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Trading on last hits is auto-attacking the enemy ADC at the exact moment they start the attack animation on a minion. Once the swing has started they cannot dodge without losing the farm, so one auto from you is nearly free damage.
What it is
A last hit has a windup: the champion has to stand still until the attack launches. A different command cancels the windup, so an ADC who moves to avoid your auto has thrown away their gold. You get to pick the moment, and they must choose between damage and CS.
Your own auto has a windup too, so it is not free if the enemy can punish you back. Check that you are in range of the target and out of range of their minions, and that your hit lands during their swing. Hitting an enemy champion with a basic attack draws nearby enemy minions onto you, so take one auto, not three. Then retreat, ideally during your attack's recovery.
This is the single instant punish, as opposed to the Trading Parallelism guide, which is about staying level along the lane so the window is always there. It works for any ranged lane partner and also for supports who step up with the ADC. Other lanes use the same idea: a top laner can trade right after the enemy commits to a last hit, for example.
How to do it
- Find the minion about to die
Look at the enemy minions' health bars. The ADC will attack the one with the lowest health that their next auto can kill. When one is within a hit of dying and the ADC is facing it, they are about to commit.
- Position within auto range
Stand where your auto reaches the ADC without putting you in reach of the enemy minions or of the support. If you must walk forward, do it just before, not during, the window. Keep your cursor on the enemy champion so your click targets them and not a minion.
- Click the champion as the swing starts
The moment you see their attack animation begin, attack them. The projectile leaving their weapon is the last point at which moving would save the minion. Aim for the swing, not the death of the minion.
- Attack once, then step back
After your auto launches, give a move order straight away to leave range of enemy minions and the support. Taking more than one auto while their wave is close turns the trade into a loss.
- Rejoin your own farm
Return to your wave and go back to last-hitting. If one of your minions is about to die, take it. Do not chase their health bar and give up the farm.
- Check what they can answer with
A ready key spell on their side makes a free auto into a risky one. Make the trade when their support has used a key ability or is out of position. The Mana and Cooldown Trading guide covers the timing.
Watch it
What to watch for: The chapter from 0:41 covers trading around minions in bot lane, which is the closest match to punishing a last hit.
Video: The Complete Guide to Trading as ADC - League of Legends Guide — Skill Capped Challenger LoL Guides
Common mistakes
- You attack after the swing is over. They have finished the minion and are free to retaliate. Click during the animation.
- You walk up to reach them. Your approach tells them to dodge. Stand where you can reach already.
- You auto three times. The minions turn and the support answers. Take one, then back off.
- You right-click without checking what is under the cursor. A click that lands on a minion makes you attack the minion. Put the cursor on the champion.
- You give up your own last hit to trade. Gold lost cancels the damage dealt.
Practice drill
- In a custom game against a bot ADC, count how many of their last hits you punish with one auto in a wave. Aim for at least half, without losing your own CS.
- Practice the rhythm alone: hit a dummy once, move, then hit again after the timer. The punish needs the same attack and step cadence.