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Swain Build Guide by Foxirion

Middle [14.8] Swain, The Noxian Grand General [Full Guide]

Middle [14.8] Swain, The Noxian Grand General [Full Guide]

Updated on April 26, 2024
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League of Legends Build Guide Author Foxirion Build Guide By Foxirion 32 2 44,686 Views 0 Comments
32 2 44,686 Views 0 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author Foxirion Swain Build Guide By Foxirion Updated on April 26, 2024
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Runes: Burst (supp/apc/mid)(main runes)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Domination
Electrocute
Cheap Shot
Eyeball Collection
Ultimate Hunter

Precision
Triumph
Coup de Grace
Bonus:

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

Spells:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Standard(Mid/Supp/Top)
LoL Summoner Spell: Flash

Flash

LoL Summoner Spell: Ignite

Ignite

Items

Threats & Synergies

Threats Synergies
Extreme Major Even Minor Tiny
Show All
None Low Ok Strong Ideal
Extreme Threats
Ideal Synergies
Synergies
Ideal Strong Ok Low None

Champion Build Guide

[14.8] Swain, The Noxian Grand General [Full Guide]

By Foxirion
Introduction
    Welcome to the comprehensive guide for mastering Swain, the Noxian Grand General, in every lane and position except the jungle. This guide is designed to equip you with the knowledge and strategies needed to unleash Swain's full potential and dominate your games.
    Swain is a formidable champion known for his strategic mind, ruthless magic, and the ability to transform into a demon of war. He excels in the top, mid, and bottom lanes, and even as a support, making him a versatile pick in the current meta.
    In this guide, we will cover everything from understanding Swain's abilities, optimal item builds, laning phase strategies, to team fight positioning. We will delve into the nuances of playing Swain in different lanes and roles, highlighting the unique challenges and advantages each position offers.
    Whether you're a seasoned veteran looking to refine your Swain gameplay or a newcomer eager to learn the ropes, this guide has something for you. So, prepare to step into the shoes of Noxus's Grand General and lead your team to victory on the Fields of Justice.
Abilities

Passive - Ravenous Flock

Swain’s passive has two components. The first is his ravens collecting Soul Fragments from enemy champions that die near him, healing him for a portion of his maximum health and permanently increasing his maximum health. The second component allows Swain to right-click an enemy champion that is immobilized (stunned, rooted, etc.), pulling them towards him, dealing damage, and ripping out a Soul Fragment. This ability is crucial for Swain’s sustain and tankiness in fights.

Q - Death’s Hand

Swain fires out five bolts of eldritch power in a cone in front of him, each dealing damage to the first enemy struck. Enemies hit by multiple bolts take reduced damage from each additional bolt. If Swain kills an enemy unit with this ability, he regains some mana, making it a useful tool for farming and poking in lane.

W - Vision of Empire

Swain marks a target area, which after a delay, explodes with demonic energy. This ability damages and slows all enemies in the area, reveals the area for a short duration, and grants Swain a Soul Fragment for each enemy champion hit. This ability is great for scouting, wave clear, and setting up picks or engages with its slow.

E - Nevermove

Swain sends his demonic hand out in a line, damaging all enemies it passes through. Upon reaching its maximum range or hitting an enemy champion, it returns to Swain, exploding and rooting all enemies in the area. This ability is Swain’s primary crowd control tool and is essential for setting up his combos and peeling for himself.

R - Demonic Ascension/Demonflare

Upon activation, Swain transforms into a demon, gaining a large amount of bonus health. While in this form, he drains life from the three closest enemy champions, dealing damage to them and healing himself. After draining a certain amount of health, Swain can reactivate this ability to cast Demonflare, ending his transformation early and dealing a burst of damage to all nearby enemies. This ability is Swain’s primary source of damage and survivability in team fights.
Runes

Precision

Conqueror

Conqueror is a Keystone Rune that provides additional adaptive force (AP or AD) for each stack of Conqueror, up to a maximum of 12 stacks. Once fully stacked, Swain also heals for a percentage of the damage he deals. This is particularly beneficial for Swain as his abilities, especially his ultimate, deal sustained damage over time, allowing him to quickly stack Conqueror in team fights. The healing from Conqueror also synergizes well with Swain’s passive and ultimate, which focus on healing and increasing his survivability.

