DISCLAIMER:

I am currently publishing this guide in the meantime... but as you can see, is still very much under construction. Do not attempt to fully read and understand this guide, or use it quite yet.

DISCLAIMER:

THIS GUIDE IS BUILT UNDER THE SOLE PURPOSE OF MY OWN PREFERENCES, ANYTHING HERE AS YOU GET UP IN THE GAME FOR LEVELS CAN BE MODIFIED TO YOUR SITUATION OR BATTLE PREFERENCE. THIS NOT A JOKE GUIDE, BUT THIS ISN'T MEANT FOR SILVER AND UP...

(unless you are really good and like to play Volibear anyways)

ALL OF THIS IS BASED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, AND BY MY PERSONAL OPINIONS.

Hey guys, Let me tell you... I've been playing League since Season 2, and I have to say, no matter which champion I pick, Volibear has a special place in my heart. I might not have gotten too big into ranked, but I know with most games I play as him, I usually demolish my lane. He was the first champion I ever bought (Ashe doesn't count during my noob years), and he's the champ I have played the most of. If there is one champion I know thoroughly, it's
Volibear. Rookies can learn him easy, but mastering him and knowing how/when to strike, and how/when to run is where it gets a little in-depth. I will do the best I can to explain him out. Knowing how to use his Stormbringer and Thundering Smash Effectively can also be tricky at first, but when you do, enemy champions will fear you the moment you start rolling into the field. He can certainly make it easier to push lanes, and his passive makes it all the more easier.

If you have never played League of Legends before or if you are struggling at the beginning, Volibear is an excellent first-champion to buy.

Other recommendations are Teemo, Gangplank, and Master Yi if you are just starting out. Also, the most affordable option would be Master Yi if you starting, but if you got the IP or the Cash to Shell out on 880 RP, I recommend Volibear x9 out of 10. Trust me, he's once champ that proves himself time and time again.

Also, just a sample of some of my best games, mashed up together:




Some quick information and some terminology you should have memorized.

Volibear has full flexibility in the matter that he can very well be in almost any lane (Except MID, Mid is suicide with Volibear). His abilities he has gives him a full range around the map, and he can either be built as a fighter or a tank.

However, all of his abilities have real bad cool-downs that make your grandmother look fast. Knowing when to land each ability is key to succeeding with Volibear. Because if you waste certain abilities at bad timings when you need them most, more often than not, you will either find yourself dead or you will fail at finishing the enemy.

Being said, let's take a look at each abilities, and when it is most effective to use them.

PASSIVE:
The Relentless Storm Whenever Volibear's health drops down to 30%, his health RAPIDLY REGENERATES, making him much more durable, and in a duel, near impossible to touch. This passive will also help you in the event that you run out of potions, and you need a quick fix to heal you.

This passive is most effectively used for many reasons. I'll just list them out.
+ Out of Potions? Around 32% Health? Then be a little risky, but get your enemy to attack you down to 29% or lower of your health. Immediately afterward, get out of their range. In doing so, you'll survive lethal damage, and have your health back up to a comfortable level in about 6 seconds flat.
+ Want to Duel the Enemy Champion Earlygame? As long as your enemy isn't Garen, Teemo or Signed, and you're facing someone like Fiora or Olaf... then by all means, go ahead. However, knowing your enemy and their abilities is key to surviving a near-fatal duel. This Passive allows you to remain in the fight, and as your enemy "attempts" (Ha, as if) to whittle down your health, it won't work as your passive is healing you so fast.
+ Can't Quite Escape a Doomed Teamfight
This rapid health regeneration will help you remain durable when two enemy champions are making a chase against you. This will help you buy some more time against enemy champs that are putting the hurt on you. Also, if you are feeling confident, and only have one champ chasing you, turn around and start chasing them once you are healthy again with Thundering Smash.


STANDARD ACTIVE ABILITIES:

Thundering Smash I find that this ability has several means of uses. Whether as a means of catching the enemy champion, landing a finishing blow, throwing a minion out from the range of the turret to a reachable distance (so you can get the "last hit gold") faking out enemy champions to give you some space for you and your allies (Trust me, they will be running away if they see you rolling into the fray), or finally, a means of escape. Now, Rolling Thunder use to have a "Ghost" effect, which allowed you to run right through waves of minions without them getting in the way/slowing you down. However, somewhere around Season 3-4, they nerfed it, removing the ghost effect, and making it that much harder to catch your enemy/run away from a fight.

However, this ability is most effectively used for catching up to an enemy champion, and bringing them back into range. Being said, if you throw them backward, you could also be throwing them back from the frying pan back into the fire. Learning to Combo




ADVANCED COMBO TECHNIQUES:

His build really varies more on if you aim on having him a Tanky support, or a hard hitting tank. Please look at the build reference to see what works best for him.

TOP TANK (DEMOLISHER TANK)
Volibear is built for the top, with no doubt. He can clean champs off his teeth from his Frenzy and still have enough health to keep going forward, thanks to The Relentless Storm. However, to get the most of him, you need to focus first and foremost being a tank. Here's an idea of a Level 1 to Level 6 Build, assuming the game is going well.

