Lux Build Guide by Pognog

Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my Lux guide! Lux has been my favourite champion for quite some time and I would like to teach you how to play her to her full potential! As Sniper Lux you will be able to snipe enemies from afar with your powerful finales funkeln lazer and stay out of harm's way. This makes her almost invaluable as an AP Caster if you can play her safely, and are experienced enough with her to know what you're doing.

//NOTE// the Sniper Lux playstyle requires frequent but appropriate use of /laugh. If this does not suit your tastes then please close this guide immediately.

*note Credit to SivHD for the term "FINALES MOTHER FUNKLER".
SivHD's Youtube Channel

Lux, the Lady of Luminosity

Born to the prestigious Crownguards, the paragon family of Demacian service, Luxanna was destined for greatness. She grew up as the family's only daughter, and she immediately took to the advanced education and lavish parties required of families as high profile as the Crownguards. As Lux matured, it became clear that she was extraordinarily gifted. She could play tricks that made people believe they had seen things that did not actually exist. She could also hide in plain sight. Somehow, she was able to reverse engineer arcane magical spells after seeing them cast only once. She was hailed as a prodigy, drawing the affections of the Demacian government, military, and citizens alike.

As one of the youngest women to be tested by the College of Magic, she was discovered to possess a unique command over the powers of light. The young Lux viewed this as a great gift, something for her to embrace and use in the name of good. Realizing her unique skills, the Demacian military recruited and trained her in covert operations. She quickly became renowned for her daring achievements; the most dangerous of which found her deep in the chambers of the Noxian High Command. She extracted valuable inside information about the Noxus-Ionian conflict, earning her great favor with Demacians and Ionians alike. However, reconnaissance and surveillance was not for her. A light of her people, Lux's true calling was the League of Legends, where she could follow in her brother's footsteps and unleash her gifts as an inspiration for all of Demacia.

''Her guiding light makes enemies wary, but they should worry most when the light fades.''
-- Garen, The Might of Demacia

Pros & Cons

Masteries

Masteries
4/4	4/4	1/1	3/2	4/1	4/3	1/4	1/1	3/3	1/1	3/3	1/1

Runes

For Runes I use a standard AP Caster set of:
-9x Greater Mark of Insight
Pretty self explanatory, Magic Penetration is a must for any AP Caster.
-9x Greater Seal of Clarity
Lux has relatively high mana costs and having greater mana regeneration throughout the game will greatly aid in farming and securing kills.
-9x Greater Glyph of Force
More Ability Power for extra spell damage.
-3x Greater Quintessence of Potency
Same as above.

These maximise my damage output throughout the game as well as give some useful mana regeneration which is somewhat lacking on Lux. Alternative runes are:
- Greater Glyph of Warding
- Greater Glyph of Potency
- Greater Glyph of Celerity
- Greater Glyph of Focus
- Greater Seal of Resilience
- Greater Seal of Warding
- Greater Seal of Potency
- Greater Quintessence of Insight
- Greater Quintessence of Avarice

Summoner Spells

Teleport - Quite useful for Lux as it is quite common to walk down or up the river to gank with a finales funkeln Finales Funkeln and this may leave your tower vacant and endangered. Teleporting to an allied lane to snipe enemy champions is also an attractive option. Teleporting bot to steal CS after the carry has recalled is a possibility as well, wait what?

Flash - I take flash in every game of Lux regardless of who I am playing against. Her very low movement speed and low resistances make her for an easy target if overextended. Flash allows for a quick escape when combined with Light Binding and Lucent Singularity's slow.



//ALTERNATIVES//
Clairvoyance - Lux's second summoner spell is quite flexible as she does not have any particular needs apart from flash. As Sniper Lux I like to take CV as most supports prefer Heal or other alternatives and so CV is not picked often. It also synergies very well with finales funkelnFinales Funkeln for easy snipes.


Ghost - I personally have never used Ghost on Lux but due to her low base movement speed and vulnerability to ganking, Ghost could be a very viable option to allow escaping and chasing.

Ignite - As an AP Carry, you would think Ignite would be a premium choice for Lux. However, with the "Sniper Play-style", you should be sitting well behind your and the enemy teams, out of harm's way which would make Ignite null and void.

Exhaust - A fantastic spell for shutting down an enemy champion but I don't use this for the same reason as Ignite.