Triumph

Triumph restores 12% of your missing health and grants an additional 20 gold whenever you participate in a kill. This can be particularly useful for Swain as it can provide him with much-needed health in the middle of a fight, allowing him to stay in the fight longer and deal more damage. The additional gold can also help Swain reach his item power spikes faster. If you’re planning to build an item with Tear of the Goddess, which provides a significant amount of mana, Triumph becomes even more valuable as the mana restoration from Presence of Mind becomes less necessary.

Presence of Mind

Presence of Mind increases your maximum mana by 500 and restores 20% of your maximum mana upon champion takedowns. This can be beneficial for Swain as his abilities, especially his Q, can be quite mana-intensive. However, if you’re building an item with Tear of the Goddess, which already provides a significant amount of mana, Triumph may be a more beneficial choice as it offers health restoration and bonus gold on takedowns, which can be more valuable in the later stages of the game.

Legend: Tenacity

Legend: Tenacity provides increasing tenacity (up to 30%) based on the number of Legend stacks you have. Tenacity reduces the duration of crowd control effects, which can be crucial for Swain to maintain his positioning and continue dealing damage in fights. As Swain often finds himself in the middle of fights, being able to reduce the duration of crowd control effects can significantly increase his survivability and effectiveness in team fights.

Coup de Grace

Coup de Grace deals more damage to low health enemy champions, making it easier for Swain to finish off enemies. Given Swain’s ability to deal sustained damage over time with his abilities, especially his ultimate, this can often be the difference between securing a kill or letting an enemy escape. This rune can significantly increase Swain’s threat level in the later stages of the game, where securing kills can lead to significant objectives like Baron Nashor or the Elder Dragon.

Last Stand

Last Stand increases your damage as your health gets lower. As Swain often finds himself in the middle of fights, draining health from enemies while taking damage himself, this rune can significantly increase his damage output in these situations. This synergizes well with Swain’s kit, which focuses on staying in the fight as long as possible and healing off the damage he takes.

Domination

Electrocute

Electrocute is a Keystone Rune that deals additional adaptive damage when you hit an enemy champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3 seconds. This can be a great choice for Swain as his E (Nevermove) into Passive (Ravenous Flock) into Q (Death’s Hand) combo can easily trigger Electrocute, providing a significant burst of damage in the early game.

Cheap Shot

Cheap Shot deals bonus true damage to enemy champions who have impaired movement or actions. Since Swain’s E (Nevermove) roots enemies and his Passive (Ravenous Flock) pulls immobilized enemies, he can frequently trigger Cheap Shot to deal additional damage.

Eyeball Collection

Eyeball Collection provides bonus adaptive damage for each champion takedown and ward takedown. This can help Swain scale into the mid and late game as he participates in kills and destroys enemy wards.

Ultimate Hunter

Ultimate Hunter reduces the cooldown of your ultimate ability each time you participate in a champion takedown, up to a maximum of 5 times. This is particularly beneficial for Swain as his ultimate, Demonic Ascension/Demonflare, is a crucial part of his kit, providing him with significant damage and healing in team fights. The reduced cooldown allows Swain to use his ultimate more frequently, increasing his overall effectiveness in the game.

Sorcery

Summon Aery

Summon Aery is a Keystone Rune that sends Aery to attack or shield allies when you damage enemy champions or heal/shield allies. For Swain, this can add a bit of extra damage to his abilities or provide a small shield to allies if he’s played in a support role. However, it’s worth noting that Swain typically benefits more from runes that enhance his own durability and damage output.

Phase Rush

Phase Rush is a Keystone Rune that grants a significant movement speed boost and resistance to slows after hitting an enemy champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities. This can be beneficial for Swain as it allows him to reposition quickly in fights after landing his combo, or to chase down enemies who are trying to escape his range.

