Kassadin Build Guide by DreamCatcher

Introduction

Kassadin

Kassadin

Pros / Cons

Pros

Amazing chaser
Probably the best kiter in game
Silence, Slow
Ability to jump over walls every ~5 seconds
Epic nukes
easily run away from ganks at level 6

Cons

Cooldown dependant

Force Pulse isnt reliable due to the 6 charges needed
Riftwalk uses more mana if used constantly, total at 10 stacks = 1000 mana per Riftwalk

Runes

The rune setup isn't the best out there, but it's what im using everytime i play Kassadin.


IT WORKS :D

*If you already have an AP champ rune page setup already use that.

Masteries

Like the Rune section, there is no set Mastery Page to play any champion in this game. Go with what you already have set up for any AP champion and use it.

Just showing what I use.

Summoner Spells

Flash - This combined with your Rift Walk is DEADLY. Why? Because with Flash you are able to take your enemy by surprise as they wouldn't expect you to cover a huge amount of distance in less then a second.

Ignite - Helps secure a kill if your Null Sphere or Force Pulse didn't finish off your kill. Just remember to chuck it onto your prey.

Rift Walk > Flash > Null Sphere > Force Pulse > Ignite > First Blood.

If you do not have Flash, Ghost would do the job as well.

Items

This is where things will make a difference for every Kassadin, the way you build his items.

I see many many people start off with a Doran's Ring. This maybe good for an Ahri or AP Ezreal, but not Kassadin. Mainly because he is a melee AP champion. I then conclude that Doran's Ring is rubbish for Kassadin.

You want to start off with Boots of Speed because you want to dodge Morgana's Dark Binding for example. This will also help you run into the minions to get those valuable last hits for gold. * Doran's Ring would get you killed if you try and last hit minions, also doesnt give you the ability to easily dodge skill shot skills that will kill you. The three Health Potions will help you stay in lane. In case you take a considerable amount of damage.

Moving on to solving mana related problems with Kassadin. Before going back to base and going shopping, I try to farm up 995 gold by level 6 for Tear of the Goddess. This item gives you 4 mana everytime you cast a spell! It's just awesome. The next item, Catalyst the Protector will help you sustain in lane because of the hp/mp it gives you and the regen everytime you level up. Depending on how well you're doing in lane, you can swap Tear of the Goddess and Catalyst the Protector around.

Moving on to damage and AP.
After obtaining Tear of the Goddess and Catalyst the Protector, you want to buy Sorcerer's Shoes to increase damage output when you want to kill someone.
Buying Rod of Ages after Sorcerer's Shoes is good because it gives amazing bonuses per minute like 18 health, 20 mana, and 2 AP per minute! This item is amazing for Kass. Help you get meaty so you wont die the moment you Riftwalk towards an enemy champion and gives you the ability to tower dive an enemy when he's on low health and secure the kill and flee with no deaths.

Next item would be Archangel's Staff this is an upgrade of Tear of the Goddess. Makes 3% of your mana into AP. So with the mana bonus from Rod of Ages and the stacks of mana from Archangel's Staff you will gain a significant amount of AP, while overcoming the lack of mana to spam your mana hungry ulti Riftwalk.

Now that you have a significant amount of health to take some damage and a huge mana pool to keep you in battle without running out of mana, we focus on damage output. Every caster champion NEEDS to get a Rabadon's Deathcap, this item is a must have for every caster champion. Upon obtaining this item, you have the ability to kill or take out 3/4 health of most caster champions and adcarries like Ashe, Graves, Miss Fortune, Veigar, Annie, and many many more champions that focus on damage rather then survivability.

Sorcerer's Shoes, Rod of Ages, Archangel's Staff, and Rabadon's Deathcap are you main core items.

After those 4 items, you can go any way you like. I usually go with Abyssal Scepter for the extra Magic resist and the passive aura make my spells more painful and a Lich Bane so that my little stabs with my void knife will hurt.

Other viable items and why they are good.
Deathfire Grasp - This item is an amazing item for an enemy team with champions that have alot of hp like Amumu, Nasus, Sion, and other tanky champions. Takes out 25% of their hp +4% of current AP. It's alot of damage. Rarely get this. Because as Kass you want to take out the squishiest champion on the other team which is normally their AD Carry.

Athene's Unholy Grail - This... It's a good item, but unless you're stacking your Riftwalk at 10 stacks throughout the whole game you don't need this item. Blue Buff works just as well.

Void Staff - If the enemy team has alot of Magic Resist, this is the item to have. I would replace this for Abyssal Scepter any day if I'm in such a situation.

Mejai's Soulstealer - This is a lovely item to have if you're playing an amazing game with Kassadin, but if you don't get those stacks up or constantly lose them. It's a waste of an item slot.

Rylai's Crystal Scepter - I usually only take this item when I need to take more damage because of the bonus health this item gives. The slow isnt really useful because of the slow from Force Pulse which is almost always available late game, because you're hunting with your team and they're constantly casting spells. Only get this if you need extra HP.

Will of the Ancients - Only get this item if you're completely dominating and want to stay in fights for long periods of time. Rarely get this item too because as Kassadin, you get in, do what you can, and get out.

How to play the Kassadin.

Early Game

Here, all you want to do is FARM. That's why you want to get Boots of Speed and 3x Health Potion's. So you have the speed advantage to walk into minion waves and get last hits and run away before the enemy champ has a chance to harass you. If you went with Doran's Ring, you're dead. you have no speed to runaway, no health regen, basically an easy kill for Ahri, Morgana, Annie, and anyone that you go against.

Use Null Sphere to harass enemy champions if they ever walk into your range. Do this to scare them so that you will have an easier time getting last hits. Try and farm 995 Gold before you return to base to buy Tear of the Goddess.

Mid Game

Mid game starts at level 6 for Kassadin. This is when you want to roam the map for easy kills. Map awareness is key to a good Kassadin. If your bot lane is being pushed, go down and make your presence, help them get that one or 2 kills. If your bot lane is pushing, then there's a probability that the enemy is on low health and dancing around their tower. This is where having map awareness will get you kills. Riftwalk into their tower, Null Sphere and Force Pulse the low health enemy champ to death.

with Rod of Ages and Archangel's Staff, you have the ability to Riftwalk across the map or from midlane to bot lane to assist your team mates. Your appearance can change the tide of a fight. You are like a Shen, Pantheon, or Twisted Fate. Only difference is... you take some time getting there. But when you do, changes things.

Late Game

Right now. your role is to take down their most dangerous champion, could be their ADcarry, AP caster, support. You can jump behind their tanks and nuke them and run away easily. You might die if you screw up, so make sure your team is always with you. In late game, your roles are pretty much like a support with deadly damage and a chaser to get that Ace.

Conclusion

I have been playing Kassadin for about 7 months now. He is the most fun champion to play with, if played well.

thanks for reading :D have a great day