BEFORE YOU READ ANYTHING ELSE, READ THIS.

THIS BUILD IS NOT THE NORMAL "Oh, you need to have both passives up before you even spawn", but instead, a variation. If you have something against this idea, press back. Otherwise, you won't regret reading this build.


Hi, I'm pTerrible (pronounced with a quick "puh" followed by terrible) and this is, what I believe, to be the BEST Akali build available right now (and my first build, bear with me). Instead of rushing all the ability power and attack damage, which makes you a force early game, this build gives CDR and enhanced survivability early game and makes you a threat late game (Valuing armor + dodge + cdr in comparison to a little more ability power... hmm). This build is NOT intended to insult any other Akali build, but instead, allow for a different play style that may end up working better for you.

And you might want to mind my crude humor. If you've ever played with me, you know I say random (and usually unfunny) things throughout the miserable (for both teams) 45 minutes.


EDIT NOTES:
3/5/11: Build Made
3/6/11: Changed 14/16/0 to 13/16/1 (Masteries) (Thank you Kira)

Quick, check your inventory for all this stuff. Do you have...

Smart game play: Can't assassinate everything.
Patience: Can't charge into a Cho and 4 other tanks and expect to win.
Micro skills: Fast keys for fast kills (and maybe a fast get away).
Intelligence: Don't initiate with your Twilight Shroud. Save that for being a sneaky sneaker person.

And finally,

Hot ninja girl: Not free too often. But I do recommend Nurse Akali. It makes playing her more worthwhile.

Have all of these? Good!

Pros
One of (if not the) best assassins in the game
Extreme escapability skills
Extreme chasing skills
Mad damage output
Solo lane or Two-man lane capabilities (Yes, I've laned against an Ashe in ranked. Yes, bad things happened to that Ashe)
Very fun character overall

Cons
Reliant on teammates to initiate (No, Akali is NOT invincible)
Requires a good level of skill and quick thinking
A small lack of CC (which is why Rylais comes into play, along with Exhaust)
You (Yes, you must have a good sense of when to go and when NOT to go into fights)

Twin Disciplines (Passive)
Long story short, get 10 attack damage start getting spell vamp get 20 ability power, get extra magic damage.

In "Akali rocks" terms: This is what gives you such great capabilities with Akali. By starting with a Doran's blade and one point in Brute Force, you get your spell vamp to start you off. With other builds, a literal "necessity" is placed on getting both of these, but early game, until you can scrounge up 1200 for your Hextech Revolver, it makes little difference.
Late game, however, when you are piling up the AP, you are a monster, while you have your Gunblade and your passive stealing life and your ability power is making every swing hit harder.

Mark of the Assassin (Q)
Long Story short you throw out a mark that deals some good damage then when you hit them again, you are refunded some energy and they take a hefty chunk of damage from not only the mark, but your auto attack as well.

In "Akali rocks" terms: Your main damage skill. Toss this sucker on, dive in, auto attack, throw it again, dive, auto attack, repeat process, and kills are waiting for you. Effectively using this will not only allow for GREAT early game farming, but also jungling mid game. Using this in team fights to start will allow you to destroy their Ashe or other squishies.

Twilight Shroud (W)
Pretty much, throw it down, hide, get extra armor, enemies are slow. It's a three in one.

In "Akali rocks" terms: A game changer at level one: This allows you to slow enemies, hide from enemies, and endure maybe a killing blow (Karthus Ulti, the first of many things this skill helps against). When attacking in a team fight, throwing this sucker down allows for you to walk around in a small circle and pounce when necessary. My main strategy is get off a Mark of the Assassin on an enemy, dive at them with Shadow Dance, hit them, and dive back into the shroud. And if they remain cocky after, repeat this, and use a crescent slash if you are surrounded for some great AoE damage.
Crescent Slash (E)
It's a quick spin to win. Deals good damage to everything near you.

In "Akali Rocks" terms: This skill not only does some really potent, game changing damage, but also hits EVERYTHING near you. This is great for minion killing, using in your shroud to deal some strong AoE, or fighting an enemy that doesn't want to run and your Q and R are both down.
Shadow Dance (R)
After xx number of seconds, you store one "essence" in which you can use to dash to an enemy and throw some good damage on them. You can store three at once, with essences "brought in" after time and/or kills/assists.

In "Akali Rocks" terms: This makes you the true assassin you are. Not only does it deal damage, but the range on this skill is astounding! You can stand by wraiths and have someone bait ON THE OTHER SIDE to you so you can simply teleport, Q, auto attack, spin to win, and repeat repeat. This also gives you great escapability, allowing you to teleport to enemy minions or neutral minions to make that clean escape.

For 2v2, you not only need to last hit, but coordinate a kill. Make sure to be communicate with your ally: Tell them you want to focus (insert scrub here) and ask them to help out. When you do choose to initiate, throw on your Q, auto attack, and they should USUALLY run at the thought of losing half health already. If (insert scrub here) does run, exhaust and repeat your Q and auto attack, while if you're level 4 you can E. After you get your quick kill, hide in your shroud (if you're level 2) and if their other laner gets cocky, Q and auto attack to reverse the scales

For 1v1, you SHOULD be able to take them out without much difficult (remember, Akali is never cocky, just smart). Harass them with your Q and focus on last hitting minions, and keep a mark on them until you're ready to initiate (or when a gank is coming). Coordinate this moment with your team! Ask if they want you to exhaust first or blah blah blah, and if you're 6, charge in and instantly start to unload. When they get out of range, throw down exhaust, seeing you don't need it until you're out of Shadow Dances, but by now, your enemy should be ROFLstomped by now (Roflstomped: To stomp on an enemy and proceed to laugh during your get away)

For 2v1, in which you are part of the two, your enemy will fear you, no matter who your partner is (maybe not if your partner is a dingus). Experience deny them as much as you can. Just keep harassing their solo laner as much as you can and eventually they will crack six and think "Well, time to stomp on this ninja sl*t". Wrong. Turn it around on them with your skill combo and exhaust (Poor auto attackers) and you'll have yourself an easy kill.
However, watch out for their jungler. Tell your ally before hand that you will be the "scapegoat" and let them B, and you throw down your shroud. When they (think) they have you surrounded, activate ghost and run in the direction they AREN'T at. For example, 2 level five's (let's use Warwick and Ashe) are standing in your shroud, expecting you to go into the bush at top. Start running down towards mid and if they see you, keep running. If not, take the quick turn right back towards your turret.