Manaflow Band

Manaflow Band is a rune that helps with mana sustain. Hitting enemy champions with an ability permanently increases your maximum mana, up to a cap. Once the cap is reached, it restores a percentage of your missing mana every few seconds. This can be particularly useful for Swain, whose abilities can be quite mana-intensive.

Transcendence

Transcendence grants you 10% cooldown reduction (CDR) when you reach level 10. Any additional CDR becomes adaptive force (AP or AD). This is particularly beneficial for Swain, as many of his core items include CDR. With Transcendence, Swain can reach the CDR cap earlier and any excess CDR from his items will be converted into AP, further increasing his damage output. Additionally, the level 10 power spike aligns well with Swain’s mid-game strength, making Transcendence a strong choice for him.

Gathering Storm

Gathering Storm provides increasing amounts of adaptive force (AP or AD) every 10 minutes. This is a great rune for scaling into the late game, as the bonus AP can significantly increase the damage of Swain’s abilities. This is the main option for players who are confident in their ability to reach the late game and want to maximize their power at that stage.

Scorch

Scorch is a rune that adds extra damage to your first ability hit against enemy champions every few seconds. This can be beneficial for Swain in the early game, where the extra damage can help him poke and trade against his lane opponent. This is a secondary option for players who want to focus on winning their lane and applying early pressure.

Resolve

Grasp of the Undying

Grasp of the Undying is a Keystone Rune strengthens Swain’s trading in lane. Every 4 seconds in combat, your next basic attack on a champion will deal bonus magic damage, heal you, and permanently increase your health. This synergizes well with Swain’s kit, which is all about sustained fights.

Demolish

Demolish allows you to deal significant bonus true damage to enemy towers after a brief charge up period. This is a great rune if you’re planning to play a split-push style or if you’re in a lane where you expect to have significant pressure and want to take towers quickly. It’s generally better than Font of Life if your primary focus is on pushing lanes and taking objectives.

Font of Life

Font of Life marks enemy champions you impair for 4 seconds. Allied champions who attack marked enemies heal over 2 seconds. This is a great rune for Swain when he’s played in a support role or in a team composition where his allies can benefit from the additional healing. It’s generally better than Demolish if your primary focus is on team fights and supporting your allies.

Conditioning

Conditioning gives you bonus armor and magic resist after 10 minutes, and increases your total armor and magic resist by a percentage. This is a great rune for games where you expect to scale into the late game, as the bonus resistances can significantly increase your survivability in team fights. Conditioning is generally better in matchups where you don’t expect to be under a lot of pressure early and want to scale into the late game.

Bone Plating

After taking damage from an enemy champion, the next three spells or attacks you receive from the enemy deal less damage. This is a great rune for lanes where you expect to trade frequently or be the target of frequent harass. It helps to mitigate some of the upfront damage you take in trades. Bone Plating is generally better than Conditioning in lanes where you expect to trade frequently or be the target of frequent harass.

Overgrowth

Overgrowth permanently increases your maximum health every 8 monsters or enemy minions that die near you. This is a great rune for Swain, as it increases his tankiness and synergizes well with his passive and ultimate.

Inspiration

Glacial Augument

Glacial Augment is a Keystone Rune that enhances your auto-attacks to slow enemy champions. Additionally, it creates a freezing zone when you use active item slows. This can be beneficial for Swain as it can help him land his abilities more easily and stick to enemies during fights.

Magical Footwear

Magical Footwear grants you free boots at 12 minutes (reduced by 45 seconds for each takedown you get). These boots also grant additional movement speed. This can be a great rune for Swain as it allows him to invest his early gold into other items and still benefit from the increased mobility later in the game.

Biscuit Delivery

Biscuit Delivery provides you with a biscuit every 2 minutes until 6 minutes. Biscuits restore health and mana over time and permanently increase your maximum mana. This can be particularly useful for Swain, who can have mana issues in the early game. The extra sustain can also help him stay in lane longer.

