Item Building: Vertical or Horizontal?

[quote=Obsolescence]I'm new around here and to LOL, but I really enjoy making builds. Anyhow, I was wondering if there was a general rule for item building. Mainly I've been trying to figure out if it is better to build 1 item at a time or build several items at the same time to maximize your slot usage. For instance, say at a certain point in my build I have 4 slots left and I want to build Phantom Dancers and an Infinity Edge. What is the best way to go about doing this? Should I go straight for one and then the other or should I get the cheapest items available so long as I have slots left? I hope you guys can understand the dilemma I'm referring to despite my rambling. Thanks in advance![/quote]

[quote=Traa1703]completed items gives a buff other then ad, as, ap, ar, mr etc. So in most cases completing the full item is most beneficial. Even though 2 B.F svords deal more damage then IE and are cheaper IE gives you that crit damage which is the reason you picked that over any other damage item.[/quote]

[quote=Jebus McAzn]Don't worry, it's clear what you're trying to say. I think that "vertical vs. horizontal" is probably the best possible way to describe it. I'd say it's subjective, depending on whatever champion you're playing and what you need most at the moment. DEWO's Pantheon build, for example, rushes 3 B.F. Swords because he needs attack damage as quickly as possible - this is definitely viable. I'd have to say though, in general, most champions will build an item because it's essential to them or it's a really important part of their build. I would advise gauging the situation you're in and weighing the benefits of rushing one item vs getting another. TreeEskimo said in one of his streams that it's always better to buy items to improve your early game survivability than to die to your opponent. In this particular game, he was playing Ezreal against Akali, and bought 2 Null-Magic Mantles. So yeah, it's situational.[/quote]

[quote=ThomasterXXL]Depends... some items are just OP, some are cheap and OP and some are statwise even worse than the raw materials... It's a good idea to keep a brutalizer, because it is cheap and is worth as much as a BF-sword with a far more synergizing and beneficial mix of stats. (unless you need raw AD and everything else is completely useless) Sometimes you really need the "special bonus" of an item. Ghostblade-extra-ghost f.e. Frozen Mallet is worse than the raw materials, so it's not a bad idea to buy a giant's belt and upgrade your mallet when you really need the slow or have so much damage that more won't make much of a difference. I also like to buy a Ruby just because the HP help soo much early on and upgrade it later. It's synergy vs. "OPness" What use is Black Cleaver when you have too low AS? OK the item will give you massive stats, but maybe you should buy some AS first, because it boosts your DPS considerably, while the big item is nice, but doesn't give you what you need right now. Whatever... Having a cheap Brutalizer or a Wriggles in your inv is (almost) never wrong (if you actually benefit from it) AP chars on the other hand feel like they always need to go for the big items. When I play them, I always focus on a certain item. (only exception is if I really need some Mres/AR NOW)[/quote]

[quote=JunSupport]What's important is your focus. Vertically build your focus, like say... For Nunu, it would be a Banshee's Veil [icon=Banshee's Veil size=28], and boots (mobility, mercs, w/e) Then you build horizontally around it for your needs, like Chain Vest for AD, or a Blasting Wand for damage. You have to find your core, and make it strong (initial vertical) then you expand horizontally in response to your enemy. So, Horizontal building is generally most effective for countering enemies. Example: [center]Here, if I were to buy another cloak + a chain vest, or w/e I need, I may be able to more effectively compete with enemies then if I say... rushed Rylai's. Which could leave me vulnerable to hard magic/ad that can clean the extra 500 HP. [icon=Abyssal Scepter size=28] ....... [icon=Guardian Angel size=28] ....... [icon=Rylai's Crystal Scepter size=28] ^ ^ . . . Final Cores . . . . ^ (2nd) [icon=Negatron cloak size=22] ... [icon=Boots of Mobility size=22]...[icon=Chain Vest size=22]...[icon=Blasting Wand size=22] + [icon=Giant's Belt size=22] . . . . . . ^ ^ . . . . . ^ . . . . . . Continue to other items ^ . . . [icon=banshee's veil size=28] . . . . ^ [icon=Boots of Speed size=22] < [icon=Negatron cloak size=28] > [icon=Amplifying Tome size=22] ^ [icon=Doran's Ring size=28] Starter item [/center] (ignore all the dots, I had to center them somehow) Example: When the game's feeding you lots, just stick with core items for more destructive results. [center] Nunu LMAO'ing all the way to nexus ^ [icon=Abyssal Scepter size=28] + [icon=Guardian Angel size=28] ^ None may run! ^ [icon=Rylai's Crystal Scepter size=28] ^ Absolute Zero'd and triple-killed in a team fight ^ [icon=Mejai's Soulstealer size=28] + [icon=Banshee's Veil size=28] ^ Ganked and got 2 kills ^ [icon=Sorcerer's Shoes size=28] ^ Got FB ^ [icon=Doran's Ring size=28] [/center][/quote]

[quote=Trojan995]Often times I find the best thing is to start vertically (in most cases), and then build horizontally to counter the enemy. If you're getting owned by that Anivia, don't finish the thornmail you're building - buy a negatron cloak to make sure you can negate some of anivia's damage. If you're building items for the bonus it gives when made, then build vertically. If you just want the pure stats (such as 3 bloodthirsters only for AD), build horizontally.[/quote]

[quote=Jebus McAzn][quote=JunSupport] <insert massive chart here> [/quote] That's the kind of post that's helpful around here, and the kind that gets you rep. Great job, Jun. Explained it a lot better than I did. :P[/quote]

[quote=Obsolescence]Thank you, everyone, for helping me with my question. I understand that it isn't a "one answer fits all" kind of dilemma, but with your responses I think I have a much better understanding.[/quote]