Hello there, my name is Cr0loGiC.

i am here to show you how i play a successful Skarner and how you can as well.

Skarner is a new champion so better ways of building him might show up, that is why i am very open to criticism and tips on improving the guide.

Please, try the build BEFOR you comment. thank you.

-your friend, Cr0loGiC

REMEMBER: this guide is FAAARRRRR from done, just feel like i need to get my build out there for all the Skarner players looking for a guide.

UPDATES:
21:16: sorry for the lack of updates, been in the theater and seen Captain america. will be updating now
13:42: Added skill sequence page, corrected a few grammar and spelling error and fixed a tip for the E ability
05:40: I WILL GO TOO SLEEP NOW! i will update again in a few hours.
05:21: Added Masteries page.
04:54: Finnish the item section an added a pic instead of text in the skill sequence tab.

This is a quick overlook of all the items, masteries, skill sequence and runes and summoner spells.

Items in buying order:

Sapphire crystal,Health potion x1,Sheen,Berserker Greaves,Guinsoo's Rageblade,Rylai's Cristal Scepter,Hextech gunblade,Banshee's Veil,Trinity Force

Masteries:
Basic 9/0/21


Runes:
magic pen red.
mana per lv blue.
Health per lv yellow.
Armor pen quin.

Summoner spells:

Pros:

-Amazing chaser thanks to slow, speed buff and your ult.

-deal amazing sustained damage

-Great help in team fights due to spam-able AOE damage slow.

-Can also easily pick out a target in a team fight thanks to your ult.

-Great at ganking thanks to speed buff, slow and ult.

-have a shield that can block a good amount of damage.

-have a amazing array of utility at his disposal due to having a slow, speed buff, shield and dragging ult.


Cons:
-do not really have any "burst damage". other than maybe from his ult. (he more than makes up for this in sustained damage, i can only think of someone like Oriana that are able to do the same amount of sustained damage)

-it can be hard to last shot a champion in a team fight for a kill duo to having no real burst.

-Cant really jungle good enough.

and that is about about it, we will touch on some of these topics further in the guide.

Energize

Simply amazing passive, this will get your ult back faster and allows you to spam your abilities.

This build wont take full effect of this since there is only few ATS (attack speed) items. (using a heavy ATK speed build have been proved non viable)

Crystal Slash

This is your bread and butter spell, you will be spamming this in team fight and when chasing down an opponent.

Tips:
-When coming in for a gank try to hit minions on the way to your target. this will charge the ability, allowing you too slow your target instantly.

-Do not be afraid to spam this in team fight, since both the damage and the slow will help a great deal.

-Remember that the AOE is not instant, it takes about 0,4 sec for it to reach full size. this does not sound like much but it will make it harder to land some times.

Crystalline Exoskeleton

Amazing for starting a gank, catching up whit your ult and escaping.

Tips:
-You can use this to block tower hits, so if you tower dive, its sometimes worth saving for escaping safely

-Remember that if the shield is broken you will loose the ATK and movement speed bonus, so a well Placed ability from an enemy champion can break the shield, this is one of the main reasons for Banshees Veil.

Fracture

This ability is kinda "meh". its perfect for early lanning, cause its Skarners only semi-long range ability and it will also allow you to heal yourself and harass.

Tips:
-Use this to heal up in the early lanning face allowing you to farm easier.

-Later in the game this ability still wont do an high amount of damage but never forget it, i can secure you a last hit on a fleeing enemy.

-Remember that the heal itself is reduce by 50% per heal, meaning that if you healed 60 damage the next will heal you for 30 damage and the next for 15 damage and so on.

-Do not underestimate the healing from this in the late game.

Impale

THIS IS SO FUN, i really love this ult. its perfect for team fight, ganks and 1v1 fights and it is always viable and the colldown is low in itself but when you combine that whit your passive then BAAAM!: low colldown.

Tips:
-Remember to use your W before using this ult, this will allow you to drag your target further.

-If possible, always drag your target towards friends or friendly towers.

-do not be afraid of using this in a 1v1 simply as a stun and a damage boost, but remember tip number 1.

