Hello to all you there,

I came back!!!

I am going to rework my guide and make it for you guys!
Garen is my Main champion and I am on 14.04.2016,the 436 Garen Worldwide!Today I'm going to show you,how to play this monster.
I have been looking through so much builds and not only.In game a lot of Garen's build mainstream items,but I think it is time to show that Garen is not a piece of meat and who he really is.

Commonly Garen is expected by other players to build Health, Armor, Magic resist,but its not only what should build this Monster.If you think that Tank is a team Meat Wall,sorry to disappoint you,but it's not.Let's look why?

Pros + Heavy sustain through the game + Good at pushing lanes + Easy to learn + Hard to kill

Cons - Doesn't have a good initiating skill - Weak VS Hard CC champions - Weak VS fast champions - Too heavy Demacian balls

Simple runes to understand.Those runes can work on EVERY other AD champion,but it depends.
Just have more armor and magic resist until you got some items on those specs.With your W Courage those runes will give you alot.
Damage runes for your last hit and early damage output.If you want to master this hero you can try to play without damage runes and see how it works.(seriously dont :D)

Flash

The most popular and most handy spell in the game.You can flash to the enemy and over walls adding an element of surprise and unpredictability.Try to Q Decisive Strike and flash on enemy,instantly giving silence and initiate a fight.(better focus mage this way)

Teleport

Very important spell in the game.You can easily go base and come back.TP on bot lane to help them,or just defend towers and push enemy.In one word,with this spell you show who is the BOSS.I take this spell every game.

Other handy spells...

Ignite

You can pick this,but its not so good on Garen. Everyone using this damaging spell as a finisher,but dont be mistaken.When you fight,try to apply this spell on your opponent in the middle of the fight.If you do like this,your damage output will be bigger and then you can use TRUE finisher - your R Demacian Justice.Dont apply it in the start of a fight because your opponent can flee.

Q Decisive Strike is a awesome ability.It gives your next basic attack bonus damage and silence for 1.5 seconds.But the coolest part is that,when you press the button,all slow disappear.Dont forget it is very important.

W Courage passive gives you flat armor and magic resist for minions kills.Also one of the strongest abilities for tanks,if not the strongest.When you activate your W Courage,you take 30% less damage,which isA LOT.

E Judgment is Garen's bread and butter.The main damaging spell.When you activate it,you spin and damage in aoe your opponents.Your basic attack disappears,so be careful with Q + E combo.Also you go through units,when you spinning.You can use all your spells,when spinning,so you can press your ultimate or Q for movespeed.

R Demacian Justice is your ultimate spell.It is very strong and after recent buff it is one of the most strongest ultimates in the game.It deals magic damage on one target,depending of the enemy missing health.So less health = More damage.For Villians,you deal True damage,not magic.It means you goes through all armor and magic resist, just -Health.

Tips and skill sequence

Starting spell is Q Decisive Strike by default,because it gives you speed,deletes all slows,has silence and with this spell you can easily harass your opponent.Farm and suddenly press Q Decisive Strike,strike opponent,run away.
You can have your E Judgment as a first skill to have a early burst damage and to push lane.

Look at your opponent spell CD and mana.When it's low or you know you are stronger you can easily harass him with combo Q-->Strike enemy-->E and spin his health off.That's the main combo you will be using through all the game.

Dont think that W Courage is not so important.It give you a lot of armor and resist,so please have it as early as you can.(on level 3)

When you fighting dont forget to PRESS your passive W Courage that will give you a major sustain,but not at the start.Start fighting and after 2 or 3 seconds press the Courage.Or just know when your enemy will give the most damage output and press the button.And as said in the name of the ability,dont be a coward,HAVE SOME BALLS!

Demacian Justice is a very powerful spell.It is the horror of _{all tanks} everybody,because it scales of the enemies missing health and as we all know - tanks have a lot of health.It is a finisher spell so use it when your opponent has a 1/4 or 1/5 of health.Also the new utility for this skill,is a Villian.You usually want to ult that _poor guy,but not always.If you have mark on enemy adc,you must press the button on adc.

Bigger Balls mean all in this game.

Usually guides on this site give advices on how to make Garen a more durable piece of meat,but i think it is wrong.Health,Armor and Magic resist - this is not all what tank should have.When you build all those tanky items,you are useless.Why?Let's think about it.
You are the meat wall,what can you do?Some tanky champions have a cc spells that annoys or give advantage for the whole team like Amumu does.But when you are playing Garen and have zero damage you worthless.You can catch spell shots with your face or silence someone with your Decisive Strike and that's all.When the fight begins no one focuses you,but that's your job!Tank must have a bigger impact on the game so that's why Garen needs more damage.

Early Items

One of the starts is Cloth Armor and x5 Health Potion. Cloth Armor because most of top laners have physical damage.This much potions with your passive gives you advantage to stay and trade with your opponent.

