These are old builds that are near impossible to reach for they have nerfed AP kog farther than I can continue to play him viable as a solo mid champ. My suggestion now is to mixup the gameplay via attempting to change the meta. AKA have a duo lane of AP Kog and Urgot/Corki/(etc.) bot running double mana manipulators to start, and tkae turns farming/warding. Send some champ like Viktor/Karthus mid that is true AP. Give Kog my Remastered Build or make him an AP oriented hybrid (more ap than ad) dependant on team comp (AP vs AD damage).

You cannot lane mid with either of these builds for too many new viable mid champs, and old ones... along with, due to the nerf, far more old ones. If only people understood deathfire + mobility and/or a nuke = dead kog without much damage taken... (lb, arhi, dianna, gragas, etc.)then he might not have been nerfed so hard.

The only differences between the two Kog'Maw's
are: Exhaust switched out for Surge ; and 21 0 9 masteries vs 9 0 21 masteries. I find the 21 0 9 setup to be better in all cases but escape... in other words with the second setup you must play more cautious than with the first one.

The Stats mobafire displays are false, do not rely upon those, do the build and find out what you get if you want to know every stats number... I'm just trying to share my build of him with everyone.

You are Not AP AD OP INFINITE MANA Kog'Maw until you have your full build and blue buff... it is always best to be glowing (the 3 elixirs... maybe a smidge of Oracle's Elixer)

This is a classic gameplay build. Dominion is not my rhelm, although this would work there, just stand between 2 points, anytime they try to cap one juSt walk near it and ult to stop them, your ult will hurt them pretty bad.

You will always be focused if you are in range, if you do things right and the opponent is even halfway competent. They will refocus you instead of your teammates if you get in range... care.

This build is for players who are experianced at skillshoting, you will be playing Kog'Maw in a way similar to xerath. If your not you might have some trouble, but the mana alloted show allow you to get better. On another note this is not finely polished... the items and spell order are 100% suggested, the rest feel free to modify.

I have put off putting this on MOBAFIRE for months now, so I decided something is better than nothing, enjoy!

Update: chalice can now be made into the grail = more viable than rod of ages, replace rod of ages with the chalice if you are willing to sacrifice the health and mana pool for mana regen... I strongly suggest you do you it is cheaper and allows you to decide between cheap ap (the ap books), mana regen (tossup), or expensive ap (rod of ages).

Kog'Maw dominates with artillery at a range, and the ap comes with mana too, so you can ult around 30 times without blue buff from a full charge. With blue buff you can ult almost infinitely, it seems like they nerfed blue buff, not just the minions, but it's affects, thus if does not seem to give you infinite, but it gives you a lot more, if you truly want infinite throw a chalice in while you have blue buff... it is relatively cheap and helps early game, I just never find that I need it, for blue buff gives me a lot of mana if I just stop ulting for a its stack cooldown.

Nearly Infinite mana with blue
Turns into a long ranged nuke that shuts most champs down, and harasses all others (beware of a good mordekaiser, or any champ with lifesteal that gets near... you tend to get focused as this build... I find I always am, and without a good team to keep them off of me... you’re going to want to always keep your distance even if that means disengaging and running, for your team can always chase them...)

Late game is AP AD and as I like to put it OP Infinite Mana Kog'Maw late game (Blue buff).

Kog'Maw's E aka his barf ( Void Ooze) takes down all but the large/super minion mid game due to the amount of ap you have... when you start to get the rylai's this should happen, thus great at farming just after the midway point in his build. With blue buff at level 3 ult (level 16+ unless you goofed up) you can ult ever .6 seconds (according to the spell, due to cast time it's a smidge longer).

If you are not good at skillshots this is the champ to practice with for he has two of them, one being of ridiculous range. Also the build allows for error due to the amount of mana, especially with blue buff... the more I play my Kog'Maw the more I find myself randomly ulting in locations for I don't even know where I will ult before I do, thus they can't predict, thus lowering their morale and allowing for your team to do other things, such as turret dive or barron... thus build makes you great at suppression and ult skillshots become frequent luck shots, for it's quantity of ults not quality, if you manage both then bravo

I would vouch for this champ with this build being more broken than any other champ in the game... of course throw six force of natures onto Rammus and this champ can't touch him, but wait he is ap ad! No counter for this late game hybrid... except for maybe a good viegar that got to close... which shouldn't happen due to your range, don't chase an enemy if you can refocus another.

