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Fiddlesticks Build Guide by

An In Depth Guide To Fiddlesticks(Work In Progress)

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6 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author xxmrscissorsxx

Fiddlesticks Build Guide By Updated on

Guide Discussion (6) More Fiddlesticks Guides

Choose Champion Build:

Spells:

Flash

Exhaust

Ability Order

Fiddlesticks Passive Ability

Introduction

*NOTE* Until the new masteries are updated to mobafire, I will keep these up.

How to be this good at Fiddlesticks

I am new to mobafire so there will not be many if any pictures in here at all.
*Update* I am getting better at simple coding so this guide might be a bit more appealing now. Thanks to Levidica!

This is not so much a "defined" specific build, but rather the way you should play . To understand this guide you will need to have a basic understanding of LoL.
If you are not familiar with the terms like CC, laning, last hitting, AD, AP, this guide will be a bit harder to understand (generally levels 10 and under). Not impossible but just try to follow along.
Let's get started shall we?

Fiddle can jungle/lane and that changes his build entirely.
This guide will be made so that people of little experience of Fiddlesticks, and those who commonly play Fiddlesticks can both take something away from this guide.

The first part of the guide will be directed to 5V5 matches both ranked and non-ranked, Jungle or laning. The 3v3 will be lower on the guide.

Also at the end of each chapter there will be a TL:DR (To Long Did Not Read) so you can can catch on key points, *note* this however excludes borrowed material as I wish not to change it in any way or form. (I HIGHLY suggest reading this as a whole as this is an in-depth guide! [Lazy bugger])

Things This Build Will Touch On

Fiddlesticks is an AP Caster, I like to consider him a controller. What I mean by this is that his damage isn't burst. Unlike Annie, Fiddlesticks isn't the Q-W-E-R WIN! His moves , , , all take time to deal damage.
His moves do not have high ability power ratios
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TL;DR This guide will explain how Fiddlesticks mobility/functionality/build affect the game.

Basics of LoL

This section of the guide will explain the most important places to ward for your team's overall success through about the game.

Order of priority:

Baron/Dragon Wards:

However you decide to set these up with your team, whether it be orderly among the team or supports only buy wards, make sure these are always laid out! Baron and Dragon are what we're primarily keeping an eye on here. Early in the match it's not as important obviously, however, you still need to know whether top, mid, or bot will be set up for a gank when enemy laners/junglers are wandering about. These early kills can help the enemy sculpt the rest of the match and land a victory. We don't want to be allowing the enemy to kill either Baron or Dragon. That's a good chunk of gold that will distribute among their team, not to mention Baron's handy buff. Again, don't overlook these wards!

Self Privacy Wards:

There's orange points at top, mid, and bot hiding locations. I would hope that your entire team would try to ward the areas entitled to them. These wards are not entirely important, however, they are lifesavers. Junglers and wandering laners will use these bushes to set up for early kills. If you're pushing your lane, then it would be a good idea to ward the bush(es) that are closest to you.

Team Privacy Wards:

These are crucial wards to put out if the match can go either way by eliminating possible ambushes when pushing minions or entering your own jungle.

Game Changing Wards:

Of course all of the wards posted on the map are capable of changing the outcome of a game, but these wards are placed in a location that both teams will always drift by. Reasons to go through the wards (for both teams): Getting to Baron and dragon, changing lanes, shifting from allied jungle to the enemy's jungle (either by self or team) to steal mobs/buffs, shifting as a team to gank the enemy team, etc. If you just have a ward on either Baron and/or dragon, you can still miss the enemy slipping by into your jungle never knowing it. This allows enemies to set up ganks. Therefore, these wards change the outcome of a game because you know whats coming.

Invading Wards:

I thought it was appropriate to name these wards in this manner because you can enter their bushes knowing whether they're there or not before you attempt to set up a gank. The enemy usually walks through these bushes hoping to freely enter their jungle for experience/gold and/or buffs.

Buff Wards:

Monitor your own and your enemy's buffs with these wards. Good to set in your own jungle if they start playing dirty and snatching buffs early game from your jungle. These wards are primarily for the junglers of each team.

- The section above including the picture and the explanations below are borrowed from Apotheosis' Tryndamere Guide

The Lanes

To put it simply, each of the three lanes has an over all goal that isn't just push push push push push push... It's much more than that. There are some goals that all the lanes share, and some goals that are unique to each lane.

