Hey everyone! I'm Denaari, a Gold mid Taliyah main. I love this champion, and after seeing the other builds people are choosing for Taliyah, I decided to share my build and knowledge of Taliyah to all in hopes to make people have a better time playing her!

All in all, this is an in-depth guide with videos coming to show you all the tips and tricks of playing Taliyah at a high level.

My first reaponse to this is why not? But on a real note, Taliyah is a great duelist, and even better ganker/kiter, and a solid zone control sustained damage mage. Her utility to disrupt enemies and teamfights makes her invaluable at every stage of the game. She brings consistant damage, CC, utility, and map movement. Upon mastering Taliyah, you'll have one of the most underrated but best mid laners to chose from!

Pros!

-Excellent kiter
-Excellent ganker
-Zone control with E and R
-Chasedown after rylai's is second to none.
-With this build, tanky enough to get into the fray and take full advantage of her kit.

Cons!

-Weak early game
-Squishy til you get your core items
-No means of escape if being attacked
-Needs to be close to melee range to maximize damage output.

Standard rune page. 9x Mark of magic pen, 9x scaling Health, 9x scaling cooldown, 3x quint of AP.


As for Masteries you'll want to go 12/18/0. These choices are all pretty self explanatory so I won't go into detail as to why this is as it is. They key choices here are Merciless (5% increased damage to targets below 40% HP), Precision (8.5 Lethality and 3 + .3 Magic Pen Per level) Dangerous Game (Restores 5% of Health and Mana on Champion kill or assist), and the most important, Thunderlord's Decree .

In the ferocity tree, Double Edged Sword is the best pick here, for best damage trade off and with this build being more tanky then most, you can take the extra 2.5% damage. Sorcery for that 2% damage boost to abilities, and the surprise pick being Expose Weakness , because it helps the team a lot more then most people realize, especially with Taliyah's displacement abilities in teamfights.

Passive: Rock Surfing: When out of combat, Taliyah builds movement speed whenever traveling near walls.

Pretty self explanatory. Use walls whenever you're out of combat to go faster. Stacks with worked ground!Q - Threaded Volley: Taliyah throws a volley of missiles in a target direction, moving freely as she does. This works the ground below her. If Taliyah casts Threaded Volley on worked ground, she only throws one missile.

Hurls 5 rocks in a direction, dealing 60/80/100/120/140 (+40% Ability Power) magic damage in a small area around the first enemy hit. Subsequent hits on the same unit deal 50% reduced damage. Creates Worked Ground for 0 seconds. Taliyah gains [0]% movement speed on Worked Ground. Casting Threaded Volley on Worked Ground only hurls one rock but refunds 50% of its mana cost.

The bread and butter of Taliyah's kit. Each rock has the potential to do AOE damage. Managing worked ground is key, so much so, I made a whole section of this guide dedicated to that mechanic. It's the next section of the guide. Be absolutely sure to check it out.

W - Seismic Shove: Taliyah causes an area of ground to erupt and throws enemies within in a direction of her choosing.

Taliyah targets an area. After a short delay, enemies caught within the area will be pushed and dealt 60/80/100/120/140 (+40% Ability Power) magic damage.You can control the direction enemies will be pushed by clicking and dragging your mouse in a line.

This is your main utility spell. Use this to set up a combo into your E, escape potential ganks and unwanted assailants, and toss people over some smaller walls. The main use of this spell is to proc the latter half of your E, and can be used two ways. You can lay your E out first, and then Seismic Shove them into it, as I usually do, or use Seismic Shove first and cast E while they are mid air. Whichever way works for you is the way you should do it. Reference videos below for combos and an idea of popping enemies over walls.

E - Unraveled Earth: Taliyah creates a slowing minefield that explodes if enemies dash through it or are pushed/pulled through it.

