Lulu Build Guide by Erikulum

Introduction

Hi everyone, I'm Erikulum and this guide will show you my way of playing Lulu. I'm not the first to say this but please try it before voting (or at least read this chapter).

First of all, this is not your average support guide. This is a support/carry build. So if you use this build, you sacrifice some supportive abilities and burst for sustained damage. With this build you have an insane dps while keeping a pretty decent support and survivability.

Note that this is my first guide and it will always be open to improvement. I'm always happy to receive constructive comments.

Changes and updates

League of Legends v.1.0.0.139 - Spectator mode patch

How do this patch affect Lulu

• Weaker Glitterlance - A little sad, especially the increased cost
  Ability power ratio reduced to 0.6 from 0.7
  Mana cost increased at later ranks to 40/50/60/70/80 from 40/45/50/55/60
  
  
• Updated Wild Growth tooltip to reflect knock up ability rather than knock back

Item changes

Lots of item we're made support-friendly... nice for them

Updates

• May 1. 2012
  - Updated to last patch info
  
  
• April 20, 2012
  - Added Doran's Ring as a choice for starting item
  - Added Nashor's Tooth to the core item
  - Removed Malady and Wit's End from the core item
  - Modified multiple section to adapt to these changes
  
  
• April 19, 2012
  - Added Quicksilver Sash and Banshee's Veil to the viable defensive item
  - the guide now show patch changes that affect Lulu
  
  
• April 17, 2012
  - Added Lulu / Teemo comparison section
  
  
• April 16, 2012
  - Completed the guide
  
  
• April 10, 2012
  - Started writing this guide

Pros / Cons

spaaaaaaaaaaaaaace

Pros + Ranged champion + Easy to play + 2 Powerfull slow + A cute disable + 2 HP cushion + Life saver

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Cons - Item dependant - Slow base attack speed - Hard to master - Better when not alone Nothing

Masteries

Yes, it's a strange way to put 21-0-9

Explanation:
Our support/carry Lulu want AP for early game and AS/damage for mid-late game. I took Runic Affinity for those time you'll get red buff. Swiftness will help you outrun your enemy when you'll have to use Whimsy on an ally but Expanded Mind may be better if you think Glitterlance is enough to save your ***.

If you don't intend to use runes to boost/replenish your mana you should probably replace Good Hands with Expanded Mind .

Runes

• Greater Quintessence of Ability Power: More AP give you an easier early game and a better burst late game
  
• Greater Mark of Magic Penetration: Pretty standard, most of your damage will be spell damage
  
• Greater Glyph of Attack Speed: see below
  
• Greater Seal of Attack Speed: lulu start with a low attack speed and we need to correct that, these runes, combined with the item and mastery will do it

Don't change your Greater Mark of Magic Penetration or your Greater Seal of Attack Speed, these are pretty much the best for this build.

Goods Glyph choices

• Greater Glyph of Scaling Mana Regeneration - If you feel you need more mana
  
• Greater Glyph of Magic Resist - Still very good after the patch
  
• Greater Glyph of Cooldown Reduction - To play a little more support

Goods Quintessences choices

• Any survivability can be good
  
• Greater Quintessence of Scaling Mana Regeneration - If you need more mana
  
• Greater Quintessence of Magic Penetration - add m.pen to your mark
  
• Greater Quintessence of Hybrid Penetration - magic and armor penetration, potentially better than Greater Quintessence of Insight, need testing.
  
• Greater Quintessence of Replenishment - if you want more early sustain, Greater Quintessence of Clarity is better after level 6
  
• Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed - more movement speed is never bad

Summoner Spells

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Flash, simply the best summoner spell, it help set a gank, get that final blow on a running enemy champ, can be used as an escape mechanism, is en easy way to get away from a gank, you can even use it to close the gap between you and your dying friend to save him with Whimsy, Help, Pix! or Wild Growth. The only flaw of this spell is it's cooldown (250 second with Summoner's Insight )

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Ignite is your kill secure spell. It prevent half healing and do a decent DoT. Most usefull when a low HP enemy run past his tower. I choosed this over Exhaust because I'm more used to it. Also have a lower cooldown (180 secondes)

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Exhaust is used to secure a kill when Glitterlance is on cooldown. With your dps and the resistances reduction ( Summoner's Wrath ) you will usually do more damage with Exhaust than with Ignite and may give you enough time to get another Glitterlance ready. It will also help you versus a melee champion that found a way to close the gap. This spell add to your cc and will make it really hard for an enemy to get away/get to you. Sadly, this spell have 30 seconds more cooldown than Ignite

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Teleport is THE 5v5 choice. It will help you be where you need to be when you need. Some time to save teammate or tower, other to get an easy double kill. Since you can teleport to Sight Ward, Teemo's Noxious Trap, Shaco's Jack In The Box...etc. this spell is better if your team use one or more of those (and your team should). Replace flash.