Common Goals Among the Lanes

To accumulate minion kills, or CS
To Protect your tower, as well as destroying theirs
To kill the enemy champions in the lane
To Properly ward the brush and other areas to protect your lane
To ALWAYS be aware of your teams jungler and help set up kills
To always be ready to assist other lanes when you have the chance
To be prepared to jump into a team fight whenever needed

The Goals of Top Lane

To "last hit" every minion possible
To maintain control of your lane by not over extending
To keep the minion waves close to the middle of the lane to ensure you cannot be ganked, as well as set up perfect ganks for your jungler
To Ward.Ward.Ward.Ward.Ward.Ward.
To always be aware of your middle lane as you are able to gank easily
To assist your jungler when ever needed!

Goals of Mid Lane

To last hit every single chance you get
To harass the enemy in your lane to keep them low
To have dominance over your enemy
To push through their tower every possible chance
To watch for you jungler's ganks, using your CC to accomplish this

Goals of Bot Lane

To pressure your enemies
To farm minion waves as well as the enemies
This is the lane that should be the last to loss its tower
To buy enough time for the tank to get gold for the items required to begin initiating team fights

TL;DR, Lanes, which one did you take, your gonna have to read this one, it was done very well, and you should take the time to read and appreciate it. Credit goes to -Levidica

Personal View On Void Staff and Penetration Calculations Sorc Boots Discuss

This is going to first explain why we don't get on Fiddlesticks

Fiddlesticks, sadly, does not have huge AP ratios, so penetration becomes a good friend.
But let's check out some damage calculations.
Assuming you are level 30
With a full rune page and masteries
Fiddlesticks has, in order of calculation;

PASSIVE

-10MR

Runes

8.55Flat Penetration

Masteries

15% penetration

So assuming your opponent level 1 has roughly 30MR (because why would you target the tank)
30-10 (-Magic Reduction effects)
20-8.55 (-Flat Penetration)
11.45*.15% (-1.72) (-%Penetration) (Masteries)
9.73MR
that means they will resist 9.73% of your attack(if this is wrong please correct me). Which isn't very much at all.
But now you rush a (Call me an idiot[METAGAME, METAGAME, METAGAME]) they will resist about 6%. 3% difference, That's not very much... is it?

You are absolutely right, it's not. But the cool thing is when they try to stack magic resistance. Let's add in a . Assuming you didn't buy Sorcerer's boots.
78-10
68-8.55
68*49% + Masteries(it doesn't stack additively)
~34MR
They are left with ~34 MR, My point is, its now a HUGE difference!
So they just spent 740 gold, for 35 MR if you had the . (Pre-Calculated) You would actually leave them with them with 25 MR meaning they spent twice as much gold, for a Null Mantle Cloak.
The penetration boots are not really that useful on Fiddlesticks, you would benefit much better from the 25 tenacity from the or your preference of boots.
But if no one stacks MR on the other team, your void staff is kind of pointless.
When you have your / You normally Pop the active of diving turrets, and your opponents health will melt.

TL;DR are not worth it.

Drain vs Darkwind

Both of these spells are nice but they have different uses.
If you are jungling, you will do spells in this order from 1-6
-----
The level 4 is so we can gank lanes.
The Reason why we take at level 5 is so we can solo dragon.
The leveling of spells after this point is up to you, depending on your ganking skills.
If you are going to max x Build a
If you are going to max x Build an or
Never Level x as is way to good. A 3 second fear is nuts, even with 25 tenacity its over 2 seconds of CC. It is probably my favourite move, yes even more then .
is great, but be careful not to use it when your team is trying to land skill shots. It can save them
(- FLERP-A-DERP).

Quick Laning Overview

When laning in a 1v1 against someone with 2 forms of CC
When laning in a 1v1 against someone with 1 or no forms of CC
When laning in a 2v1
when laning in a 2v2

More detail will go into this later in the guide.

TL;DR Dark Wind and Drain have different uses, when laning against little or no CC grab Drain over Dark Wind, and vice versa.

The Common Misconception(s) of Fiddlesticks

People tend to have the idea that once Fiddle is stunned (or CC'd for any matter) he is then rendered useless. (Also doesn't that speak for any caster)
Now this is not entirely true.
Your drain is powerful, know your opponents CC, count whats been used and what hasn't.
It is about "When to use your moves". If you feel to pressured, fear and run away.
You will learn to chain your cooldowns in no time.
By chaining I mean, using your cooldowns so you can have one in reserve.

A big debate on Fiddlesticks is on health. This build does not really rely on health but rather MR and ARMOR. You could switch out the for , but that's not always necessary.

TL;DR Fiddlesticks is not useless when focused by a single form of CC. Though Chain-stuns are stupid.

The 5 W's

Who is Fiddlesticks meant for?
Do you like to have people always wondering where you are, semi-powerful spells and a team killing ult? Awesome try Fiddle!

Fiddlesticks is a gank heavy character who can scare people just on his Presence
"Presence you say? What does that mean?"

