things help, the truth is that the single most consistent factor that separates casual players from high-elo climbers is farming. If you want to climb efficiently, you need to improve CS in League of Legends and learn the art of wave management.

CS (Creep Score) tracks how many minions you’ve killed, but it’s more than just a number — it’s your steady income of gold and experience. Missing waves early can set you behind, while mastering farming allows you to hit power spikes faster, stay ahead in lane, and carry more reliably.

• 100 CS ≈ 2–3 kills worth of gold
• 7–8 CS per minute consistently > random kills
• Pro players hit 90–100 CS at 10 minutes (League of Legends Wiki)

This guide will show you how to:

• Improve last-hitting mechanics.
• Freeze, slow push, and fast push waves.
• Reset properly to avoid losing XP or gold.
• Track your farming progress with tools like OP.GG.

By the end, you’ll understand how to farm like a challenger — even if you’re stuck in Iron.

Why CS is the Core of Winning Games

Many players underestimate how important farming is compared to kills. Getting one kill might feel rewarding, but it doesn’t match the long-term consistency of solid CSing. If you truly want to improve CS in League of Legends, you need to understand why it’s so impactful.

Gold Advantage Through CS

Each minion gives between 15 and 90 gold, depending on the type. Consistently securing 10–12 minions per wave equals 150–300 gold every 30 seconds. Over 10 minutes, that’s the same as a small fortune in-game.

Compare:

• 100 CS at 10 minutes = ~2,000 gold → equivalent to 2–3 kills.
• Missing 30 CS = losing out on a full item component.

This is why pros and high elo players value farming efficiency over chasing kills.

Experience Advantage

It’s not just about gold. Each wave also provides valuable experience (XP). Falling behind in XP means being down a level, which is often more dangerous than being behind a single item. Level advantages can decide trades, skirmishes, and objectives.

Scaling and Power Spikes

Better CSing means hitting your first item spike minutes earlier. Whether it’s a Mythic, damage spike, or support utility item, reaching it before your opponent gives you massive lane pressure.

In short: kills are flashy, but farming is consistent. To win more games, focus on learning how to improve CS in League of Legends before chasing plays.

CS Benchmarks by Rank

If you want to track progress, you need realistic benchmarks. Here’s what average players hit at 10 minutes:

• Bronze/Silver: 50–60 CS
• Gold/Platinum: 65–75 CS
• Diamond+: 80–95 CS
• Pro Players: 90–100 CS (near-perfect farm, no missed XP)

If you’re currently getting 50 CS at 10 minutes, don’t aim for 95 right away. Instead, push to 60–65, then aim higher as you improve. Using trackers like U.GG helps you compare against players at your rank.

👉 Set goals: +10 CS per game = ~150 extra gold. Over time, that difference snowballs into wins.

Step-by-Step: How to Improve CS in League of Legends

Here’s the practical section: drills, mechanics, and strategies to turn farming into second nature.

1. Use the Practice Tool Daily

Hop into Practice Tool with no runes or items. Farm until 10 minutes and count your CS.

• Goal: 95+ CS at 10 minutes.
• Reset if you miss too many waves.
• Focus on smooth auto-timing, not rushing.
  

2. Learn Attack Animations

Every champion has different attack speeds and animations.

• Watch carefully how long your champion takes to wind up.
• Move between attacks (orb-walking/kiting).
• Cancel attack animations early to stay mobile.
  

3. Last-Hitting Under Tower

One of the hardest mechanics for new players. General rules:

• Melee minion: 2 tower shots + 1 auto.
• Caster minion: 1 tower shot + 2 autos (or auto + ability).
• Cannon minion: Usually needs help from abilities.
  

4. Use Abilities Wisely

Abilities can secure CS, but spamming them can ruin wave control.

• Use skills sparingly, mostly for cannons or guaranteed farm.
• Auto + ability combo ensures you don’t miss.
• Don’t waste AoE unless you want to shove the wave.
  

5. Adjust to Matchups

• Vs poke champs: farm safely under tower.
• Vs melee champs: zone them while farming.
• Vs assassins: keep wave near tower to stay safe.

Practice these habits, and you’ll naturally improve CS in League of Legends with each game.

Mastering Wave Management

Once you can last-hit reliably, the next step is wave management — controlling when and how minion waves push. This separates good laners from great ones.

Freezing the Wave

Why Freeze?

• Deny enemy farm and XP.
• Stay safe from jungle ganks.
• Set up ganks for your jungler.

How to Freeze:

• Keep 3–4 enemy caster minions alive.
• Tank the wave near your tower.
• Only last-hit, don’t shove.

Best times to freeze: when you’re behind, have no vision, or want your jungler to pressure your lane.

Slow Pushing

Why Slow Push?

• Build up a massive wave.
• Crash under enemy tower to roam or dive.
• Gain map pressure.

How to Slow Push:

• Only kill melee minions.
• Let caster minions stack.
• After 2–3 waves, crash for tempo.
  

Fast Pushing

Why Fast Push?

• Reset safely without losing XP.
• Force enemy under tower.
• Set up for objectives.

How to Fast Push:

• Use autos + AoE abilities to clear quickly.
• Shove after a kill or before recalling.
  

Wave Resetting

Resetting properly prevents wasted tempo.

• Reset after crashing a big wave.
• Buy items + Control Wards.
• Never reset with wave frozen against you.

Advanced Farming & CS Tricks

Once you’re confident in farming basics, apply these advanced tips to sharpen your play:

• Cancel animation lag by moving immediately after autos.
• Auto + ability combos for cannons.
• Manage lane priority to secure objectives with your jungler.
• Know when to drop CS — dying for a wave is worse than giving it up.

Review games with Blitz overlays to see where you missed opportunities.

Tracking Your CS Progress

Improvement requires data. Luckily, tools exist:

• U.GG — detailed lane phase CS stats.
• OP.GG — match-by-match review.

Key stats to track:

• CS at 10 minutes.
• CS per minute.
• Gold differential at 10 minutes.
• Missed cannon percentage.

Set small goals: increase by +10 CS per match, reduce cannon misses, and track your CS/min steadily.

Final Thoughts

Farming isn’t glamorous, but it’s the backbone of climbing. If you want consistent improvement, focus less on chasing kills and more on learning how to improve CS in League of Legends.

Start with practice tool drills, aim for steady CS benchmarks, and master wave control. Pair that with smart resets and data tracking, and you’ll notice your win rate climb quickly.

Remember: kills are flashy, but farming wins games. Start today, and within weeks you’ll see just how powerful consistent CS can be.

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