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Syndra Build Guide by

14.8 My Potential is Limitless

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4 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author Demonsedge90

Syndra Build Guide By Updated on

Guide Discussion (4) More Syndra Guides

Runes: Dark Harvest

1 2 3 4

Domination

Dark Harvest

Cheap Shot

Eyeball Collection

Ultimate Hunter

Sorcery

Manaflow Band

Gathering Storm

Bonus:

+10% Attack Speed
+9 Adaptive (5.4 AD or 9 AP)
+10-180 Bonus Health

Spells:

1 2 3 4

Standard

Flash

Teleport

Items

Starter Item

Doran's Ring

Dark Seal

Items

First Back (Ahead)

First Back (Behind)

Core Items

Anti-Heal

Magic Penetration Options

Boot Options

Wards & Trinkets

Situational Items

Damage Options

Armor Options

Magic Resist Options

Utility Options

Standard

Build Versus Crowd Control

Build Versus Assassins

Ability Order Standard

Syndra Passive Ability

Threats & Synergies

Threats

Synergies

Extreme Major Even Minor Tiny

Show All

None Low Ok Strong Ideal

Extreme Threats

Ideal Synergies

Diana

Extreme

She's a threat to you as a jungle and to you as a mid-lane. She has solid gap-closing once she hits you with moonlight, and you need to be mindful of her positioning and your own in this fight. You can shove her back with scatter the weak only when she's about to dash to you or if she wants to commit her ultimate on you beforehand. Tread carefully in this fight lest the moonlight will rise.

Janna

Ideal

Synergies

Ideal Strong Ok Low None

Janna

Ideal

Table of Contents

Introduction

Pros & Cons

Abilities

Game Plan as Syndra

Summoner Spells

Wards & Trinkets

Stats To Consider

Which Boots & Why?

Items

Runes

Rune Shards

Summary

Introduction

Hi, my name is Demonsedge, and I've been enjoying my time at League of Legends.

When looking to make a splash in mid, I pick since I know how this champion feels and performs. Concerning 's team set up and itemization, I will provide a more in-depth look at all this information below as you read this guide.

I hope you enjoy this guide and follow my suggestions to understand how performs optimally.

So let's kick things off in style with my guide on - The Dark Sovereign.

Syndra - The Dark Sovereign
, Mid Lane

Specialties: Damage, Range, Crowd Control
Why choose Syndra?:
- Has potent burst damage for fights and skirmishes.
- Very impactful and has strong potential in getting objectives such as / or .
- While not the most straightforward champion to learn, she brings lots of damage to the fight and is satisfying to play once mastered.

I always enjoy taking her on the rift when playing League, and I hope you will too.

Pros & Cons

Pros

+ High burst
+ Strong late game
+ Good wave clear
+ Lane bully
+ Strong team fight
+ Good peel

Cons

- Immobile
- Bad if behind
- Skill shot reliant
- Squishy
- Positioning is important
- Mana intensive

Ability Rundown

Transcendent

gains power as she accumulates splinters of wrath over time. Each of her abilities is enhanced and gains new effects.

She can gain splinters of wrath in several ways:
- If she deals damage to an enemy champion using her abilities twice within 4 seconds, she earns a splinter. However, this can only occur on the same target once every 8 seconds.
- Ranking up her abilities beyond level 1 can grant up to 85 splinters.
- Killing a grants one splinter.

When collects a splinter of wrath from an enemy, she also restores mana.

At 120 splinters of wrath, achieves Transcendence, gaining increased ability power.

Dark Sphere

creates a at a targeted location dealing magic damage to nearby enemies and remains on the ground for 6 seconds.

It is handy for when poking her enemies and helpful when farming that auto attacks might miss. However, remember that it has an increased mana cost per rank; therefore, it is better to save it when looking to damage the enemy in short bursts.

If used beyond its cast range, will be cast at maximum range, and it can be activated while moving.

Transcendent Bonus: Collecting 40 splinters of wrath upgrades to periodically stock charges, up to a maximum of 2. Charge refresh speed is affected by ability haste.

