Mid Smolder is best understood as a Dragon Practice route through the shortest lane on the map: you pick him when mid can keep feeding the next Q breakpoint, not because he will automatically bail out any bad early game the way Kassadin or Aurelion Sol sometimes can
Keep a wall in reach and treat E as part of your farming route, because once you spend it for chip damage or a vanity trade, the next wave often stops being yours and your safest stacking line disappears
Smolder’s cleanest fights usually start with R, not end with it: use the slow and space early, then keep feeding upgraded Qs through the front target until splash and execute pressure spread the damage where you actually need it
Go to a side lane when it is a short, safe collection job, not a residency plan. If the wave is pushing toward you, the next objective is not spawning immediately, and you still have a clear wall route for E, take the farm and leave. Stay only long enough to catch the wave, maybe one more if you see everyone, then rotate back toward mid access before the next real fight forms. What usually goes wrong on Smolder is lingering for “one more wave” after your escape path and teamfight timing have both changed. If the map is dark or your team may start soon, mid is usually the better place to keep stacking and be reachable.
Hitting champions with Abilities and killing enemies with Super Scorcher Breath grants a stack of Dragon Practice. Stacks increase the damage of Smolders basic Abilities.
Smolder breathes fire on an enemy. As he gains more stacks, this ability becomes more powerful.
Smolder lets out an adorable flaming sneeze that explodes when hitting enemy champions.
Smolder takes flight ignoring terrain and bombarding the lowest health enemy.
Smolder calls his mom to breath fire from above, dealing extra damage and slowing enemies in the center of her fire.