
http://www.mobafire.com/league-of-legends/build/duffs-336706
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Tanking with Alistar doesn't even really require that much items, tbh...
I would just grab Merc's and QSS and something to spec and I could pretty much be set... His AP ratios got nerfed to the ground, is AP Alistar still all that viable?
I would just grab Merc's and QSS and something to spec and I could pretty much be set... His AP ratios got nerfed to the ground, is AP Alistar still all that viable?

I don't care about my rep, but you can +rep if you want to.
AP yes, still viable because his passive not nerfed, and Lichbane procs same dmg. It helps to build a DFG though to really improve his nuking power and get those CD's a little bit lower.
No, the nerf to his ult's not hard enough. He will still be a beast.
You'll just be slightly less able to dive at level 6 :P
No, the nerf to his ult's not hard enough. He will still be a beast.
You'll just be slightly less able to dive at level 6 :P

http://www.mobafire.com/league-of-legends/build/duffs-336706
Come hang out when I'm streaming! http://www.twitch.tv/dufftime
Alistar's pretty much the most overpowered hero in the game right now, and he doesn't require a ton of know-how to do well with him. If you can perform well as Garen (in other words, not die after every single kill because you chased someone into a tower), you can perform well as Alistar - they're both very simple heroes.
In lane, Alistar's heal provides a nice little bit of essentially free sustain. Look at it more of like free Healing Potions than actual heals like Imbue. It costs virtually no mana and since creeps will be dying constantly, it will have virtually no cooldown. After laning phase, it's still used as basically a free Healing Potion, but is also used to spam Sheen procs.
Alistar also possess the grossest, most ridiculous CC combo of any hero in the game. He has a semi-ranged (he jumps forward slightly) AOE 1.5 sec stun (1 second of which cannot be reduced or cleansed) and then another 1.5 sec targeted (read: not skillshot) stun, which again has 1 second of which cannot be reduced or cleansed. Even better? If you Headbutt them into a wall, they still eat the full 1.5 seconds of stun, even if they only move two inches.
The damage on Pulverize and Headbutt was nerfed fairly significantly over a few patches, but it's still notable. AP Alistar isn't "I just soloed your entire team while they spent the entire time in the air", but is instead "I just dropped your entire team to half health while they were in the air so Fiddlesticks could kill them when they landed." It's far better to play item-low support Alistar than AP Alistar, but AP Alistar is still viable. He just requires more farm than before.
He has semi-lengthy cooldowns, but because he gets such amazing defensive benefits baked into his ult, it's not costly or difficult for him to cap out CDR pretty quickly (you get 9% from masteries alone since you'll probably run 9/0/21.)
Honestly, I've begun reporting anyone I see picking Alistar for cheating after the game (if you randomed him, just enjoy the free win, I'll just send hate mail to the Random Number God) as my way of saying "Yo, Riot. This ****'s OP as ****, you should probably nerf it before it ruins the game."
In lane, Alistar's heal provides a nice little bit of essentially free sustain. Look at it more of like free Healing Potions than actual heals like Imbue. It costs virtually no mana and since creeps will be dying constantly, it will have virtually no cooldown. After laning phase, it's still used as basically a free Healing Potion, but is also used to spam Sheen procs.
Alistar also possess the grossest, most ridiculous CC combo of any hero in the game. He has a semi-ranged (he jumps forward slightly) AOE 1.5 sec stun (1 second of which cannot be reduced or cleansed) and then another 1.5 sec targeted (read: not skillshot) stun, which again has 1 second of which cannot be reduced or cleansed. Even better? If you Headbutt them into a wall, they still eat the full 1.5 seconds of stun, even if they only move two inches.
The damage on Pulverize and Headbutt was nerfed fairly significantly over a few patches, but it's still notable. AP Alistar isn't "I just soloed your entire team while they spent the entire time in the air", but is instead "I just dropped your entire team to half health while they were in the air so Fiddlesticks could kill them when they landed." It's far better to play item-low support Alistar than AP Alistar, but AP Alistar is still viable. He just requires more farm than before.
He has semi-lengthy cooldowns, but because he gets such amazing defensive benefits baked into his ult, it's not costly or difficult for him to cap out CDR pretty quickly (you get 9% from masteries alone since you'll probably run 9/0/21.)
Honestly, I've begun reporting anyone I see picking Alistar for cheating after the game (if you randomed him, just enjoy the free win, I'll just send hate mail to the Random Number God) as my way of saying "Yo, Riot. This ****'s OP as ****, you should probably nerf it before it ruins the game."

Thanks to Jsta for the sig image.
TheJohn wrote:
Good items: Shurelyas, Mercs, Lich Bane, Aegis, FoN, Frozen Heart, Randuins, and a lot more
NO. Do not get Lich Bane if you don't get any other AP! TriForce is infinitely better unless you get at least 2 other AP items.
Actually I've found


Thanks to Hoppermh for the sig!
PsiGuard wrote:
NO. Do not get Lich Bane if you don't get any other AP! TriForce is infinitely better unless you get at least 2 other AP items.
Actually I've found

Lichbane is better than Trinity Force as soon as your AP is greater than your BASE AD. Remember, Sheen effect only works on your base AD, not your total. For most heroes, Abyssal Scepter, Doran's Ring, and Lichbane will result in your AP being higher than base AD (you could use, say, Kage's Lucky Pick instead of Doran's Ring if you wanted.)

Thanks to Jsta for the sig image.
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AD Ali -is- powerful, his end game damage per crit is almost unrivaled; but you are mostly correct when you say it doesn't belong in the Meta we have, and probably will never belong in any meta for that matter.
However, if I'm on a team playing support Alistar, it almost doesn't matter what I build.
So I just get 3 GP10 items, and bit by bit get a Triforce, and then perhaps another zeal, and then finish Youmuu's, and gradually build an Infinity edge or a PD... xD
Edit:
Alistar is inherently Item independent. That's why I recommend him as a support, so even if you don't get items it's not a big deal.
I am not suggesting he replace a ranged carry, mind you, but rather be an addition to one.