Hwei is labeled as an artillery mage but he's also a control mage. Blocking off areas and manipulating where enemies can move, punishing those who overstep, and sniping enemies with long-range executes as a finisher is what Hwei is all about. Similarly to mages like Brand or Vel'Koz, Hwei likes to combo his spells to activate his passive: Signature of the Visionary, as it adds a lot of extra damage, especially in teamfights with grouped up enemies. With 9 different basic abilities at his disposal, learning when to use each one effectively at a moment's notice is what makes a true Hwei player shine.

As with other immobile mages, Hwei requires proper positioning, or else he'll pop instantly to almost anything. Unlike some other mages, however, he also has tools to keep himself safe and is almost untouchable when piloted properly. While his arsenal of spells may seem overwhelming at first, individually they are quite simple to understand and utilize. Throughout this guide, I will refer to his spells using letters and colors to hopefully make it easy to follow (e.g. QW, WE, EQ).
While this guide was created to inform and educate, by no means is it a strict set of rules that must be followed. Keep in mind that there are many viable builds and rune setups, and sometimes it can come down to preference (which is fine!). I have simply compiled my own thoughts and experiences as well as what I've seen and heard from other players into one space. Feel free to agree or disagree, and I encourage everyone to discuss and continue to explore the champion. If you have any suggestions, criticisms, or other thoughts to share, feel free to leave a comment and let me know.

Pros → Versatile kit; has an answer for basically every situation → Versatile builds; can itemize well against all comps → Decently mid-range mage with self-peel → Exceptional zoning capabilities → Utility and teamfighting powerhouse → Can neutralize almost any matchup while bullying easier ones; a fantastic blind pick/one-trick champ → Surprisingly low skill floor, but high skill ceiling

Cons → Mana hungry, especially with high AH → Higher AH is optimal to fully utilize his arsenal of spells → Misinputs are costly - don't spam keys! → Almost all spells are slow-moving skillshots with cast times → Weaker into high range and/or high mobility comps → Not the best at sidelaning → Functions best with a balanced team comp; often unable to solo carry unless ridiculously ahead

Signature of the Visionary (Passive)

Hwei marks enemy champions with his signature finishing touch by first damaging them with his abilities. Hitting an enemy with two damage-dealing spells places Hwei’s signature on the ground beneath them. The signature detonates after a short delay, dealing magic damage to all enemies in range. Hwei's damaging abilities mark enemies hit for 4 seconds. Damaging them with a different ability consumes the mark to create an explosion beneath them, dealing 35 − 230 (based on level) (+ 30% AP) bonus magic damage to enemies in the area after 0.85 seconds.

Subject: Disaster (Q) COST: 80 / 90 / 100 / 110 / 120 MANA COOLDOWN: 10 / 9 / 8 / 7 / 6

Hwei paints visions of disaster that deal a large amount of damage to enemies. Hwei enters a disastrous mood, gaining access to its abilities as well as Wash Brush. He will exit the mood upon casting any of them. The Q spellbook is for damage.

Subject: Serenity (W) COST: 90 / 95 / 100 / 105 / 110 MANA COOLDOWN: 18 / 17.5 / 17 / 16.5 / 16

Hwei paints visions of serenity that provide utility for himself and allied champions. Hwei enters a serene mood, gaining access to its abilities as well as Wash Brush. He will exit the mood upon casting any of them. The W spellbook is for utility.

Subject: Torment (E) COST: 50 / 55 / 60 / 65 / 70 MANA COOLDOWN: 13 / 12.5 / 12 / 11.5 / 11

Hwei paints visions of torment that control enemies. Hwei enters a tumultuous mood, gaining access to its abilities as well as Wash Brush. He will exit the mood upon casting any of them. The E spellbook is for crowd control.

Spiraling Despair (R) RANGE: 1340 COST: 100 MANA COOLDOWN: 140 / 115 / 80

Hwei launches a vision of pure despair that sticks to an enemy champion for a few seconds. The vision expands and overwhelms all enemies it touches, dealing magic damage per second. Enemies within the zone are afflicted with stacks of Despair over time. Each stack of Despair applies a stacking percent slow. Upon completion, the vision shatters, dealing magic damage. Hwei launches a globule of pure despair in the target direction that collides with the first enemy champion hit, afflicting them with an aura that grows over 3 seconds, reveals the target, and grants sight within its radius. Enemies within are both dealt magic damage and applied a stack of Despair every 0.25 seconds. DESPAIR: For each stack, the target is slowed by 10% for 0.25 seconds, stacking up to 12 times. At the end of the duration or when the target dies, the aura explodes to deal magic damage to enemies within and remove all Despair stacks from affected enemies. Spiraling Despair can only be cast if Hwei has not entered a mood.