Abilities

finales funkeln
Illumination (passive)
Lux's damaging spells charge the unit with energy for 6 seconds. Lux's next attack ignites the energy, dealing 10 + (10 x level) magic damage to the target.

This passive is fantastic at dealing extra burst throughout all stages of the game. Use an alternating approach of Ability -> auto attack -> ability -> auto attack to maximise damage output. finales funkeln Finales Funkeln also detonates Illumination so use this to your advantage when sniping your targets.

finales funkeln
Light Binding (Q)
Lux fires a ball of light towards a target location, binding and damaging up to 2 enemy units. The first target takes 60/110/160/210/260 (+0.7) magic damage and is bound for 2 seconds. The second target receives 50% of the effect.

This ability is Lux's main form of crowd control and is perfect for her skillset. Using it to hold a target in place for finales funkeln Finales Funkeln is its primary use towards the end of the game but it has a multitude of uses that sees no end. Putting one point in this ability early is vital as it allows you to escape, chase and setup / avoid ganks.

Cost: 60/75/90/105/120 mana
Cooldown: 15/14/13/12/11 seconds
Range: 1,000
Damage type: Magical
Ratio: 0.7 Ability Power

finales funkeln
Prismatic Barrier (W)
Lux throws her wand to the target location and back, protecting herself and all allied champions it touches from 80/105/130/155/180 (+0.35) damage for 3 seconds.

Lux's shield is unique in that because it is a returning skillshot, it can hit yourself or an ally twice, meaning for double the shield. This does not stack and will only reset the duration and "health" of the shield. It is extremely useful for using before a fight as it will grant Lux assists (easy stacks on Soulstealer).

Cost: 60 mana
Cooldown: 14/13/12/11/10 seconds
Range: 1,000
Ratio: 0.35 Ability Power

finales funkeln
Lucent Singularity (E)
Creates a zone that slows enemy units by 20/24/28/32/36% (zone lasts 5 seconds). Can be detonated to damage enemies in the area for 60/105/150/195/240 (+0.6) magic damage.

Lux's bread and butter skill. It is simply amazing and has more uses than I care to name. It is Lux's main source of farming minions and can clear out waves instantly with enough Ability Power. The slow is incredibly useful for avoiding ganks when combined with Light Binding. This skill reveals brush and fog, so using it to check bushes before entering is a useful option.

Cost: 70/85/100/115/130 mana
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Range: 1,100
Damage Type: Magical
Ratio: 0.6 Ability Power

finales funkeln
Finales Funkeln (Ultimate)
After a short delay, Lux fires a stream of light in front of her, dealing 300/400/500 (+0.75) magic damage to all enemy units in the area. In addition, it ignites the target for Illumination damage if under its effect, and refreshes the Illumination debuff.

FINALES MOTHER FUNKELN. Lux's signature move. This **** makes Rey Mysterio jealous. Capable of dealing incredible damage at immense range with a very low cooldown, this skill has almost everything that the sneaky Sniper Lux could ever ask for. Crowd control does not interrupt Finales Funkeln, it reveals the map wherever it is fired, detonates Lux's passive and makes you look like a total badass. What else could you want?

Cost: 100/150/200 mana
Cooldown: 80/60/40
Range: 3,000
Damage type: Magical
Ratio: 0.75 Ability Power

Ability Sequence

Ability Sequence
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18

Items

*note Before we begin, I would like to reiterate that with the Sniper Lux playstyle, survivability is acquired through positioning and not items. Please do not vote down this guide because you don't see a Banshees Veil or Rod of Ages in the core items. If you feel the need to buy these items then feel free but my guide is focused on Ability Power above all.

Basically, AP > Everything.

CORE ITEMS
Early game
- Boots of Speed
- Doran's Ring
- Kage's Lucky Pick
- Mejai's Soulstealer (OPTIONAL)

Mid game
- Rabadon's Deathcap
- Sorcerer's Shoes
- Deathfire Grasp
- Void Staff
- Elixir of Brilliance

Late game / Luxury items
- Archangel's Staff
- Zhonya's Hourglass

//OPTIONAL ALTERNATIVES//
- Lich Bane
- Banshee's Veil
- Abyssal Scepter
- Morello's Evil Tome
- Ionian Boots of Lucidity

//DETAILED EXPLANATION//

Item Sequence
Boots of Speed 350	Doran's Ring 475	Doran's Ring 475	Kage's Lucky Pick 765	Needlessly Large Rod 1600	Tear of the Goddess 700	Rabadon's Deathcap 3300	Sorcerer's Shoes 1100
Deathfire Grasp 3100	Void Staff 2295	Zhonya's Hourglass 3410	Archangel's Staff 2700

//OPTIONAL//
If you are competent Lux player and are confident that you can stick to the Sniper Lux playstyle, then a Soulstealer is a potentially devestating item for Lux. Due to the ease of gaining assists through Prismatic Barrier and the fact that you SHOULD be keeping yourself out of harm's way at all times, acquiring and keeping stacks of Soulstealer is relatively easy as Lux. If you do decide to buy this, grab it straight after Kage's.