Force of Will

grabs the nearest , enemy or non-epic , holding the target for 5 seconds. If grabbing a , the duration refreshes, but when grabbing a or large , it enters stasis until tossed.

Upon recasting, throws the grabbed target towards the target location, granting sight of the surroundings and then dealing magic damage to all nearby enemies. All targets hit become slowed upon contact.

's added slow effect is potent when looking to chain a on your opponent. Very useful when looking to secure the needed while farming splinters to evolve your skills and scale into the late game.

- Nearby s will take priority when selects its target before and .
- can recast while moving for better target acquisition.
- Cam be used to throw enemy pets away from nearby allies (, or ).

Transcendent Bonus: Collecting 60 splinters of wrath enhances to deal bonus true damage.

Scatter the Weak

unleashes a wave of force in a cone in the targeted direction, dealing magic damage to all enemy units hit. Additionally, it knocks them back away from , but not through any terrain.

When one or more s hit a target, they become stunned for 1.25 seconds.

Using is effective when pushing back enemies who get too close or on enemies who need to channel abilities, such as 's , 's , 's , or 's . Since it is the only disengaging ability at your disposal, saving it for incoming dives or near-death situations is advisable.

Transcendent Bonus: Collecting 80 splinters of wrath enhances to have an increased scatter angle and slows enemies hit.

Unleashed Power

Passive: gains ability haste.

conjures three Dark Spheres with and grabs up to four nearby. Afterwards, the collected s are tossed at the enemy champion and deal magic damage per sphere hit.

The s will then remain on the ground for a short time after the initial cast for you to manipulate with your other abilities.

is the only point-click ability in 's kit; this means hitting this ability isn't difficult (unless the enemy breaks vision with you)—an excellent combo finisher when playing .

Transcendent Bonus: Collecting 100 Splinters of Wrath enhances to execute the target if they are below 15% of their maximum health.

Combos:

In this section, I will share some of the effective combos for that are simple to understand and that you can apply while playing summoners rift (draft and ranked) games.


	-		-


-	-	-


-	-	-	-	Auto

Tips & Tricks:

Playing As :
- To maximize s damage, use it when there are many s on the battlefield.
- After hitting an enemy champion with , follow up with ; they'll be slowed and have difficulty avoiding it.
- Collect as many splinters as possible to benefit most from all your abilities.

Playing Against :
- Get early when playing against ; they'll help you avoid many of her spells.
- Attack after her is down since it has a long cooldown, so she'll be vulnerable.
- 's spells gain bonus effects and appearance changes at max rank.

Game Plan as Syndra

As a player, it's crucial to have a solid understanding of the primary objectives for each game stage. Also, remember that you are a scaling champion, so hitting all your power spikes will be essential for your success. Keeping this in mind can make all the difference in your performance.

- Early game: In the game's early stages, your primary goal should be to gather as many as possible to earn both gold and experience. It will enable you to buy your essential items, giving you an edge over your opponent.

Another tactic is to deny your opponent access to gold and experience by setting up a freeze or trading with them.

Additionally, it's essential to keep an eye on the enemy and ward off the area to prevent any unexpected attacks.

- Mid-game: During the mid-game, look to see if you can split push lanes while keeping a close eye on your team to see if they need assistance. You can also stay with your team and fight to secure objectives like , , or .

When split pushing, exercise caution when collecting waves or camps, and always be mindful of your opponent's location to avoid falling into an ambush and getting eliminated.

- Late game: You must make strategic decisions to secure victory in the late game. It may involve pushing lanes, focusing on objectives, or team fighting to take down the enemy nexus. Staying focused and making intelligent moves is essential, as a single mistake can be costly at this stage.

Things to consider:

Before prioritizing objectives like or , consider the potential dangers of wandering around the map:
- How much could you gain/lose when roaming compared to staying lane?
- What are the risks to me?
- Will I get ahead from roaming, or will I need to catch up?

As the mid-lane for your team, you hold so much agency and can change the outcome of a fight. However, if your involvement in the team fight might not change the outcome, it may be more beneficial to maintain pressure on the map from your current location.

To maximize your chances of victory as , only engage with , , or once your enemies are in a favourable position to apply the most significant damage output.