Here's a neat little cheat sheet created by Riot to help you digest his kit!

Hwei can utilize many different rune setups, allowing him to adjust to almost any matchup and team composition. In this section, I will highlight various runes and explain how they benefit Hwei. For full rune setups, refer to the example pages at the top of the guide.

Important Note: Domination is currently a mediocre tree overall for Hwei, but since it has been viable in the past I am leaving it in for now (and I don't want to have to readd it later).

SUMMONER SPELLS - FLASH: A staple summoner for the vast majority of champs in the game and for good reason, giving you the ability to be both aggressive and defensive when it's up. QQ, EQ, and R can all be Flash buffered as needed. You should take this every single game. TELEPORT: Currently the standard pairing with Flash for midlane mages. Since you have low kill pressure early on, your main goal is simply to farm up and deny CS when possible, which is further aided by the consistency of having Teleport. Later in the game, Teleport allows you to farm and pressure side lanes while being able to Teleport to teamfights and objectives. GHOST: Ghost is a viable alternative, especially after the changes to Teleport. Taking Ghost means you're losing map pressure and team playmaking from Teleport for more combat versatility. Ghost can be used to help you space around enemies or dodge skillshots, but it also allows you to position aggressively or chase down enemies if needed. If you choose to forgo Teleport for Ghost or any other summoner, make sure that you're keeping an eye on objective timers and the map so that you're prepared for upcoming fights. BARRIER: Similar to Ghost, Barrier is another option to replace Teleport if you need even more safety, especially against assassins with burst damage. Simply having Barrier acts as a deterrent, since the enemy team knows you have a strong shield that can be popped at a moment's notice. If you feel like you need more tools to survive - especially if the enemy team has someone who can easily jump on you and deal a lot of damage (e.g. Zed, Talon, Fizz), it might be worth considering Barrier. CLEANSE: Extremely situational. I would only take Cleanse against champs like Lissandra, Annie, or maybe Zoe, who rely on their strong CCs to kill you. Cleanse can also be useful against team comps with heavy CC, such as against Fiddlesticks or Leona.

If an item is not listed, then I most likely do not recommend buying it. Please refer to the Items section at the start of the guide where I quickly go over almost every item.

Starting Items

Doran's Ring Doran's Ring gives you the best stats for the lane phase. It is often not worth selling your Doran's Ring for as long as possible since the stats are valuable. If you can reach an important item breakpoint later on by selling it, go for it.

Tear of the Goddess Starting Tear of the Goddess is viable when facing tanks or other matchups where you are unable to threaten a kill and would rather focus on scaling instead (e.g. Garen, Sion, etc.). Otherwise, you lose a lot of damage and overall laning power when starting Tear of the Goddess.

First Back

Lost Chapter Lost Chapter is an incredibly well-rounded item and one of the best to buy on your first back if you have the gold. Getting Lost Chapter early on will solve a lot of your mana issues, plus it gives a good amount of AP and AH which Hwei wants. Even if you plan on going for Archangel's Staff/ Seraph's Embrace first, it is still worth it to buy Lost Chapter on your first back if you can immediately afford it unless you're rushing something else.

Dark Seal An incredible item to purchase early on. If you are forced to back early or get first blood, buying and sitting on a Dark Seal can help snowball your games, giving you the option to upgrade it into a Mejai's Soulstealer if you get enough stacks.

Boots Against certain matchups (e.g. Xerath, Ziggs, Syndra), it can be valuable to rush boots or T2 boots to help with dodging skillshots or neutralizing AP/CC threats. Buying Ionian Boots of Lucidity and Tear of the Goddess on your first back is a common safe, defensive option.

Refillable Potion It is generally a good idea to buy Refillable Potion if you have the extra gold for it, especially if you happen to back after your lane opponent and see that they have purchased it to match them.

Tear of the Goddess A necessary component if you plan on building towards Seraph's Embrace, even if you want to delay finishing it. You should try to get your Tear of the Goddess as soon as possible unless you have a ton of gold on your first back and can push your lead.

Boots

Sorcerer's Shoes Sorcerer's Shoes provide a noticeable damage increase thanks to the flat mpen. If you are solo AP and the enemy team won't be purchasing a lot of MR, you should go for Sorcerer's Shoes to deal as much damage as possible.