Well lets look at how people view you
Fiddlesticks to the opposite team is either:
A)Underrated
B)Scary as hell and they want you dead.

"Your Presence is what makes you powerful"

While you are MIA, hiding in bushes waiting for the right gank, you have everything and a bag of chips. You have an AOE ult, a Fear a Silence, and a Drain. You are meant to keep your opponents pressured by making them think, "Where's Fiddle? Could he be ganking us? Let's not push to far then."

What are Fiddlesticks's capabilities?
You have the ability to shut people down, and allow your team to do your dirty work. Or Do the dirty work and let your team clean up.

Why play Fiddlesticks?
Fiddlesticks is not top tier, so why not play X,Y or Z, top tier champ instead?
Because Fiddlesticks is an awesome jungler considered top 3 jungler, tons of CC (crowd control), and incredible gank potential.
Also Fiddlesticks is not low tier, normally you will find him in the middle, or "hard to place on a team"

When...
When is going to be a big word in this guide, thus we will be explaining when to use Crowstorm when to use (Terrify)Fear, later.

How does Fiddle get kills? No one is going to stand in your drain?
Your exactly right, no one will stand in your drain, hence why you fear them!
Fiddlesticks is well known for his drain, but you also have to realize, it has been nerfed and is easy to cancel. Darkwind deals much more damage than you think it does. Your ultimate (when used right) can guarantee you a kill.

Where did I get my knowledge of Fiddlesticks?
Obviously it's going to be a big question, I have several matches and images, but sadly I'm terrible at coding things so sadly you will have to wait a tad bit until I can update this. But by trust, I have 600+ games as Fiddlesticks, and a very nice win to loss ratio (roughly 675 wins/530 losses. (if only I knew how to check it in normal). On the ELO of normal (using a fancy online ELO calculator http://lolcave.com/ec/) I am sitting above 2100 ELO normal.
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TL;DR
Fiddle is fun, you have a lot of CC to kill enemies, and your ultimate when used right can always guarantee a kill.

Your Role On The Team

There are some several things to consider,
In champ selection:

Jungler? If you are level 30 take the jungle, if your not that's fine, just lane.
AP heavy? Can you play someone AD? If your answer is no, there will be a slight change in your build (this will be talked about later on).
AD heavy? Awesome, you should be happy, as people will tend to buy Thornmails as you shred through their MR.
No Tank? This actually kind of sucks, If you don't have a tank you will also need a change in your items.

In Game:

Did I take Jungle: Awesome start with the Jungle guide further below.
They are building MRThe split second you see someone building the , or a Banshees Veil that isn't a tank, counter it and switch to working on that .
I'm dying a lot: Click on your death recap (that is very important read that[when you die its the bar at the top of the screen]) and what did the most damage.
Was it AD? Build your faster.
Magic Damage? Build the faster.
Neither of those work? Build .
If you find dying to be quite common in your games build a instead of a in the beginning.
I'm getting fed: Best thing you could hear. If your still having fun with Fiddle, DONT buy a Mejai's as it is very risk reward, and Fiddle is not good with that situation, Fiddlesticks cannot magically carry unlike other champs, so he does need a nice well rounded build.

What Lane did I take?
This will be discussed below.
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TL;DR: Build for the situation, if you find yourself dying, buy wards to keep away junglers from potential ganks, buy tanky to make yourself more sustainable.

Fiddle In Lane

Now we want to try to keep these objectives in mind, yet throw how to play Fiddle in them as well.

Top Lane

2v2 Top Lane

This happens semi often with lower levels, or where people don't jungle much. Chances are you are going to be paired against 2 squishies, or 1 squish and 1 heavy. Something you should notice first is, how much Crowd Control is there?

If you are lower level I highly suggest leveling > > >. Stand back while draining minions and cast when possible. Also start with a .

2v1 Top lane

This is ok, you're going to be trying to out range your opponent and stop them from getting last hits.

1v1 Mid lane

This is the best lane out come for Fiddlesticks. Dominate with drain unless paired against a champion who has 2 forms of CC.

2v2 Bot lane

This is not the best place to be for fiddle, but it can still work. Darkwind like a boss. Grab Fear after Darkwind.

How To Build Fiddlesticks

This will not be the 100% build everytime but it will give you insight for future purposes.
By the term "heavy" I mean who is going to be outputting the most damage on the enemy team.

Jungle? Buy Amp. Tome-Hextech Revolver
Lane? Dorans Ring (unless you really want tome)

Alright so now lets look at the opponent. Are they building MR? Are they AP or AD heavy?

Not building MR, AP heavy

Abyssal Sceptar should come next. If you find yourself dying get the MR first. If there is to much CC, possibly change the Abyssal Sceptar into a Quicksilver Sash. If doing really bad, build a Banshees.