Viktor Build Guide by jawbit

Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my very first Mobafire guide! I will update this guide as often as possible, listening to your feedback and improving it anywhere I can. Let's make this the guide people go to when they pick up Viktor! Please ignore the low rating - this guide was unjustly downvoted by a few haters...read through it, and you'll see why it deserves a few more upvotes. Thanks!

Viktor, The Machine Herald, is a rather beefy mage with lots of utility and teamfight potential. While his range is less than that of other AP casters, he absolutely commands the space around him. He can adapt to the situation with his highly unique passive, which gives him an item that may be upgraded into one of three choices, each upgrading one of his basic abilities. Now, Viktor is no Annie - he is difficult to get the hang of, and will take a while to master. Hopefully, this guide will help you get there quicker!

Pros / Cons

Pros:
+ Lots of utility
+ Excellent in teamfights
+ Good escape potential
+ Hard AoE crowd control

Cons:
- Small ranges on abilities
- Lower burst damage than most mages
- Rather long cooldowns

Skill Sequence

We will max Death Ray first, as it will be our main poking tool, damage dealer, and minion farmer throughout the entire game. We'll want to grab Power Transfer at level 2 and make sure to get one point in Gravity Field at level 3. As with almost all champions, the ultimate, Chaos Storm, should be upgraded whenever possible.

Why max Power Transfer over Gravity Field?

The benefits for upgrading Power Transfer are greater than those gained when upgrading Gravity Field. Power Transfer's cooldown becomes deliciously low when it gets to higher levels, not to mention its damage is increased - meaning, of course, that you'll get a bigger shield from it. Upgrading Gravity Field will gain you a slightly heavier slow, and send it from a very long cooldown to a long cooldown. It's not worth gimping Power Transfer to gain these small benefits earlier - you'll have no problem controlling your opponents with Gravity Field at level 1.

Skills

Evolving Technology

One of the cooliest passives in a while. Viktor starts the game with The Hex Core (Mobafire does not yet have it or its upgrades in its database), which gives you 3 ability power per level. However, the upgrades are where things get interesting. Not only are there three options for an upgrade to The Hex Core, each providing decent stat boosts for only 1000 gold (down from 1200!), but each will upgrade one of your basic abilities too! While I almost always choose Augment: Power, you may choose differently depending on the situation. I will discuss upgrade choices in the Items chapter.


Power Transfer

The one spell that doesn't really have cooldown issues. As such, it makes a great poking tool, especially with its relatively low mana cost. Even better, it returns some of the damage dealt as a shield, blocking some damage should your opponent choose to counter you. If you take Augment: Power as I usually do, you'll gain a significant speed boost after using it, to perhaps chase your opponent to laser their face off or escape if you fear his counter. However, it should be noted that the shield does not activate immediately after using it, or even when it hits your opponent, but when the projectile returns to you. Because of this, and also its small range, you should be careful when using it.
Beware when moving in to use this skill, as most other skills, such as Disintegrate, will outrange it.


Gravity Field

A nasty motherducker of an ability. A decent sized AoE with a heavy slow, one that if your opponents do not escape quickly, they will be stunned. Use it to escape, to trap escaping enemies, to zone your lane opponent, and to swing teamfights in your favor. While laning, if you really want to bring the pain on your opponent, drop this right over his head to make it easy to land your Death Ray. Just keep in mind its small cast range and short delay after cast.
Snagging an emeny in Gravity Field makes it a piece of cake to land Death Ray.


Death Ray

Your trusty main source of damage. It is an even better poking tool than Power Transfer. If you cast it at max range and drag outwards, you've got yourself some Xerath range there.
Use Death Ray like this, and you'll be able to harass from a safe distance.

It also makes a great minion farmer, sweeping it across the wave to pick up a few last hits at once. After catching a few emeny champions in Gravity Field, zap 'em all for good measure. But the most amazing part of this ability is the fact that it has no cast time, and will not interrupt anything else you do, including movement. Use this move as often as you can (while maintaining a reasonable amount of mana, of course).
Remember that Death Ray can be cast at any angle. Look for linear patterns of enemies like this to make the most out of one use.


Chaos Storm

Moar teamfight dominance right here. The ideal time to use is after you've caught the other team in Gravity Field, drop this bad boy on their heads for significant burst damage and an AoE silence. Now, we're not talking Summon: Tibbers damage, but its nothing to shake a blasting wand at. Then, when the enemy squishy starts to run for mommy, keep the pain train over his head by repeatedly pressing R and keeping your cursor above his sorry little head. Just remember that the farther the storm gets from you, the slower its travels. You'll have a better chance of keeping your opponent underneath it if you follow it, maybe using the speed boost from your augmented Power Transfer to help.
Try to follow the storm, as it will get slower the farther it gets from you, and you don't want your enemies to be able to outrun it.

Runes

These are the runes I use for most mages. The AP from the Greater Quintessence of Ability Power and the magic penetration from the Greater Mark of Magic Penetration give you a nice boost you your early game damage to poke at your opponent with Death Ray and Power Transfer. The Greater Seals of Resilience give a significant resistance to autoattacks early game too. The Greater Glyphs of Celerity are great mid and late game (they equal their flat CDR counterparts at level 13), especially with Viktor's long cooldowns.

