This is my first guide. Please be gentle ;)

The purpose of this guide is to assist you in building and playing Gangplank in Dominion. I personally believe he is one of the best suited characters for the gametype. He has great mobility, utility, DPS potential, and enough defense to utilize all these attributes.

AD - Attack Damage
AP - Ability Power
HP - Health Points
CrC - Critical Strike Chance
CrD - Critical Strike Damage
CDR - Cooldown Reduction
ArPen - Armor Penetration
MrPen - Magic Resistance Penetration
GP - Gangplank
DPS - Damage Per Second
CC - Crowd Control

Greater Mark of Attack Damage x9
Greater Seal of Armor x9
Greater Glyph of Magic Resist x9
Greater Quintessence of Attack Damage x3

This setup allows for solid damage off the start, and some great durability allowing you to get into the fight and utilize this damage output. I take AD Marks over CrC or CrD because it's more reliable. I have experimented with CrD Quints with some success.

The difference between AD quints and CrD quints is Early Game vs. Late Game. AD will give you a good start and better chance to feed early, while the CrD runes will make a noticeable difference late game when you have your CrC and AD items (Infinity Edge) to boost them. It's really up to you which you prefer.

I would really like to experiment with the %HP Quints and Seals, in combination with CrD Marks, with a build like Build #3. Anyone who has the IP for this and wants to try it out, please let me know how that goes.

Very basic AD Carry Masteries.

21-9-0
Take all AD related points in offense, and go for max HP in defense.

or

21-0-9
If you're having mana issues, exchange your points in defense for mana and mana regen in the Utility tree.

I prioritize my skills in this order:
---> ---> --->

I take Raise Morale first because of its huge passive and active bonuses, Remove Scurvey for the CDR and base stat increase, and Parrrley last, because the base damage increase and gold gain is just not as useful all things considered.

You could argue that leveling Parrrley should be your priority because of the gold gain, but I believe that the stat increase from Raise Morale is too good to pass up. Raise Morale has gotten me many kills that I would have missed out on had I been leveling Parrrley.

As Gangplank, you should be one of, if not THE, main source of damage on your team. You should also always be on the lookout to help your team. Your team needs you to push turrets, boost their stats, soak up cc, and put out damage.

&

Two of the reasons Gangplank is one of the best characters for Dominion.
Mastering these skills is the key to a good Gangplank.

All too often I see Gangplank players waste a perfectly good Ultimate. There are many factors that go into deciding when to use this game changing skill.

Using Your Ultimate - Cannon Barrage -

1. Teamfight
Where is the fight, and where is it going to move to?
You can either land your ult right in the middle of a stationary fight to turn the tide, or to insure victory/fewer casualties, or lead the fight so that your team can make an escape, or chase down the opposing team.

Please, if there is no chance your team will win the fight, SAVE YOUR ULT.

2. Defending a Turret
Always place your ult smack dab in the middle of the turret. This way it covers the whole capturing area. The exception to this rule, is that one of your teammates is on their way, in which case your should put the ult between the capturer and your teammate to slow them for the kill, or at least chase them off the hill.

Please, if there is no chance your team will save the turret, SAVE YOUR ULT.

3. Capping a Turret
If the other team is standing in their turret zone, leading off the fight with your ult right in the middle of the turret area can be very effective. Another option is to engage, then either position your ult between the turret and your team, catching the opposing team on their way to attack, or on their escape route to ensure kills.

Please, if your team is incompetent and has no chance of taking the turret, SAVE YOUR ULT.


Passive - Grog Soaked Blade -
The damage it applies is negligible, but the stacking of the slow is amazing for chasing down opponents. Leading off with Parrrley, will apply one stack that could mean the difference between a kill and a recall.

Q - Parrrley -
The ultimate farming tool. The gold per kill is amazing, so use this to last hit as much as possible. It is almost always better to last hit with this than harass. Don't forget that this applies on hit effects including your passive.