Approach Velocity

Approach Velocity grants you bonus movement speed towards enemy champions that you have impaired or allied champions that are movement impaired. This can be beneficial for Swain as it allows him to close the gap on enemies he has rooted with his E (Nevermove) or pulled with his Passive (Ravenous Flock).
Spells

Flash

Flash is almost universally taken on all champions and roles due to its versatility. It allows Swain to engage, escape, or reposition during fights. It can be used to land a crucial E (Nevermove) or to get in range for his ultimate in a team fight.

Ignite

Ignite deals true damage over time and reduces healing effects, which can be useful for securing kills. As a support, mid, or top laner, Swain can use Ignite to add extra pressure in lane and secure early kills.

Ghost

Ghost provides a significant movement speed boost, which can be useful for chasing down enemies or escaping. As a mid or top laner, Swain can use Ghost to navigate team fights, chase down enemies, or escape ganks.

Exhaust

Exhaust slows an enemy champion and reduces their damage dealt, which can be crucial in reducing the impact of high-damage enemies. As a support or mid laner, Swain can use Exhaust to protect his allies or reduce the damage of enemy assassins.

Barrier

Barrier provides a shield that absorbs damage, which can be useful for surviving burst damage. As a support, APC, mid, or top laner, Swain can use Barrier to survive high-damage combos or to bait enemies into overcommitting.

Heal

Heal restores health and provides a brief movement speed boost, which can be useful for surviving fights. As an APC, Swain can use Heal to survive burst damage, escape ganks, or assist his support during fights.

Cleanse

Cleanse removes all disables and summoner spell debuffs affecting your champion and lowers the duration of incoming disables. As an APC, Swain can use Cleanse to remove crowd control effects, which can be crucial for maintaining his positioning in fights.

Teleport

Teleport allows Swain to have a global presence, which can be useful for returning to lane quickly, split pushing, or joining team fights from afar. As a top or mid laner, Teleport can allow Swain to have a significant impact on other parts of the map.
Items

Liandry's Torment

This item is great for Swain as it provides Ability Power (AP), Health, and Mana. Its passive ability deals damage over time based on the enemy’s maximum health, which synergizes well with Swain’s damage over time abilities.

Fimbulwinter

This item provides a shield when you immobilize an enemy, which can be triggered by Swain’s E (Nevermove) and Passive (Ravenous Flock). It also provides Mana and Ability Haste, which are beneficial for Swain.

Rylai's Crystal Scepter

This item provides AP and Health, and its passive ability slows enemies hit by your abilities. This can help Swain land his abilities more easily and stick to enemies during fights.

Malignance

This item provides AP and Health, and its passive ability increases your healing and shielding power. This can enhance Swain’s healing from his Passive (Ravenous Flock) and Ultimate (Demonic Ascension).

Zhonya's Hourglass

This item provides AP and Armor, and its active ability puts you in stasis, making you invulnerable for a short duration. This can be crucial for Swain to survive in the middle of fights while his abilities are on cooldown.

Morellonomicon

This item provides AP and Health, and its passive ability applies Grievous Wounds to enemies, reducing their healing. This can be useful against teams with a lot of healing.

Cryptbloom

This item provides AP and Health, and its passive ability deals damage over time to enemies around you. This synergizes well with Swain’s close-range fighting style.

Luden's Companion

This item provides AP and Mana, and its passive ability deals bonus magic damage to enemies hit by your abilities. This can increase Swain’s burst damage.

Riftmaker

This item provides AP and Health, and its passive ability deals bonus true damage to enemies the longer you’re in combat. This synergizes well with Swain’s sustained damage playstyle.

Rabadon's Deathcap

This item provides a large amount of AP and increases your total AP by a percentage. This is a great item for scaling into the late game.

Shadowflame

This item provides AP and Magic Penetration, and its passive ability deals bonus magic damage to enemies based on their maximum health. This can be useful against teams with a lot of tanks.

Cosmic Drive

[This item provides AP, Health, and Ability Haste, and its passive ability grants bonus movement speed when you damage enemies with abilities. This can help Swain reposition in fights.