No need for facechecking you noobs, Kog'Maw's ult does that for you with a relatively safe distance at ult level 1, completely safe all other levels (note champs with built in flash or the flash spell and good chase spells are not included... it is a generality, and you should never be caught via people hiding in bushes anyways... I never am except for level 1 ult and below, but it's rare even then. (Just walk up, ult and walk away, if clear it's safe to enter however long ago you ulted... wards are best)
I would argue no other build is better, you want to try me at it then 1v1 me as Kog'Maw vs Kog'Maw. My in game name is ARM24, have any suggestions to make it better than it's welcome, just msg me in game... I just doubt there is something better in terms of ITEMS for AP (late game hybrid) Kog'Maw.

No-one ever expects ap Kog'Maw, they always think you’re getting a manamune when you start out, at least I've never seen any build magic resistance until mid-late game outside what would be considered a normal build, of course the seemingly most expensive part of your build are the Rod of Ages and Archangel's Staff, after that your power grows exponentially thus you farm better, and usually uou don't get those items until around level 9 if the opponent is competent.

With a full build and if your following all runes, masteries, items (of the kog on the left)... here then you should have around 800 ap thus 800 ad every 2 seconds late game due to lich bane, with this you should be able to decimate anyone from afar... just don't get caught.... if you do you have a high chance of dying.... for you will most likely be focused... the opponent wanting to focus you is good for that means your the most deadly... The
stats mobafire shows are false for who knows what reason... do the build and find out what the real stats are... it's at full build 3k health and mana roughly as well as 800 ap idk the ad for I don't really get close enough to worry about it.

If following the kog on the right (the 1 with Surge ) then you should be around 900-1k ap with Surge active...

You are "weak" early game but blue buff makes up for this, when you get level 3 (e) you will start packing a punch. You will sometimes find you have to turret hug if your opponent has a support in the lane, once you get your ult this will most liekly change, especially if you have blue buff.

The althernative build with Surge and ad masteries makes up for this early game weakness and makes you more deadly when it counts due to the ap and as boost... thus late game your ap goes over 900 with Surge active anda full build... in turn you do 6% + 9% of the oppoents health = 15%, but makes it less likely that you can excape due to losing Exhaust... plus of late I can't seem to lose a game with any champ so idk how valid the 2nd spell and mastery setup is, but from the past couple games I've played I've gathered that info... since it seems to be a tossup and I've mentioned this elsewhere it seems only fitting to put it here.

Do whatever you want here, I don't have a lot of ip, thus I haven't tested here a lot. That is what works for me and here's an explanation to some of the oddball runes: the health regen per 5 runes are left over from when I started to buy runes. Replace one spell vamp rune with a lifeseal rune... I didn’t see any lifesteal Quintessence’s in the list thus I say it here, for those of you that miss this... well, 2% more spell vamp won’t hurt, just makes them that much more reliant upon mana and cooldowns (BLUE BUFF). The single glyph of focus doesn’t seems like a big deal, but is for me; it saves me in life and death situations... I find it true for most champs I play. The same is true for the two greater seals of replenishment which will provide you with just that extra boost of mana needed early game to keep the enemy at bay, if not totally wrecked. All other runes seem quite obvious of why they're there. Good luck finding the ip for it all.

