Here we go..
i ususally see a lot of players using Riven, but they all just copy Phreak's Build...
I don't think that build works well, because (unless game goes on longer than 40 min) that Riven is USELESS.

I master Riven very well by now, therefore i want to try to explain you my build, even though i think that BUILD is not enough to win a game..
you need to get the feeling with your champ, learning what he can and can't do.

Anyway, after this short intro, let's start with the Guide!


P.S.: I WOULD BE GLAD IF YOU TRY THIS BUILD AND SEE HOW IT WORKS (obviously you gotta be able to play Riven; don't be a first time Riven because it's obvious you won't go 10-0) THEN BRING ME SOME REPORTS/COMMENTS... I hope you'll enjoy it! =D

I take 22 - 8 - 0 as masteries.

Riven is a pure fighter, 22 points in offence masteries grants her a great harassment, reducing her cooldowns and increasing her damage and attack speed.
I take 8 points in defense which are on armor and magic resistance (all 3 points, for a total of 6) and 2 points in dodge (it's fun when u get to face Tryndamere and suddenly you dodge his last crit, which means that you are still aliveand he is dead..xD)..

I do not improve Ghost Spell in the utility part of masteries for I do not use ghost on Riven.

this rune set is particulairly efficient both when soloing and playing on a double lane.

Marks and Quintessences are full Armor Penetration: very similarly to Talon, Riven plays an harass game, dealing massive damage as she gets armor penetration. +25 armor penetration from start allows you to harass you enemy, taking down a 1/3 of his life each time he comes close to you. Bear in mind that Riven is a champion who is specialized in movement: first and third spells give you a short dash useful to escape but mainly to harass.

Seals are Armor per level, up to a max of 24 at level 18. this will mean that by level 1 you should have +8 base armor (6 points from masteries + 2 from these runes). By level 6 you'll be more resistant getting +14 armor (8 from runes). From level 9 on you will be as resistant as Phreak's Riven, but you still miss +12 armor (which you will receive on and on untill lev 18.
Most champions who plays in lane should be DPS, either melee or ranged, but you should not find nuker mages like Annie, who can one shoot you with 3 AP!!
To dwell more easily against melee and ranged is useful to start with the Doran Shield as i'll tell you later in the Items paragraph.

Glyphs are in Magic Resistence per level, up to a max of 24 at level 18. The explaination I gave for Seals is good for Glyphs, too.

This is the main part of the Build Guide.

Riven is fragile at start: she has no life steal and can't escape so easily after harassing at level 1.


This is why I take Doran Shield as first Item: it gives you 120 HP (you should get up around 670 HP); 10 armor, which, as i was saying before, gives you the same resistance as Phreak's Riven (+18 armor from start); +8 Health Regen /5 sec (22 HP regen/5sec from start), this mean that you are not forced to attack something to heal you back: you can harass and then get healed back in a short time (and harass again! xD).


As said, Riven bases herself on Armor Pen. It is necessary therefore to build Brutalizer as soon as possible. the cost of 1337 gold should be covered in just 1 go, since Riven does not have mana and so does not need to be back to get mana. Just play a bit safe and you are fine.
You should have that anount of money before level 6.


Riven is fast already (325 movement speed base) and her spells help her, so you don't need to get boots as first item. Anyhow, the enemies will get boots while you buy the Brutalizer, so they will be a bit faster than you. You need to buy boots now. By doing this you will be able to chase the enemies and hopefully kill them.

--->
Build now completely Youmuu's Ghostblade, getting as soon as possible Avarice Blade (750G) and soon after Youmuu's (600G).


Complete now Mercury's Treads. By doing this you will be able to move faster (better mobility) and you will be more resistant against mages and disables.

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From this point on you must leave you lane and go around to gank. Your abilities can knock and stun and it makes you a great ganker. It's true you don't have level 2 boots, but you can use Youmuu's bonus movement speed (activating it) and Flash spell + Exhaust to get closer to the enemy and kill him.

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+
In the meanwhile you should build Phage and Sheen in this order. Phage gives you life (which means longevity) and the possibility to slow the enemy; Sheen massively increase your damage, by the time that Riven is a caster: her damage comes massively from spells, not from simple attacks. (Bear in mind that Riven's passive is similar to Sheen effect: after every attack she earns a stack (up to 3) which gives bonus damage to her next attack.


With Trinity you will see that Riven deals tons of damage: after EVERY spell you get +150% damage... when you activate Youmuu's you just can't be controlled by the enemy.

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At this point, if you are a good Riven's player, you will be focused by most of the enemy team; still you are not so light as an assassin but you are able to kill them quite easily.
It's true, if the enemy focuses you your team should easily win a fight, but it's not good to die, isn't it?
This is why you must start tanking.

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Build Randuin as soon as possible for it gives you and your team several advantages against the enemy. In particular you gain life, armor, and cooldown reduction, which give you more survaivability in fight and allows you to cast spells sooner.
It is important to start with Heart of Gold. Indeed you gain armor from masteries and runes already (+30 armor points) so you just need life; furthermore it gives you +5 gold per 10 seconds which is not much but it's still something...

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Drawing to the end, you have to build Banshee's Veil...
Start building Negatron Cloak first (you don't need more life at this point of the game) and soon after complete Banshee.
It is useful to avoid a spell on you as you join a team fight. Indeed when playing Riven you should avoid getting SILENCED: she is a skill based champion.


You last item could be Infinity Edge... I'm not forcing you to buy it, but it's pretty useful when facing a team fight to do as much damage as possible in less time possible..

If you are not buying IE you could buy Guardian Angel or Bloody Thirster, but it's up to you.

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I take FLASH and EXHAUST for a couple of simple reasons..

FLASH:

- useful to get closer to the enemy, using flash in a combo with Riven's spells

- useful to get away from a fight or team fight once you are loosing too much life or you are focused by the entire enemy team

EXHAUST:

- useful in a 1v1 fight: your enemy won't be able to deal you any damage and at the same time he won't be able to escape. it is also useful indeed to get closer to the enemy faster, even though the enemy is not attacking you.

- useful in team fights. Exhaust is the most useful of all Summoner Spells. If you can exhaust an enemy (for example Tryndamere or Jax) during a team fight, you'll turn a 5v5 fight into a 5v4 fight, granting massive advantage to your team.

To recap, be careful when playing Riven.

She is a fighter, not a tank.

In team fights always join for second or third (let the Tank of your team start the fight) and focus immediately the lightest enemies (like mages or assassins).
When you join always activate Youmuu's and your ultimate: you must join and deal the highest possible amount of damage.

Keep moving around the map from lev 4/6 on... You are a grat disabler and this makes you a great ganker. Always when you go back, try to gank either your lane, mid or the opposite before going back to your lane.

I HOPE YOU ENJOY PLAYING WITH THIS BUILD. I CAN GUARANTEE (and my friends too) THAT I FOUND NO RIVEN ABLE TO FACE ME.