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Clarity is awesome if you're not using mana regen runes and like to harass a lot. Can be decent otherwise. It will give you the juice to save your allies or use any of your ability multiple times. For Lulu, that mean a lot of possibility. Restoring allies mana can help too :P

nothing 3v3 only

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If you are playing 3v3 a lot you'll see that the ones controlling the jungle usually win. Smite help you take buff faster, steal dragon sooner and secure monster kill

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Surge seem tailor made for this build. 35% speed sinergize well with the build and Pix, Faerie Companion. The Ap gain give a little more power to your spell and the buff last for 12 second, so will usually last a full team fight. Need testing but I always tough this one was underpowered

Ability Explanation and Uses

• Pix, faerie companion (Passive)
  
  Pix fires a barrage of 3 bolts, dealing 5 + (3 per 2 levels) magic damage each, totaling 15 + (9 per 2 levels), at whomever Lulu attacks.
  
  These bolts are homing but can be blocked by other units.
  
  
  Uses : The ability that make the build viable. Since it's blockable, you can sometimes use it to last hit 2 minions at once.
  
  

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• Glitterlance (Q)
  
  Lulu and Pix each fire a piercing bolt that deals 80 / 130 / 180 / 230 / 280 (+70% of ability power) magic damage, slowing enemies hit by 80% for 1 / 1.25 / 1.5 / 1.75 / 2 second(s). This slow decays over time.
  
  An enemy can only be damaged by one bolt.
  
  
  Uses : Your early harass and life saver. This one's a skillshot that's casted both from you and from Pix. The damage is great and the slow is really powerfull (but don't last long). Use it to punish opponent trying to close the gap on you or to prevent an enemy's escape. I often use this spell to hit enemy running around a corner in the jungle.
  
  

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• Whimsy (W)
  
  On ally cast: Target ally gains 35% movement speed and 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 bonus ability power for 5 seconds.
  
  On enemy cast: Polymorphs an enemy champion for 1.5 / 1.75 / 2 / 2.25 / 2.5 seconds, disabling their ability to attack or cast spells and reducing their base movement speed by 60.
  
  
  Uses : Disable an unfocused enemy carry in team fight. Use it to win 1v1 vs some champ like Master Yi or Sion. Can give you the speed needed to go help a teammate, chase a kill or can speed a teammate to save his life.
  
  

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• Help, Pix! (E)
  
  On Ally Cast: Commands Pix to jump to an ally and then follow and aid their attacks instead of Lulu's for 6 seconds. Upon arrival, Pix shields them from 60 / 105 / 150 / 195 / 240 (+60% of ability power) damage for 6 seconds.
  
  On Enemy Cast: Pix deals 80 / 130 / 180 / 230 / 280 (+60% of ability power) magic damage to target enemy unit. Pix then follows and grants vision of them for 6 seconds.
  
  
  Uses : Use it mostly to save dying allies. You can use it ot win a close fight as a last resort "burst". Keep sight on an enemy entering a bush or on a Twitch going invisible. Can also be used to extend Glitterlance range (see advanced skillshot). Remember that Pix will follow your target for 6 seconds so it will be really easy to hit with a Glitterlance after casting on an enemy
  
  

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• Wild Growth (R)
  
  Lulu enlarges her ally, knocking enemies away from them. For 7 seconds her ally gains 300 / 450 / 600 (+50% of ability power) bonus health and slows nearby enemies by 30 / 45 / 60% for 1 second.
  
  
  Uses The most easy to use of Lulu's ability. Can be used to save a dying ally or prevent enemy escape. If used correctly this skill will often turn the tide of a battle. Note that you didn't build lots of AP you may have to use both Wild Growth and Help, Pix! to save someone.

Items

Explanation:

Boots of Speed, you're a beginner if you don't know why... BUY BOOTS !

Nashor's Tooth is simply the best item for Lulu. The attack speed synergize with Pix, Faerie Companion, the mana regen and cooldown reduction help you spam more spell and the AP give you an easier start. It give 50 attack speed, 55 Ability Power, 10 mana regen/5 seconds and 25% cooldown reduction. Build Fiendish Codex first since mana regen and AP is better at start.

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Since most of your damage are magic, Sorcerer's Shoes are the boots I'll usually take. The magic pen help not only for the on-hit effect from Malady, Wit's End, Pix, Faerie Companion and some other item but also with 2 of your spell including Glitterlance.

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When I see an enemy team with LOTS of crowd control I buy a pair of Mercury's Treads. The 35 tenacity is usually just enough to survive a heavy cc 3v1 gank

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If you think your opponent won't build magic resist, Berserker's Greaves will give your more sustained damage than Mercury's Treads. But it's a choice you will regret when your opponent will do.

Shredder items - Give you sustained damage

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Malady give all you could wish for on this build. Lots of attack speed, some ability power, on-hit deal magic damage and reduce enemy magic resistance. Buy it before Nashor's Tooth if you're having problem farming since it's cheap and effective.

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Wit's End is another good choice. Even better if you're facing a caster. Sligthy less attack speed, some magic resist, on-hit deal 42 magic damage and give temporary magic resist. Buy Recurve Bow first so you'll be able to skip to Madred's Bloodrazor if you need to or if you recall with lots of money.

