How to Cheater Recall in League of Legends
By Roger on May 22nd, 2025, 05:18
Cheater recall is a legitimate and advanced wave management skill that can give you an early game advantage in League of Legends. Coined by a LoL analyst, Nick "LS" De Cesare, cheater recall exploits timing and understanding minion wave mechanics with surgical precision. It’s a power play disguised as a simple recall, letting you reset, grab an early component or crucial consumables, and return to your lane without losing resources. Ready to learn how to pull it off? Let's get into it.
Cheater recall is a specific timing for your first recall during the laning phase. The standard recalls usually happen when you're low on resources or when a large wave is safely under the enemy's tower. Cheater recall, however, aims for something quicker, sneakier.
The most common execution involves manipulating the first three minion waves. The goal is to hard-shove the third wave, the first cannon wave, into the enemy tower. Immediately after this wave crashes, you initiate your recall.
The cannon minion takes longer for the tower to chew through, and the subsequent wave (the fourth) will meet the returning enemy minions further up the lane, and hence, you create a window. A small, precious window where you can go back to base, buy, and run back to lane often without missing a single minion kill.
It feels like cheating because you get a full reset, health, mana, and potentially a small item advantage, seemingly for free.
Pulling this off requires more than just hitting the 'B' key. It demands proactive wave manipulation from the get-go. Here’s the breakdown:
You need to push. Minions start spawning from each Nexus at 1:05 and keep spawning in waves every 30 seconds for the rest of the match. From the moment the minions meet, you should seek to gain priority and start thinning out the enemy wave faster than your opponent. Use your abilities and auto-attacks to ensure the first two waves push towards the enemy side of the lane. You don't necessarily need them to crash fully, but they need to be advancing.
The third wave is key. This is the first cannon wave of the game. You need to hard shove this wave. Use everything necessary to clear the enemy minions quickly and ensure your entire wave, especially the cannon minion, crashes fully under the enemy tower. This step is non-negotiable. The crash denies the enemy laner immediate farm and keeps them occupied.
You recall the moment your third wave safely hits that enemy tower. Don't hesitate. Don't wander around. Just B. Every second counts.
You need to know precisely what you're buying before you recall. Get your Long Sword, Doran's item, Boot, Ruby Crystal, Amp Tome, or whatever your champion needs for that early edge, plus maybe a control ward or potions. Spend your gold fast.
Immediately run back to lane. If executed correctly, the fourth wave should meet somewhere in the middle of the lane or slightly closer to the enemy turret. You should arrive as the action starts, ready to lane with full health, mana, and an additional item component.
Quite a bit, potentially:
Item Advantage: Coming back to lane with an extra Long Sword when your opponent has nothing, or a Doran's Shield against a poke champion, provides a significant combat stat advantage for subsequent trades. This early item advantage can snowball.
Resource Reset: You come back to lane with full health and mana. Your opponent, who likely stayed in lane, might be lower on stats.
Tempo Gain: You forced a reset on your terms, potentially disrupting the enemy laner's plans for recalling or wave manipulation.
Minimized Loss: Compared to a less optimal recall, you lose zero or minimal gold and experience. This keeps you on par or even slightly ahead.
Lane State Control: Depending on how the wave bounces back after crashing, you might be able to set up a freeze near your tower upon returning, creating a safer laning environment and exposing the enemy to ganks from your jungler.
Cheater recall is most commonly and effectively performed in the top and mid lane. Why? In the top lane, controlling the wave and sustainability are paramount, and cheater recall fits perfectly into this goal. In the mid lane, shorter distances mean shorter travel times, making this more feasible. A complete reset and an additional item are crucial for solo laners to clear waves and impose kill pressure.
What about bot lane? It's trickier. The bottom lane is longer, and more importantly, it requires coordination between the ADC and Support to shove the three waves effectively. If not executed perfectly, it defeats the purpose. While not impossible, it's less common and riskier.
Cheater recall isn’t foolproof. Understanding when not to go for the cheater recall is just as vital as knowing how to execute it. Assess the matchup, track the enemy jungler, and respect your opponent's ability to manage the wave. There are scenarios where attempting a cheater recall can backfire:
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