Kayle Build Guide by qdog

Introduction

Kayle is an amazingly powerful top laner capable of zoning opponents, escaping quickly with Divine Blessing and dishing huge damage late game with a stupidly strong passive Holy Fervor and surviving anything with her OP ultimate Intervention. Building her correctly will bring you to top ELO quickly.

Pros / Cons

Pros

1. Super hard hitter
2. Slow in combination with armor/MR reduction allows you to decimate foes in lane
3. Ranged attacks with splash damage allow you to farm safely.
4. Can own most melee tops
5. Intervention is great for saving allies, baiting foes and soaking up massive damage as a tank engages.

Cons

1. Tends to push lane, so Kayle is susceptible to ganks.
2. Certain tops can beat her, so don't pick into matchups that have gap closers, e.g. Jax, Irelia, Riven.

Hybrid Runes

Attack Speed Quints are the plain choice because of her unbelievable passive. These Quints will get you to max stacks faster.

These Hybrid runes are an obvious choice for any hybrid carry. They are quite expensive at 820 ip each, but they are worth it in my mind since this build does tons of AP and AD damage.

Defensive Seals and Glyphsare pretty standard for top lanners. You could swap out attack speed for yellows or blues though, but it makes you very squishy.

AD Runes

Pen Quints allow you to shred through enemies armor even faster. Kayle's passive Holy Fervor will just add to your shred so waste the enemies in lane and in team fights!

Masteries

Kayle hits very hard and she needs the CDR in offense as well as the armor magic pen. The 3% lifesteal from Vampirism is just nice to sustain a bit in lane as well as your potions. Defense provides a bit more sustain. Get more defense in the armor Hardiness or MR Resistance if you know if your lane opponent is AD or AP respectively.

For AD Kayle you might want to spend your points slightly differently. If you don't care about keeping Righteous Fury up all the time, consider taking the points out of Arcane Knowledge and Sorcery and adding them to Deadliness and Lethality

Summoner Spells

My preferred Summoners

Surge is unbelievably powerful on Kayle. With the AP and AS boost, this summoner with shred your opponents.
Flashis great for escaping or catching up to opponents or getting in range to land that clutch Intervention on your teammates.

Basic top lane summoners

Ignite for offense and Flash for utility.

Alternate summoners

Exhaust which allows you to sit right next to your foes and lambast them with Righteous Fury but Reckoning does a great job of slowing them anyway.
Ghost is also a viable summoner as it allows you to stay with fights more effectively and escape ganks as well. However, with enough CDR Divine Blessing should allow you to move quickly enough allowing you to take Flash to get over walls.
useful for hopping around the map and getting into lane quickly. Not sure its the best use of a summoner slot though.

Summoners you won't need

You have a heal, you have invulnerability, you don't need it.

Why are you dead? you're Kayle

only if you are jungling

only take if you are the ad carry and they have lots of CC. Also buy a QSS

you don't need mana that badly

why are you pushing?

you should have enough map awareness and/or wards in their jungle anyway.

Skills

Holy Fervor is an amazing passive allowing you to bypass enemies defenses. Each time you hit them, your next consecutive hit will deal additional damage. This means the longer you wail on an enemy the more you punish them. It only stacks 5 times though, so if you are chasing relize that after the 5th hit, you will deal the same amount of damage and by this time, Reckoning will have most likely worn off too.


Reckoning slows enemies and amplifies your damage against them. This affects summoners like Ignite on hit items like Malady and items that deal damage such as Hextech Gunblade. Reckoning is a great chasing tool and a great way to bring down tanks.


Divine Blessing is mostly a utility tool for the speed. the heal is mostly negligible unless you build flat ap. take a point early and max it last.


Righteous Fury is your best friend. you want to keep it active any time you engage. It adds damage, splash but most importantly range. max it first as hybrid Kayle and second as AD Kayle.


Intervention is a hugely powerful tool. Use it wisely and read more on it in the below section dedicated to its use.

Hybrid skill sequence

Righteous Fury is the largest damage dealer for a hybrid allowing range and splash damage. Max Reckoning next for more slow and increased single target damage with Divine Blessing last for the MS it provides. The heal is pretty much useless. Get Intervention at 6, 11 and 16.

Note about Intervention: sometimes intervention is best used as an engage tool. As an ally charges into the fray, enemies will begin unloading devastating abilities, but also burning cool downs. If you drop Intervention right at the start, all of these abilities will go to waste and your team will receive that much less damage. However, it is also amazingly satisfying to use it at the last second, and save an ally from death.

