Generally speaking, yes this is also what you build on top lane Kassadin. However a lot of it has to do with the match up. The situational items are a great guideline for how to build based on who you're up against.

The reason Kassadin doesn't do top lane much though is because he is an anti-mage and top rarely has mages.

I appreciate the support.

I'll try that out and if I like it I'll suggest that option in the Runes section or possibly change to them altogether. The reason I grab flat Health is because Kassadin rushes Rod of Ages which gives him health so he only really needs the extra health boost early game.




I got notes for the starter items that explains when to get each one but I will think about adding different build paths to clarify more.
As for Dark Seal that is definitely a viable option and I will include it. I just personally don't use it because I only like to take it if I plan on upgrading it. My build doesn't have much room for it imo. I'll start experimenting with it more to see what works before I recommend it.




I don't know about this. For me when I look at a guide I like seeing examples of final builds for different game play types so I can just look at that when I am playing the game. If you separate the core items it just seems a bit more confusing because then there are different areas to look at. My builds available are also just suggestions for each type of build you'll need. I welcome players to make their own builds using my suggested offensive and defensive items as a guideline.



Deathcap is certainly not a requirement. I view that as a luxury item, however certain builds for Kassadin make great use of it which is why I show how to fit it in. Void Staff is certainly a great item, but I don't think it should be taken every time. If the enemy is actually building MR then it should be taken, but there are cases where other items are more useful which is why I don't view it as a core item. My Items section points out that if the enemy builds MR then you buy Void Staff.




Perhaps I just don't value it enough. I'll try building it in different orders and test the difference.




You might be right, however the reason I say to grab the item isn't for mana sustain. It is for dealing with enemy health sustain. However I do feel grabbing Lost Chapters early and then holding on to it until you get Rod of Ages and Lich Bane would be beneficial. What would you say about that?




Possibly, I will try that out. So would you say it is better to try and use Sorceror's Shoes?





I'll try these out and see how they work. A main thing to point out though is that this guide is about playing Kassadin an unusual way so a lot of the things I do in game will probably differ from the Kassadin players you're used to. Maybe I'm wrong, but when I first started playing Kassadin I looked up a lot of guides and they were far different than the strategy I came up with. So far my strategy is working for me a lot better. Less roaming, less chasing down low health enemies, more farming, and more team fighting. I certainly won't make the claim that either strategy is better, this is just the one that works for me so I thought I'd share it.




I agree that it is pretty bad on him. In the items section I explained that you basically only pick it to annoy your enemies by keeping them in one place basically. I'll probably remove it from the cheat sheet and leave it on the items section so people who don't read the guide don't mistake it as being a good item to get.




This is just an option for the hybrid Kassadin players. It's not something I use and I made that clear in items section. But I do feel it is a must if you want to build AD and AP Kassadin, but you'll need other items with it. I only provided two that would work together.




They are worth getting in some cases. But rarely needed. They are options to help counter certain enemy team comps or strategies.




Using ult for roaming is an issue because you're draining your mana and there is a chance you'll run into the enemy with it on cool down and die as a result. It is generally best to keep it up. Mobility Boots is a great item for people who want to roam around a lot for kills because it keeps them from losing too much time and falling behind.

Also I disagree with you saying he is shoved under turret post 6. In many match ups he is, but even difficult match ups he can often push the enemy back and get a kill before level 6, especially with clever use of Flash and Ignite. He actually ties many match ups before level 6, even when up against kite, if he plays smart. Which allows him to grab CS even when the enemy is trying to stop him. However this is more difficult to do when you don't have Corrupting Potion which is an item I've been taking a lot more lately as my first item as it allows me to out sustain most enemies easily. He is definitely at a disadvantage without his gap closer, but his kit still offers him the ability to survive in lane without just being under tower until level 6. Farming under tower can be a nightmare for him if his opponent pokes, so if it can be avoided then it should.




Feast is an option, however point of Fresh Blood is because when you go in your goal is to deal as much damage as possible and then get out, this increases your burst potential.




Alright




The strategy of this guide is focused on farming and playing defensively unless the enemy makes a mistake, then you take advantage. You never recall before enemy unless you absolutely have to. This means you'll have plenty of opportunities to hit the enemy's tower unless the jungler covers turret. I'd consider it a pro because the speed at which he can drain a tower keeps him relevant as a tower pusher throughout the game, not just early game. Late game he can almost take out a inhibitor tower is about 4 hits. Each hit looks like a Nasus Q.




