Drowning Man Theory in ARAM

Drowning Man Theory in ARAM
Author: Wrekah

Have you ever tried to help a teammate, only to get killed moments later, along with the very ally you tried to save? You’re not alone. This pattern is more common than you might think.

In real life, lifeguards are trained to be extra careful when rescuing drowning individuals. The reason is simple: a drowning person will often pull their rescuer under, leading to a double tragedy. This same concept applies in League of Legends ARAM mode, on Howling Abyss.

Real Life Mechanism Explained

When someone is drowning, their survival instincts kick in. They flail and grasp at anything nearby in a desperate attempt to stay afloat. While this reaction is natural, it poses a serious risk to rescuers. A drowning person can unintentionally drag their would-be savior under, increasing the chance of two lives being lost.

Lifeguards are trained to use specialized techniques and tools, like flotation devices, to assist from a safe distance. This allows them to help without compromising their own safety or that of others.

This real life principle highlights a crucial truth: self-preservation and strategic thinking are just as important as the act of helping. Without proper preparation, attempting a rescue can result in a worse outcome than doing nothing at all.

Parallel to League of Legends and ARAM

In ARAM, the same principle applies. Players often feel compelled to save an overextending ally or try to salvage a losing fight. Unfortunately, these well-meaning actions frequently lead to catastrophe. Rushing to aid an ally often results in multiple deaths, handing the enemy team a massive advantage.

Just as a lifeguard must act carefully, a player in ARAM needs to evaluate the risks before committing. Blindly jumping in to save a teammate can lead to a cascading series of mistakes, ultimately harming the team more than helping.

Recognizing this parallel can make you a better player. Knowing when to step in and when to hold back can mean the difference between a narrow escape and a devastating team wipe.

Examples of Drowning Man Theory in ARAM

  • Diving under an enemy turret to follow an ally.
  • Trying to save an overextended teammate.
  • Committing to a failed or poorly executed engagement.
  • Fighting for a health relic without a clear advantage, sometimes even without merit.
  • Defending a turret when the enemy has overwhelming strength.
  • Protecting someone who didn’t reset and hangs around with low hp.
  • Chain feeding, where players die one by one trying to help each other.

Why Does This Happen?

Several factors drive players to dive into danger for their teammates, often with the best intentions:

  1. Instinct: Helping someone in need is a natural human response—even in a game.
  2. Desire to Be the Hero: We want to be the one who turns the tide, saving the day for our team.
  3. Empathy: Watching an ally being chased or getting focused, triggers our emotional response to help.
  4. Reciprocity: We imagine ourselves in their position and hope someone would help us.
  5. Objective Protection: We fear losing turrets, health relics, or control of the game.

How to Avoid Being Pulled Under

Recognize Lost Causes

  • Accept that sometimes a teammate’s mistake is theirs alone to pay for.
  • Letting one player die is often better than sacrificing multiple players, turning a bad situation into a disaster.
  • Turtling under a turret is sometimes the best option, even if it means conceding some ground.

Stay Aware of Cooldowns

In ARAM, abilities like ultimates, heals, and shields are often game-changers. If you don’t have key cooldowns available, jumping in to save an ally is a recipe for disaster.

Communicate with Pings

Use pings to warn overextending teammates or to signal for a retreat. Communication can prevent cascading mistakes.

Dying Together Puts Your Team At a Disadvantage

Staggered deaths lead to staggered respawns, leaving your team outnumbered and vulnerable. If you die saving your ally, you put your team at great disadvantage, putting them into 3v5 situation, which may result in lost objectives.

Know When to Let Go

  • It’s better to give up one skirmish to secure a stronger position in the next fight.
  • Sometimes it is better to let go of a health relic or turret, rather than dying and putting your team at disadvantage.

Prevent Chain Reactions

Avoid the cycle of one teammate dying, followed by another trying to save them, and so on. Recognize the pattern and break it. Ping them, wait if necessary for others.

Evaluate the Situation

Stay calm and evaluate whether attempting to save an ally is worth the risk.

Learn From Experience

Every ARAM game is an opportunity to better recognize these scenarios and improve your decision-making.

How to Help Without Drowning

Does this mean you should always abandon your allies?

Absolutely not! Helping your teammates is still possible — but it requires caution and strategic thinking. To assist effectively, you need to recognize this pattern, assess the situation carefully, and approach it with a plan.

Examples of Smart Helping

  1. Pretending - sometimes pretending might be enough. Moving aggressively towards an enemy, using Mark/Snowball might scare enemies off.
  2. Flanking - sometimes even moving to the side of the enemy or to bush might make them retreat.
  3. Helping from afar - drop some CC, abilities or big cooldowns from a safe distance.
  4. Good Awareness of the Situation - if you are absolutely sure that you can safely help, without risk of being pulled under, go for it!

Conclusion

As grim as it sounds, sometimes the best play in ARAM is to let a teammate die rather than attempting a risky rescue. By recognizing this pattern, understanding these situations, and learning how to mitigate their impact, you can make smarter decisions and play more effectively for your team’s success on the Howling Abyss.