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Taric Build Guide by

Taric Oddly Effective All-Purpose

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4 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author TheVaultDweller

Taric Build Guide By Updated on

Guide Discussion (4) More Taric Guides

Spells:

Heal

Exhaust

Ability Order

Taric Passive Ability

Introduction

Thanks to Searz for the awesome guide format! You can find it here.

Now let me tell you that this build is very strange both for the champion and the item types. However if you ever doubt this as being successful scroll (which I don't blame you as this will read as a bizarre guide) I will offer you proof to begin with.

I don't mean to brag, but it's just that once you see my build you'll be ready to close the page at how...outrageous it is. Trust me when I say it works.

You are not going to build Taric as a tank or a support or hybrid. You will build him...for no particular purpose in mind. This guide will leave you with a Taric that's somewhat less of a tank and a bit less of a support, but is much better for dealing damage both burst and sustain. I got this idea when I realized the build was sacrificing a little of two things (tank/support) for a lot of one thing (damage). It ends up being more a gain than loss. A big part of it probably has to do with the fact that since no one suspects Taric to be used this way they won't run when you try to fight them one-on-one and though you'll be winning they won't turn to run since running from Taric seems silly. I guarantee though that they will feel silly when you kill them and walk away alive.

I considered that maybe my wins with this build were just luck, but besides that eight game winning streak (which part of you see above) for the entire time I was using it I had about a 75% win/loss record over two weeks. Plenty of time for my "luck" to wear off. I was surprised so much that I decided it wasn't luck and must have been a legitimate build. Of course I wanted to share it since I've gained so much from guides like this and always wanted to return the favor.

Runes

Greater Mark of Insight
These will help your Dazzle and Shatter deal much more damage.

Greater Seal of Fortitude
You need the health to survive just long enough to cast another Infuse to survive and Dazzle to get a kill.

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Greater Glyph of Potency
This will further increase the damage from Dazzle and Shatter.

Greater Quintessence of Potency
Even more AP for more damage.

Masteries

Summoner Spells

heal
Early game you and your lane partner can get some extra sustain for another level before you attempt a kill. Also the surprise healing can turn a death and lost kill into the opposite.

Exhaust
When you and another champ are duking it out the lost damage output for them can often make the difference. Also use it to chase down or escape when needed.

Skill Sequence

Shatter should be taken first since it helps you farm a bit by shrugging off attacks while using no mana. Then when you get Dazzle they won't consider you a threat since you haven't stunned them and you can close in and Shatter them for an easy kill. After that you should be a level ahead so you can take an Infuse for emergencies. The rest of the laning phase your opponents won't go out past their turret fearing your Dazzle/Shatter and you can farm even more. Dazzle will also save you from ganks.

Later in teamfights step in and activate your ult. Dazzle a squishy carry and Shatter then chase them. You will probably get a kill or at least get one champ to back and out of the fight. You can then return and disrupt the others.

Items

Philosopher's Stone
Philosopher's Stone
Early game this will help you lane sustain. You'll be in good shape when you opponents are forced back often and you can get some surprise kills. You'll need the money for later too.

Heart of Gold
This is just enough health to survive a gank or two. You'll need the money for later too.

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Kage's Lucky Pick
Kage's Lucky Pick
More AP is always nice. You'll need the money for later too.

Mercury's Treads
If you're chasing them they will want to stun you and the Tenacity can get you up and running again in just enough time to do another Dazzle. The same applies to running away.

Nashor's Tooth
This is where my build gets so weird. Why Nashor's Tooth? The AP lets you get more kills and the cooldowns help too, but aren't there better items for that? Well remember that although Taric isn't known for attack damage/attack speed he does have two different attack linked abilities. You're innate gives you mana for attack damage and you will find yourself gaining good mana off it for sustain compensating almost as much as if you took an actual mana sustain item. The other one is that your Imbue cooldown goes down by a second every time you land an attack. Normally it's cooldown at level five is twelve seconds which in six seconds lets it be gone half and have landed six attacks to use again. With Nashor's Tooth you can use it every four. Often without it I've healed only once in teamfights before dying, but with Nashor's Tooth I get one more which is just enough to survive the fight.

Trinity Force
This is what you got those three gold per 5 items for. Getting this early will grant you decent power in many different areas. The attack damage, attack speed, and small critical chance make you almost a match for other AD carrys, but unlike them you'll have plenty of AP and more health. The doubled damage after using a spell also will let you land free hits every time you Imbue/Dazzle/Shatter which you will do at least one or two of each a fight.

By that point the game is often over and if it's not completing your Shurelia's Reveries will get you more sustain and a good speed buff for chasing, Deathfire Grasp for more AP damage, and Randuin's Omen though meant for tanking is good for the slow to catch and disrupt the whole enemy team.

Summary

So basically this build gives you more than decent AD and AP for getting kills at the expense of tanking and support. It works, because while you are slightly less AD and AP than a carry you have still have much more sustain and after some laning will be able to surprise your opponents as you engage and they don't run since no one considers Taric a threat. You'd be amazed at how even after getting twice the kills as deaths halfway through a game the enemy team won't accept you as a threat and won't run when pop out of a bush.

Also just in case this really was just dumb luck I hope those of you that try it and do so for a significant number games can report to me whether it's genuinely successful or not with a comment.

Thank you all for reading this and Riot for making such a wonderful game. Especially Searz whose outline I used to write this guide.