READ BEFORE JUDGING. AP TRIST IS A VERY VIABLE OPTION AND VERY FUN TO PLAY.

Marks: Standard for AP bursters

Seals: Greater Seal of Replenishment Can replace with whatever you like. I just like the mana regen for early game harass

Glyphs: Required so that your actual hurts early game

Quints: Required so that your actual hurts early game

I go for 9-21-0 build. I know AP bursters usually go 21 in utility but I just don't find it very useful. Her cd's are very low and I never have a problem with mana. So might as well get some defense; she is a very very squishy champion.

I start with for health, mana regen, and AP. With this, you start off with roughly 650hp, 40ap, and 10mp5 (with runes and such). Then I usually lane as much as possible. I usually get 1 or 2 kills before my first stop back because people don't usually expect high burst from trist and get start overextending. So first stop back, i always get and either a or a , depending on how much i have. From there, you want to get . If you aren't having such a great early game, feel free to pick up a second . Now from here, you can get whatever item you feel like getting first. My recommended items are what I usually do.

For AP Trist, your r, e, and w are your bread and butter. That, with ignite, will be your full combo. has a 150% ap ratio, has a 100% ap ratio, and has a 80% ap ratio.... those are some crazy ratios, probably the best in the game. With all your items and stuff, JUST FROM AP your ult does almost 1000 damage, e does 650, and w does 520. Combine that with the damage from the ability itself, you get 1500, 880, and 750 respectively. And remember, your w refreshes its cooldown upon a kill/assist. This is why i like getting 21 in defense:

-rocket jump in on their carry
-explosive shot
-ignite
-ult
-rocket jump out

You'll be at about half health because people will try to focus you, and their carry will be dead.

is very good on Trist. Combined with , a champion at low health is a guaranteed kill.

Just for escape purposes. You can replace this with ghost if you please.

Most people don't expect you to go ap. Therefore, people will be very surprised when you one shot them with your combo. I know the AD build is more standard but I just don't find that build very consistent. For that build, it's a hit or miss; either you get fed early game and dominate, or you don't get fed, don't get your items, and fail hard. I won't lie to you, you'll get a lot of heat when you play as ap trist. People will call you a noob... however, this is where you carry the team and then laugh at them in the end. Here is some proof to the power of ap trist: