Alt-tab guide;
Skill order - R>Q>E>W
Level 1-3 vs ranged - Q, E, W
Level 1-3 vs melee - E, Q, W
• Go for a more offense orientated item build if you are middle lane, your jungle and top lane tend to build more tanky. Look for items such as Last Whisper or The Bloodthirster after you finish your Hydra + Brutalizer combination.
• Buy more wards than usual and get sight stone for strong roam and map control as middle lane should have.
• Pushing the lane and then waiting behind the walls at the side of the lane to hit your Q can often be a good idea to wrap some kills up.
• Be wary of diving into multiple enemies since you are much more squishy.
Wait isn't this a top lane Lee Sin guide?
Yes it is, although this guide is very specific about top lane Lee Sin he is also a extremely powerful middle lane champion when you have above average Lee Sin mechanics, you give up the ability to easily get in range to trade at the cost of being able to kill the enemy laner in one engagement.
Yes, we know that there are people who are well known for playing hyper-assassin Lee Sin. However the only lane that hyper-assassin Lee Sin can function properly in is middle lane, why? Let me explain in a few short points;
1) Hyper-assassin Lee Sin, more namely middle lane Lee Sin requires maxing his Q and E as a high priority. Therefore your sustain and shield will be weaker, this is not suitable for top lane unless against a squishy top lane.
2) Being at middle lane you can not only kill an enemy AP carry at level 2/3 in lane, but you can also counter jungle and become a huge influence on the entire map by dominating a squishy mid lane and roam.
3) Middle lane champions are usually high damage oriented, well guess what? Lee Sin has extremely high AD scaling and a strong early game that is based off a energy resource system. He fits the bill for a middle lane champion set aside the skill cap required.
So I know why Lee Sin middle lane is strong, what the hell do I have to do to make it strong though?
The answer is pretty clear here, you picked a AD assassin with a strong early game. While farming creeps try to find a opening to use Sonic Wave on the enemy middle lane champion, if you hit them and they aren't anywhere close to their tower and know the enemy jungler isn't nearby. Dive in on the enemy middle lane champion, with a well executed combo you can most likely secure yourself first blood. If not you will win the trade most definitely.
Also remember to buy many wards for Lee Sin middle lane, drop the ward in the middle of the lane if you are struggling to get close to the enemy middle laner to trade hits. Sometimes farming against some middle lane champions can be rewarding, because you can push extremely well and have one of the scariest roaming potentials in the game thanks to your mobility and damage.
Lee Sin middle lane F.A.Q;
The enemy middle lane champion is playing extremely defensively and is willingly missing minion last hits to avoid getting close to me, what do I do?
Thats great! This means you will get ahead of your lane in farm, if you manage to keep them on their heels for most of the laning phase then try to get as much farm as possible till level 6. If possible all-in them when you get to level 6, otherwise zone them from anything or roam the map.
Remember if they start playing aggressively and you have low ward coverage of the side of the lane, chances are you are about to get ganked.
My team thought it was a good idea to pick an AD jungle and top lane when I had picked Lee Sin middle lane already, what am I meant to do now?
This is a pretty common scenario considering how AP top lane champions have been relatively crippled and AD bruiser junglers are very common now, however don't fret. Use a rune page with armor penetration marks and flat AD quintessences, proceed to get your core items and rush The Black Cleaver. This will allow your team to have a incredible mid game when team fights break out and you need to focus people down. In most cases prioritize getting armor penetration over The Bloodthirster.
Mid game is approaching and I have very few kills, how do I kill the enemy carries now?
If you have very few kills then I have to assume you have very low deaths, this should also mean you have relatively high farm. If this is the case you should still be able to kill enemy carries as long as your Sonic Wave hits them. However this doesn't mean you can kill the enemy carries in a single combo, in most cases you will need to play warily and kill them with two combos.
I'm getting poked down to hell by the enemy AP middle laner, how do I stop them or even kill them?
If you're getting poked down by the enemy AP then this means they are playing ridiculously aggressive, either call in a jungle gank or try to engage in a all-in fight, granted that the enemy AP carry has been applying such pressure for most of the time. If they suddenly started poking you then chances are they are wanting to bait you for a jungle gank.
I have 1500 gold for when I first go to base and buy, what should I get?
What you choose is situational;
• If you are dealing with a high poke squishy mid lane. Then go for a vampiric scepter + dorans blade/boots with a ward and few health potions, this will give you the sustain you need to have before you engage in any fights.
• If you are against a middle laner that is relatively tanky and has low poke, go for a brutalizer and wards. This will allow you to completely decimate the enemy middle laner in fights.
• If you are against a mid that has either sustain or mobility, get a fort pot and vampiric scepter. In most cases you can bait the enemy to try fight you, also you are given sustain that can counter what they would have.
I hardly know how to play Lee Sin, should I jump into a game and play him as a hyper-assassin at middle lane?
No, quite simply you have to play with high aggression and caution at the same time. Not to mention the fact you are easier to kill than a top lane Lee Sin thanks to your different item build. Playing Lee Sin middle lane is much more challenging if you do not know how to utilize Lee Sin's kit in fast engagements. Top lane has breathing space thanks to more flexible item paths and much more space to chase the enemy lane.