-Remember this is a suppressing effect NOT a stun, this mean tenacity wont lower the duration.

I build Skarner as a AD/AP hybrid. i found this method to be the most effective since it perfectly complements his abilities and his basic attacks, both which he will be using to deal the highest amount of damage.

I tried most other ways of building Skarner such as Off-tank, Tank (do not try to do this EVER), AP based, AD based (do not try to do this EVER), ATS based, ATS/AP based and as jungler.

None of these types provide the same amount of sustainability in damage as Hybrid. (of course tanks do not think about damage, but building Skarner a tank is just stupid)

Core:

Sapphire crystal,Health potion x1,Sheen,Berserker Greaves,Guinsoo's Rageblade,Rylai's Cristal Scepter,Hextech gunblade,Banshee's Veil,Trinity Force

"but Cr0loGiC! this core is a full 6 item build!"

Indeed stranger, this core is a full 6 items, why? i will tell you why:

This are the items that you will need trough the game to remain a constant threat, the items also synergies best this way.

BUT!!!! this do not mean that you have to follow this 100% no guide is needed to followed 100%.

"But what do you mean Cr0loGiC"

Lets set up a scenario:
The enemy team is ful of strong AD champions, what do you do? you buy aThornmail instead of a Banshee's Veil
then you will get a good amount of armor, magic resistant and the CC block.

REMEMBER: this vary from game to game! always build to suit your team and counter the enemy team.

Now on to the actual items:

You want to start of buying aSapphire Crystal and 1Health Potion.

This will allow you to stay in lane for a long time duo to you healing on your E and the fact that you have the mana to support it.

Remember not to over spam your abilities early game.


You want to return when you can buy aSheen.

this will not only give you more mana and some AP, but it will help you a lot in the early game damage department and this item is great the entire game considering its price.


After that you want to start building aGuinsoo's Rageblade.

This is a great item that will help you a lot thanks to the fact it gives you a good chunk of AD, ATS and a good bunch of AP.

Basically all the things hybrid Skarner needs.

I always buy aBlasting Wand first since it improves both your shield and your heal.


Then next up isHextech Gunblade dammit i love this bad boy.

More AD and more AP? yes please!

Spell vamp and life steal? WHY THE **** NOT! :D

This item really tips the scale of your damage and really makes you a great threat.

"But Cr0loGiC, why not use aNashor's Tooth?"

We will get to that question later in the guide.

and i always start whith theHextech Revolver for the AP and the spell vamp.


Then it is time to add some survivability, andBanshee's Veil does just that.

Not only providing an amazing spell shield but it also gives you a great chunck of mana, health and MR.

This is perfect in combination whit your W, it will allow you to charge an enemy and soak most of his CC allowing you to hit him whit your ult or slow.


Now thatSheen have been sitting in your inventory for quite some time, lets build it into aTrinity Force.

This will successfully transform you into a walking crystal of death that your team love and enemies fear.

This item got it all!

Hp? we got that!

Mana? we got that!

Crit? we got... okay you get the point.

What really makes this great is the 12% + movement speed.

I run a solid 9/0/21 build set up

I can go into detail of every single talent like some of the "pro" guide writers do, but i find this stupid and time consuming. so i am going to give you a short overview of why i go for this spec.

The 9 points in is to simply reachArchaic Knowledge but the points inArchmage's Savvy are not bad.

Of course we do not forgetCripple to improve our summoner spell.

Some people ask me why i do not spend points in defense? quite simple: mana.

Skarner have some big mana issues early game an masteries such asPerseverance andMeditation will greatly help out in the early game allowing for less recalls witch means more gold and xp.

Spending your points this way keeps you a constant threat the entire game.

"but why only 1 point in E until the late game?

Simply because the skill is kinda... "meh" the damage is low and the only real reason for a level 1 point is its healing capabilities.

And by spending points in Q and W constantly will keep your shield hard and your AOE strong.

And of course, spend a point in your ult at level 6,11 and 16.

Here is an eksplanation of my rune choices:

Greater Mark of Insight
50% of your damage will be magic damage so this is an obvious choice.
Greater Glyph of Intellect
These runes will help you out in the early game since you wont have much mana to spend.