Tryndamere is a melee character that depends on critical strike and closing in on his enemy for high amounts of damage, his kit is based on getting close up to his enemy.

Both Mocking Shout and Spinning Slash allow him to gap close enemies.

Why chose Tryndamere as your solo top?

even though Tryndamere is not a tanky DPS, he can still keep his sustain in lane for long periods of time and deal a high amount of damage in early levels. His source of early damage comes from his passive Battle Fury, offering him 35% critical strike chance when he has a full fury bar.

His kit also allows him to stay in lane for long periods of him, which i will explain in this guide.

Tryndamere can be a very beneficial toon to your team. He offers the ability to destroy carries, offer extreme amounts of damage, slow enemies, and even tank for his team with Undying Rage.

Tryndamere's kit is very strong for a melee carry, and also allows him to jump quickly to enemies when needed.



Battle Fury-This is your passive, very useful, as it provides up to 35% critical strike chance, building up your fury bar in lane before harassing a enemy can be very effective, especially during laning phase.

Bloodlust-This ability is the first skill you should pick. It gives Tryndamere bonus attack damage, and even more attack damage when he is missing health. It may be activated to heal yourself. The higher your fury bar is a well, the more you will heal yourself for. I recommend when you are in top lane, you only use this when you are in need of it, keeping your fury bar up will allow you to constantly bully your enemies with critical strike.

Mocking Shout-Using this against any AD character can be extremely effective. It decreases nearby enemy attack damage, as well as slowing enemies with their backs turned. If you want to harass your enemy in lane, you should use this after you spin in which Spinning Slash. This may also help you slow down runners.

Spinning Slash-Grab this at level 2, this ability will send you spinning to a nearby area. You will spin in a straight line, dealing damage to enemies as you pass them. This is your Flash/Gap Closer. In lane, use this to get on top of your enemy to harass them. But later in game you should use this as your survivability key. Saving it can get you out of dangerous situations, as you are allowed to spin through walls and trees in jungles, making it so you don't have to carry Flash. Critical strike will reduce Spinning Slash's cooldown.

Undying Rage-The source of Tryndamere's skill set. This ability will make you invincible for 5 seconds. But beware. It only prevents you from dying. You can still be knocked down to 1 health. So as soon as it ends you are able to die quickly. The proper way to use this skill is when you activate it make sure you are about to die, try to kill the squishiest and most easy to access enemy, you have 4 seconds to kill them, your last second, before your ult ends, you should spin out with Spinning Slash preferably through a wall, and activate Bloodlust to heal yourself.

Greater Mark of Desolation Greater Quintessence of Desolation

For my main runes, i focus upon maxing my damage by increasing my increasing the damage done from my critical strike and penetrating enemy armors. Since Tryndamere is a melee AD character that does not rely on mana or magic attributes, you are given the privilege to focus all your runes upon physical damage.

So What Shouldn't I Use?

Runes that focus on mana, cooldown reduction, ability power, magic penetration, mana regeneration, utility, or health should be out of the question.

Mana Runes-You have no mana bar, these should not be touched.

Cooldown Reduction Runes-You dont really need it, your abilities are on a decent cooldown and wont be used repeatedly in a short period of time.

Ability Power Runes- Tryndamere isn't a ability power character. No reason to get these.

Magic Penetration Runes-None of your abilities deal magic damage.

Mana Regeneration Runes-Once again, you have no mana bar.

Health Runes-You have a high base health for a melee character, 2225 health is enough.

Utility Runes

Movement Speed Runes-With your boots and a Phantom Dancer you should have no need for these.

Respawn Time Reduction Runes-Your mastery Good Hands should take care of this.

Gold Generation Runes-As a solo top, you have all the farm to yourself. These runes are better off with junglers or supports.

Experience Runes-Again, as a solo top, you have all the minions to yourself, you will have enough experience up there.

What Runes Are Effective On Tryndamere?

Runes that focus mainly around critical strike chance/damage, Armor penetration, Attack damage, or Attack speed.


For Your Greater Marks You Can Choose:

greater mark of desolation-RECOMMENDED-Gives you 1.66 armor penetration, allow you so rip through enemy armors, especially during early game.

Greater Mark of Attack Speed-1.7% attack speed is nice to have, even though its not needed, you can still pick it up to increase dps.

Greater Mark of Critical Damage-This gives a extra 2.23% damage, which can greater increase your criticals on enemies.