Ionian Boots of Lucidity Ionian Boots of Lucidity is a cheap option and provides a decent amount of AH which Hwei always wants. Getting a bit of summoner spell AH is also a nice bonus to help lower your Teleport and Flash CDs. If the enemy team is tanky and will buy MR, or your team has multiple people who deal magic damage, you should lean towards buying Ionian Boots of Lucidity.

Mercury's Treads Getting Mercury's Treads early against certain champions - such as Syndra - can completely neutralize them and allow you to play without having to worry about getting one-shot or CC-locked. If your lane opponent and the enemy jungler are AP/CC heavy, I highly recommend Mercury's Treads.

Boots of Swiftness Boots of Swiftness have become increasingly popular after all the nerfs to the other boot choices. It is a cheap option and serves a similar role to Mercury's Treads as a defensive option, except it's much more versatile. The damage and utility loss from not taking Sorcerer's Shoes or Ionian Boots of Lucidity are still noticeable, but the movement speed is fantastic for helping you kite and space any threats.

First Item

Blackfire Torch Hwei can easily and consistently apply the burn to enemies thanks to his AoEs and high AH builds. It also scales well into the late-game, especially if you have high AP items like Rabadon's Deathcap or Shadowflame to take advantage of the item's passive. Hwei's waveclear becomes even faster with Blackfire Torch, allowing you to melt waves with only a QE. The tooltip is deceptive since it only shows the burn damage and doesn't take into account any damage you've gained from the AP passive.

Seraph's Embrace Seraph's Embrace provides great defensive utility and a huge amount of mana, which you will find Hwei burns through incredibly quickly. You can either rush Archangel's Staff to stack it quicker or hold onto Tear of the Goddess and wait to finish it later on. You can also pair Seraph's Embrace with Blackfire Torch to boost the AP and shield amount from Seraph's Embrace's passive, although this is highly situational.

Luden's Companion Luden's Companion is a more situational item for Hwei after its changes, and with the addition of Blackfire Torch, he doesn't have as much reason to build it. However, if you're going for a more burst-focused build into a high range, squishy team, it can be worth considering.

Example Buildpaths

The next segment showcases my logic for itemization in various scenarios. Hwei is extremely flexible in how he can build, so learning what to look for when choosing your items is important to being as optimal as possible. Whether it's maximizing your DPS against a squishy or tanky team, or picking a defensive setup that will keep you alive against threats, Hwei can do it all if you know how.

VS. Squishies / General Build

Blackfire Torch

Sorcerer's Shoes

Shadowflame

Liandry's Torment

This build path works against balanced team comps, offering great damage against both squishy targets and beefier threats. Blackfire Torch and Sorcerer's Shoes give you everything you need for the early and mid-game: consistent DPS, waveclear, and flat magic pen for extra damage against squishy targets. If you can afford a Needlessly Large Rod, transitioning into Shadowflame for tons of AP and flat pen will be a huge boost while targets still have low MR. You can also go for Liandry's Torment second if your opponents are stacking HP, otherwise you can take it third since it's just a nice generic damage option. If the enemy team isn't stacking HP or MR, then Rabadon's Deathcap is a classic option to solidify your position in the mid-game, otherwise you should get a %pen item like Void Staff or Cryptbloom. The key to itemization is understanding what the enemy team comp will be building and being flexible so you can adapt to each game.

VS. Melee / Burst threat

Seraph's Embrace

Boots of Swiftness

Liandry's Torment

Cosmic Drive

Rushing Archangel's Staff so that it upgrades as soon as possible into Seraph's Embrace provides defensive utility against melee threats, especially if you don't want to invest into Seeker's Armguard or Verdant Barrier early on. You might also want to consider sitting on component items like Cloth Armor or Null-Magic Mantle if you need more safety. Ionian Boots of Lucidity are great if you want a lower Teleport and Flash timer, otherwise you can take Boots of Swiftness if you can kite enemy threats. Other than that, you can build into Blackfire Torch as it's a powerful item for Hwei and will boost your Seraph's Embrace shield and AP even further. If you're not going for a double mana item build, then you can build into Liandry's Torment as usual for your second item and then Cosmic Drive for even more AH, HP, and movement speed. From here on, you can adjust your build as needed. Note: Running Presence of Mind when going double mana items is not recommended as you'll already have a ton of extra mana.

