Why worry about CS (creep score)?

Question

If you focus more on kills and objectives you would obtain a ton of gold. So what does a good CS in a game provide?

Answer 1

Simply put, creeps are much more reliable than any other source of income in the game aside from gold per 10 (which they outpace dramatically). Comparatively, dragon is worth a little bit more than 10 creeps for each player on your team. Killing enemy players also has diminishing returns. The second consecutive kill on a player with no kills is worth less, and the reward for additional kills on that player diminish further.

To be specific, killing the first 3 waves of creeps is worth MORE than an ordinary kill and only 30 gold less than first blood (which is never guaranteed).

However, the biggest problem with roaming around killing objectives for gold, is not so much the lack of gold, but the lack of experience. Minions provide the bulk of experience for champions trying to level up. Also, kills and objectives are not actually worth "a ton of gold."

Dragon is worth 190 gold, or about 10 creeps per player (fewer creeps by the time you can actually kill it reliably)

Baron is worth 300 gold, or about 15 creeps per player. (again, fewer by the time you can even attempt to kill it)

Towers are worth 150, or about 7 1/2 creeps per player. (likely fewer by the time a tower goes down)

The other problem with focusing on objectives without killing creeps is the limited number of available objectives. dragon is only on the map once every six minutes. towers are one time affairs. Baron is only available every seven minutes after his initial kill. Minions, by comparison, are infinite. They will continue to be available as long as the game goes, and they spawn every 30 seconds with increasing value the longer the game goes.

Answer 2

CS is much better gold because it is more reliable than player kills. An average creep wave will get you almost as much as killing a champion.

Answer 3

IT provides gold so you can secure those objectives. You can't just go an instantly take a tower down, since you're not strong enough or high enough level. CS'ing gives you the gold and levels you need to gain an advantage over the opponent, so you can obtain those objectives.

Answer 4

It gives you lots of gold. Fifteen Creeps = One Champion.

Answer 5

CS is low risk high reward. Unlike kills where you can die in the process with CS you get free gold based on your skill of last hitting. If you only focus on kills you will fall behind if your ganks fail or make the enemy stronger if they cs well and take you out when you go for them.

Answer 6

Focusing on kills often means being executed by a turret or minion, or ganked, or caught by the lane partner from behind/stealth because you're over extended

Creeps = XP and gold for less risk.

My unscientific approach is to examine K/D/A scores vs minions killed in the post-game stats. Low minions = high deaths, no matter what the kill number is.