W - Remove Scurvy -
While the heal is nice, it is often better to have this ability off cooldown so as to break any CC that might come your way. If the opposing team has multiple forms of CC, wait as long as possible to use this so as not to waste it. Pay attention to its cooldown, and you should be pretty safe.

E - Raise Morale -
This is what makes GP so deadly. The stats this skill gives are incredible. Make sure and use the active whenever possible, making sure that it will be available for any teamfight that could occur.

-Must Have Items-
You NEED this attack speed.
CdR, ArPen, AD, and an incredible active that lets you get into the fight and do the damage your team needs you to do.
The Holy Grail of DPS.

-NEVER FORGET THIS EXISTS!-

It's cheap. It has CrC. It has lifesteal. Most importantly...
Active - 50% reduced healing/regen effects for 8 seconds. 20 second cooldown

This means that not only does it give you two things you need as GP for cheap, but you're carrying around Ignite on a 20 second cooldown! With the way the current metagame (AD Carries + Lifesteal) this is an incredible item. If you're getting harassed by a Caitlyn who's got enough lifesteal to sustain your DPS, you can shut her down with this active. The active on this also has great range. Not sure on the exact number, but its better than your Parrrley.


At the spawn look at the opposing team's composition.
Are they all AD, all AP, or balanced?

Look at your team.
Are you playing with Heimerdinger or Graves?

If so, they will probably go bottom. If not, demand you have bottom. With your Parrrley, bot is where you belong. You can farm minions for ridiculous gold, harrass, and jump in to finish off an over aggressive opponent. With your movespeed boost from Raise Morale, and the CC cleanse of Remove Scurvy, you're almost un-gankable as well.

Always start with...

Its Gold/second + Parrrley is going to mean you have the money to buy all the expensive items you need.


If you're going top...

You'll get to top faster, and be able to duck in and out of combat better.


If you're going bot...
vs AP - which you can later sell, or upgrade to

vs AD - which you will later sell. This does not build anything you want.

Dont Know? is a safe bet. Also can be sold or built into


On your first trip back...

I NEVER get Cooldown boots, or Boots of Swiftness, because you are a MELEE DPS CHARACTER. These boots will be your main (possibly only) source of attack speed. You NEED these.

Priority #1 -
This will give you the CDR you need to farm more efficently, as well as a solid damage increase. Wait to complete your Ghostblade til later, as you'll be missing out on the Gold/second on Avarice blade

By the time you die/recall again, you should have enough for a and a
This ups your DPS dramatically and gives some nice sustainability in lane. These will build into Infinity Edge, and Sanguine Blade, must have items for Gangplank.

Priority #2 -
This is your bread and butter as Gangplank. This is your main source of damage. With your Avarice Blade, and Parrrley bonus gold, you should get this before any other physical DPS character, and before and AP characters get their main items. This allows you to be very aggressive and bully the lanes.


Now analyze your situation. Depending on the direction the game is going, you can take your build several different directions.


If you're the main source of DPS on your team, follow that trend and grab...

This will give you solid damage and more sustain as you become the first priority for the other team in a team fight.

If not...

The health combined with your runes, masteries, and earlier defense item will let you soak up some damage, taking the pressure off your other carries.

If you're starting to lose the fight, or you want to put that final nail in the coffin...

With the already solid DPS you put out, the active is going to take your game to a new level.
NEVER FORGET TO USE THIS ACTIVE


At this point, your goal is to do the most damage possible. Options include...


Counters armor. Good AD and Attack Speed as well.


The movespeed boost is great for chasing down stragglers. Huge attack speed and some nice crit chance.


Small health boost, big damage boost, and a great active.


A nice hybrid item. Good crit chance, armor, and small AD boost (depends on your item choices)

With the three builds shone above, I've tried to contrast different build paths, and playing styles. Any combination of the elements above will work well with Gangplank, it's up to you to find out which works best for you.

This being my first guide, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time. Good luck, and have fun playing Gangplank.

12-15-11 - Guide Created