I also often start with Long Sword and x3 Health Potion.This will give you more damage,and you can show who is your enemy's Master.

When i think my lower-back will be hurt soon I buy Ruby Crystal and x2 Health Potion.It is not the greatest start,but if you will avoid enemy attacks and have your passive ON all times, it gives you eternal Health Potion.

Versus ad bursters like fiora,or adc,you can try and buy Doran's Shield
Against magic top laners I recommend to buy Mercury's Treads and after Maw of Malmortius(if you won lane)or Spirit Visage.


When lane is going bad,at first back I buy more armor/health and boots(not upgraded),potions.
If you have really bad time,tell your jungler to gank,play safe,and rush tanky items,like Spirit Visage or Sunfire Aegis.


When lane is going OK,at first back I buy Phage/armor/health and boots.Dont forget to buy potions,with your passive you will win lane.With Phage you get a lot of movespeed.Attack minion,or even kill it,press Q Decisive Strike and you will be able to harass enemy.


When lane is going Very Good i buy Black Cleaver.After that,usually no one can stand with Garen without team help.

Core Items

It sure is Black Cleaver.It is MUSTHAVE in every build and every game.The passive with movespeed is a bless for Garen.Press E and you will get infinite movespeed boost, also you will destroy enemy (armor).After this it depends on the enemy team champions and your team.

Items which Demacia need!

Usually,at the start of the game,I already know what I am going to build.If all goes well and I buy Black Cleaver and Mercury's Treads,then i go tanky.(or not)
Good item after that in my opinion is a Garen's old core item Sunfire Aegis.I love it.It gives you magic aoe damage(which is great with your E),health,and armor.All happy Garen needs.Then I go for MR.Usually I prefer Maw of Malmortius,but sometimes I buy Spirit Visage.

When enemy has a lot of AP buy Maw of Malmortius AND Spirit Visage.

When enemy has a lot of AD buy Randuin's Omen and Sunfire Aegis. Sometimes I buy Thornmail,against strong adc and alike champions.

There is also Dead Man's Plate,but I prefer Sunfire Aegis.Buy,if you need movespeed.

And dont forget an awesome item Sterak's Gage.Buy it,if you need health and damage.

In the Late game I usually end my build with Mortal Reminder.It gives you more damage,and also more armor penetration.With this item you will kill heavy ad tanks with no problem.

Boots

Buying boots is like in real life.Such a variety!
I usually buy Mercury's Treads.Those give you magic resist and give you CC resist.Because Garen's main problem get to the enemy,with those it will be easier to withstand hard CC.And in mass fights usefull too.

In recommended items you will see Boots of Swiftness.Those are good,because with your Decisive Strike you can easier get to the enemy.And with your Judgment - you can stand close to the enemy easier.But Its passive is useless,because you can break slow anytime with your Q.

Ninja Tabi - those are less popular in my opinion.Gives you armor,but passive not so good.Only against adc or alike champions.

Synergy

What is Synergy?It is when items and abilities help each other.
The most obvious synergy is Sterak's Gage + Thornmail.
Thornmail gives TONS of armor and a awesome passive VS auto-attack champions(i.e Fiora,ADC,Riven.)But your MR and Armor is a useless thing without HP and vise-versa.And here comes Sterak's Gage.It gives you Damage,which is very important,and HP you needed.
Here some of them :
Spirit Visage + Your Passive Perseverance
Sunfire Aegis + Your E Judgment
Black Cleaver + Your Q Decisive Strike and E Judgment
Thornmail + Warmog's Armor
I hope this will help you get the mechanics.=)

Because we can!

When you play normal or just want to have fun.
Infinity Edge gives you a lot of damage(which Garen needs)and a critical chance,with passive.Your Judgment can critically strike,and that's why we but this bad boy.

Never Warmog and Why?

As I have seen a lot of Garen's and guides have this item.I dont want to say it is useless item on Garen because it is not,but it is very bad item choice.
Garen has already a major regeneration because of his Perseverance.In late game you will always have around 50+ health per second regeneration. Warmog's Armorcan only give flat Health,which is not all for a tank..With build above you will have optimal 3000+ health.Only option to buy this item for your sexy Garen is a combo with thornmail.That's why I think Warmog's Armor is a bad item on Garen

Overall Tip for all your Garen's.Just try to balance between tankiness and damage.It is the key.And tip for all of you out there

Kill<Survive.

At the end of this,I want to say thanks to all sources that I used.
Thank to the Rashan Anath and his build.I used his build as an example.
Thanks to the guide How to make guides
This is my first Guide,so please correct me with my grammar and give me feedback.
I will add more later.
Thanks also to all who read this build.
Please write in comments on my mistakes and other things.Love you all
and

HAVE SOME BALLS!