Syndra Build Guide by Atharil

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Welcome to my Syndra guide. You can choose English or Polish version. Polish version is still translating :)

Intro

Hello everyone, let me introduce Syndra, the Dark Sovereign. She is a ranged mage champion, who can go to mid lane to destroy enemies and do a lot of fun actions during the game.

"Power belongs to those who can wield it." - Syndra

Summoner Spells

As a mid champion you will need Flash and Ignite. Great for escape or for finish off enemies. There is no need to take Clarity, she may be the mana-hungry, but If quick get Crest of the Ancient Golem , you can be satisfy the hunger of Mana . Heal is not choice too.

Runes

I recommend these:

No per-levels! Important is the right start (a lot of starting AP through the Greater Glyph of Ability Power and Greater Quintessence of Ability Power, a better mana regen from the Greater Seal of Replenishment and magic penetration from the Greater Mark of Magic Penetration.

So these are great to say enemies: "A legion couldn't stop me. What chance do you have?"

If you play against an anti-mage (eg Kassadin, LeBlanc) you could use Greater Glyph of Magic Resist and if you play against Talon you will need Greater Seal of Armor. Good can be also Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed because she is one of a low speed of movement champion.

Masteries

Just as every single mid charakter, the most dangerous is 21-0-9 or 21-9-0. I suggest to use 21-0-9, as Arcane Knowledge , Blast , Archmage , Executioner for dealing a lot of damage and a little Transmutation for Spell vamp . I like to have Meditation , Expanded Mind for extra Mana and mana regeneration. Summoner's Insight improves our Flash spell so it is necessary if we need to escape. We also should have 1 point in Swiftness , a little bonus speed. I don't like Good Hands , because I'm not going to die :) She just needs to kill.

Skills

Transcendent is her innate skill, which change effects of her abilities. Each of Syndra's basic abilities gain an extra effect at maximum rank.

"Q", Dark Sphere is my favourite ability of her. Syndra throw a sphere which deals damage and can be use to other abilities. The sphere lasts for up to 6 seconds and can be manipulated by Syndra's other abilities. I suggest strengthen this ability first. Transcendent gives bonus for it that Dark Sphere deals 15% bonus damage against enemy champions.

"W", Force of Will can be use two times. First use to grab a minion or neutral monster or sphere which was thrown earlier, and second to throw it into your enemy. Enemies struck take magic damage and are slowed for 1.5 second. Transcendent gives bonus for it that increases the duration of slow to 2 seconds. It's a great mechanism to ganks and to escapes :) Dragon and Baron Nashor cannot be grabbed by this ability. We have 5 second to throw a minion or monster we grabbed. I love to throw Lizard Elder into Baron Nashor 's cave :D This ability should be improved secondly, but I usually start with Force of Will, especially we wanna invade and it deals more damage than 1 lvl Dark Sphere.

"E", Scatter the Weak is like Metallica's song called Die, Die, My Darling. It can knock enemies and Dark Spheres back, dealing magic damage to them and any enemies they collide with. The distance of the knockback increases depending on how close the affected units are to Syndra upon cast. Dark Spheres that are knocked back also can stun all enemies in their path for 1.5 seconds. Transcendent provides bonus spell width as increased by 50%.

"R" our ultimate Unleashed Power is a wonderful weapon to destroy a single enemy (eg enemy AD carry ). Draws upon Syndra's full cataclysmic power, harnessing all Dark Spheres to deal magic damage to her target per sphere. Unleashed Power will use the three spheres that always orbit around Syndra, ensuring a minimum damage. All Dark Spheres remain on the ground for 6 seconds after Unleashed Power is used. So we can use our "Q" Dark Sphere two times to deal additional damage using our Unleashed Power.

Items

Starting items

Start with the Boots of Speed and 3 Health Potions. It provides to live a fairly long line on your lane, you get extra speed to avoid enemy gank s. And it is better to chase enemy who is running. You will need 2 Doran's Rings to get extra health and a lot of Mana regeneration.

Items which are the must

The most powerful item that needs to be any Syndra is Rabadon's Deathcap, as indeed it was easy to guess. Next item which increase our burst and could slow enemies hitten by our skills is of course Rylai's Crystal Scepter. Great item is Deathfire Grasp - one additional ability who can destroy about 1/2 enemy's health? Isn't it beautiful?

Shoes

Ok, I wondered if Sorcerer's Shoes or Ionian Boots of Lucidity or Mercury's Treads be the best for our lady. Tested all and I think Syndra is a standard mage, who needs Sorcerer's Shoes. Others choices can be good , but it depends. If we need to avoid enemy's crowd control, take Mercury's Treads. IF wanna spam more, take Ionian Boots of Lucidity, but where will be our magic penetration?

Situational items

Will of the Ancients can be good if your enemy could poke you with great easily (as Kennen or Lux or even Gragas can do). You will need some Spell vamp to survive at your lane.

Due to the relatively low cooldown for Dark Sphere would recommend the submission of Sheen then Lich Bane. With a huge amount of AP, will allow us to destroy both enemies and towers with great ease. This will ensure that as little magic resist.