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When you're snowballing very well consider Ionic Spark. 45% Attack Speed and 100 magic damage on 4 target every 4 hits. If used correctly, it can be used to hit enemy out of range.

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If your enemies are able to run away from you Frozen Mallet is a good choice. 30% Slow will do the trick. You get some AD and a whooping 700 HP as bonus. Also a good choice if you're feeling squishy.

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When you have problem with enemy stacking Hit Points the solution is a Madred's Bloodrazor. Attack speed, attack damage, some armor and hit your enemy for 4% of their max hp as MAGIC DAMAGE with each hit. On twisted treeline, you should buy Madred's Razors sooner and keep it for a while.

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The Black Cleaver is an item you'll rarely buy. Only do so when most of your opponents have LOW ARMOR and you bought some item WITH ATTACK DAMAGE. Since the first point in armor give bigger protection than higher value shredding their armor will leave them very vulnerable to your attack damage and your AD carry

Hybrid items - Better burst and support

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Guinsoo's Rageblade is another pretty good item. Consider it a Shredder-Hybrid item. It give Attack damage, Ability Power and each hit give you more attack speed and AP for 5 seconds

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If you need sustain Hextech Gunblade will give lots of attack damage, ability power, life steal and spell vamp. Don't forget to use the active, 300 damage and 50% slow for 3 seconds. 60 seconds cooldown.

Defensive items - When you're the enemy primary target

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If the enemy team is heavy AD, a Thornmail will make them regret focusing you. You also need enough HP or this item is not worth it. The Giant's Belt used in Frozen Mallet is just right for the job. P.-S: need to verify if the "shield" given by Help, Pix! and Wild Growth sinergize with this item... It probably does since the game consider 30% of the damage dealt before damage mitigation.

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If you didn't bought mercury treads, if the enemy is mostly AP, if you have problem with their crowd control, a Banshee's Veil may be the answer. You'll get Hp, mana, magic resist and block one negative spell effect every 45 sec.

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Quicksilver Sash is a situational item. You will want to buy one when a particular fed enemy is giving you trouble with a specific disable. Nasus' Wither is a good example. If you can't kill him and your movement speed's reduced by 95% you are dead, unless you have a Quicksilver Sash.

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Guardian Angel is one of the best armor in the game. It's even better on Lulu since even if she revive in a bad position, her abilities may be enough to escape her enemy.

If you go with lots of attack speed item and runes take care, a champion can't attack faster than 2.5 attacks per second. So any item that will give you more attack speed than that is wasted money. (Don't forget Guinsoo's Rageblade on-hit buff). I never got a problem with this, attack speed bonus multiply the base attack speed. So a +50% will give you +0.313 attack / sec.

And buy ward when you have some pocket money

Advanced skillshot

There's 2 thing you can do with Lulu that need some practice. The first one is pretty easy but you have to rebember that you can do it. The second one is way more trickier, hard to place and you need to do it fast.






By targeting a minion, an enemy or an ally with Help, Pix! Pix will follow that target during the following 6 second. Since one of your Glitterlance is shot from Pix, this can be used to hit enemy out of your range. You can also do it on an ally chasing someone (with Whimsy if you can) to give him an easy kill.









This one's may seem easy but is very tricky to do in an actual game. There's a gap between you and Pix that can be used to shot your glitterlance in opposing direction. This one's easier to do if your holding space to center your camera on Lulu. Also disable smartcasting if you are using it.

Lulu / Teemo comparison

Lots of people seem to think attack speed lulu is underpowered compared to her alter ego. Since Teemo is one the most popular I'll compare their level 18 stats using the same item build. Lulu will be using my rune, Teemo will be using these. The item build will also be the one used in this build even if I feel using Mercury's Treads disavantage lulu since we usually take Berserker's Greaves. For the madred's I'll consider an enemy with 2500 hp (100 dmg).

Health Attack Speed Physical damage On-hit damage DPS

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2591 1.776 152 162 + 96 728.16

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2554 2.032 159 162 + 48.5 750.82 + DoT (33.5)

Teemo's DPS is 7.7% better than Lulu (If Lulu were using Berserker's Greaves she'd won by 1%). Now since the result are so similar, you have to choose between Teemo's ability set or Lulu's ones.

P.-S : Lulu's ability set is better :P

So if you still think AS Lulu suck... try to be a little less narrow-minded!

Match history

I always thought these kind of thing mean nothing since it would be so easy to fake. But since it give more credibility to a build...

Well, this screenshot's legit.All these game are from twisted treeline, since I almost never play 5v5 and would need lots of luck (I usually play solo queue) to be able to do a screen like this in summoner's rift.

as you can see I usually carry, but I'm still able to support if I have to. Most of these game we're over in less than 20 minutes.

Summary

AS Lulu is not only viable, but can be better than her counterpart in the hand of a good player. What's more satisfying than killing a Master Yi more feeded than you in a duel with a support ?

Please upvote if you liked the build and explain any downvote so I can make this guide even better. And again, try it before downvoting if you think AS Lulu suck.

Credits / Thanks

• Calipse for the build idea
• You for reading my guide
• jhoijhoi for the template, which you can find here.