His gap closer doesn't do anything against a true kiting champion like Quinn, Vayne, Ezreal, or Ashe. There's only so much he can do when the enemy can just dash away or slow him down while orb walking. Especially if the enemy has proper peel. He can often still kill the target, but it will result in most of his health being gone in most cases. He is best when not being targeted by the enemy ranged champions which is why I say not to rush the enemy back line without your team.





Ghost makes Kassadin a nightmare to deal with. There isn't much the enemy can do when there is someone with a spammable gap closer rushing at you with high speed. And you said it yourself, you're under tower post 6 so he doesn't need Flash as his escape if ganked. If they tower dive him he can use Ghost to turn the fight in his favor and pick up a kill. I personally still prefer Flash, but Ghost is certainly an option for players to consider and try out. It is more so meant for the mid-late game though.




My Masteries section pointed out that Deathfire Touch is a viable option. Personally I see it as a preference thing. Deathfire Touch is really good for out trading early game, but once I get my ult I want the extra burst of Thunderlord's Decree . Either way I see both keystones and great choices. Also lets be honest, there's no way I'll ever be on Faker's level so his way of building will likely not work as well for me.




Perhaps I'm wrong, but that's how it feels to me. I have yet to face a common mid lane champion that wasn't a challenge to overcome, especially post level 6. It always takes a lot of constant outplay to keep ahead of most match ups. I view Kassadin as a high skill outplay champion because his kit takes a lot to pull off and unless you're constantly trying your hardest you can be beaten easily even when ahead. But when you're good with him you can dominate a game. Take Viktor for example. Even if you kill him 3 times without dying to him once he will still be able to deal enough damage to beat you if you make one wrong step, because just 1v1ing him is insanely difficult. Kassadin is not a duelist, he can't take much damage yet he has to go in melee range, often putting his main escape on cool down in the process. So every move he makes needs to count so by time his ultimate is back up he can either escape with a won trade off or finish the enemy for a kill. But this guide is focused on staying in your lane until you take out enemy tower or lose yours. This guide's strategy isn't reliant on roaming and because of that you need to play even better to prevent your death. I recommend that new Kassadin players using this guide stay near their tower and play safe because they will likely not pull off what they need to in order to win lane. I personally win lane nearly every time I play, but that is because I know how. When I don't win late I still don't lose it and I keep them from roaming.






Split pushing as a duelist is not very smart on Kassadin. He will lose most 1v1s unless he is ahead or really good. If enemy sends multiple then he has to flee. The best way to split push with Kassadin is to back off before enemy gets there and wait it out while farming in jungle. Then go right back to pushing, this wastes the enemy's time. Kassadin is only good as a split pusher if he maxes E second, otherwise you normally will only do it when you're behind so you can still be useful to your team. My guide is more focused on team fighting as Kassadin rather than split pushing.




What makes him a great team fighter is the fact that as soon as the fight starts he can just burst the enemy down, back out, and repeat. Each time he does it he can kill an enemy or almost kill one. His burst damage is highly useful in a team fight and focusing him down is very difficult if you play smart because like you said, he's slippery. It isn't easy for the enemy to take him down. Especially if he has Zhonya's Hourglass. Roaming is viable, but again this guide is focused on a different play style. Roaming as Kassadin never really worked for me as much. I found that I fell behind easier, died more, and did less. In a team fight I normally carry and at end of game deal far more damage than my teammates.





Everything you just said is true, however I feel players should figure this stuff out as they're playing him. Meaning most people will move on an opportunity if they see it, but trying to tell them how to do more complex things like this can result in them doing it as the wrong time. If that makes sense. So I tell them to play more like an adc for your targeting so new players to Kassadin don't make riskier plays that lose them the game. Focusing on the closest target will often result in a victory because he can burst down most enemies, even tanks, quickly. Which helps his team massively. If he sees an opening in the enemy back line of course he should take it, and I feel like any player familiar with Kassadin would. I will be making videos to better show it, because I feel like explaining it in words would just confuse the readers.

However I don't think waiting in the flank position would be always the best way to do it. Can result in you being cut off from your team and focused down. You can often get in on the enemy's openings from the front lines with your ult + force pulse, + Flash if needed. Only time you'd do this is if there was actually an opening. The flanking way of playing is how a roamer would do it though.