It seems that it is an essential item Void Staff. Of course, this is one of the final items needed when opponents have items providing magic resist.

If you play against strong AD characters like Talon or Pantheon at mid, you should to have as soon as possbile Zhonya's Hourglass - a lot of armor and some AP.

If you play against Malzahar, LeBlanc or Veigar you need to end quickly Nether Grasp or go away from Event Horizon or reduce the effect of Ethereal Chains. Also Morgana's Soul Shackles can be nothing if you get Quicksilver Sash.

Abyssal Scepter can be good if you need to reduce enemies' magic resist to better destroy them dealing more damage from your abilities.

Syndra is mana-hungry champion especially if you spam your Dark Spheres. You will need extra mana regeneration. Ok, you can say that is something called Crest of Ancient Golem. And what if you've been killed? Or buffs ends? You should to take from the shop Chalice of Harmony which we should upgrade to Athene's Unholy Grail. +90 Ability Power +40 Magic Resist +15 Mana Regen per 5 seconds and passives are great choice (restores 12% of your max Mana on kill or assist, and increases your Mana regeneration by 1% per 1% Mana you are missing).

I think items recommended by RIOT are good for standard game, when enemy mid is not better than we are. With these items we are able to quickly destroy every single champion who comes to stand face us.

Unnecessary items

Archangel's Staff, Mejai's Soulstealer, Morello's Evil Tome and Rod of Ages. Why not, you ask? I am here to answer:

• Rod of Ages - hate this item. Too long to load full, very expensive, and for what is it if we've got Rylai's Crystal Scepter which gives slow?
  
• Archangel's Staff - could be good, ok, we spam, but we have not place to get it...
  
• Mejai's Soulstealer - at normal ok, but at ranked game? You don't want to be first aim to killing, do you?
  
• Morello's Evil Tome - do you really think you need extra mana regeneration? You've got Athene's Unholy Grail and it's ok. Good Syndra has to stay behind and spam when she can. Mana regeneration is ok, but not from Morello's Evil Tome.

Advanced Tactics

I would like to presentation some combos to harass enemies or do crazy actions.

"Stun"

Use "Q", Dark Sphere into enemy and if he will try to run, you should fast use "E", Scatter the Weak, important: use it to move the Sphere which was casted earlier. Enemies who stay at the way of moving Sphere will be stunned for 1.5 second.

"Slow and a little damage"

Use "W" Force of Will to grab enemy minion and fast throw it into enemy champion using second time "W" Force of Will. After it, you can do a little damage using "Q" Dark Sphere, next "E" Scatter the Weak (to move enemy back) and "Q" Dark Sphere. Enemy will try to escape or will chase you.

"Combo of Certain Death"

It is a good combination skills and spells to destroy single enemy target. Start spam your spheres - "Q" Dark Sphere into enemy. Use it two times (or three if you got the Crest of the Ancient Golem and your cooldowns are reduced) and next fastly use your ultimate "R" Unleashed Power - it cause maximum damage (3 spheres which were thrown and 3 which orbit around Syndra). Enemy will be crushed and he can try to escape. Chase him by your Flash, use "W" Force of Will into a minion or to sphere, slow him, and destroy using "Q" Dark Sphere, next "E" Scatter the Weak and Ignite him if it is necessary.

Got Deathfire Grasp? Try these:

Do the same action as above, but start with shot from Deathfire Grasp. Sometimes Flash is not necessary, because enemy will be too confused to even respond to your skills.

"Steal buffs"

Go to the shop and buy a Sight Ward. Put Sight Ward in enemy blue buff, next to Ancient Golem to let you see enemies doing it. When enemy jungler or anyone goes to take buff, go there and use your "W" Force of Will, and throw it on the opposite side of the trees near Ancient Golem . Enemy will be confused for a moment and it let you finish Ancient Golem using your Dark Spheres and yeah, you grabbed enemy buff. Timing is a key.

Pros / Cons

Pros: + pretty, dark, and dangerous, what more you want? + she can easily deal a lot of damage to poke enemy champion, + great to steal enemy Blessing of the Lizard Elder or Crest of the Ancient Golem , + you will have fun playing as Syndra, + great escape mechanism, "w" Force of Will and "e" Scatter the Weak, + low cooldowns for "q" Dark Sphere, + she is good to farm (quick animation of autoattack).

Cons: - you need a skill to play her, - cooldowns for "w" Force of Will and "e" Scatter the Weak are not low at the beginning, - squishy, - mana hungry (need a Crest of the Ancient Golem and items, eg Athene's Unholy Grail).

Syndra can be quickly defeated by the champions who are mobile, such as Ahri, Kassadin,
Katarina, LeBlanc, Talon. But Syndra can beat Gragas, Brand, Anivia, Akali, Ryze. Of course, if they play well and are skilled, you can have problems even touch them.

Summary

As you can see, Syndra is new champion, but playing her can cause a lot of smiles and fun. She is only one champion who can throw Lizard Elder into Baron Nashor 's cave or into Dragon 's cave by herself. I liked her very much and I think she will be one of my main characters.

Comments, advices are welcome.

Thank you all, happy playing Syndra and... how I wish to have powers Syndra has :D