• Start off with Boots of Speed and 3 Health Potions. Due to Lux's poor mobility, Boots are very useful for escaping ganks and dodging spells and abilities. If you are a very passive player and confident that you can avoid damage as Lux, starting with a Doran's Ring is also an option for some extra damage.
• If starting with Boots of Speed, wait until you have around 1000 gold then return to base and purchase two Doran's Rings. These will give Lux some basic survivability and sustainability, as well as a small damage boost.
• Kage's Lucky Pick is next. Will grant some basic ability power and gold generation.
• Farm and/or gank wherever possible until you can afford Needlessly Large Rod. This item will greatly increase Lux's damage output and having Ability Power as early as possible is the key to success as Sniper Lux.
• Tear of the Goddess is up next. As Lux has no low cooldown, spammable moves, building up mana is somewhat of a chore and starting early is the best way to do this. It also provides decent mana & mana regen which Lux is lacking in.
• Depending on your rate of gold income, decide whether to buy Sorcerer's Shoes or Rabadon's Deathcap. Most games I will get the Deathcap first as I can secure enough kills, assists and farm to fund it. However if you are struggling then buying the boots may be a sound option.
• Your next three items will be Deathfire Grasp, Void Staff and Zhonya's Hourglass. Have a look at the enemy team's damage output and resistances. If you are being torn apart by physical damage then go for Zhonya's Hourglass first. Lots of enemy MR? Void Staff is a very useful option. If you are facing against a team of lots of HP or just want some extra AP and CDR then opt for a Deathfire Grasp.
• Finally you purchase your Archangel's Staff. By this point your Ability Power should be through the roof and you will be FINALES MOTHER FUNKlERing champions left, right and centre.

Sorcerer's Shoes vs Ionian Boots

When I see Lux players purchase Ionian Boots of Lucidity I die a little inside. No, they are not that horrible of an item but for Sniper Lux there is one formula that rules all : AP > EVERYTHING!
And yes, Sorcerer's Shoes do not give you Ability Power but they increase the damage done by your SPELLS so finales funkeln will do more damage.

Yes, CDR will technically enable you to deal more damage over a period of time. However, the cooldown of your and are very high, so during a fast moving team fight you will only get to cast them 2 or 3 times each.

Basically, another formula to remember when playing Lux is Quality not Quantity. A well placed combo of Lux's can completely annihilate the enemy team and having 15% less cooldown is not going to change that.

Lich Bane : Yes or no?

Lich Bane is an interesting item on Lux. With the amount of Ability Power you generally end up with as Sniper Lux, Lich Bane can completely cripple an enemy champion or structure, especially when combined with Illumination.
Lucent Singularity (one press) ---> Light Binding ---> Auto attack ---> finales funkeln Finales Funkeln ---> Auto attack ---> Detonate Lucent Singularity ---> Auto attack.

This combo when combined with Lich Bane is an almost guaranteed kill against an enemy champion. Killing inhibitors, towers and the enemy nexus is a breeze.

BUT (and yes there is a but) as Sniper Lux your objective is to stay out of danger and keep at a distance from any enemy champions at ALL times. This renders somewhat useless as you will not be in auto attack range. Despite the various benefits from this item, it does not increase your damage with spells and that is the formula for Sniper Lux. So for the most part I would not recommend Lich Bane, however if you feel inclined to purchase it then be my guest.

Soulstealer : Yes or No?

As Sniper Lux, your potential to acquire and keep stacks of Mejai's Soulstealer is very successful. Keeping out of harms way and throwing out Prismatic Barriers onto your team is an easy way of charging up your Soulstealer and keeping it stacked up.