Summoner Spells

The most integral summoner spell for that you pick 100% of the time for your games. It's necessary because if you get caught or stuck in a rough situation, you can to safety while dodging a crucial ability.

Excellent on when looking for quick returns to the lane, gaining tempo against your lane opponent, reaching objectives faster/performing dives, or going to the enemy base for a cheeky back door play.

Useful at reducing healing and making targets easier to kill while also dealing true damage (based on champion level). It's your go-to spell as when you wish to snowball the lane and have more kill potential on the rift.

Taking this spell as is good when going against champions who could take you down quickly, such as , , , or . With 's slow effect and damage reduction, you can gain an excellent opportunity to defeat an opponent, flee from combat, or reduce damage (not including true damage) received during fights and skirmishes.

Grab this on when you have to deal with champion

crowd control effects applied to you ('s , 's /, 's //, or 's ), along with gaining protection from future disabling effects and increased tenacity for a few seconds. Removes , , & grounded effects while being ineffective against

crowd control effects such as suppression, nearsightedness, stasis or airborne. These can include: 's , 's and 's .

For best use, trigger this spell after being hit by the

immobilizing impairment, not beforehand.

Wards & Trinkets

s are stored in your inventory (max 2) and can be placed anywhere on the map (limit 1), revealing and disabling enemy wards within a 900-unit radius. s function similarly to the trinket displaying stealth & camouflaged based champions (, , and ) that approach them.

(available at level 9) is an excellent option for . It is helpful when split pushing or getting vision on objectives or target locations from a safe distance. Similar to s, you can use them to set up the adequate vision needed, but unlike s, they are visible to the enemy and fragile, meaning they will die the instant they are spotted.

It would be best if you only grabbed when dealing with stealth champions who plant traps, such as , , & . It's also good against champions who use stealth abilities to engage or disengage, such as , , or .

is your main trinket in all games as , revealing units within a target location. You can place up to three s on the map. Great when side laning/placing deep wards in enemy territory or getting vision on objectives ( & ).

Stats To Consider

- Ability Power: Best stat for , which can enhance all your abilities in combat. Always look to itemize for this when you can.

- Ability Haste: A significant champion stat to acquire as . Look to itemize for this when available.

- Health: This stat is essential in the grand scheme, but you can focus on something other than when playing as .

- Attack Speed: Not something we focus on since our auto attacks aren't that strong early on, and the most you'll want is the rune shard we acquire (more to be explained below).

- Life Steal: I would skip this stat on . We don't apply much in terms of auto-attack damage, so it's best to avoid this at all costs.

- Omni Vamp: This could theoretically work, though prolonged combat may not make it a practical choice as .

- Armor/Magic Resistance: Itemize for it only if the matchup you are dealing with deems it necessary for your survival.

- Movement Speed: Great for kiting and escaping fights, but not as prioritized when compared with other stats listed above.

Which Boots & Why?

Ionian Boots of Lucidity > Ability Haste
A good option in games where casting abilities are more efficient for . Excellent to help increase your damage potential in the lane as by allowing for more ability casts, along with additional summoner spell haste reducing the cooldown of or other spells at your disposal. Always consider them to create more impact plays during the game.

Mercury's Treads > Magic Resistance & Tenacity
This option will be a rare pick for , but I'd strongly recommend these for their tenacity and Magic Resistance. Great into teams that are magic damage heavy or have lots of impairing crowd control effects.

Plated Steelcaps > Basic Attack Damage Reduction
A great option in games where the enemy team is primarily auto-attack-based champions (, or ) or you need the extra armor in duels. Also helpful against attack damage heavy compositions.

Sorcerer's Shoes > Magic Penetration
are the default pair of taken as for the excellent synergy with your kit. The flat magic penetration gained from these is very effective when dealing with targets with little or no magic resistance in combat.

Note that and aren't as widely selected on relative to the other choices ( & ). However, they can still be viable if the extra armor or magic resistance could benefit you in fights or skirmishes.

