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Galio Build Guide by warlag

AP Carry Mid Lane Galio [[4.21 updated]]

AP Carry Mid Lane Galio [[4.21 updated]]

Updated on December 17, 2014
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League of Legends Build Guide Author warlag Build Guide By warlag 258,684 Views 4 Comments
258,684 Views 4 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author warlag Galio Build Guide By warlag Updated on December 17, 2014
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Edits

December 17: Changed runes/masteries section, tenacity no longer reduces Idol of Durand taunt duration, general patch 4.21 changes.
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Introduction

First, please keep in mind the builds/runes/masteries in this guide are not ABSOLUTE, you can switch out some depending on your playstyle/preferences. With that being said, In this guide you will find some tips using the gargoyle as a mid laner, item builds etc. Feel free to post some feedback of the guide, your opinions, questions or anything else. Every feedback is welcomed and appreciated!

Galio is a champion that does not get played too much, he is considered to be best in mid lane as an AP mid counter because of his passive Runic Skin which lets him build magic resist while still doing good damage, but this doesn't mean that you must abuse his passive and stack magic resist, this champion can actually blow away...literally...with Righteous Gust the enemy team, and still be quite tanky. He has it's strenghts, and of course it's weaknesses, but then again, so does every champion.

I'm no pro here, but I've played mid lane Galio a lot in my current Platinum division and I can say it's a great pick, of course depending on the enemy team comp he could do better or worse, but it is a good pick overall and will get the AP carry job done properly. Feel free to try it out and give your opinions.
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Pros/Cons

Pros

Cons

  • Melee autoattacks.
  • Skill shot based poke.
  • Idol of Durand could be interrupted as soon as it is activated if careless.
  • Really mana hungry, might go out of mana early.
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Masteries

Offense

  • 1 point Double-Edged Sword : We are a melee champion so we benefit more from this mastery than ranged champions.
  • 4 points Sorcery: The extra 5% cooldown reduction is important, our main damage comes from abilities, so we want to use them regularly.
  • 3 points Mental Force : This will boost our ability power while we level up so our abilities will become stronger.
  • 1 point Arcane Mastery: This will gives us an extra 6 AP for our early game damage.
  • 3 points Executioner : This will help us deal more damage to low health enemies to finish them off easier.
  • 1 point Expose Weakness : This is actually useful during ganks or at late game, you have AoE abilities so hitting multiple enemies will cause your allies to deal a bit more damage for a while, switch to Spell Weaving if you will duel a lot early game in mid lane but not worth if your enemy is ranged.
  • 3 points Archmage : This will increase or AP stats.
  • 1 point Dangerous Game : This is useful in teamfights, you never know when that extra bit of health or mana will come in handy.
  • 3 points Devastating Strikes : The extra armor and magic penetration will increase our damage.
  • 1 point Havoc : Self explanatory, will increase our damage.

Defense

  • 2 points Block : This will help us survive longer in the lane against possible ranged autoattacks.
  • 2 points Enchanted Armor : We might build some resistances so the bonus armor and magic resist will be useful.
  • 1 point Unyielding : We are a melee champion so we can benefit more from this mastery as we will survive longer.
  • 3 points Veteran Scars : The extra 36 HP will help us survive longer in the lane.
  • 1 point Juggernaut : We might also build some health-giving items so this mastery comes in handy.

Utility

  • 0 points: We are focusing on damage and some durability.
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Runes


  • x2 Greater Quintessence of Ability Power: We will start of with an extra 10 AP, this will make our poke and farm with Resolute Smite stronger.
  • x1 Greater Quintessence of Magic Penetration: Magic penetration will boost our damage by ignoring some of the enemies magic resist, we have high base damages so MP is good.
  • x6 Greater Mark of Magic Penetration: Galio's main damage comes from magic damage, so having magic penetration helps our damage be more efficient.
  • x3 greater mark of hybrid penetration: We need magic penetration as we just mentioned, but we will throw in a couple of autoattacks every now and then, especially to farm so the armor penetration does not hurt.
  • x7 Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist: We need magic resistance, the enemy mid laner will do magic damage so this makes us more resistant, plus it gives us some ability power. (why 7 and not 9? Sometimes the enemy mid laner is AD, so 3 extra armor blues come in handy, I have 2 rune pages, one with some more MR and the other with some more armor.)
  • x2 Greater Glyph of Armor: A bit of armor to resist the early exposure to physical damage from autoattacks or if the enemy laner is mainly AD.
  • x4 Greater Seal of Armor: Must have, will help you survive longer in the game overall, besides AD mid assassins are popular so having armor is really good. (As mentioned, you can have another rune page with just a bit more MR if you want)
  • x5 Greater Seal of Scaling Armor: Same reason as the above, though these ones focus more for late game, but nevertheless not useless during early game.
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Items

Mid lane Galio might have different item options, below I'll list some items that work good with the gargoyle.