VS. Tank / HP stacker

Blackfire Torch

Ionian Boots

Liandry's Torment

Cryptbloom

In this scenario, you'll want Liandry's Torment and Cryptbloom (or another %pen item) as soon as possible to deal with tanky enemies. You can swap the order as well; Liandry's Torment versus early HP stacking, Cryptbloom or another %pen item against early MR stacking. You should prioritize %pen if they are rushing any tank MR items. Blackfire Torch is still a strong item to rush, allowing you to at least waveclear easily against your opponent while doing respectable damage. You can also consider running a delayed Seraph's Embrace build where you sit on an early Tear of the Goddess and rush Liandry's Torment into Cryptbloom so that you can really melt down a tanky target. This is usually unnecessary however since you can typically ignore and scale through tanky matchups with your powerful waveclear, but it is an option if you feel like you'll need the safety from Seraph's Embrace. Ionian Boots of Lucidity are also better against high HP/MR since flat mpen loses value, or you can go for Sorcerer's Shoes if you're planning to rush Cryptbloom, since the flat pen will be better once you have %pen.

Other Items

Liandry's Torment An incredible item on Hwei that synergizes with his hybrid artillery/control mage playstyle. Hwei loves spamming spells, and combined with his persisting large AoEs, he is able to apply the burn effect constantly. It is slightly weaker after its nerfs, but it's still a great item on Hwei that helps him melt through HP stacking enemies.

Shadowflame The passive synergizes well with Hwei's kit and typical itemization, amplifying all of his DoTs, QW execute, and his backloaded ult. In terms of pure damage, Shadowflame is one of the best for Hwei. Unfortunately it is expensive and has a difficult build path, so ideally you're able to recall and purchase the Needlessly Large Rod first if you're planning to buy this.

Stormsurge Another flat pen option like Shadowflame, except it's much cheaper with a nice build path. The passive effect is easier to proc compared to when it was first released, and the permanent movement speed is especially helpful for repositioning and kiting or chasing down enemies. If you want flat pen and don't recall with enough for a Needlessly Large Rod, or if you want more movespeed for safety, Stormsurge is a great option. The big AoE effect is a nice visual bonus as well if you manage to get it off.

Horizon Focus Horizon Focus gives Hwei a lot of stats that he wants, and is easy to proc. The fact that it provides vision whenever you tag someone makes it a lot easier to snipe people with QW. The AoE vision effect from its passive is also a nice utility bonus during teamfights and will often spot enemies hiding nearby which comes in handy around the jungle, especially around the Baron and Dragon pits. Most notably, Horizon Focus is a worthwhile pickup against stealth champs such as Evelynn or Twitch since the vision effect will reveal them. You do less damage with Horizon Focus compared to other options, so keep that in mind when determining the value of the haste and utility.

Rabadon's Deathcap A classic AP stat stick that boosts your entire kit - more damage, more shielding, more everything. If you can, getting Rabadon's Deathcap early on (usually as a third item at the earliest) feels great, plus it only gets better and better as you get more items. However, this is not an item you should force if you need something else. Make sure you don't need anti-tank/anti-MR items first.

Cryptbloom Your option against tanks/MR stacking enemies. It doesn't give as much %magic pen or AP as Void Staff but it gives a lot of haste. The buildpath is also very nice, not to mention the passive which will proc in basically every fight, giving your team a small but welcome heal. You can even consider buying Cryptbloom as your 2nd item against certain teams if you're certain that they'll be rushing MR since its stats and buildpath are so good after its changes.

Void Staff Gives a lot more AP and a significant 40% magic pen instead of the 30% that Cryptbloom and Bloodletter's Curse provide. If you already have a good amount of AH and are against enemies with a lot of MR, it can be worth considering over the other options.

Bloodletter's Curse A new %magic pen option that shreds MR through a debuff rather than simply ignoring MR. This item should only be purchased if your team has multiple sources of magic damage and the enemy team is building MR. Hwei can fairly easily apply stacks on enemies with his AoEs and lingering abilities, making him a good candidate to buy it for the team to help in teamfights since the MR shred works multiplicatively with other sources of %magic pen. Make sure your team only has one person with Bloodletter's Curse or else it's essentially a dead item.

Cosmic Drive An incredible defensive option for Hwei. The buildpath is decent and it provides a lot of AH and HP. It can be a lifesaver into melee-heavy comps that you need to kite out. The damage drop is noticeable compared to other options, but staying alive thanks to the MS and HP may prove more useful.

