12-18-2011//core build changed

Hello supalucky here, this is my first guide for Ahri the Nine Tailed Fox. I go by JSLPB in the NA server. My name stands for Je suis la plus belle. I been told I kinda look like her so I thought "hey I'll make a guide for my twin." Help me make this a great guide - if you have any suggestions or find any mistakes in the build, feel free to comment!

The title is "Nine Ways of Life" therefore I have to live up to my word and give you 9 awesome builds!

All of her skills are skillshots you you need good aim to do well with her. That being said getting Rylai's Crystal Scepter helps to slow the enemy champ and increase your skill accuracy. While Ahri does excellent in solo fights, Ahri really shines in group fights as that is when she deals the most damage. Work with your group and Win!

Pick a build depending on you and your team needs!

Builds Explanation
#1 - TESTED basic/rush Rylai's Crystal Scepter (flexible build)
#2 - TESTED early sustain
#3 - TESTED vs high ad tanky
#4 - high ap/rush Rabadon's Deathcap(glass cannon)
#5 - TESTED double spell vamp (glass cannon)
#6 - TESTED money maker tanky with lots of activatable items!
#7 - TESTED Rod of ages (generic castor build)
#8 - TESTED hybrid fighter (hard)
#9 - TESTED assasin AD hybrid fighter (works surprisingly well)

Notes:
Best performance so far: #1, #2, #9.

Try #2 or #7 when you just start out with Ahri as it gives you a easier sustain and work your way up to #1 when you get used to her mana costs.

Use the AD or hybrid build, #8& #9 if your team has too many APs. #9 Works very well if you only have AD runes.

Use the glass cannon builds #4&#5 if you have 2 or more tanks on your team.
Go tanky with #3&6 if your team decides to go glass cannon.

Enjoy!

Feel free to add your suggestions to each build!

Pros
+High dps
+High mobility
+Every skill does damage
+Skillshots can hit invisible targets
+Foxeeey
+Strong late game castor
+Burst
+Triple Flash
+AOE spells
+Built in spellvamp

Cons
-Squishy
-All skills can miss
-Weaker than other AP champions early game

Unlike other foxes that roamed the woods of southern Ionia, Ahri had always felt a strange connection to the magical world around her; a connection that was somehow incomplete. Deep inside, she felt the skin she had been born into was an ill fit for her and dreamt of one day becoming human. Her goal seemed forever out of reach, until she happened upon the wake of a human battle. It was a grisly scene, the land obscured by the forms of wounded and dying soldiers. She felt drawn to one: a robed man encircled by a waning field of magic whose life was quickly slipping away. She approached him and something deep inside of her triggered, reaching out to the man in a way she couldn't understand. His life essence poured into her, carried on invisible strands of magic. The sensation was intoxicating and overwhelming. As her reverie faded, she was delighted to discover that she had changed. Her sleek white fur had receded and her body was long and lithe…the shape of the humans who lay scattered about her.

However, though she appeared human, she knew that in truth the transformation was incomplete. A cunning creature, she adapted herself to the customs of human society and used her profound gift of beauty to attract unsuspecting men. She could consume their life essences when they were under the spell of her seductive charms. Feeding on their desires brought her closer to her dream, but as she took more lives, a strange sense of regret began to well within her. She had reservations about actions which never troubled her as a fox. She realized that she could not overcome the pangs of her evolving morality. In search of a solution, Ahri found the Institute of War, home of the most gifted mages on Runeterra. They offered her a chance to attain her humanity without further harm through service in the League of Legends.

Runes are pretty basic.

Mpen Marks for extra damage; armor, mr glylph and seals plus ms quints to give you survivavility.

Since Ahri's ult requires you to be near melee range to the enemy champions the survivavility runes can help you get out of sticky situations. AP gylph and Quints works as well. I like MS quints, it's a matter of preference and playstyle really.

21-0-9, pretty basic castor you can replace swiftness with meditation if you prefer. 9-0-21 works as well, but lacks the power of 21-0-9.

Why is Rod of Ages missing from the build? It provides amazing hp, mp and ap but I found that it's not particularly useful for Ahri as she does not need the hp because of spell vamp, nor the mp because her mana cost are relatively low and although it provides nice ap, it's much better to get rylai's scepter quickly as it gives her so much in passive with its slow.

Early Game
Doran's RingX2
1 or 2 Doran's rings keeps your mana at bay and makes you more buff. Why not skip dorans and get hextech revolver first? Because Ahri isn't akali 2.0, she needs the mana.
Boots
Hextech Revolver
Nice spellvamp & ap for very low price. Keeps your health high until you can get rylai's.

Core
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
//updated I found that it's much better to rush the scepter since the benefits outweight the early sustain.