Items

Starter Items

is the main starter item for you as . It offers mana regeneration, then provides health instead if you cannot gain additional mana. Your best starter option in most matchups while playing .

It is also great when looking to farm and acquire gold from .

The games in which you take are when you know full well that snowballing will be easy and that you can maintain the stacks as you upgrade the item to .

The best way to know which starter item is more efficient depends on how you plan to build for each game.

Core Items

is a solid option as , granting a dash active that helps when looking to escape a bad situation (fighting champions or dealing with enemies who have gap-closing abilities). Additionally, this dash is excellent for finishing targets you're chasing. Provides an auto attack reset upon completion of the dash.

When playing as , using is a great way to boost your damage output. It provides charges that deal extra burst damage with each shot. You can use the charges as soon as they appear or save them to unleash a powerful burst of damage on your target. 's mana component also synergizes well with /, making it an even more effective combination.

is an excellent option for , as it synergizes alongside her burst-oriented play style while also dealing solid upfront and follow-up damage in duels and skirmishes. A solid early game magic penetration option to consider.

When factoring whether to build or first as , you need to ***es the following:

- : Do I require the dash to dodge the enemy skill shots or abilities? Am I fighting dangerous threats? Do I need the extra mobility? Do I need the added health?
- : Will I need the additional burst damage in combat? Should I stack mana? (Note that the mana from this item combines nicely with /).

Situational Items

With , gains a spell shield, blocking the next ability that targets you. It is helpful when dealing with teams with heavy crowd control (, , & ) at their disposal.

An excellent mobility/damage option for allowing for increased front to back potential. Great when looking to chase down targets that are near dead or when you want to create a quick getaway for yourself.

A strong % magic penetration alternative to that provides a heal for you and your team after you get a takedown on an enemy champion.

An excellent choice against or champions who stack health through runes and items. Damage dealt will increase as combat lingers. When paired with , deal increased against low health targets.

is your high-risk, high-reward item for . If you maintain your stacks and can reliably snowball the game, grab this item and maintain your built-up lead. This item is very situational and can be game-changing against the right champions (preferably squishier targets).

is an efficient grievous wounds option. For , this is helpful against healers such as , or and efficient against healing items such as , & .

is what many call the for mages. It's an insane boost to your overall ability power and is a solid option as a late-game purchase if you need to round out your build as .

Helps by slowing down the enemy for 1 second after hitting them with an ability or spell. It is excellent when looking to catch an opponent for a takedown or when you need to disengage from them in combat.

A great addition to 's arsenal as it provides a significant boost to ability power and grants a shield when your health is low. The amount of shielding you receive is calculated based on your current mana. As you build mana items, this scaling option becomes even more powerful, making it an ideal choice for .

A very efficient item for that grants magic penetration along with increased magic damage against lower health targets. A very strong option when dealing with who build magic resistance or against squishier foes.

Great % magic penetration option for when looking for extra burst with your abilities. Great into teams who build plenty of magic resistance items, such as or bruisers.

With , gains armor and ability power when fighting auto-attack-based champions such as , , or . The added stasis effect, provides protection from , , and other threatening abilities.

Runes

The following keystone & rune choices are great for and will complement her in combat. Always pay attention to the enemy team comp, plus your item builds when selecting your runes to get the most value in each game.

Keystone Runes:

- provides a soul stack after damaging a target under 50% health (45-second cooldown). If you score a takedown, the timer resets after 1.5 seconds you can repeat the process. Since the keystone stacking is indefinite, the potential to one-shot opponents becomes immense as you reach the late game—an excellent option on combined with her passive.

- is an excellent short trade keystone option for in lanes where you want to poke down the opponent. Additionally, this keystone significantly scales into the late game for 's overall play style.

- Taking for is a reasonable means to gain more gold and extra damage in fights and trades. Effective in getting to item purchases faster. Always try to poke the enemy while this keystone is active to get the most out of the effect.

- Standard mage keystone option for when playing mid-lane. triggers when you land an ability on the enemy (the cooldown varies based on the type of ability effect used. Excellent in matchups where poke is the best form of consistent damage.