For 1v2: Not fun, what so ever. Use your Q to last hit on enemy minions if they won't allow you to leave. You can throw down Twilight Shroud to last hit with an auto attack if you need, but key idea is to wait for your jungler and/or someone to help. If they get cocky, let them attack you near the turret. Throw down your shroud and let them get blasted away by the turret, or even better start hurting them when the turret is hurting them. You'll turn things around quite quickly.

Ghost and Exhaust. You need to zoom and you need to slow and change the tides of battle.

Flash is good. But you have Shadow Dance.
Teleport is alright. You don't really need it, but if you like it, have at it.
Ignite is alright. If you can ignite them, you can bash them instead.
Clairvoyance is questionable. If you're on a team, maybe you need to. Highly depending towards your team.
Revive is no.
Heal is no.
Clarity will get you laughed at.
Rally is no.
Smite is no. Unless you are jungling, and if you are, have at it. I will not go into jungling.
Foritfy is for the tank.


And... CLEANSE. Cleanse is if you absolutely NEED it. In my experiences, I've never once used it and or needed it and or wanted it. Some people tell me it's great, I beg to differ. However, I won't judge seeing that I've never used it.

Magic Pen, Flat armor and/or dodge, and CDR per level for runes. Quints are One flat health, two magic pen.

Magic Pen means your spells hurt more.
Armor and/or dodge gives you that late game help, along with early game prowess in your lane.
Cooldown Reduction per level is nasty late game, giving you plenty of Shadow Dances and helps all your other skills.
Quints are situational. I choose not to run 3 of the same thing because it will leave me one dimensional. One fortitude and two mag pens allow lots of flexibility, along with some strong health for early game.

IMO, reds and blues don't need to be changed. The yellows can be changed by your play style, and quints are also for your playstyle.

"pTerrible, your build sucks, you don't have ability power runes"
To the people who said this,
Your passive does not make too much of a difference this early in the game. When you get 1200 gold, you can buy Hextech Revolver, which allows you to use your passive. At level one, you do NOT need it. When you can afford the revolver (or even an amplifying tome), you can get the passive.

I'll leave this short and simple: Dorans + 1 bonus attack power = Passive.
1200 gold = AP, Spell Vamp, and your other passive.
Ability power = success, but enemies will fear RYLAIS CRYSTAL SCEPTER!

The slow gives you the much needed CC you wanted. Once you charge someone, they will NOT escape. Ever. Unless you run out of shadow dances. Or you lag. Or you are silly.

You CAN skip Mejais, but I personally think it's the best item available at this slot. By going Dorans, Revolver, Boots, Mejais, you have 4 decent items quite early in the game.

After having the above four items set, work on your Rylai's. The slow effect is deadly. Your enemies will not escape. Getting a Rabadons next will only emphasize you mean business.

The next step is where you can branch off. You need to keep bonus AD, but you want a Lich Bane. So, what do you do?

Personally, I never get Lich Bane. I win too early (not bragging) and always end up with gunblade and selling back doran's blade. After, I get Lich Bane. If you want to do things the other way, work on your Lich Bane, but get a Red Elixir to give you the attack damage before you sell back your Dorans blade. Gives you a nice health boost and Lich Bane never fails, but immediately purchase your Pickaxe once you can to get the permanent attack damage.

Personally, I never use anything else but what is listed above (maybe I'll switch them around, but the core items always end up being the above)

If Mejais doesn't work:
Abyssal Scepter Gives you Ability Power, MagRes, and gives a wonderful -20 MagRes aura to the enemy.

Zhonya's Hourglass Ability Power? Armor? Statis? What's not to like about this? Get this if you need to take some more hits and enjoy the active.

Guardian Angel Gives you wonderful armor and MagRes, along with that stupid revive (stupid to them, at least).

Banshees VeilSomeone using a spell just to annoy you? Not enough health or Magic Resistance? Look no further.

Morello's Evil Tome Anyone that plays with me knows this is my favorite item. Sadly, I never get this in my build. But if I needed some MASSIVE CDR and good AP, this is my choice. This is also one of my main choices if I didn't get Mejais and the game is going well.

Void StaffThose buttheads get Force of Nature and other MagRes items? Show them who's boss with your 40% Mag Pen.

Will of the Ancients Need more spell vamp? Want to be more of a team player? A good choice if your team has LOTS of AP damage.

If things aren't looking hot, look into defensive situational items.

Lookin good but don't like snowball items? Morello's or Abyssal

I've never written a build before. I have no idea what so ever if anyone will like this, or hate this, or whatever. I am open to ALL suggestions, and please, PLEASE rate after trying this out. I need to know what I could improve, or what is great. Do NOT tell me "Oh, so and so's build is better", you COULD say "Of, this build emphasized blah blah which you don't. Can you explain why"

In case you wanted to know, one of the few champions I use is Akali. I'm three and zero ranked games with Akali, 5 and zero overall (with a queue dodge), haha. If you have some killer Akali games with this setup, let me know, I'd love to share them.

Thanks for reading.
Lemme know what you guys think!