I haven't gotten this build to work under jungle yet so for now just lane with him...


Updated. Yes it can work just need a different route.

wraiths => wolves => minis => wraiths => B => wolves => blue => wraiths => minis => red => gank or continue util you hit 6 for your ult.

read using abilities section for how to use ult properly.

The runes I listed above are product of my trying to get him to jungle with this build. I have found that attack speed marks and seals work nicely too.

Reason for attack speed over armor pen... easy its health regen, every attack lowers cooldowns attacking more means you cast more. meaning you can get your shield back up faster and get more health sooner.

My set up is for maximum CDR. For the same reason listed under the runes category.

Feel free to make changes, but that is the goal.

E and then Q at level 1 and 2 are your health gaining combo. Throw out a fracture while running up then crystal slash to gain health from all of them at once. After your second point in fracture you will start getting AP to help with the health gain so start on your shield. Your shield is amazing, use it often, for everything.

And of course take your ult where ever possible.

You will be be squishy early so focus on just hit and run with your health gaining combo and then last hitting minions with your abilities.

After wits end is when you can start fighting people and getting off good ganks.

you need to get on people and pretty much just spam your abilities and auto attack as much as possible. The auto attack reduces your cool-downs and allows you to use your abilities faster.

This play style makes him perfect for milady and rageblade as you will get max stacks of both on your target fast and then tear them up. Once you get to gunblade your survivability allows you to just about go toe to toe with an equally geared jax.


Last note: depending on your opponents you may want to upgrade the philo stone sooner for the tenacity, hold on to it as long as you an for the gold. But if CC is a problem, up grade it.

I take Clarity and Teleport. This lets you take any role on a team for the lane phase. If played CORRECTLY you could mid, jungle, lane, or even take a 2v1 if you know him well enough. Just remember to use your shield to absorb most of the enemy dmg, and use your health combo to hit maximum minions.

A lot of people say his skills don't work right... "you pull then you die", "you get off one crystal slash then miss with the second because they are running away", etc etc etc.....

Here are somethings I do to make him work:

Using his ult-

1. When using his ult to initiate, NEVER go to use his ult without turning on your shield first... if you do you deserve to die. you need the dmg absorb, and the speed boost makes snagging and running so much easier.

2. After you snag someone and start pulling use a crystal slash while you are running away. this energizes you, so when the ult ends you can hit Q again and instantly slow them. ( later in the game with a higher slow you can catch them with another slow even if they flash away)

3. If nothing exciting is happening around you, just turn on your shield for the attack speed bonus and auto attack stuff. his passive will reduce the cool-down on his ult by 20 - 30 seconds from just one creep wave somewhere. Do this often, and you can ult often.

4. You don't need to use it to initiate either. You can use it like WW's ult and snag people when they try to run so you can finish them off easier. It is also great because of the suppression, use it to shut up other people's annoying ults like kat or nunu.

other tricks:

1. After you get rage blade and you think you can go catch someone with a gank. On you way to him use your shield to get to him faster and maybe you crystal slash once or twice. Two reasons (beyond the obvious speed boost) using crystal slash gets you energized and prep'ed for a slow, and using any abilities triggers the rageblade, you should be able to start the fight with at least 3 or 4 stacks.

2. My guide says to cast a lot, but i have no mana items (till triforce) how do i sustain myself. Go up and read summoner spells. Getting blue at some point doesn't hurt either, both buffs will drastically increase your effective'ness.

Hope this helps change a few opinions on how "useless" Skarner is.

and if you have any comments please make sure they are useful, nothing like "this sucks"