Hello and Welcome to my Aatrox guide.

Aatrox has taken a unique place in the top lane, as he is now a tier 3 champion, which is above the average tiers for top lane. His strengths come from his safe laning phase and sustained damage while also staying tanky enough to initialize teamfights. He is an overall very strong champion and if used correctly he can win almost any matchup in the top side. His potential shows in small skirmishes and teamfights, since he can AOE CC grouped enemies and stay alive with R, World Ender.

There are alot of options when it comes to runes.

Going Domination and Resolve usually is the better option.

• Get Electrocute for the extra damage. The rest of the options are not viable for Aatroxs' kit.
  
• You can then choose either Taste of Blood for better sustain in lane, or Sudden Impact for the extra damage.
  
• You can then choose either Ghost Poro for getting extra vision, or Eyeball Collection for the extra damage.
  
• Get Ravenous Hunter to boost your sustain when using abilities.
  
• Get Bone Plating to have easier 1v1 trades.
  
• You can then choose either Second Wind to get more HP after your R ends, or Chrysalis for more HP at early game and AD if you do well.

Another path is going Sorcery and Resolve.

• Go Arcane Comet which will always hit when you hit an ability because of your CC.
  
• Go Nimbus Cloak to get extra movement speed when you use R.
  
• You can then choose Absolute Focus for the extra damage, Transcendence for the extra CDR, or Celerity for the extra movement speed and AD.
  
• You can then choose either Scorch for the extra damage, or Gathering Storm for lategame scaling.
  
• Get Bone Plating to have easier 1v1 trades.
  
• You can then choose either Second Wind to get more HP after your R ends, or Chrysalis for more HP at early game and AD if you do well.

The core items are Black Cleaver and Youmuu's Ghostblade and are always a must.

Starting Items:
The best start is usually Doran's Shield for the sustain, but you can also go for Doran's Blade if you want to be fighting alot 1v1.

Rush Core Items:
After the first back, build towards Black Cleaver depending on your gold.

• Usually, Phage > Kindlegem.
  
• Pick a Boots before completing Black Cleaver if you don't have enough gold.

After you get Black Cleaver finish your boots, either Ninja Tabi or Mercury's Treads, and start working towards a Youmuu's Ghostblade.

• Usually, Caulfield's Warhammer > Serrated Dirk.

The next items:

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Mostly used, it provides sustain and damage making teamfights easier.

Provides tankyness and damage. Plus you now have a 2nd 'revive'.

If you are fighting alot and need more sustain. Death's Dance can also keep you alive in a 1v1 when splitpushing.

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If you are fed and can keep going. Very risky since you get no sustain.

If they have alot of tanky champions it is a viable option.

If they have strong AP damage, then it's the best option. You can also skip Mercury's Treads and build Ninja Tabi+ Maw of Malmortius against a balanced damage team.

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It gives both sustain and MR, good option if you got a Death's Dance and Taste of Blood.

If you are ahead and you want to go in but they have a hard CC like Veigar.

When they have a fed ADC that deals lots of crits like Draven.

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It is always better to first max Q The Darkin Blade, then max E Umbral Dash and last W Infernal Chains while taking R World Ender whenever possible.

You have two options when it comes to spells.

Teleport to keep up with the EXP, turn around fights in other lanes and split push. It usually is the better option.

Ignite to help your laning phase and if you want to get fed fast. Chances are your jungler will also camp you to get you ahead.

Aatrox is a very popular pick nowadays and he is even played in the pro scenes, or banned. This is because he is overpowered if played right and with a decent team. He is a safe pick for top lane and can dominate the lane by punishing enemy mistakes. To be honest, he's "broken" champion and in the right hands he cannot lose, so abuse him now before he gets nerfed.

Thank you for taking your time to read this guide and good luck in your games!