If you find that you are dying over and over again and your stacks are sitting at 2 or 3, it is probably a good idea to sell your Soulstealer to purchase something else. If you don't want to sell it and you are having trouble obtaining stacks, remember to stay out of harms way and simply try and grab assists or kills from long range. Anything Lux can do from close range she can do from far away so that is your best option.

Lux as a Support

As an experienced Sniper Lux, seeing Lux's sacrifice their creeps, Ability Power and freedom to support in bot lane makes me cringe. Yes, Lux can support sufficiently with her CC and shield. However, The potential damage output that Sniper Lux can bring to the team is such that having Lux as a support is simply a waste. Sure you can build AP as support Lux but without a steady income through farm and early game kills, you will have a very tough time reaching a point of FINALES MOTHER FUNKLER if you manage to get there at all.

Team Fights

Lux has multiple different roles that she can fill out during large scale team fights.

• As Sniper Lux, you should position yourself well behind the main group of your team members. If you are too close to the action then you will melt down from AoE damage and possibly direct focus depending on your level of threat.
• Immediately as the fight begins, use your Light Binding and Lucent Singularity into a group of 3+ enemy players. Focusing grouped targets is the key to success as AP Lux during team fights. By the time the fight progresses your Q and E should be off cooldown.
• Her Prismatic Barrier offers very effective mass shielding as well as assists for Lux. Make sure to spam this skill as much as possible as it has a low mana cost and cooldown.
• Lux's Lucent Singularity has not only massive AoE damage but a large and powerful slow-field. Utilise this by waiting for as long as possible before detonating the spell in a fight situation.
• finales funkeln is a game-changing spell with immense potential damage. Rather than saving this spell to snipe escaping champions, wait until there is an opportunity where you can hit preferrably all 5 enemy champions, or as many as possible. The damage dealt will completely change the face of the fight and may cause the enemy team to retreat or lose the battle. finales funkeln's low cooldown will mean it will be ready to use again shortly.
• Finales funkeln is not interrupted by CC effects. If you see incoming crowd control such as Unstoppable Force, Dazzle, Impale or Event Horizon, cast your ultimate before you lose the opportunity. ( finales funkeln is interrupted if you are killed during the cast time)
• Zhonya's Hourglass is a fantastic item for team fights as it allows you to avoid large amounts of damage or crowd control over a short period of time. Save Zhonya's until there is an opportunity to avoid significant burst damage or CC, eg Hemoplague or Requiem. Using it while a Caitlyn is auto attacking you is probably not a smart idea unless you have teammates nearby as she will simply kill you after the duration expires.

Tips & Tricks

-When laning in the early game, if you attempt to harass the enemy champion(s) with Lucent Singularity, fire it behind the champion and detonate instantly. Most players will attempt to run backwards to avoid the spell and you can use this to your advantage.

-In a teamfight, try to hit as many enemies as possible with finales funkeln Finales Funkeln. Although this may not get you any kills, the damage output will be much higher and can turn the tide of a fight. Additionally, the low cooldown of your ultimate means it will be back up for use in no time.

-Try to land Light Binding before using finales funkeln Finales Funkeln as if you miss your ultimate your damage goes out the window.

-If carrying Clairvoyance, regularly scan Dragon, Baron and the enemy blue / red buffs to try and grab a steal with finales funkeln.

-Use your Light Binding from behind a minion to catch an enemy with a surprise root.

-Using your Lucent Singularity to check for enemies in brush before entering is a smart way to stay alive.

-One of the most important aspects of Sniper Lux is your ability to /laugh. You must use this emote at regular intervals to completely morally decimate your enemies. Snipe an enemy behind a tower? /laugh. Get ganked by 5 enemy champions and have no chance of escape? /laugh. Accidentally Flash instead of Clairvoyance? Learn to press buttons properly. Then /laugh.

-After purchasing your Tear, spam Prismatic Barrier as much as you can to stack up mana.

-Using Prismatic Barrier on your team before a fight can ensure assists for the mighty Sniper Lux.

-When attempting to snipe an enemy from long range with finales funkeln Finales Funkeln, remember to anticipate movement. Try and estimate how fast the champion is moving and where that will be after the delay of your laser. This becomes second nature to adept Lux players but it is a learnable skill none the less.

-As a competent Lux player, when being ganked by an enemy jungler or champion retreat to your tower but if possible, save Light Binding for when the champion enters turret range. Nothing destroys the morale of a player more than turning their gank into Light Binding + FINALES MOTHER FUNKLER combo under your tower while spamming /laugh on 13hp.