Greater Mark of Critical Chance-Gives you 0.93% critical strike chance, allowing you to critically strike more often.

Greater Mark of Attack Damage-Offers 0.95 flat attack damage, which is beneficial early game, but doesn't help as much late game.

Greater Mark of Scaling Attack Damage-Grants you 0.13 attack damage per level, which can be beneficial late game.

Greater Mark of Magic Resist-Even though i said you should focus your runes around all physical damage, it's also nice to have this to fend off enemy magic damage characters early game.


For Your Greater Seals, You Can Choose:

Greater Seal of Critical Damage-RECOMMENDED-The 0.78% critical strike damage from this will maximize your critical damage.

Greater Seal of Attack Damage-This rune gives a flat 0.43 attack damage bonus. Even though i do not recommend flat attack damage runes, you may use them if you wish.

Greater Seal of Attack Speed-0.76% attack speed can be nice when you don't focus on your item build having attack speed.

Greater Seal of Critical Chance-A 0.42% critical strike chance can help you pop more crits during game, but your items should already give you enough critical strike chance.

Greater Seal of Scaling Attack Damage-This rune gives +0.06 attack damage per level, scaling well into late game.


For Your Greater Glyphs, You Can Choose:

Greater Glyph of Critical Damage-RECOMMENDED-Gives 0.56% critical strike damage, like the seals, these are your best bet, as having higher critical strike damage, combined with your critical chance items, you should be able to have a high damage output.

Greater Glyph of Attack Speed-Gives you 0.64% attack speed, helps with low attack speed item builds.

Greater Glyph of Critical Chance-0.28% critical strike chance will improve your likeliness to critically strike.

Greater Glyph of Attack Damage-offers a +0.26 attack damage bonus. Which is flat, so i don't recommend it. But you may use it.


For Your Greater Quintessences, You Can Use:

greater quintessence of desolation-RECOMMENDED-A whopping 3.33 armor penetration. 3 of these will total 10 armor pen, which allows you to rip through enemy armor early game. With 9 Marks of Desolation you should equal up to 25 armor penetration.

Greater Quintessence of Critical Damage-This give a 4.46% critical strike damage, and is very great on tryndamere, if you don't like the armor pen quints, these should be your top priority.

Greater Quintessence of Critical Chance-1.86% critical strike chance isn't alot for a whole quint spot in my opinion. but it still a decent choice.

Greater Quintessence of Attack Damage-a nice 2.25 attack damage, it's flat, so not really worth it.

Greater Quintessence of Scaling Attack Damage-These runes are actually just fine. +0.25 attack damage per level which adds up to 4.5 attack damage per quint at level 18.

Summoner spells are needed on any character you use, as they will support you in-game when they are available. Some spells synergize very well with some characters.

Tier 1 Summoner Spells, Best Use

Exhaust-allows you to get the upper hand on other AD characters. Most other solo tops don't carry this, so having this in your summoner spell set can put laning phase in your favor. Also having a extra exhaust on your team can turn teamfights around.

Cleanse-The most useful summoner spell for tryndamere, Cleanse. Using this will eliminate all CC on you, also removing debuffs like Exhaust and Ignite. You should feel free to mix this with Exhaust as you do not need Flash because of Spinning Slash.

Ignite-This can be useful when fighting a heal/regeneration opponent like Fiddlesticks, Dr. Mundo, Swain, or Singed.

Ghost-Another great choice for tryndamere, either chasing or running away, or just when you have that "i need to get there" moment.

Teleport-A great choice for a solo top, also Teleport + Backdoor Tryndamere = OP.

Tier 2 Summoner Spells, Ok Spells

Flash-If you want, you can take flash, as sometimes its smart to have it when your Spinning Slash is on cooldown. If you really think you can't live without it, take it.

Heal-Since it's buff, its actually a viable option now, it gives a great amount of health now, making it a great choice for when you spin out of Undying Rage.

Surge-A new summoner spells that grants you 35% attack speed. So this and Undying Rage togeather is godmode i guess? Yes. Surge is actually very good with Tryndamere, and if you want you can use it.

Clairvoyance-You really shouldn't pick this, it's your supports job, but, if your team is in desperate need of it go and take it. It's best for every ranked team to have it. Or if you feel like trolling a bit, 2 clairvoyance's = OP.

Smite-Unfortunately, this isn't a jungle tryndamere guide. Check out slydunan's guide here:
http://www.mobafire.com/league-of-legends/build/ranked-tryndamere-jungle-laning-guide-update-ing-102177

Tier 3 Summoner Spells, The Ugly

Clarity-You have no mana bar. This option is obsolete.