Do whatever you want here, I just find this works best, haven't tested here much... I think the cooldowns, spell vamp, buff duration extensions, and so on help. You probably could get away with an ad mastery tree, but yet again just makes one that much more reliant upon mana and cooldowns (BLUE BUFF). If you do choose an offence mastery instead I suggest getting the 3rd spell vamp rune instead of a lifesteal rune. Also if you do this you might want to switch out the health regen runes for crit runes... for magic pen and ap are still important... after all this is focused around the items to buy, just change that... the build weakens. I have done a lot of testing in terms of ap Kog'Maw, that doesn't mean I have tried everything (especially in terms of runes), I won’t be offended if one changes this build up. If you’re going to put 30 points into the offence mastery please make sure to take all of the section that covers crits. The ad is just to cover those pesky champs that get close, after all utility doesn't provide anything, and if you have blue it's the same as utility, so if you control blue the ad masteries will probably suit you better, I just find I can't always get blue, thus the suggested masteries and build... it gets one (over) 3k health and mana roughly and around 778 ap if with elixirs thus around 111 ad every 2 seconds + 778 ad if you have lich bane.

For the Kog'Maw build with 21 0 9 (the 2nd Kog'Maw (has Surge)) when you activate sure you get over 900 ap with a full build.

I do not suggest changing anything here, sure a health pot and mana pot are sometimes useful early game but that is based upon your own ability and competence, I sometimes take them and sometimes don't, it is up to those that decide to use this build whether or not they will get them. Order does not matter much, buy what you can afford, just get the fully built items in that order...

aka get in this order: Rod of Ages, Archangel's Staff, Sorcerer's Shoes, Rylai's Crystal Scepter, Rabadon's Deathcap, Lich Bane; and sometimes a Phantom Dancer in place of the Sorcerer's Shoes.

The Phantom Dancer only comes in if and only if the opponents are not building magic resist, if they are don't bother with it, it is only designed to help you backdoor faster ( Ghost and Void Ooze makes up for the lost speed anyways (I find I can still escape people who are faster than me with this combo (boots of swiftness/mobility... just beware the Rammus or Zilean... or even worse the Rammus with boots of mobility speed up by Zilean))).

I assume you all know when to buy consumables... so change that up however you want.

To cover spells here's a short blurb: Get Ghost, it will make you godly when chasing fleeting opponents (ult like mad). Exhaust is your friend when you need to escape, it's also there when you feel like killing someone who wants to run, and is tanky.

Alternative Items
If you are afraid of cc and whatknought and don't mind giving up the Lich Bane, then get a Zhonya's Hourglass, doing this makes the Phantom Dancer tradeout for Sorcerer's Shoes pointless.If you do this you will most likely be surrounded and be in a worse situation than you were in before... so personally I'd stick with a Lich Bane.
On a final note I suggest you get a Void Staff if a good amount of the opponent is getting magic resistance, this Void Staff would replace your Rod of Ages, although you'd be significantly decreasing your health and mana pools to the point you'd have to be more conservative with your mana as well as more tactical with your spells. Not only would you have to do those actions, you would have to be more map aware, for the health you lose via the trade puts you down to the level in which some champs can seemingly insta-kill you. In other words this case is the exact opposite of the opponent not building magic resistance thus you getting a phantom dancer in the other case (just the items you replace and replace with are different). Note that if you take Exhaust instead of Surge then getting a Void Staff is not as important for a void staff lets you kill them quickier if they jump you... and helps you autdo their lifesteal and Exhaust shuts down the opponent who would be the extra magic pen works towards. Basically Surge and Void Staff = more offensive and Exhaust and Void Staff = more defensive. You'll get a +k/d ratio most cases either way and msot often curbstomp normal games... but it comes down to which 1 do you value more. It seems to be a tossup... I'd say if your playing ranked (since you know who their going) decided if their gap closers need to be stoped in tehir tracks or if you need to do a significant amount more damage at a much higehtend likelyhood of death for you.

DON'T GET COCKY!
I find myself guilty of this quite often, and it is only when I get cocky that I start to die. If you keep your distance and have a competent team then your golden...

Controls
Everyone has their preferences... WADS instead of QWER is one of my control preferences (keys to abilities are in order (q to w, w to a, e to d, r to s)). Q and E are my spells Q being Exhaust (left spell) and E being Ghost(right spell).

Laning

I find I can lane in any lane, even 2v1, just be reserved and get last hits (even if it means using mana) until you have your ult, once you have it unleash hell... especially if you have blue buff.

