What is Inting in League of Legends?

"Inting" is one of the most common words in League of Legends chat, and one of the most misused. It comes from "intentional feeding" and describes a player who deliberately dies to the enemy team. People also use it more loosely for any very bad play, which is not the same thing and leads to arguments. This guide explains the real meaning, how inting differs from poor play and trolling, what Riot says about it, and what you can do when a teammate does it.

What Inting Means

To "int" is to feed on purpose: running into the enemy team without a plan, giving up kills again and again, or walking into a fight you know you will lose with no intention of winning it. The word is short for "intentionally feeding", and the key word is intent. A player who dies because of a mistake is not inting. A player who dies repeatedly to hurt the team is.

The enemy team gains gold and experience from each kill, and the player who feeds also loses their own farm and map presence. In a match that depends on small leads building into objectives, a feeding teammate can decide the game before the first dragon.

Inting, Feeding, Griefing and Trolling

These words overlap, so it is useful to separate them:

• Inting (intentional feeding). Dying on purpose to give the enemy an advantage.
• Feeding. Dying often, with or without intent. Many players feed because they are tilted, outmatched or learning a champion.
• Griefing. Any behavior meant to ruin the game for teammates, such as blocking, stealing farm or refusing to take part.
• Trolling. Playing in an unusual or joking way. Some trolling is harmless, while some is a form of griefing.
• Running it down. Slang for playing with no regard for survival. It is often used for inting, but players also use it for despair after a bad lane.

The practical difference is that Riot's behavior systems deal with intent. Being bad at the game is not a punishable offense, while deliberately sabotaging one is.

Signs of Inting

You cannot read another player's mind, but some signs make intent more likely:

• The player walks into the enemy team or the enemy fountain on purpose and does not try to fight.
• The player ignores the minimap, objective calls and basic escapes in every fight.
• The player types that they will feed or that the game is lost, and then dies again immediately.
• The player buys no items, or items with no connection to the champion, over many minutes.

A single death, even a silly one, is not a sign. A pattern over several minutes is. Do not accuse a teammate in chat unless you are sure, because an accusation usually makes things worse.

Why Players Int

It is never justified, but understanding the causes can help you avoid it yourself:

• Tilt. After a bad lane or a lost fight, a frustrated player may stop trying and start throwing the game.
• Conflict. An argument over roles, calls or blame can lead one player to punish the team.
• Believing the game is lost. Some players think a game that is behind cannot be won and stop caring.
• Boredom or humor. Some players do it because they find it funny, which is the least defensible reason.

What Riot Says and Does

Riot's rules treat intentional feeding as a behavior violation. In the post-game report options, you can select intentional feeding, and reports from several players about the same behavior are taken more seriously than a single report. Possible penalties for repeated behavior range from chat restrictions and ranked restrictions to temporary or permanent suspension. The exact thresholds and penalties are decided by Riot and can change, so read the current behavior policy on Riot's support site instead of relying on any list, including ours.

What to Do When a Teammate Is Inting

1. Mute them. Use the scoreboard or the chat command to mute the player. You do not need to read their messages while you are trying to play.
2. Do not argue. Arguing wastes time and can get you a chat penalty.
3. Play around the loss. If one lane is lost, take objectives in the other lanes, defend your base and trade towers. A three-versus-four or four-versus-five is difficult, but games are sometimes won when the enemy team gets careless.
4. Consider surrendering. A surrender vote becomes available after a set time in a standard match. Check the current surrender rules in the client. If the game is clearly lost because of an inting teammate, ending it quickly saves time for another game.
5. Report after the match. Choose the correct category and describe the behavior accurately. A report with an exaggerated description is less useful than a short and accurate one.

How to Avoid Becoming an Inter Yourself

• After a bad death, take one deep breath and ask what you can do in the next minute that helps your team.
• Mute players who frustrate you before you become angry.
• Stop playing for a while after two or three losses in a row. Tilt carries from one game to the next.
• Review your own deaths. If you see a pattern, such as always walking into the jungle without vision, work on that instead of blaming others.

Our article on ranked anxiety and how pro players handle pressure has practical habits for resetting after a bad game.

Does Inting Affect Your Rank?

Every loss can cost you LP, so a teammate who feeds can cost you rating. The matchmaking system tries to put you in games with players of similar rating, but it cannot detect a teammate's intent in advance. If you want to understand how LP and hidden rating work together, read our guide to how MMR works, and our LoL ranks guide explains divisions and promotions.

Conclusion

Inting means feeding on purpose. It is different from playing badly, being tilted or trying a risky play. When you meet it, mute, play around it, report accurately and keep your own behavior in check. If you want a coach to help you review games where tilt or teammates cost you rank, our LoL coaching service can go through your replays with you.