Ziggs Build Guide by Dranzer87

Introduction

Hello, and welcome to my first ever League of legends guide! In this guide I am going to try and explain why I picked the items that i did and to also try and give you a good in depth learning of Ziggs. If you think there is anything that I left out that you would like me to address in here please leave a comment or send me a message and I will try to get on that as soon as i can. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the guide.

Lore

Ziggs was born with a talent for tinkering, but his chaotic, hyperactive nature was unusual among yordle scientists. Aspiring to be a revered inventor like Heimerdinger, he rattled through ambitious projects with manic zeal, emboldened by both his explosive failures and his unprecedented discoveries. Word of Ziggs' volatile experimentation reached the famed Yordle Academy in Piltover and its esteemed professors invited him to demonstrate his craft. His characteristic disregard for safety brought the presentation to an early conclusion, however, when the hextech engine Ziggs was demonstrating overheated and exploded, blowing a huge hole in the wall of the Academy. The professors dusted themselves off and sternly motioned for him to leave. Devastated, Ziggs prepared to return to Bandle City in shame. However, before he could leave, a group of Zaunite agents infiltrated the Academy and kidnapped the professors. The Piltover military tracked the captives to a Zaunite prison, but their weapons were incapable of destroying the fortified walls. Determined to outdo them, Ziggs began experimenting on a new kind of armament, and quickly realized that he could harness his accidental gift for demolition to save the captured yordles.

Before long, Ziggs had created a line of powerful bombs he lovingly dubbed ''hexplosives.'' With his new creations ready for their first trial, Ziggs traveled to Zaun and sneaked into the prison compound. He launched a gigantic bomb at the prison and watched with glee as the explosion tore through the reinforced wall. Once the smoke had cleared, Ziggs scuttled into the facility, sending guards running with a hail of bombs. He rushed to the cell, blew the door off its hinges, and led the captive yordles to freedom. Upon returning to the Academy, the humbled professors recognized Ziggs with an honorary title - Dean of Demolitions - and proposed that he demonstrate this new form of yordle ingenuity in the League of Legends. Vindicated at last, Ziggs accepted the proposal, eager to bring his ever-expanding range of hexplosives to the greatest testing grounds in the world: the Fields of Justice.

''Ziggs? Unpredictable, dangerous, yes yes. But quite brilliant!'' - Heimerdinger

Pros / Cons

Pros:

- Very good damage at low level (Also through late game).
- Good AoE and slow
- Giant range on high damage ultimate.
- If not targeted down in team fights will turn it in your teams favor very fast.

Cons:

- Very squishy
- Ultimate at long range is easy to dodge
- Cool down on escape spells are medium to long
- Very squishy! Can't stress that enough (This build works on this)

Abilities

(Passive): Every 12 seconds, Ziggs' next basic attack deals 13 + (7 × level) (+0.35 per ability power) bonus magic damage. This cooldown is reduced by 4 seconds whenever Ziggs uses an ability.

(Active): Ziggs throws a bomb to a target area. If the bomb doesn't hit any enemy in the area, it will bounce two times more or until it hits an enemy. The bomb will explode and deal magic damage in an area upon hitting an enemy or bouncing twice.

Range to First Bounce: 850

Explosion radius: 250

Cost: 60 / 70 / 80 / 90 / 100 mana
Cooldown: 6 / 5.5 / 5 / 4.5 / 4 seconds

Magic Damage: 75 / 120 / 165 / 210 / 255 (+0.65 per ability power)


(Active): Ziggs flings an explosive charge to a nearby target area that will detonate after 4 seconds or when the ability is activated again. The explosion will deal magic damage to enemies knocking them away slightly. Additionally, if Ziggs is caught in the explosion, he will be knocked away a greater distance, without taking any damage.

Cost: 65 mana

Range: 1000

Explosion radius: 300 (estimate)

Maximum knockback distance:

• Enemy: 250 (estimate)
• Self: 400 (estimate)

Cooldown: 30 / 27 / 24 / 21 / 18 seconds
Magic Damage: 70 / 105 / 140 / 175 / 210 (+0.35 per ability power)


(Active): Ziggs scatters 11 proximity mines in a circular area nearby, each will detonate on enemy contact, dealing magic damage and slowing them for 2 seconds. Enemies who have already hit a mine will take half damage from additional mines. The mines are visible to all players and last for 10 seconds.

Cooldown: 16 seconds

Range: 900

Minefield radius: 400 (estimate)
Activation radius: 75 (estimate)

Cost: 80 / 90 / 100 / 110 / 120 mana

Magic Damage from First Mine: 40 / 65 / 90 / 115 / 140 (+0.3 per ability power)

Magic Damage from Additional Mines: 20 / 32.5 / 45 / 57.5 / 70 (+0.15 per ability power)

Total Possible Single Target Magic Damage: 240 / 390 / 540 / 690 / 840 (+1.8 per ability power)

Slow: 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40%


(Active): Ziggs deploys the Mega Inferno Bomb, hurling it an enormous distance to a target area. Enemies in the center of the explosion area will take a great amount of magic damage, while enemies away from the primary blast zone will take 75% of that damage.

Cost: 100 mana

Range: 5300

Primary explosion radius: 250 (estimate)

Secondary explosion radius: 750 (estimate)

Cooldown: 120 / 105 / 90 seconds

Primary Magic Damage: 250 / 375 / 500 (+0.9 per ability power)

Secondary Area Magic Damage: 187.5 / 281.25 / 375 (+0.675 per ability power)

Summoner Spells

Preferences:

Sense i started playing I have found ignite to be more than useful, especially in early games. It can give you that push you need to get someone out of lane, or can give you that little bit of early game damage to ensure a kill.