However, there are plenty of other viable choices, such as Greater Glyph of Magic Resist (as you will likely be mid against another mage, with the current meta) or Greater Seal of Replenishment to help with early game mana problems. Really, runes are up to personal preference.

Masteries

With the new masteries, the best path for mages is 21/0/9. You'll get a ton more ability power and magic penetration, some needed CDR, as well as a % increase in damage and that nifty Executioner bonus, while still taking the much-needed mana and mana regen from the utility tree. I don't recommend putting those other 9 points in the defense tree, as the armor and magic resist you may get is not worth sacrificing the mana and mana regen, nor do I condone putting 21 points into the utility tree as most of it is unnecessary.

Summoner Spells

These are pretty standard spells for a mage. Teleport makes you a presence early game, as you can recall to grab some items or heal up and pop right back in, keeping your opponent off the tower and not falling behind in experience. It's also nice late game to save that tower swamped by minions or to get back with your teammates who are pushing that inhibitor turret right after you respawn.

Flash can be used for like, everything. Dodging some hard CC coming your way. Escaping over a wall. Chasing your opponent who just escaped over the wall. Getting just in range to land that final Death Ray. Flash will become your best friend.

...but...these are viable options too.

Ghost is great for both chasing and escaping. Combined with the augmented Power Transfer and Gravity Field, you should be able to escape safely and chase successfully most of the time.

For those times when your opponent is about to get away with so little health remaining that you need a microscope to see his health bar, then allchats exactly how much he had left and laughs maniacally and drinks your sweet tears. Yes, you know it happens. This will dry your tears.

Items

Early Game

Because I try to get my augment as early as possible, I hop right into Boots of Speed and three Health Potion. Hopefully, you can scrounge up 1000 gold in your first go-around in lane. If you fall short, finish your Sorcerer's Shoes, or start into Fiendish Codex. Now, you can choose among one of the three upgrades to The Hex Core. I know you're tempted to buy Augment: Death, but let's go over a few things. Yes, Augment: Death will certainly make you deal more damage. But compared to the other two augments, it's not as good. It only gives you one stat boost (a relatively small 45 ability power) as opposed to two or three stat upgrades as the other augments give. And your role as Viktor isn't exactly an insane AP nuker (see: Annie). It gives you no utility, and no survivability or sustainability. I'm not saying NEVER get this augment...if you can tell that the other team is in for a rough ride, grab it and a Meijai's Soulstealer and go to town. Just consider the other two augments first.

I almost always take Augment: Power. The speed boost from Power Transfer is great, especially because the move is fairly spammy. I also love the extra health and health regen it gives; they're pretty significant early to mid game. Now, Augment: Gravity is also a fine choice. It gives a noticeable cast range increase on Gravity Field, and three other good stats. However, Morello's Evil Tome is basically just a better version of this item, and you would sacrifice the early game health boost that Augment: Power gives you. Furthermore, while you will have more range on Gravity Field, your other abilities will maintain their less-than-average range. If you catch someone right on the edge of your cast range with Gravity Field, you will still have to move within a closer range to use your other abilities.

Here is a comparison of the range of Gravity Field with and without Augment: Gravity.

WITHOUT AUGMENT

WITH AUGMENT

It's up to you whether it's worth it or not. As I explained above, I think it isn't. But the choice is yours.

Mid Game

Start grabbing the early versions of your late game items. Fiendish Codex for the mana regen and cooldown reduction, and Hextech Revolver for the extra damage and sustain. And we don't want to put off Rabadon's for too long...what's a mage without his creepy purple hat with eyes?

Late Game

Time to finish what you started. Top off your items for lotsa ability power, health, CDR, and mana. Will of the Ancients goes nicely on Viktor as it not only benefits yourself significantly, but it fits into his role as a slightly more supporty-mage and helps out other AP users on your team. They will be thankful to have another spot free in their build when you grab this aura. If your team is lacking on the AP side, consider getting Rod of Ages instead. If you want to add some more burst into your combo, take Deathfire Grasp instead of Morello's Evil Tome, but you will be sacrificing the better stats of Morello's for the active (not only that, it's more expensive). If you for some reason haven't won yet or forced your opponents to surrender, grab Rylai's Crystal Scepter for even more health, even more ability power, and even more CC. What more could you possibly ask for?

...oh, right, you could ask for survivability. Well, depending on the other team, what champion type they have more of, and who's fed, you have two good replacements for Rylai's:

Getting owned by that @#%&! Tryndamere? One Zhonya's Hourglass, please.

Karthus pissing you off? Try Banshee's Veil on for size.

Gameplay

Gameplay chapter coming soon! (Ok, I'm actually working on it now)

Conclusion

Don't get frustrated if your first few games don't go so hot - remember, Viktor is tough! Keep practicing, keep commanding those teamfights, and eventually, you shall be Viktorious!

...

Oh, come on, you knew it was coming.

Don't forget to upvote and comment! Thanks for reading!