Zhonya's Hourglass Zhonya's Hourglass is a great anti-dive option, especially against champions like Vi, Camille, or Zed who have point-and-click spells and can easily get onto you. You should almost always go for Seeker's Armguard first to take advantage of the one-time effect if you plan on going for Zhonya's Hourglass.

Banshee's Veil The MR version of Zhonya's Hourglass. It can be a lifesaver against enemies with a lot of pick potential such as Lux, Syndra, or Blitzcrank. Sitting on Verdant Barrier provides a bit of breathing room, but the effect's CD drops significantly when you upgrade it into Banshee's Veil (goes from 60 seconds down to 30 seconds).

Morellonomicon This is basically your anti- Vladimir and Swain item for mid, but it can also be worth picking up against champs like Dr. Mundo and Soraka. You should never rush Oblivion Orb if you need anti-heal, since you will out-damage their healing simply by rushing your usual first items. After you finish your first item, you can consider purchasing Oblivion Orb and sitting on it until you finish your core items. Hwei is great at applying grievous wounds thanks to his range, low CDs, and DoTs.

Mejai's Soulstealer If you bought an early Dark Seal and have it stacked up, it can be worth it to upgrade it into Mejai's Soulstealer especially if you're at low risk of dying. The snowball potential of Mejai's Soulstealer is enormous thanks to Hwei's long range and self-peel. The MS boost at 10 stacks also helps you move around and kite more. If you reach the late-game, you can sell Mejai's Soulstealer for another item once you've saved up enough to fully purchase it.

Elixir of Sorcery Realistically the only elixir that Hwei will want. You usually only buy this in the late-game after you've finished your build, or if you know the next fight will decide the game. Elixir of Sorcery gives a bunch of temporary AP and mana regen, as well as giving your basic attacks and abilities bonus damage (works against turrets).

Rather than learning strict combos, with Hwei you will often find yourself adapting your spells to each specific situation and choosing which spells you need in the moment. Knowing when to use each and being flexible is part of what makes Hwei a difficult champion, and what will make you a great Hwei player. However, there are a few common spell combos that I will briefly mention here. Keep in mind that these are by no means strict combos - switch things up as needed!

• The main thing with Hwei is that you want to pair spells together as much as possible in order to proc his passive.
• You can add WE to the start of your combos whenever you want to maximize your damage, but it isn't necessary.
• WE can be cast during the travel time of every single one of Hwei's spells, even EE. This is important to mask your intentions since casting WE first every time will make it obvious when you're looking to be aggressive.
• Get used to the timing of your ult, either by memorizing the duration or listening to the sound so that you can properly time your QW to pop immediately afterward or follow-up with an E spell.
• You CANNOT do QW > EE for the bonus damage off of EE's CC. EE literally does not come out fast enough due to cast times and delays. This has been confirmed by Riot Emizery.

Waveclear
QE > WE > EE - Your standard combo to clear the wave
WE > EE > QQ - Must be done from the side to be effective; a faster method of clearing the wave

Poke
QQ - Standard poke spell
EE - Standard poke spell; can bypass having to aim around the wave + easier for Arcane Comet to land due to the slow
QE > EE - Waveclear + Poke combined; the passive proc from landing this combo can also help clear the wave
EE > QQ - Standard poke combo
EE > QW - Does less damage if not isolated, but ignores the minion wave
QQ > WE > AAs - Level 2 poke, or if you want to hold onto E

Finisher
EQ/EW/EE > QW - Pair your CC spells to guarantee QW executes the enemy
Disengage
EQ > (WQ) > QQ/QW/QE - You can add WQ and/or QE into this combo for extra disengage

All-In
EE > R > QQ/QW - EE is the quickest and easiest way to help your ult land
QE > R > EW > QW - If you tag your target with the QE slow, it can also help with landing your ult
EQ/EW > QQ > R > EW > QW - This combo requires some AH so that your E spells come up fast enough, but if you start with an E spell and wait until the end of your ult you can extend the CC with EW (basically guaranteed with the slow) which then leads into a free QW.

Flash Combos
While somewhat niche due to Hwei's reliance on Flash for safety, he can Flash his QQ, EQ, and R. This can be used to surprise an enemy, reposition quickly while locked in animation, or to avoid hitting the wrong target. Depending on when Flash is used with his ult, the projectile can become visually disjointed as seen in the clip below. Using Flash with his other spells will not change where the spell is cast from or its direction.