Welcome! I hope you enjoy and find great use in this build. I am open to criticism and suggestions in the comment section. If you were looking for that AP carry balanced build, then you've come the right place. I promise I will not disappoint. If you use this build/guide and you go positive, then please give a +1 to my first guide ever. This actually didn't take long, but did take me a while to think of all of the things I should point out. If you actually read the guide tips you might learn something about her (not implying you didn't know anything). Alright. I'll let you to your business.

This build is fairly simple, but focuses on sustainability in early game by focusing on Ahri's given spell vamp by buffing her ability power with flat ability power runes. Late game, she'll have loads of mana and ability power from the items in this build, so an Archangel's Staff isn't necessarily needed, but I think give her extra AP to compliment her strong attacks and spell vamp.
First Build Ever, so give me some thumbs up/ +1 if you like it, please.

I haven't played a lot of Ahri (yet) but she seems like the kind of character that would be complimented by this. This build is being made just as she was released, so I'm not sure if there will be a nerf or not. If there is, I doubt this build will become faulty. I've been waiting forever for her to come out, and she is everything I expected. Great Champion. If you like a great sustaining, laning, dps, AP caster, then I recommend you buy her, or wait until she is on free rotation, in case of a nerf. You will not be disappointed if you like being an assassin.

Ahri has excellent farming in lane. Her moves with spell vamp allow her to take as many last hits as she wants with her Q or W, and she gets health back from it as well. Take advantage of it, because this build is high cost, but very effective in late game. The earlier you can get your endgame build, the more kills you'll be racking up to finish the build, and then your game.

I find that these are the most effective with most situations, because I like to keep my ult for finishing off the target, instead of wasted chasing them. Ghost lets you catch up, and if you are the one being chased, exhaust will relieve Ahri from taking major damage before retreating to the turret, or using Charm to slow down her enemy.

Ahri is in no way a solo fighter. She may be able to deal damage, but she will not survive an ambush. Let your team initiate, and deal massive damage from behind with her specialized long range attacks.

Make sure as Ahri to use Charm to pull the enemy in. If someone is pushing your first turret, then charm them. Pull them in and taunt them with a kill and keep your distance while leading them around the turret. This is pretty basic, but I thought I'd mention it because it is definitely a skill you want to take advantage of in a dire situation.

Pros
- Good damage
- Lane sustainability
- Team player and good assassin
- Ultimate is great chaser and finisher
- Great cooldowns

Cons
- Squishy (remember, team work)
- Without her ultimate, she will fall flat while being chased
- As just mentioned, Ult is practically survival, if on cooldown, watch out

I personally approach more of a balanced way of attaining my skills, but if you are one to max out one of your skills immediately, go for her Q. It is your main attacker, and it hits twice. This will let you poke, and does substantial damage when assisting a teammate in lane. Always take a count of charm immediately after taking your Q. It lines your opponent up for your Q, and will be your nuke combo late game. Guarantees a hit for your Q because it negates dodging. Skill shots are vital as Ahri. It's all she knows how to do.

When choosing a lane, remember her sustainability. If you have a jungler, then you wouldn't be dumb to take the top lane. She is great at keeping people in place with charm, and will allow your jungler to initiate any time s/he is ready. If you have a good jungler, it will almost always be successful. She is a great assisting character for bottom or mid if you prefer as well, especially mid because it is a similar situation.

I personally do not play ranked, but if anyone does and would like to inform me about how she plays out in ranked, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm trying to span this guide out as far as I can, to assist anyone. But if you're playing her ranked, you probably already know what you're doing.

Most of the items focus on her AP abilities. She has good AP scaling on all moves, they are decent, anyways. If she does not run out of mana in lane, she doesn't need to go back. Her passive spell vamp will allow you to recover health from minions anytime, and will let you farm at the same time. During the late game, magic penetration and your large mana source are put to the use when you get your Archangel's Staff. I thought this would be a good compliment for her (even though it is really for Ryze). When you need mana to stay in lane, this does the trick. It gives you all of your mana and extra ability power to boost you to the endgame. This gives you your all around balanced caster, and makes you an unstoppable assassin.