AD skill sequence

Max Reckoning first as it is a great burst tool
Get a point in Divine Blessing early and max it last
Your first point should be in Righteous Fury giving you range at lvl 1, but max it second.
As with all Ultimates, get Intervention at 6, 11 and 16

Hybrid Items

Starting out

Boots of Speed with three Health Potions is reasonably standard, but if you are against an AD heavy top lane, you could go Cloth Armor and 5 Health Potions. I prefer the boots as Kayle is pretty slow at first.
TIP: If you have gone Boots of Speed and 3 Health Potions, wait until right after minions spawn and you start acquiring gold per 5. Quickly you should have enough gold for a 4th Health Potion which gives you another 150 health in lane, which can be the difference between winning and losing a lane. If you time it correctly, you shouldn't even lose farm up top. However, only do this if your team does not need you for an invade or for a leash.

First time back

Quickly upgrade to Berserker's Greaves for the additional AS and MS. Grab two Daggers or go straight to Stinger if you can.

Consider Mercury's Treads or Ninja Tabi if you need the defense.

Make sure you take a few more Health Potions and at least one Sight Ward. If you have enough cash, take a Vision Ward and eradicate their defense by killing their Sight Ward.

Mid Game

Grab a Stinger and if you can a Fiendish Codex. Remember to maintain at least one Sight Ward in lane at all times. These items that will eventually build into a Nashor's Tooth are great on Kayle for a number of reasons. One, the AS from Stinger is great in quickly getting max stacks on Holy Fervor. The Cool Down Reduction is great for keeping Righteous Fury active at all times. There is nothing worse than starting an engage on someone and waling away on them when half way through, Righteous Fury ends and you can no longer attack them from range for 2 more seconds. Secondly the Mana Regen and the AP from the Fiendish Codex are great for making Righteous Fury hit harder and making you last longer in lane due to your mana being full.

Mid/Early Late game

Pick up a Guinsoo's Rageblade and begin building a Guardian Angel. Guinsoo's Rageblade ramps up your AS very fast while providing hard hitting AD and AP. Guardian Angel is great for living longer and this in combination with Intervention is a wonderful tool.

End game

Finish up Guardian Angel and then build both a Hextech Gunblade for sustain, slow, AP and AD and a Trinity Force for all the utility it provides. Grab your last three potions. You are now one of the strongest characters in League with this finished build.

AD Items

Starting out

Boots of Speed with three Health Potions is reasonably standard, but if you are against an AD heavy top lane, you could go Cloth Armor and 5 Health Potions. I prefer the boots as Kayle is pretty slow at first. Alternatively, if you are against someone who will not be able to retaliate effectively, you could take a Doran's Blade and just be super cruel in lane.
TIP: If you have gone Boots of Speed and 3 Health Potions, wait until right after minions spawn and you start acquiring gold per 5. Quickly you should have enough gold for a 4th Health Potion which gives you another 150 health in lane, which can be the difference between winning and losing a lane. If you time it correctly, you shouldn't even lose farm up top. However, only do this if your team does not need you for an invade or for a leash.

First Time Back

Upgrade to Berserker's Greaves and grab two Doran's Blades don't forget your health potions and your Sight Ward. If you have the cash, also grab a Vampiric Scepter for more lane sustain. With this kit, you will be a total lane bully!

However, just as in the Hybrid Build, if you are getting pushed around in lane and need the resistance, consider Ninja Tabi or murcury's treads.

Make sure you take a few more Health Potions and at least one Sight Ward. If you have enough cash, take a Vision Ward and eradicate their defense by killing their Sight Ward.

Mid Game

Grab your Zeal and begin working on your Infinity Edge.

If they have started to build armor, as most intelligent laners will, consider swapping out your This will allow you to shred through their defenses quickly and give you even more bullying power. Since The Black Cleaver is way cheaper than Infinity Edge finish The Bloodthirster next before moving on to your Guardian Angel

Late Game

After you have completed Infinity Edge and The Bloodthirster grab your Guardian Angel. Finally get finish your Phantom Dancer and pick up a Last Whisper for insane armor shred. If you picked up The Black Cleaver earlier, keep this instead of getting a Last Whisper. Finish off your build with all three potions.

