Yeah I like to play him pretty tanky with some AP with items like Sorcerer's Shoes, Spirit Visage, Abyssal Scepter, Frozen Heart, Rylai's, & Banshee's Veil. It's fun, but I don't even thing about running it in Ranked, yet. I may make a build for him after I finish my TF one.
I used to play him pure AP, but the problem I had was that late game I couldn't do anything. I find pure AP only good for early game ganking.
I tried out DEWO's build and I really like it. I start with a Doran's Ring, then Sorc Shoes, then straight to Sunfire. Sunfire really helps you when you get it early because people don't expect that tankiness/damage from you, and it will help you farm. After that it just depends on the other team for me. Rylai's also really helps your cc/disable which is the main focus for me late game.
A great question, and I hope you find your answer. :)
I tried out DEWO's build and I really like it. I start with a Doran's Ring, then Sorc Shoes, then straight to Sunfire. Sunfire really helps you when you get it early because people don't expect that tankiness/damage from you, and it will help you farm. After that it just depends on the other team for me. Rylai's also really helps your cc/disable which is the main focus for me late game.
A great question, and I hope you find your answer. :)

Thanks to Minho for my sig!
Swain is an awesome AP champ. I do see why people go off-tank with him, but I just love Ap too much. And yes, he deal great damage. If you read patch notes for 3 or 2 patches ago I think, he got a major boost.
Swain
Decrepify
Ability power ratio increased to 0.9 from 0.75
Fixed a bug where Decrepify would slow through Highlander or Ragnarok
Fixed a bug where the damage portion sometimes would not stop after leaving the area
Nevermore ability power ratio increased to 0.7 from 0.5
Torment damage increased to 75/115/155/195/235 from 72/110/148/186/224
Torment ability power ratio increased to 0.8 from 0.6
Carrion Renewal regen increased to 300% from 250%
everything except ulti got atleast a 0.2 ap ratio boost. AFter this patch, he is even crazy midgame. And his ulti can make him survive so much more than any other AP champ. What often makes it look like he doesn't deal loads of damage is that most of it is is overtime damage. But if you really think that he doesn't deal enough damage, try with a lichbane, and you are gonna see the enemies run away 1v3 ;)
Swain
Decrepify
Ability power ratio increased to 0.9 from 0.75
Fixed a bug where Decrepify would slow through Highlander or Ragnarok
Fixed a bug where the damage portion sometimes would not stop after leaving the area
Nevermore ability power ratio increased to 0.7 from 0.5
Torment damage increased to 75/115/155/195/235 from 72/110/148/186/224
Torment ability power ratio increased to 0.8 from 0.6
Carrion Renewal regen increased to 300% from 250%
everything except ulti got atleast a 0.2 ap ratio boost. AFter this patch, he is even crazy midgame. And his ulti can make him survive so much more than any other AP champ. What often makes it look like he doesn't deal loads of damage is that most of it is is overtime damage. But if you really think that he doesn't deal enough damage, try with a lichbane, and you are gonna see the enemies run away 1v3 ;)
DavidSS wrote:
Swain is an awesome AP champ. I do see why people go off-tank with him, but I just love Ap too much. And yes, he deal great damage. If you read patch notes for 3 or 2 patches ago I think, he got a major boost.
Swain
Decrepify
Ability power ratio increased to 0.9 from 0.75
Fixed a bug where Decrepify would slow through Highlander or Ragnarok
Fixed a bug where the damage portion sometimes would not stop after leaving the area
Nevermore ability power ratio increased to 0.7 from 0.5
Torment damage increased to 75/115/155/195/235 from 72/110/148/186/224
Torment ability power ratio increased to 0.8 from 0.6
Carrion Renewal regen increased to 300% from 250%
everything except ulti got atleast a 0.2 ap ratio boost. AFter this patch, he is even crazy midgame. And his ulti can make him survive so much more than any other AP champ. What often makes it look like he doesn't deal loads of damage is that most of it is is overtime damage. But if you really think that he doesn't deal enough damage, try with a lichbane, and you are gonna see the enemies run away 1v3 ;)
I'm pretty sure these values you are listing are incorrect. if He had a 90% AP for Decrepify and 80% for Torment I would have noticed it by now.
I'm pretty sure the highest one is Torment at like 70%.
Can you link me to your evidence.
EDIT:
Patch 103
Swain
* Decrepify
o Increased total AP ratio to 0.9 from 0.75.
o Fixed a bug where Decrepify would slow through Highlander or Ragnarok.
o Fixed a bug where the damage portion sometimes would not break upon leashing the beam.
* Nevermove
o Increased AP coefficient to 0.7 from 0.5.
* Torment
o Increased base damage to 75/115/155/195/235 from 72/110/148/186/224.
o Increased AP coefficient to 0.8 from 0.6.
* Carrion Renewal
o Increased regen to 300% from 250%.
Good find man, but honestly I don't notice it much ingame as sad as that sounds.
JACN wrote:
I'm pretty sure these values you are listing are incorrect. if He had a 90% AP for Decrepify and 80% for Torment I would have noticed it by now.
I'm pretty sure the highest one is Torment at like 70%.
Can you link me to your evidence.
EDIT:
Patch 103
Swain
* Decrepify
o Increased total AP ratio to 0.9 from 0.75.
o Fixed a bug where Decrepify would slow through Highlander or Ragnarok.
o Fixed a bug where the damage portion sometimes would not break upon leashing the beam.
* Nevermove
o Increased AP coefficient to 0.7 from 0.5.
* Torment
o Increased base damage to 75/115/155/195/235 from 72/110/148/186/224.
o Increased AP coefficient to 0.8 from 0.6.
* Carrion Renewal
o Increased regen to 300% from 250%.
Good find man, but honestly I don't notice it much ingame as sad as that sounds.
I gotta say I didn't notice a big changem but I did notice that Swain now really is capable of kill midchammps if he is going mid, and that he can now harras with a single :)
Well my latest games with him, I had absoloutly crazy scores, and I did get a few double kills 1v2, so I still think that AP is not only viable, but the best way to play him :)
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His damage when going pure AP just isn't that great, it can get last hits and make people whine about Kill Stealing, but honestly it just doesn't make bank like other champions damage.
I personally find going CDR and Health a more efficient way of playing him.
Any thoughts?