Blue buff
Rarely is there a champion that needs this more than Kog'Maw... Heimerdinger would be one I say needs it more than Kog'Maw due to his turrets... the cooldown and mana makes him harass and push perfectly. So if there is no jungle, or a jungler that is willing to give up blue then go for it... especially go for it if your team takes their blue... make sure you get that blue or the other blue while your teams jungler gets one of the two as well... and periodically steal their blue buff, heimerdinger does not need blue buff late game, if he does he is being built WRONG, but this is a build/guide for Kog'Maw.

Fights
Keep your distance if you can, if you find your stuck in 1 though, don't run you will find it to be the biggest mistake ever... even though you have 3k health... their cc and chasing ability will outdo your ability to escape... the best thing to do here is focus the most squishy champ and take them down, or if their team is bunched up on you ult on top of yourself and do all the AOE you can then try to pick some off with your passive if you didn't survive... just because you couldn't kill them doesn’t mean your team can't. The 3k health gives you just enough time to hurt them pretty badly if not kill them, as well as give your team time to get there and finish what you started. NOTE: You must have a competent team for this to work, without one doing anything is essentially futile... you must carry and always get blue, and always keep your distance no matter if it means leaving a teammates to die (if you know they can catch you and that you can’t do much then just get out... you can solo hold a turret vs. five in most cases if fully built(especially if you have blue buff), so why bother let the opponent get the upper hand.

So to summarize the fight section: Keep your distance, get blue buff, if you there's doubt that you can get out then fight (especially if you suck at juking) and if you can survive and you know you can’t do much and you know they can catch you and kill you then get out... Overall KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS! as well as your teammates and opponents limitations.

Jungle
I have never tried legitly jungling with Kog'Maw, try it if you wish, you cna get blue buff at level 6 solo, just depending on how you start the engagement and your opponents competency you might have to go b... and you don't get it quickly, if you don't have blue buff from level 6+ you’re not going to farm as well and thus not do as good. If you don't have it level 11+ you might as well be what you consider a mediocre champ. If you don't have it level 16+ and haven't had it at all before, might as well be the most useless champ in the game if you’re not good at skillshots or conserving mana. (I don't bother conserving mana, I find suppressing the opponent does wonders more even without blue buff (30 ults non-stop)).

VS another Kog'Maw
Well no-one ever plays ap Kog'Maw, and if they do they're not competent, at least I haven't found one, yes as or ad or hybrid Kog'Maw can hurt you early game. Don't worry you can take them late game, just play reserved and hurt them when you can over farming for their w will hurt, rely upon Void Ooze to counter them.

CC
Beware cc, if someone catches you, then your SOL, for a competent opponent will take that cc time to kill you while you can't do a thing, thus why you must keep your distance and be aware of your surroundings, I find if you are at your elevated turrets, just stand behind 1 and don't chase and you are golden, out any further then the fog of war will cc and nab you (especially true of veigars (beware deathfire grasp (thus keep your distance yet again)).

MISC

Use your Void Ooze then your Caustic Spittle or Bio-Arcane Barrage or your Living Artillery, (or here is the logical or meaning and/or). The reason for using void ooze first is the fact that it slows them down... it's not worth the smidge of magic pen boost if they can get to you and hurt you sooner and thus more.

Ranked
I don't do much of this, but when I do and have a team competent enough to not feed as well as play along I do just fine and win, with cooperation it's hard.... any average or below elo, good luck... you have to carry your way out of that. WARD, and use ults to check bushes, it's worth the mana

Well idc how you do your skill Void Ooze and Living Artillery first always, except for when your pulling up on a tower.. then I'd say go for your Bio-Arcane Barrage, you can always level and gain the other spells later. (Get whatever you feel the situation dictates you should have).

The 2nd skill sequence for the 2nd Kog'Maw (team 2 Surge Kog'Maw 21 0 9 masteries) takes his w sooner than the other for the reason that you have Surge... Surge makes that skill more deadly than it would be otherwise... plus your Bio-Arcane Barrage will help you get towers faster when combined with Surge.