Level 1 - Level 6:

Level 1: RIGHT OUT THE GATE

In your most basic scenarios, Start with a Ruby Crystal and 2x Health Potion. Finally, you're going to need some vision, so grab yourself a Stealth Ward. This will help you from getting ganked by the enemy Jungler, should they choose to converge on you.

Assuming you hit first blood, or got a kill, get yourself around to 650-700 Gold before heading back to base. You should have at least ALL 3 BASIC ABILITIES before hitting it back to base should you choose to head back early.

Level 3 or 4:

Normally, you SHOULDN'T go back to base at level 3 to 4, and should only head back to base when you hit level 6. However, if you got a kill, then you're going to want to upgrade that Ruby asap, and change it over to a Bami's Cinder. Just remember, if you are going to try to bulldoze their turret and the enemy champion is in range, the cinder WILL cause the turret to fire off. Kill the enemy champ when they leave an opening and then proceed to bulldoze. Follow that up with 2 to 3 Health Potion, and head back to top fast with Thundering Smash. You won't need boots until about level 7-8 (in my opinion). If you got some Gold to spare, and you are feeling lucky, get yourself some Cloth Armor and then head back up. This will be used to help you build a Sunfire Aegis later on.

While up on top lane, you should be able to demolish your enemy in a duel should they come back for seconds. Please, save your unbearable Ekko puns for someone who can tolerate it. =P
Main thing to keep in mind is when setting yourself up for a duel, make sure you're making good use of Thundering Smash and Sky Splitter while your enemy pushes their lanes. Sometimes, when they overextend is the best time to catch them off gaurd. Also, sometimes you have to wait in the bushes to make the most of out it, since most enemy champ's players WILL run when they see you bursting out of the bushes.


JUNGLE BOOKING (FREAKY TANK)
(Coming SOON!)


BOTTOM SUPPORT (HYBRID TANK)
I know what you're thinking, Giving an AD Champion, AP and quicker cooldowns? That's not a good way to make him effective....

However, consider two things...
Volibear has a horrible time with Cooldowns...
... and he can reap the benefits of his Frenzy and Stormbringer being extra deadly in late-game. However, you can't just start building AP Cooldown right away. You truly have to be smart about this.

First thing to keep in mind, as a Support, Volibear will be a tanky aggro support, needing to pull his enemy in close to do anything. That means facing a Morgana or Blitzcrank can get tricky.

So, It's about throwing the enemy champ behind you, roaring, and slamming that Frenzy earlier to help your ADC land that precious last hit.

Let's start with the Pros first:

PROS:
+ Amazing Passive:
>>His Passive is Excellent, Most people who aren't acquainted with Voli's Passive will get Steamrolled in a 1 on 1 Duel. Fiora, eat your heart out!
Again, his passive, The Relentless Storm will heal him the moment he drops down below 30%, restoring him up back to around 60-80% of his health
+ Frenzy is Deadly!
>> Frenzy is arguably his most deadliest move, if you know when to use it.
Frenzy Should only be used around when the enemy champion's health is lower than 30% - 40%. If in the event that you don't finish your enemy, just light em up like Fall-Out Boy with Ignite. Problem with frenzy, is it has the longest cool-down (excluding his ult) out of all of his moves, so using it at the wrong time will hurt you more than it will help. Always save it as your finisher.
+ Excellent Support:
>> He makes a Surpisingly good support with his Sky Splitter and Thundering Smash, so long as you don't land the finishing blow. Just remember to throw and slow them for your allies so they will
+ He can combo his Flip/Slow
This is probably the most useful combo he has in his arsenal.
+ His Ganking Skills
He is Surprisingly scary when you see this bear randomly materializing out of a bush from nowhere, jumping infront of you, and flipping them back into enemy lines... all thanks to Thundering Smash. If he gets ahold of you while ganking, it could very well be all over, because all he has to do is Sky Splitter and let him and his allies slam away at the enemies health. I guess you can't get excited, Jinx... =P

All champions have another champ that can put some serious hurt, or "countering" you. There are quite a few of them on Volibear in a 1v1 fight. Needless to say, these champs know that they can be fools, but their heads aren't as easily parted...

Most people look at me very strangely, and I don't blame them, my username is Mental Wyro after all... =P


However, seriously though, they often go "WTF, Voli Support? How?"
So, let me explain on how this works. If you are looking for info on Jungle Volibear, please see Chapter 7.

Support Volibear: The Oddball Throw and Slow Techniques

Well, today I am going to explain that for those of you who aren't ranked, but have been at level 30 for a while, it is possible to do it... but you need to sacrifice your attack speed in turn to make this work. You won't be focused on Frenzy as much as you will need to focus on Thundering Smash. Making good use of his flip, and tossing him to your ADC Marksman will pay off in so many ways, it's not funny.

Otherwise,

Top Volibear: The Lane Demolition Steamroller

This is usually one of the two lanes you will see Volibear take on.

