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Swain Build Guide by BruSwain

XYN BruSwain's Swain Guide to Climbing Up Elo Hell! (S6 Plat

XYN BruSwain's Swain Guide to Climbing Up Elo Hell! (S6 Plat

Updated on June 2, 2016
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League of Legends Build Guide Author BruSwain Build Guide By BruSwain 62,367 Views 0 Comments
62,367 Views 0 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author BruSwain Swain Build Guide By BruSwain Updated on June 2, 2016
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Spells:

LoL Summoner Spell: Ignite

Ignite

LoL Summoner Spell: Flash

Flash

Threats & Synergies

Threats Synergies
Extreme Major Even Minor Tiny
Show All
None Low Ok Strong Ideal
Extreme Threats
Ideal Synergies
Synergies
Ideal Strong Ok Low None

Introduction

Hi! I'm BruSwain and I am currently on Platinum III and has been maining Swain for a very long time. Since his latest update and buff, I've been more dedicated into playing Swain more often as possible. I was Gold 3 the last week and since I began playing and playing Swain I have been able to climb up a whole tier and a Half with him. He is one of the so-called "Freelo" champs of this patch and he's currently the best toplaner this patch.
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Tips

When farming, simultaneously cast Q and W for maximum damage. Make sure you also do this in a large group of minions, and when Ulting, don't forget to Autoattack while your E still endures in a target. Also, your presence in your Bird form will simply zone your enemies while your team is doing a neutral objective (eg. Baron, Dragon) and zone enemies with your Q with Rylai's.
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Itemization

As a Swain toplane, you wanna make sure you become a Fighter: Dealing significant amounts of damage and at the same time tanky AF. Makes sure you always Build your Rod of Ages and Abyssal Scepter whenever possible, then go for Spirit Visage, Frozen Heart, Even Sunfire cape will do for DPS close range!

When playing as Swain Mid, make sure you have at least ONE Heavy AP item (eg.Rabadon's Deathcap) to make sure you go for maximum trading damage. Rush Magic resist when against heavy burst champions like LeBlanc or Annie.

Sarting Items

----WHY DID I PUT A DORAN'S BLADE IN THE ITEM GUIDE? WUUHT?!


The reason is because you can survive in lane without a Doran's Ring. you have your passive which restores a significant amount of mana, and you also want that little lifesteal pre-6 and a little bit of HP and AD for your E-AA trading

"Full tank Swain? Will it work?"

YES! so long as you have your Rod of Ages you can build whatever you desire! so long as you deal a good amount of damage and provide good defense for your team.

Building Zz'Rot Portal or Ohmwrecker gives you UNLIMITED potential of pushing and diving teams. Once you dive and enemy team successfully they can't really stand a chance. Also, the passive Point Runner gives you suffiecient movement speed when chasing enemy champions and diving.
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Skill Sequence

Before Swain's rework at 6.9, his E- Torment is the one still being maxed, however, after the update and rework, his Q- Decrepify must be the one first maxed due to the fact that his damage amplification on his E does not scale anymore. Some people tend to max their E last, but I prefer maxing W and E at the same time since you can still rely on the High damage your E applies.
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Spells

For top lane, always go for Teleport and flash, as usual, and Ignite flash for mid lane for maximum damage and trade. You can stil go for TP-F for midlane but I still prefer Ignite and flash.
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Ranked Play and Laning

When playing as Swain, you wanna make sure you get REALLY RECOGNIZED by your enemies as a threat. As Swain you have a lot of damage and at the same time tanky AF.

When against squishy but mobile champions like Riven, Katarina, Zed or Talon, you want to make sure you just poke them with your E-Q. ONLY use your W once they engage in you in close combat.

When against tanky champions like Renekton, Poppy and Zac, keep on poking them and simply shove your wave. when you get to your core you can dive into their towers and erase them from your screen, just make sure you always have vison.

ALWAYS use teleport on botlane whenever a fight occurs, NEVER use your teleport going back to toplane unless you are getting gapped from a gank or kill. YOu wanna make sure you remind your enemies that you are always there whenever there's a teamfight, and always tell your AD/Support to place advanced wards in bushes or let them shove your minion wave.

Guard your team whenever you do a neutral objective (Baron, Dragon, Rift Herald). you are an example of a DREAD LORD. A Dread Lord is a type of Champion that zones a team with it's own presence. Don't be afraid to Dive if you're tanky enough with those Zhonya's and other Health Items, just watch out for your mana pool though.

ALWAYS ask for the blue buff. You are certainly one hell of a drainer. You always activate your ultimate for as long as a teamfight remains, and the mana cost of your Ravenous Flock increases by 5. Always buy a Corrupting Potion as a potion replacement.

When behind, don't panic. YOU ARE A BIRD, AND THE BIRD IS THE WORD. Just farm and farm and farm till you have your items, and make sure you go for a bit of tankier than more on damage, Mid or top. You can carry the whole game by just standing there in Bird Form.
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Pros / Cons

PROS

1. High Damage, EXTREMLY tanky
2. High sustain, especially with the Spirit Visage powerspike.
3. Provides good DPS damage in teamfights.
4. Can kill AD Carries IMMEDIATELY in a Pre-teamfight sequence without taking much damage even if the ADC is well-protected

CONS

1. EXTREMELY MANA HUNGRY. Like I said, always ask for the blue buff, get a corrupting potion or buy a Frozen heart late game.
2. Low mobility- When he's ganked early game pre-6, there's nothing he can do but flash. He also kinda sucks when chasing enemy champions, that's why you have your Rylai's Crystal Scepter as your core.
3. Can be subjected to team targeting- In a pre-teamfight scenario, He could be attacked by the whole team especially when they have ignite, grevious wounds or extremly high burst damage and CC. always go for Zhonya's whenever possible.
4. Can't really push that fast- He needs to have either the Glimpse of the Void, or fed in order to push fast, but performs exceptionally well in last hitting towers, if you are good at that also.
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Runes

It actually depends on your position. When I play Top Swain, I use Seal of Armor instead of Seal of Scaling Health. for more survivability, but I mostly do Scaling healths at mid lane.

The reason Why I also pick Mark Of Hybrid Penetration marks since his E-AAs are really really good early game, and even at late game when he's on bird Form.

In case of long ranged champions such as Azir, Syndra, Orianna which sometimes, hard to reach, go for Mark of Magic Penetration runes instead of Hybrid pens.
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Masteries

For masteries I always go for 18-12-0 for maximum DPS, mainly concentrating on Deathfire Touch. Some players do Thunderlord's Decree on Swain but it's actually useless already even if your Q auto procs it, and it has a 20 second cooldown and deals alomst nothing early game. You can also go for Stormraider's Surge if you feel you can be fed enough and chase enemies, or Grasp of the Undying if you want to build full-tank, but the most optimal Keystone mastery is the Deathfire Touch.
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League of Legends Build Guide Author BruSwain
BruSwain Swain Guide
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XYN BruSwain's Swain Guide to Climbing Up Elo Hell! (S6 Plat

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