Domination Runes:

- With the ability to displace targets using either or , taking for is an excellent choice, dealing additional true damage on a target recently affected by crowd control effects (not including suppression or airborne). While the damage values are small per effect, you can still maximize the rune allowing for more damage potential during fights.

- When looking for a decent sustain option for , look no further than . Damaging an enemy champion heals you for a small amount of health during combat with the enemy. Very effective when looking to get through the early game laning phase.

- is a scaling champion, and will do everything you need to make her more powerful. So when looking for more potency in fights, consider this rune to help scale your total damage with autos and abilities, giving you more threat in team fights and skirmishes.

- With 's ultimate granting an execution on its target, this rune is a fantastic option for her going forward. Additionally, grants ability haste on , giving more chances to dominate in team fights & potentially shift the tempo of the game. Very strong when combined with items or runes that offer ability haste.

Inspiration Runes:

- can benefit , providing additional gold, damage to and an addditional skill point (increasing your splinter count). A niche option to consider in lane.

- is an excellent choice for , allowing her to acquire important items (legendary/core) sooner. Helpful with creating item leads on opponents and improving the potential to snowball the game.

- is reliable for dealing extra damage to any of the three types (, or ). Very helpful when looking to clear waves quickly and roam or to snowball your matchup much easier. Also great for when getting splinters from .

- provides more access to summoner spells (, , ) and item/ward trinket haste. This rune is excellent when paired with items like active items effects you may have in your inventory. Also very helpful for increasing your vision score.

Precision Runes:

- restores health and provides additional gold per takedown. A great rune option when looking to get your items quicker and is excellent for when looking to recover health after combat.

- helps grants mana regeneration after damaging the enemy. A great choice for constant poke during the lane phase and beyond, allowing you to maintain a steady pool of mana before entering team fights.

- is fantastic for offering more damage to champions under 40% health—strong rune option couples nicely with her overall high burst play style.

Sorcery Runes:

- Mages love mana and is no exception. With , as you damage champions, you will increase your maximum mana pool. After completing the rune, you begin regenerating some of your missing mana. A perfect pair with /, granting you more ability power for your skills, amplifying your damage in fights.

- provides more ability haste during fights, thus increasing your damage per second to enemies and objectives. A rune that meshes nicely with , providing more access to her abilities, thus granting more impact in fights and objective control.

- increases 's all-around pressure in fights and duels. Since we don't have access to many healing sources, good positioning can help to ensure you are healthy enough to keep the damage bonus—helps to increase the burst potential you have and aids in making you a late game threat for all to worry about.

- is formidable for by increasing your overall damage (autos and abilities) against targets every 10 minutes and scales indefinitely. In addition, this rune works exceptionally well in unison with 's splinter mechanic, meaning you'll deal large amounts of damage should you have long games.

Rune Shards


	diamond

When deciding on what rune shards (whether offensive or defensive) to pick for in each of your games, you have to factor in a few things in champion selection.

Offensive Shards

diamond

• Do I need extra attack speed? This shard makes farming easier during the lane phase.

• Do I need additional diamondability power? For , we always take at least one adaptive damage shard.

• Do I require any ability haste? We can take this option, but compared to other selections, we should skip it.

Defensive Shards

• Do you need more movement speed? It helps improve dodging/kiting of skills shots or run away faster from an incoming enemy champion. Compared to other defensive options, we skip this on .

• Do you need tenacity & slow resist? A strong rune shard option to counter champions who rely on

immobilizing effects to hinder your movement.

• Do I require more health? Both the scaling health and flat health shards can benefit when going against mixed-damage team comps, providing a small layer of durability in team fights and skirmishes.

Always pay attention to the team compositions you are fighting when mixing and matching the rune shards listed above with your and items. It's a sure way to improve your overall survivability in games.

Summary

There are many ways to build , but hopefully, this guide made it easier for you to understand what abilities/items and runes work well together and how to make the most of her kit.

I hope you enjoyed this guide and will refer this to your friends and fellow gamers looking for tips and tricks.

Contact me in the discussion section for any questions or thoughts you wish to share. I'll be happy to discuss things with you and see how I can make sense of anything you need answers for to the best of my ability.