Revive-This isn't a trolling guide, so this is garbage.

Promote-It's a ok pushing spell, but it's more for normal games than ranked.

Your items should revolve around how your game is turning out and your enemies and allies. Having the correct item build will allow you to get the upper hand on your enemies.

The Infinity Edge is Tryndamere's core item, even though i suggest you get this whenever you play Tryndamere i can't force you to.




Now you have empty slots, lets find some items to fill those.

Offensive Items: Choose 4

Phantom Dancer-This is a top item for Tryndamere, it offers 55% attack speed, 30% critical strike chance, and 15% movement speed. Perfect for a melee AD.

Bloodthirster-Provides 100 Attack Damage and 25% Life Steal fully stacked. This will keep Tryndamere alive after hitting your massive crits again and again.

Youmuu's Ghostblade-A very effective item that provides armor penetration, critical strike, attack damage, and a amazing active. It synergizes very well with Tryndamere.

Black Cleaver-Since you will be auto-attacking non-stop, this item can help you more than a Last Whisper and will eliminate 45 of the enemies armor.

Last Whisper-Offers a 40% armor penetration, this works better if most of the enemy team has more than 125 armor. GG Rammus.

Frozen Mallet-This item allows you to keep the enemy within your grasp, and burn flashes all game. This provides a small amount of attack damage but with 700 health for some survivability.

Madred's Bloodrazor-Don't see why not, if you find your enemies in favor more of HP than armor like Vladimir, don't be too scared to get one of these.

Wriggle's Lantern-An amazing all-in-one item. 15% lifesteal, 23 attack damage, 30 armor, a chance to 1 hit minions and a free sight ward every 3 minutes. And at a low price!

Trinity Force-It's not too great, the mana and ability power wont help you too much, but i guess after spinning, auto-attacking would be pretty devastating, also a 35% chance to slow your enemy is nice, and a 15% critical strike chance.

Guinsoo's Rageblade-It's actually viable on tryndamere, in team fights keep auto attacking, and your auto-attack speed will drastically increase, and when you finally decide to heal yourself, you will find your heal recovering alot more health than often.

Zeke's Harbinger-This item is a small steroid to the AD champions on your team. It gives nearby allies 20% attack speed, 20% life steal, and 30 HP PER 5. Get this if you find yourself with high attack damage and crit strike, but little attack speed and life steal.

Atma's Impaler-A very good item for Tryndamere, critical strike, attack damage, and armor if you are fighting against attack damage champions. This synergizes very well with the Frozen Mallet

Executioner's Calling-If you find yourself in the need of critical strike and lifesteal, pick this up, it also has a inbuilt active that can be used on a enemy to cut their healing effects in half, very useful if you don't have Ignite.

Infinity Edge-The core item of Tryndamere, this item should always be on Tryndamere no matter what. It increases his critical strike damage from 200% to 250%, which is very devastating knowing the fact that he focuses all upon criticall striking.

Movement Item: Choose 1

These will be your main source of mobility throughout the game, also, each one of the boots have a side effect, depending on how your build works out, boots can help fit the parts you of the game you lack.

Berserker's Greaves-A simple 2 movement speed enhancement, this set of boots are mainly for auto-attack characters like Tryndamere, they provide a 25% attack speed bonus.

Mercury's Treads-Possibly the most useful set of boots in the game, they offer a simple 2 movement speed enhancement, but along with 25 magic resist, and 35 tenacity, this helps a lot against magic damage dealers with strong CC.

Boots of Swiftness-If you find yourself in the favor of more movement speed or if you really just feel like trolling Master Yi, feel free to pick up these boots, they provide not only a 2 enhanced movement speed, but a 3 enhanced movement speed, allowing you to stay at a continuous fast pace.

Mobility Boots-More likely known as gank boots, these provide a amazing 5 enhanced movement speed bonus, until you are hit or you hit something, and then you will go back down to a 2 enhanced movement speed bonus, you must then wait 5 seconds for the 5 movement speed bonus to activate again.

Ionian Boots of Lucidity-Possibly one of the worst boots for Tryndamere, but if you like seeing Undying Rage more often, go for it.

Self Defense Items: Choose 1

When you get near late game, you should always think about getting a item to prevent you dieing in 2 hits. There are a variety of items that work well with Tryndamere and depending on how the game is going.

