LoR: The Ultimate Etiquette Guide When Using Emotes

Introduction

In Legends of Runeterra, we have the option of reacting to anything in the game through emotes. And Riot Games has been doing a fantastic job at providing us with a vast options with our favorite champions' reactions. But with time, I have been realizing that there are many questions regarding how to properly use emotes.

YES. There is a correct way of using each emote. And if you use any of them incorrectly, this can create many problems for you and also for your enemy!

As a result, I decided to write this guide. The Ultimate Guide to Using Emotes in Legends of Runeterra. Let's go.

No one likes a toxic player. I'm sure you've matched against some in your queue. But how can you be sure you're also not being toxic when you use your emotes? It is quite simple: Each emote has its own purpose.

Sometimes you might be using an emote in a way it wasn't thought originally to be used, and this can create trouble during the match. I'll list down below some emotes and the situations in which they should be played.

Greeting

The essential rule to greeting in LoR is: always greet your enemy. No matter what happens.

If you forgot, that's ok. It isn't a big deal, but keep in mind that forgetting to greet is equal to not having manners, and we're trying to be the least toxic possible here. Let's see the best ways of greeting your enemy:

Braum Emote - this is one of the most classic emotes, and it is free. Everyone has it and everyone can use it.

But Braum's emote has a little problem. It can be extremely toxic if it isn't used only and exclusively to greet your enemy.

And note: use it only once, and after the mulligan. In case you use it in any other situation, you're being toxic. Even more so if you're winning, then you're being beyond toxic.

Vlad Emote - This emote is your second option to greet your enemy. But remember, the rule with Vlad's emote is: never send this emote first. Ever. Always send this as a response to Braum's emote.

In case you send it first, you're being toxic. This option is for those who don't like sending emotes when the game starts, or who frequently forget to use Braum's emote.

Another very important rule is: never use this emote after winning. If you don't have the Shen emote to send to your opponent, it's best to not use anything.

Shen Emote - Shen's emote can be used as a greeting. But it is weird. It shows you're confused about emote etiquette, or that you didn't go prepared to greet your opponent.

Greeting with Shen is equivalent to using a fork and a knife to eat sushi. It works, it's practical, but it's weird. You're better off using chopsticks. Just like it's best to use Braum's emote instead of Shen's.

That being said, always avoid starting your matches with it.

Finishing Matches

Just like at game start, at game end you must also always use an emote as well.

However, what is different here from game start is that at the end, someone always leaves winning or losing (draws happen once a year, so there is no etiquette for that, as when the game ends everyone is left confused and didn't understand anything, so the recommended is to not use anything).

Depending on who won and who lost, there are many ways of reacting to these situations without becoming the villain of the story. Let's see them.

Game End When You've Won

Shen Emote - There is only this option. Don't you dare use another emote instead of this one. This is the moment when the slightest sway in your etiquette might stamp your name in the toxic players' list. And it is crucial that you pay a lot of attention to the timing of hitting the emote buttons because if you somehow hit the wrong button, it's over.

If your opponent sees any emote that isn't Shen after they've miserably lost the match to you, you're toxic.

But the most important rule of all is: only use this emote when you're completely sure you've won the match. If you send it a second early when winning: You're toxic.

Game End When You've Lost

In this occasion, there is a wider range of emotes to be used. And to save lines and your time, here is an image containing all emotes you can use:

Now, here are some that you, under no circumstances, should use:

Heimer Emote - This emote is the peak of toxicity when you lose the match. Everyone is upset about the game's RNG, and this emote was created to represent the frustration of the player regarding this.

As much as your finger is itching to send Heimer, breathe deeply, count to 10, and use the emotes listed above.

Lulu sipping juice - This is the most toxic emote created in the whole world. Never use it. In every situation it is toxic. Even talking about this emote is seen negatively.

If you've some time thought about using Lulu, keep in mind that you may be inclined to the toxic side of the force. Just as a measure, this emote is illegal, and confirmation of having it might impose a fine of up to 2 epic wildcards.

Example:

Here is an example of how your emote tab should be, following all the anti-toxicity rules.

Now comes the good part of this article. The part in which we can all free ourselves and learn how to get into our opponents' heads.

By embracing toxicity, you're free to use any emote, at any time. But, I come here to add some spice to your future dark practices, and teach you how to be as toxic as possible.

Attention: the following information is extremely toxic and might make your opponent uninstall.

Greeting

If you want to emotionally shake your opponent, it is very important that you use not only a toxic emote when greeting, but a quick and deadly combination of two distinct emotes. And when I say quick and deadly, I mean as fast as you can.

The faster your sequence of emotes is, the more efficient will be your toxic bomb, and the less your opponent will understand what anything is happening.

Let's check out some of the deadliest toxic emote combos to mentally damage your opponent.

Aurelion Sol followed by Vlad - This sequence is critical.

Aurelion Sol's emote causes instant depression in your enemies because they will then realize that they will never be as cool as you, who has the coolest emote in the whole game. And even more so when followed by Vlad, as you make it clear to your opponent that they don't have any chances in their entire lives, to even come close to how cool you are.

This sequence followed by any Targon board skin deals double the mental damage in aggro players.

Kayle followed by Tahm Kench - This sequence is as if you're saying, "Oops, didn't even realize you were there. I was just here playing some LoR ranked games. Well, you want to lose fast or slowly?".

And there you have it, your opponent is deemed to spend the next 15 minutes with their emotional health completely obliterated. These emotes together are so legendary, that they hold the record of more surrenders at turn 1 per match.

Game End When You Win

Usually, this is the moment for you to unleash all your built-up toxicity inside you. It is now that all the stress you've hoarded throughout the match will be released, and as a magic trick, you will completely end your opponent's mental health.

Remember: you've already won, you've humiliated your opponent, but it's not enough. To really destroy any drop of hope your enemy still had of leaving that match with their mental faculties intact, here goes the only exclusive way of ending a game, when you win:

Questioning Fiora - Hit as fast as you can Questioning Fiora. No mercy. Mercy is for the weak.

This is the equivalent of defeating your younger sibling at a video game, and while they cry, say that they were bought as a child's McDonald's meal prize, only for them to cry even more.

This emote is cruel, and in the wrong hands they can start out wars. Fiora is so powerful that there are tales of the stress caused by this emote aging a young adult 5 years in 3 seconds.

Game End When You Lose

When you lose, you lose because something unfair happened in the match. There is no other reason. The RNG gods chose you. You are the chosen one. And everything in this game conspired for your defeat. It's always like that. Always...

That's why this is the perfect moment for you to unleash your anger, and virtually punch the opponent's face. Give them the "web jab". And there is a very simple way of doing that:

Crazy Gnar — Crazy Gnar is perfect for that virtual aggression. You're already punching the computer screen or your keyboard. Why not send a virtual punch in the shape of a cutesy Yordle with glasses?

Imagine the situation. Turn 6 your opponent has destroyed their Buried Sun Disc, and they now have a 5/9 Xerath in play, obliterating your units. Send Gnar, express your anger.

Keeping all that anger and stress to yourselves causes pimples. And what everyone least wants in life is to lose miserably and still have a face full of pimples, isn't it?

Example

That's how your emote tab should be if you've already gone into the match with full toxicity levels in your body.

There, now you're trained in the martial arts of using emotes in LoR. For more tips, comment and share this article, so I can keep on producing this sort of content!

(Remember: this article is a joke and shouldn't be taken seriously.)