Seraph's Embrace

This item provides AP and Mana, and its passive ability increases your AP based on your maximum Mana. This can be a great item for Swain if you’re building a lot of Mana items.

Rod of Ages

This item provides AP, Health, and Mana, and its passive ability increases these stats over time. This is a great item for scaling into the late game.

Banshee's Veil

This item provides AP and Magic Resist, and its passive ability grants a spell shield that blocks the next enemy ability. This can be useful against teams with a lot of magic damage or crowd control.

Jak'Sho, The Protean

This item provides AP and Ability Haste, and its passive ability increases your healing and shielding power. This can enhance Swain’s healing from his Passive (Ravenous Flock) and Ultimate (Demonic Ascension).

Abyssal Mask

This item provides Health and Magic Resist, and its passive ability increases your damage to enemies you immobilize. This can be triggered by Swain’s E (Nevermove) and Passive (Ravenous Flock).

Zaz'Zak's Realmspike

This item provides AP and Ability Haste, and its passive ability increases your damage to enemies based on their maximum health. This can be useful against teams with a lot of tanks.

Solstice Sleigh

This item provides AP and Health, and its active ability sends out a wave of snowballs that slow enemies. This can help Swain land his abilities more easily.

Mejai's Soulstealer

This item provides AP and its passive ability grants bonus AP for each stack of Glory you have, which are gained by getting kills and assists. This is a high-risk, high-reward item that can be great if you’re ahead.

Heartsteel

This item provides Health and Armor, and its passive ability reduces the attack speed of enemies who attack you. This can be useful against teams with a lot of physical damage or attack speed.

Anathema's Chains

This item provides Health, and its active ability allows you to choose an enemy champion to deal reduced damage to you. This can be useful for reducing the impact of high-damage enemies.

Hollow Radiance

This item provides Health and Ability Haste, and its active ability deals damage to nearby enemies and reduces their damage dealt. This can be useful for surviving in the middle of fights.

Sunfire Aegis

This item provides Health and Armor, and its passive ability deals damage over time to nearby enemies. This synergizes well with Swain’s close-range fighting style.

Kaenic Rookern

This item provides Health and Magic Resist, and its passive ability increases your healing and shielding power. This can enhance Swain’s healing from his Passive (Ravenous Flock) and Ultimate (Demonic Ascension).

Spirit Visage

This item provides Health and Magic Resist, and its passive ability increases your healing and shielding. This can enhance Swain’s healing from his Passive (Ravenous Flock) and Ultimate (Demonic Ascension).

Unending Despair

This item provides Health and Armor, and its passive ability deals damage to nearby enemies based on their maximum health. This can be useful against teams with a lot of tanks.

Warmog's Armor

This item provides a large amount of Health, and its passive ability restores health over time when you’re out of combat. This can be useful for sustaining between fights.

Thornmail

This item provides Health and Armor, and its passive ability reflects damage to enemies who attack you and applies Grievous Wounds. This can be useful against teams with a lot of physical damage or healing.

Force of Nature

This item provides Health and Magic Resist, and its passive ability grants bonus movement speed when you’re hit by abilities. This can be useful for dodging skillshots and repositioning in fights.

Sorcerer's Shoes

These boots provide Magic Penetration, which can increase Swain’s damage to enemies with magic resist.

Plated Steelcaps

These boots provide Armor and reduce the damage of enemy basic attacks, which can be useful against teams with a lot of physical damage.

Mercury's Treads

These boots provide Magic Resist and Tenacity, which can be useful against teams with a lot of magic damage or crowd control.

Elixir of Sorcery

This elixir provides AP and bonus true damage to towers, which can be useful for pushing lanes and taking objectives.

Elixir of Iron

This elixir provides Health, Tenacity, and a movement speed aura for allies, which can be useful for team fights and sieges.
See my other builds
My other builds:
Rakan: coming soon
Swain: Updated for 14.8 (click here)
Viego: Updated for 14.8 (click here)
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[14.8] Swain, The Noxian Grand General [Full Guide]

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