Quicksilver Sash-A very good pick for Tryndamere, 56 magic resist and a active that removes all debuffs, with this and Cleanse you should never have to worry about CC.

Banshee's Veil-Even though the mana is useless, it provides 50 magic resists, 375 health, and negates 1 enemy spell (that's not DoT) every 45 seconds. Can be very helpful against powerful casters.

Force of Nature-If you look at my second build you will find this item, it gives you 76 magic resist and 40 hp per 5, also you regenerate 0.35% of your health every second. I suggest you get this if you bought a Frozen Mallet or a Warmog's Armor.

Thornmail-excellent against AD characters, if you find yourself facing a fed Ashe, Master Yi and Pantheon, it would be wise to pick up one of these.

Guardian Angel-Works very well with Tryndamere, it gives you 68 armor and 38 magic resist along with its passive, it revives you (preventing death) with 750 health, it has good synergism with Tryndamere's Undying Rage. Revive->Ult->Win.

Hexdrinker-Very good counter to Karthus and other strong AP casters, it also provides some attack damage.

Sunfire Aegis-"BRING ME MY CAPE OF SUNS", This item gives a generous amount of health and armor, along with dealing 35 magic damage each second to nearby enemies! As a melee dps you will always be on top of the enemy, so your sunfire cape with get full effect.

Aegis of the Legion-A nice item to have for yourself as well as your team, damage, health, armor and magic resist. If you find your support lacking aura items, grab this.

Spirit Visage-A wired item, i know, but it provides magic resistance and a small amount of health, also it increases healing/regeneration effects by 15%, making your health regen and Bloodlust healing for more.

Wit's End-Good against AP casters, also comes with a nice amount of attack speed, these can be very effective if you find yourself going 1v1 with a mage.

Pre-Made Builds

TrinityHope's: Basic Tryndamere

TrinityHope's: Tankymere

Tank Shredder

Critical Insanity

Damage Master

DPS Tryndamere

ANTI-AP

ANTI-AD

As a solo top, it's your job to grab as much farm as possible. Solo-tops usually consist of either tanks of a Tanky-DPS. The solo top is usually a Melee character, they are the "Front Line" in team fights, and usually go in after the tank initiates. The job of a solo top if to provide heavy damage, and be the back-up for the AP and AD carry.

When you are starting look at the enemy team. You will need to take a educated guess at who your solo top is.

Example.

Enemy Team: Brand, Talon, Sona, Ashe, Warwick.

Most likely, you will see Talon solo top, as Brand is the mid AP carry, Ashe is the bottom lane AD, Soraka is the bottom lane support, and Warwick will be jungling.

Guessing your enemy will give you a advantage early. Depending on who your rival is, you will need to pick your starting item wisely.

Default Pick: Boots, Health Potion x 3
AD enemy: Cloth Armor, Health Potion x 5
AP enemy: Null-Magic Mantle, Health Potion x 2

Warding

Green Spots: These are primary warding spots, these should be warded most of the time to keep you safe and keep your ganks more organized.

Blue Spots: Optional warding spots, these can be used based on the situation you are in, these can be beneficial to you and your team.


Let's not forget. Warding and farming aren't the only parts of being a successful solo top, you also have a rival you will be taking on. You will need to harass and last hit often to outbeat your enemy solo top. Harassment is usually difficult if you aren't a tanky DPS at early levels, but for Tryndamere, he can differ, his Spinning Slash and Mocking Shout allow him to easily jump to his target without worry.

Before harassing, try stacking up your Battle Fury bar. You can do this by last hitting creeps. Once your bar is full, Spinning Slash, Mocking Shout, and then following up with basic attacks can really hurt your enemies health bar.

If you are halfway into the lane, or over-extended slightly, it's best you save Spinning Slash as your Flash.

The Quicksilver Sash is a very unique item that removes all debuffs, similar to Cleanse. Tryndamere already has a inbuilt Flash/gap closer, i don't know how many times i explained this throughout the guide, but having a QSS and/or Cleanse gives Tryndamere the privilege to be mobile at all times.

Not having a QSS or Cleanse can result in constant focusing on you in team fights or during activation of Undying Rage...

I hope you enjoyed my guide on Solo-Top Tryndamere i put much time into it and hope this will help others play Solo-Tryn.

Please leave feedback in the comments and don't forget to rate.

I will be updating this guide and improving it over time, so don't forget to check occasionally.

Best of Luck,
TrinityHope