The moment I started using this spell I have not been able to take it off my summoner spells. Not only does it allow you to get away from an otherwise deadly encounter but it can also close the gap you need on an opponent in order to finish them off.

I find that i use these both together a lot while a person is recalling. Use flash to close the distance to get close enough to use ignite and pick up a kill.

Do's:

Although Ziggs has very high damage output throughout the game he lacks in the ability to take a punch. The guy gets knocked out to fast and with exhaust not only can you cushion the blow that is coming you will also be able to get away much easier.



For almost the exact same reasons as above ghost is another good choice. I find this to be a second best flash, only failing to flash because you can not ghost over walls (even though you would think as a ghost you could walk through anything).



I have only picked this spell once and wasn't to wowed by it. Early game I find it to not be useful enough to pop and late game even though it gives you a lot more AP and does much better with Rabadon's Deathcap I don't really notice the difference. If you like this spell take it because there are far worse spells that you could pick.



I only recommend these items if you are new to a character and you think you are going to die a lot or have problems with conserving mana. Maybe start out with these spells and then when you are more comfortable with your champion move on to better spells.

Don'ts:

These three spells should be self explanatory. Smite you should never take unless you are going to jungle. Even though Phreak at Riot tries to play every champion as a jungle, Ziggs is not one of these champions. Revive is just bad, if you pick this spell on Ziggs i hope it was by mistake xD. As for Promote it is not a reliable spell in the least, but it is fun to screw around with in bot games.


Summoner's choice:



These spells are very good bit i personally do not use them. The only reason I don't use these is because i can't seem to use them to their full potential. If you can use these spells to their fullest, use them to your hearts content.

Runes

Greater Mark of Insight

Greater Seal of Force

Greater Glyph of Force

Greater Quintessence of Potency

To be perfectly honest these runes are what I pick for almost all of my AP champions. While picking these runes I am given the ability to do as much damage as i can with Ziggs. However if you find that you are accustomed to some runes feel free to change them to what suits you best. In the end this is just a guide nothing is set in stone and every player has their own play habits.

Items

The Build:

Being one of the only boots to help AP casters it was an obvious choice to pick these. If you would rather have cooldown reduction Ionian Boots of Lucidity are a decent second best.



While playing as Ziggs you will find out that he is very squishy. With my first build I try specifically to fix this issue. Although ziggs after this build is still pretty squishy he has a much higher survivability rate and Rod of Ages is a big factor in that.



For some of the same reason as Rod of Ages the crystal scepter is very good for Ziggs' survivability. Besides the Mana boost from Rod and the movement slow from crystal scepter the 2 items are very similar. Where rod helps with restoring health and mana early game, crystal scepter will give not just you the advantage of slowing down your opponents but your team will appreciate it as well.



If you play any AP champion you will have to get this at some point in your build. It is to good not to get. Not only does it give amazing base AP it also gives a bonus 30% to what ever AP you have so the more the better (and this build has a lot).



Not to much to this item decent AP and 40% Magic Pen, It's the Last Whisper for AP.



Zhonya's Hourglass is a really good item to have if you are being pressured in the game or if you need bonus damage. Besides the good AP it gives it also can take a lot of pressure of you while the other team is trying to nuke you down, and trust me they will try their hardest to nuke you down.



I find this Item to be the icing one the cake. You may not always get to this item but when you do you'll notice. After activating your abilities you will see the enemy's health melt before your eyes. Very good item, would only recommend getting it if you have completed the rest of your build first.

Other Items:

So you want some early game power ap? How about some mana regen? Health too low? Get some Doarn's rings! This is a very good starting item for Ziggs, good for people that are just starting a character and don't know what to get.


Morello's Evil Tome , Deathfire Grasp , and Archangel's Staff are a good item if you are mana starved. I would recommend Archangel's Staff most of all because not only does it give you mana it also give you AP based on the amount of mana you have.


Lastly is Will of the Ancients, some people find this item to be a very good bonus to Ziggs. Not only does it give you 50 AP it will also give everyone around you +30 AP as well as 20% spell vamp. If you would run this item i would take out Rylai's Crystal Scepter. Scepters AP is equal to the base and bonus AP from Will of the ancients and the Spell vamp buff will help with the health problem. (However I still would recommend Scepter over Will of the Ancients. People will try to focus you down because they know how squishy you are, spell vamp may be good for a 1v1 back and forth but in a team fight flat health will be a better option).

Creeping / Jungling

Like I said before the jungle is not the best place for Ziggs to be, but if your jungler is nice or if you don't have a jungler try and get the other teams blue buff or your own. Blue buff for Ziggs will give you immediate domination over the lane. With the ability to spam your bombs you can whittle down your opponent with ease and with no worry of them pushing back. If you don't want to get it at level 1 with help of your teammates you can solo it at level 6 with no problem. Just make sure you run Ancient golem through your mine field to do more damage and slow him at the same time.

Summary

Thank you all for taking a look at my guide! If there is anything that you think went unaddressed please send me a message or leave a comment below so I can fix that in the near future. Ziggs is a very fun character that has a ton of early game damage and late game changers with his abilities. With that being said thank you again for reading and happy playing =).

Updates

7/2/2012 - I've neglected the guide for a while because I honestly kinda forgot about it but I changed a few things. I've changed the second build of Zigg's so incorporate some of the new items that I enjoy. Athene's Unholy Grail I have found to be very useful to be not only aggressive with the extra mana you are obtaining, but to also get some MR and take less damage against your mid lane counterpart. I've added some spell vamp into it as well because lets face it with the amount of damage you are going to be outputting you can now take down some champions that would otherwise just escape with a few bars left (happens far to often). With this you can now have better sustain as well as a high damage output (and the vamp and Ap to nearby champs is nothing to push off).