Best Item for Ahri. It provies slow with any of her spells. It's a must have to ahri since all of your skills are skillshots, slowing the enemy greatly increases your accuracy.
It helps you catch a dying enemy or run away. If you are chased by multiple enemies, just cast your Q to slow and you're safe.
Hextech Gunblade I found that hexblade is even better than Will of the Ancients
in many cases. It provides additional slow which can be a life saver or a kill securing tool. You can still build Will of the Ancients instead if you find that you lack the funds.
Sorcerer's Shoes
20 magic pen = 20% more damage =P
Rabadon's Deathcap
Huge chunk of damage.

Situational - fill your last two spots depending on your team needs. I recommend one offensive and one defensive item.
Will of the Ancients
Very Nice item on Ahri, you can heal a big chunk of your health combined with Soul Eater and this. Combined together you will have 55% spell vamp total!
Void Staff enemies stacking mr? No problem for this badass.
Lich Bane Need some damage to finish of towers? Pick this guy.
Zhonya's Hourglass getting focused? surprise them by glowing gold.
Banshee's Veil getting cc'ed? get me get me!
Abyssal Mask for mr and ap and magic pen. 20% increased magic damage to all nearby enemies.
Randuin's Omen massive area slow, slow slow slow.... slow
Deathfire Grasp great against hp stackers

other good items:
Guinsoo's Rageblade awesome item if you plan going hybrid. total 75 AP at max stack!
Frozen Mallet use in conjunction with rylai's to become untouchable by melee champs!


There's a million ways to build! Find the items that work for that situation!

Soul Eater
Great passive. 35% Spellvamp upon hitting 9 units with spell. Combine with Q for massive healing.

Orb of Deception
Max this spell first. It stacks well with your passive. Great for teamfights as it hits multiple targets and deals true damage on the way back. Will slow twice with rylai's scepter if aimed correctly.

Fox-Fire
Great damage, low cool down spell.
Great finishing move. Max this spell second since its cooldown decreases dramatically. Get two points to this spell at level 8 to double it's effectiveness.

Charm
Charms enemy, working similar to fear. Great against tower divers as well. Get 3 points to charm before fox fire to increase your charm by 0.5 seconds (50% increase in charm). The damage is pretty low so this skill is maxed last.

Spirit Rush
This might be the best ult in the game. Jumps, targets 3 nearby enemy with spell, can be cast 3 times before cool down.
Use it during team fights to deal damage, or chase/run. Try to aim the jump little away from enemy champ so you aren't too close to their attacks.

Combos:
Your fighting style changes greatly when you get your Rylai's Crystal Scepter. Initiating with E is more effective pre-rylai's since the charm makes it easier to aim your Q. But once you get your rylai's it's better to initiate with Q to make your E more accurate.

without Rylai's Crystal Scepter.
Harassing
Q>W

Fighting (long range)
E>Q>W
with ult
E>Q>R>W>R>R

Fighting (close range)
W>E>Q
with Ult
W>R>Q>E>R>Q>R

Chasing
E>W>Q
with Ult
R>E>R>W>R>Q

with Rylai's Crystal Scepter.
Fighting (close range)
W>Q>E
with ult
W>Q>R>R>E>R>W

Fighting (long range)
Q>W>E
with ult
Q>R>W>R>E>R>

Chasing/running (close range)
W>Q>E
with ult>
R>W>Q>E>R>R>W

chasing/running (long range)
R>W>E>Q>R>R (in w range)
R>Q>R>E>Q>W (outside w range)

Best spells
Flash
Gives you an addtional jump to your ultimate. Use it to chase or run.
Ignite
Adds and extra sprinkle of damage. Use if accordingly to when your spells are on cooldown/when oom/securing kill.

Good options
Ghost run like the wind! let none escape when combined with rylai & ghost. Or you can run away :)
Exhaust
Great addtion in slowing the enemy, perfect against ad carries.
Teleport now you're here, now you're there

Here are some of my results, feel free to send me yours!
With assasin build #9
I decided to go hybrid since we had a Xerath for ap. Duo'ed bottom with Xerath. The game ended with all 3 of the other team rage quitting =)

With money build #6
Not every game starts out perfectly.

A team of 4 APs spelled bad news all over. I decided to go with tank build since we had no tanks. I duo laned bottom and I was distracted and gave the enemy a fb. Stats went to 2-6-8 mid game.

We were losing. While the other team had all their towers, we lost our mid inhibitor and only had 2 towers left. Our kills were down 1:2 as well.
I triple built the gold per sec items as the guide and once I had Rabadon's Deathcap and Rylai's Crystal Scepter, I could 1v1 any other champ on the other team's side although I was underleveled.

I decided to sell the Philo stone to get Void Staff but the game had just ended.

The opposing team surrendered, and I had the second most gold regardless of standing in a duo lane because of the gps items.