Volibear is a very scary Jungler if played right. He can take out Jungle Mobs rather quickly, and his Frenzy stacks allow him to have a secondary Smite should Smite not take out the enemy on the first strike. Heck, if you really want to be crazy, nuts, and downright ballsy, you can do the entire jungle WITHOUT Smite. However, in later years, Smite can now be used on enemy champions as well, so now Smite has a genuine use in my book now. However, if you're really skilled, and you feel real crazy, go without smite, and just go with one of the spellchoices I have left in Chapter 8.

(More Coming Soon!)

MUST HAVE
Heal is a very smart choice, let alone A MUST HAVE in your arsenal, so you don't have to leave out of the battle right away, in the event that your opponent starts pushing you hard, and The Relentless Storm burns out. Also, Heal in a duel 1v1 is crucial for last minute turn-around and survival. Team this spell with one of the three at the bottom...


TOP LANE
Ignite is what I recommend if you take the top lane, for the event that Frenzy somehow doesn't finish off your opponent... it will clean 'em up for you. Also, if you had built a Bami's Cinder, this will HURT-A-LOT! Not to mention, in a teamfight, having that ingite could be the difference between an ace and the last enemy making an escape.


BOTTOM LANE
Exhaust is for bottom lane if you support. This will help your allies ensure kills, especially if you pair this up earlygame with Voli's Thundering Smash.

JUNGLE BOOKING
Smite I would normally not even bother explaining, but for those rookies who have just started League, this spell is generally a must for all Junglers. This spell helps you bring down a giant enemy mob in the jungle. Generally best used for the last hit on Blue Golem, Red Trunk Monster, Baron Nashor, and the Dragon.



See either: "Top: Landing FIRST BLOOD" or "SUPPORT: Helping First Blood" to see how to make the most of these spells.


Why I do not choose Ghost or Flash as a means of escape? I strongly feel that Volibear's Thundering Smash and Sky Splitter are enough to get out of most slippery situations. If his passive is active The Relentless Storm Chosen of the Storm, and if you build him right with face of the mountain, and use his Heal, he'll be able to escape just nicely out of any major issue dealing with 1v2 to 1v4 chasing you down. Just remember to use Sky Splitter when your enemies get close. Plus, if you have to rely on Flash with Volibear, then you just aren't playing smart enough (but don't get me wrong, Flash has saved my rump several times, more times than I am comfortable with, but his abilities make better uses than try to waste a spell that can only be used once every week) =P. However, if you are ganked in a 1v5 situation, then you either weren't playing smart, or if you were and they are all on your tail, start pinging your allies to have them rescue you out of the situation. Also, Exhaust acts as a secondary means of escape when Sky Splitter doesn't cut it.

I cannot stress this enough... buy your build fast, and haul butt right away up to the Top Lane.. The moment you enter a match is Critical, and every second you waste not getting up into that direction will hurt you.

Depending on how fast you make it up to Top Lane, means you can really leave a dent. Being the first to top lane will give you full advantage over your opponent. Also, if you ally isn't needed help in the Jungle, you should be alright as well. If you're Jungler needs help, do help them, but also remember that you will be at a small disadvantage as with most cases.

If you are in the event that your opponent isn't helping the Jungler, take full advantage of this.

Do remember one thing though before jumping into a duel... Avoid Singed, Kennen and Teemo if they happen to be up top... Even though you might have an equal chance to kill them as they do... it's almost too risky. If you are an experienced League player, than give it a shot. However, they counter Volibear so hard, it's almost not worth the 1v1, and landing first blood.


With that out of the way, there are three ways you an initiate a duel:

Level 1. The moment you make it up top, (and hopefully you didn't waste any time out of the gate), get to the second bush, and ward the third with your Stealth Ward to see if your enemy is there. If not, wait for them to come into view.

Threee things can happen here:
1. If they start investigating the bushes, get ready to start swiping their face off. Generally, about 4-6 swipes do the trick from your normal attacks, then landing off a Frenzy chomp to finish them before they have enough time to make it back to the turret. If they still have about another 100HP, just land the Ignite and they are finished. If they are too fast, and they attempt to get away, use Heal to get movement speed (your probably down a few HP anyways), and finish them off.

2. If they go aggro, and keep attacking and don't run, thinking they can win, they are sorely mistaken, and they don't know Volibear (Almost the same process, too). If they start investigating the bushes, get ready to start swiping their face off. Generally, about 4-6 swipes do the trick from your normal attacks, and by then your health might be down to about 200HP. Your Passive, The Relentless Storm will kick in, and start using Heal and Health Potion to rapidly increase you HP back to a painfully difficult level to the point they can't duel him. By then, they may either run, or keep fighting. Either way, same as #1, landing off a Frenzy chomp to finish them before they have enough time to make it back to the turret. If they still have about another 100HP, just land the Ignite and again, they are finished.

3. If nobody shows up, they are probably in the jungle, helping the Jungler. If minions show up, just start swiping away at them, and forget the first blood for the meantime. By the time you clear the first wave of minions, the enemy champion will show up, and they will already have pressure placed on them.