Lane Phase Strategies

Overview

While in lane Intervention serves many purposes. You can use it to survive a gank win a duel or dive a turret. I will dive into each of these.

Surviving a gank

Top lane is the most susceptible to ganks and as such will be ganked the most. Your kit helps you survive these, however sometimes you must use Intervention to survive. Do not be worried about using it to liberally. Cool downs are there to be used, not to be saved.

As the jungler or mid laner appears timing becomes key. Use reconing to slow the one who will CC you. That means Alistar, Shen or Riven. If both the laner and the jungler have CC as sometimes they do, try to slow the one who has the potential to gap close. if they both do, slow the closer one. Use Divine Blessing on yourself and run away. Most likely, this will not be enough to live. Use Flash to avoid crowd control if you can. When nukes are coming in even if your life isn't in jeopardy USE Intervention!!

EXAMPLE: Annie is ganking from mid. She has her stun up and you see her cast Disintegrate. As it is coming in, you know you will be stunned, and you know she will immediately drop Summon: Tibbers after the stun lands. While you cannot avoid the stun from Disintegrate you can avoid the massive damage that is about to head your way. While the fireball is in flight, hit yourself with Intervention and watch as Annie cries her way back to mid after a failed gank.

In Summation, use Intervention to avoid heavy damage. Cast it right before you are about to get nuked.

Winning a Duel

Very straightforward. Either use Intervention at the beginning to soak up damage and intimidate your foe, or bait them by saving it until near death. I prefer the first option because as they see your health stay steady and theirs drop like a rock, they will begin to run, which is where Kayle shines. Slow them with Reckoning and stay in range for Righteous Fury to tear their health away. This technique is also powerful because you have more health for longer, allowing you to stay in lane.

Diving a turret

Also very straightforward. Use your kit to slow your opponent. Usually when a dive is taking place, the champ that is defending the turret will begin to kite you around his/her turret in an attempt to kill the divers. Counter this with Reckoning and [divine blessing]]. You and your jungler must act quickly and kill your opponent as Turret damage ramps up over time. First few turret hits are no problem, but later, they become very painful.

TIP: Turret damage ramps up over time, +22.5% per attack to a cap of 135% after the 7th hit and beyond, so wait to use your ult as long as you can. If you cast it early, you will avoid damage at first, but the turret will begin ramping up even though you are immune. When the ult ends, you will be hit for extra damage. Instead, take the first few turret shots before it becomes super painful, and ult after, you will resist much more damage.

Timing is also key here too. Since Intervention lasts only 2/2.5/3 seconds, waiting until the turret shot is about to land will protect you or your ally for just enough for one more turret hit to be absorbed.

Teamwork and Ultimate Use

Kayle can mean the difference between and Ace for your team, or an Ace against your team, and it all comes down to her ultimate, Intervention. Correct use your Ult can make or break a team fight. I will delve into some of the uses for your ult, and good times to use it and bad times to use it.

EXAMPLES OF GOOD ULT USES
As a team fight is brewing, sit back. Intervention has a massive range so don't be too worried about being out of range. Chances are, you have built a bit more squishy to deal full damage so you want to function half way between a carry and a bruiser. As your tank initiates, you need to make a decision. Your ultimate can be used on your tank to absorb massive damage they enemies are about to unleash, or it can be saved for later in the fight. If their team is not too bursty, save your ultimate for an opportune moment. If someone who cannot take much damage is focused that is a PERFECT time to intervene with, you guessed it, Intervention. If they charge in on either your AD or AP carry, give them the unpoppable bubble and watch them obliterate the enemy team. Don't forget you can use your ult on yourself too!

EXAMPLES OF BAD ULT USES
There is nothing worse than letting your most unique and powerful ability go to waste. Never use it on a tank that has not fully engaged and is not receiving damage. The point of your ultimate is to mitigate enemy cooldowns. Make sure they are targeting the ally you are saving. Another horrid, but more subtle failure of Intervention is using your ult on an ally who is fleeing with no intention of returning. If an enemy is chasing one of your allies, use Divine Blessing instead. This will speed their MS and heal them. Just what they need. Not invulnerability. Instead, use it on someone who will turn and fight with it on them, absorbing damage and unleashing hell at the same time.

Change Log

8/1/12
Added AD Kayle including items and runes.
added Lane Phase Strategies and Teamwork sections.

8/3/12
broke apart AD and Hybrid skill sequences.
added to summoners section.