Minion Wave

A minion wave is a group of computer-controlled units that spawns from each Nexus and marches down a lane toward the enemy base. Minions are the primary source of gold and experience in lane, earned by last-hitting them, and they also do the work of pushing into enemy turrets.

Controlling where waves meet — pushing, freezing, or letting them build up — is a core skill, since it dictates lane safety, when you can roam, and how exposed you are to ganks. Mastering minion waves is widely seen as one of the biggest separators between players stuck at a rank and those who climb.