Athene's Unholy Grail: You are really mana hungry, and this item is core for you. Gives you the mana regen you desperately need, 20% CDR which is great for you to use constant spells, some AP and MR which gives you some more AP. Basically a GREAT item for Galio and personally my first item always in mid lane.

Mercury's Treads: You need the 45 movement speed bonus, it also gives you 25 MR which makes Runic Skin give you an extra 12.5 ability power, AMAZING I know, and the passive tenacity it gives you makes you less susceptible to CC.

Sorcerer's Shoes: Replace Mercury's Treads with this item if the enemy team does not have too much cc and is more AD heavy, will give you magic penetration so your damage will be better.

Rod of Ages: If you want to be a bit tankier this item is great, gives you 80 ability power, 650 mana which doesn't hurt because Galio is pretty mana hungry, and the 600 health makes you tankier which is nice. {This stats are when fully stacked, 20 mins after the item is purchased)

Spirit Visage: Gives you an extra 10% CDR which is good to use your abilities more often, 400 health makes you tankier, 20 health regen, and with it's 55 MR Runic Skin will give you an additional 27.5 ability power. Besides, it's passive will amplify your Bulwark healing capacity by 20%, leaving me with no words to describe your insane healing power.

Zhonya's Hourglass: Gives you 50 armor, and the 120 ability power it gives you makes all your abilities stronger, plus it's passive makes you untargetable for a few seconds, which you can use after Idol of Durand has finished it's taunt duration.

Rabadon's Deathcap: Gives you 120 ability power plus an extra 30%, it is a really good item, your abilities will seriously hurt, also note that Bulwark scales with ability power, so more ability power = more healing from Bulwark. Basically, ability power also makes you tankier in a way.

Void Staff: If the enemies are getting magic resist this item is great, you will do some serious damage.

Abyssal Mask: This item is great for Galio gives you MR and AP, and Runic Skin gives you extra AP. The passive on this item works perfectly with Idol of Durand.

Liandry's Torment: Resolute Smite will trigger liandrys passive with double damage, can deal some good damage to enemy tanks, makes you a bit tankier and makes your abilities damage more effective with the 15 magic penetration.

Banshee's Veil: Makes you tankier with health and MR, you also get some extra AP with Runic Skin. This item is useful as it makes it easier for you to successfully ult the enemy team without it being interrupted. Personally I always prefer Spirit Visage over this one, it's up to you and the situation though.
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Laning Phase

Galio can have trouble at the beginning because he is a melee champ, and spamming his abilities early game will leave you vulnerable because you will run out of mana. Use Bulwark when the enemy laner wants to trade with you or whenever it is easy to get some health off of attacking minions.

Ideally, harrass the enemy laner with Resolute Smite while at the same time you last hit the minions with it, this is hard but look for the opportunities. At level 5 it becomes really easy to farm, Resolute Smite and Righteous Gust clears the caster minions, and if Righteous Gust also damaged the melee minions you just have to autoattack each one once and finish them off with Resolute Smite.

This is even easier with Chalice of Harmony because you won't have to worry too much about mana, still, rely on your autoattacks to farm whenever you can.

Here's an extra useful tip, you're gonna love it. You can ask your jungler at the beginning of the game to stand near the wall whenever he is gonna clear raptors, so you can shield him from the other side, make him take less damage, and get some health for yourself without risk. Cool huh?
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Team fighting

Even if you are tanky, you are the AP carry, don't expose yourself too much, shield your tanky ally for him to initiate and for you to regain health if there is some missing, your long range harrass hurts A TON with the correct items so be sure to poke them down with it. Idol of Durand is risky, but will deal serious damage to whoever gets in the way, remember to cast Bulwark on yourself to heal a bit, take less damage, and get some bonus AP if your ability isn't on cooldown. Be careful of when to use it as it can be interrupted immediately by enemies with displacement abilities or stuns, good patch 4.21 news: tenacity no longer reduces the taunt duration of Idol of Durand.
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Closing it up

Galio has long range seriously hurting poke, which makes him kind of safe, his self-healing becomes ABSOLUTELY INSANE late game with a lot of AP, shield your tanky initiators and keep poking down with your AoE abilities, and if you manage to ult almost every enemy champion you will BLOW them away, remember to use Bulwark at that time and/or be sure to use zhonyas afterwards to avoid getting focused if needed.
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League of Legends Build Guide Author warlag
warlag Galio Guide
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Mid Lane Galio [[4.21 updated]]

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