Heimerdinger (care though, he might steal your farm and it is always unintentional... his turrets..., any supports really... soraka being the best due to mana.

Xerath is good for the lightning (arcane whatever)(q) and Kog'Maw's Void Ooze, plus Xerath's stun ability combo and both their ults, Kog'Maw's slow... etc.

Any champ that has a straight line AOE non-ult (although ults work, just the idea is to take turns farming the minions). ex. Nocturne, Caitlyn, Xerath, Viktor; ults: Twitch, Lux... Only problem here is if you choose an ap champ to lane with that isn't a support, you guys have to stack ap fast
for any magic resist will hurt you a smidge... thus the magic penetration runes. Note that most these champs have some sort of cc

Any ad champ would work, although champs that provide you with sustain are great, plus no-one ever expects Kog'Maw to be ap, for he's usually ad, as, or hybrid.

Gragas is a serious threat, he has hard to fight due to kog's speed and gargas being able to close the gap via combo running and ult skillshotting getting you next to him, and his barrels are just generally hard to dodge.

Mordeiaser Is annoying, you just have to get minion kills and keep him off the tower, always hit him when his shield is down.

Both these champs can be suppressed late game, but early game it is difficult to fight them both.... moreso Gragas for Gragas is deadly Mord just cuts back on your farm.

Annoying champs:
LeBlanc can be suppressed game start more than she can suppress you... so harass gamestart and progressively play more defensively... for her burst hurts. Once you get your Living Artillery hit her and wait for here to jump and and hit your so use your Void Ooze then your Caustic Spittle

Cassiopeia can really hurt until you hit level 6 due to your Living Artillery, hit her with your Void Ooze to harass while clipping some minions as you level to level 6 and alwasy steer clear of her poison.

Other champs can be annoying but not deadly alone until you hit level 6, but can't kill you as fast as you can kill them once you hit level 6.

There it is spell checked but as for the run-on’s that’d have to be taken care of some other time… your missing the point… all the text doesn’t have to be clear…. What it comes down to is the items, the spells, blue buff, and keeping your distance, the rest of it is trivial in a way; thus the run-ons assist in getting people to just try the setup.

It seems redundant for a reason... if it is redundant, it is important... blue buff.

If you want to learn more about using Kog'Maw's abilities then look at other guides on him... here's the link to the currently most popular one.
Its name is "Kog'maw - Right Click and Win" and the link is:
Kog'maw - Right Click and Win

Ap Kog'Maw is broken, it is even more broken with blue buff, get a chalice if you can't get blue, although if you time the jungle and all you should always get blue. Never have teammates help you get blue after you have Rod of Ages and Archangel's Staff if you don't trust their competency to not steal accidental or otherwise.

Late game you can backdoor and take on most champs 1v1, know your limitations.

Don't get cocky, stay aware.

Anyone can handle this build if they had the gold, be good at farming and surviving until you start getting your rylai's, otherwise you will have trouble progressing (stay ahead in gold at all costs, if you know your going to die and can't kill the the opponent and no-one is there to pick up the kill, go for the ranged minions to get yourself some gold.

This is a very expensive build that is late game, more often than not you won’t get the full build. Remember the phantom dancer is a sometimes item designed to replace sorcerers shoes if the opponents are not building magic resist.

Please, if you have read this guide and have honestly tried the build a few times... feel free to vote... leave good or bad reviews... just provide constructive criticism... I finally got around to gussying it up. Now please do not ask for video's on how Kog'Maw works or stat proof, for I don't want to influance how you vote via how well I play him. Feel free too look at video's on how to play him, or the guide that covers fairly well how to play him that I've linked in this guide. I have provided the methodology in which you play Kog'Maw, now get out there and try my way and many others ways until you find the fit that is best for you... Kog'Maw is one of those rare champs that can be played virtually any way. Somone made jungle Kog'Maw yet? So take 6 health pots and some red tea... go wrieths wolves blue buff wrieths b health pot something else.... go pro, idk you decide, it'd be interesting to see 1 if nothing more than a joke.

A.R.M.'s Confounding Heimerdinger
Red Blue 42 it's my poisin now