Sorry man but your logic is flawd. While DMG has become more important this patch, A tank does not have to initiate by definition. Peeling or going for other carries depends on comps and who is fed in the game. Not one answer is always the right one. A tank's main job is to eat as much damage as possible as then he has diverted focus from his team. Garen is special with his ult as it is an execute so he can kill carries as well.

The fact that he TANKS a million dmg makes him a tank, that is it. Tanks don't need CC to fullfil their role, they do however need pressure as otherwise not one person would focus them if they didn't. Some tanks are better at peeling than engaging just like you described, garen is good at shutting down assassins.

Example of your comp: TOP, Garen Jungle: Kindred Mid: Lissandra ADC: Ezreal Support: Bard

You have plenty engage from your mid and Bard, but your team is best at kiting back thanks to kindred's ult plus it being a double adc comp. Your role here is to follow up on your team's engage or stop the enemy from putting on free dmg to your carries so they have time to kite.

Sieging you do Great as well in this example.

I hoped this will help you understand more about tank roles, but more importantly that garen's decision making depends on his comp heavily.

NIce build however you don't explain just how he performs his role. I might start an arguement but, Garen isn't a tank. just cause he takes a billion damage doesn't make him a tank, u can build that on any champ. What makes garen not a tank is he can't initiate a tea fight, why you can easily avoid something that progressively runs towards you, compared to an amumu q or a instant gap closer, garens isn't an instant gap closer. He has no cc, tanks can absorbs but also disrupt with excessive amounts of cc, garen has no cc, hea isn't cc more of a 1,5 incovinence. Garen is the definition of a champ that is designed to protect his adc and adc from assassins. Garens kit answers this, he can withstand their burst, he can interrupt their casting, he can kill them in stealth and while moving and he can execute them before they can think of such things. He can't be tank and protect his carries, but if he should be in front of them. His priorities are to kill assassins before they kill his carries, they he kills everything else. If you read my guide you can see how I address my play style in different ways to adapt to many situations, but all you should prioritise dos over tank. He needs tank items to keep alive long enough to dish out max dps. If you can't kill an assassin or let alone a adc between 5-10 seconds then there's something wrong with your build.

Just posting this because you have logic but not method, and I'm giving you the method. Keep it up dude. Make the garen community proud.

@Koumori Dragon

wow thanks, i must've played against a terrible trynd then in plat 2 elo even XD

googled it and he can indeed ult when silenced. Guess I'll have to put a more general matchup overview and wait till i get to play a better person on trynd

again thanks alot for the comment ~ lucky I didn't play against another trynd as I would've been in for a nasty surprise :d

Hey vic10tor2,

I would like to discuss the Tryndamere match up. Tryndamere counters Garen, Tryndamere can activate his ultimate through silences, stuns and any form of CC. Furthermore Tryndamere has better sustain from his Q plus after his rework Garen's early game is weaker than Tryndamere's early game and he can easily cheese you with crits and ignite.

I wrote one more thing in my guide,if you interested in my opinion. =)

Thanks for the feedback m8 :) nice comment
my feedback is on your guide as well

Masteries i tried the ones you said before I settled for the ones i use now. I think it's safer not to take the ferocity. merciless is actually a very strong mastery and goes well with your ult. Assasin is for lane phase and splitpushing, its a very useful mastery as well. Bounty hunter can give 5% but it is no guarantee and it will be stacked fully only at mid game if you are lucky. I think cunning has more to offer to our ball dragging demacian hero.

As for your guide, I like the way you play garen but in this meta you need a tank in your team always. If your comp has several beefy champs i build more dmg as well. Most of the time though i build full tank as your base damage is high enough.

Also bami's cinder is a better starting item than giants belt right now. almost never get boots fully built before your first item. When losing don't sink more money into regular pots, get the refillable as it will save tons. (do not upgrade it)

Your guide helped me think about stuff i still need to add into mine. IMO i still see some things don't aren't correct in your guide but no major flaws though.

You put alot of effort into it and it shows ;)

Hey,fellow Garen player.Spin2win to your,and have a big demacian balls :D
Good guide,you have there.I would appreciate,if you can comment my guide,and leave feedback,what should I do to improve.

For you.Try 12 0 18.12 in Ferocity.With your build,you will have at the start of the game, 2%[Assasin] + 5% [Merciless]. Later on,when lane phase is over you will not have [Assasin] anymore,so -2% goes there.Also +5% damage from [Merciless] is good,but only with 40% below health.The only good thing in cunning is [Dangerous Game],which make you veeeery fat in teamfight.

I prefer [Sorcery] which will give you more damage from abilities,and as we know E[Judgment] is [Garen]'s main source of damage.And you will have this boost through the game.
Also I like [Double Edged Sword],which will give you +3% damage.You will receive 1.5% more,but tanky [Garen] do not care.
And [Bounty Hunter] Why is this better than [Merciless] in my opinion.Yes,you will have [Merciless] all game,but you only will deal more damage,when champion has less than 40% HP. [Bounty Hunter] will give you 5% forever,even when champion is 100%,which is very good,and also you can oneshot adc with your ulti more often.
I do not want you to change anything,just some thoughts from fellow Garen.

Also if you interested in being best garen worldwide,you can watch your status here
http://www.leagueofgraphs.com/summoner/euw/vic10tor2

HAVE SOME BALLS :D