Places a field of dash-sensitive traps that deal 70/90/110/130/150 (+40% Ability Power)magic damage and slow enemies in the area by [0]%. After 4 seconds, the traps explode, dealing damage again.Enemies dashing, being pushed, or being pulled through Unraveled Earth will trigger traps, taking 0 (+0) magic damage from each trap (maximum 4, each hit after the first deals [0]% less damage).

This move, in combination with Seismic Shove, is where Taliyah's burstiness comes from. Mainly used in combination with Seismic Shove, it can also be used as a zone denial against ganks and more agile champions, denying them areas of engagement or retreat.
Here's a video of a nice EW Combo play.
Play Video Here's one more video of EW Combo, and the potential to burst when you're ahead.
Play Video
R - Weaver's Wall: The Stone Weaver creates a very long wall and then surfs it.

Cast once to create a wall. Recast immediately to ride ahead of the wall. Moving or receiving damage will cause Taliyah to stop. Weaver's Wall lasts for 6/7/8 seconds. Deactivate this spell to break the wall early.

One of the most useful utility ults in the game, Weaver's Wall is an excellent tool for multiple reasons. It can be used to travel great distances at the press of a button. I most commonly use it to gank bottom as soon as I hit 6. It's hard for the enemy to keep tabs on and prepare for a Weaver's Wall gank because you can start it outside of normally placed wards and get in range before most have time to react. You can also use it to escape bad sitatuions, provided you can separate yourself enough to cast it. It does have a small wind up time, and any damage taken will stop you from being able to ride it or knock you off the wall if you're already on it. Lastly you can use it as the ultimate for of denial, casting it on a run in enemy team to pick them clean after a teamfight, or to secure an objective such as dragon by walling off all jungle paths and making them either flash, use a movement ability, or go completely around.

I have two videos to share with you regarding Weaver's Wall. The first one is of a very well planned gank. The best thing you can do if you plan to gank with Weaver's Wall is to plan your assault from somewhere usually unwarded. As you'll see in this video, I started my gank above the dragon pit. Usually out of sight of wards early game, giving the enemy bot lane very little time to devise a plan against my gank.
Play Video The second is a chase down. You can use Weaver's Wall as a means to chase down enemies who seem to have given you the slip. After chasing down this Lee Sin, i decide to siege the turret by myself and put some damage on Twitch. When Blitzcrank comes to gank me, I don't freak out. I used my already worked ground to my advantage, and kite them to a point where I can do the most damage until my team decides to help me, and all-in-all walk out with 2 kills and an assist.
Play Video

Taliyah has a unique mechanic attached to her Q. Worked ground is the effect your Q leaves after casting it. This has both negative and positive side effects, and each needs to be fresh in your mind at every moment to capitalize on Taliyah's incredible potential. Upon casting Q, you leave a circular area on the original point of casting. This area offers bonus movement speed as a positive, but as a negative, instead of firing 5 stones with your Q, you fire one that only costs 50% of the mana.

In lane, it's a good idea to make a trail of Worked Ground down the middle of the lane, to have the edge on engagements when you decide to go in, or as a means of escape if you get engaged on or ganked. Also remember to stay as close to the edge of already worked ground to maximize the amount of ground being worked. Keep in mind that that precise mouse movements can allow you to get in between seemingly small areas of worked ground. If you plan to push a lane, make use of the 5 stone Q to quickly mm lower minion health and push faster. If you're priming a junglengank, last hit with auto attacks and Q from worked groud, throwing only 1 and reducing the mana cost. Managing worked ground effectively and efficiently separates good Taliyah players from great ones. The Screenshot below is an example of good worked ground play. Notice that each circle connects to the other, and even overlaps. this is key to getting the most worked ground out of your lane. My lane opponent this game and a knack for dodging left. I made a semi-circle around the right hand side of the lane not only to give me movement speed, but to give me the angle I needed to place good Q's.

Probably the most important part of this guide. I look around at different builds for Taliyah and they all relatively seem to be one and the same. The difference here is I prefer the tankier build, and unlike most builds I'd normally suggest for mid lanes I play, cooldown is not the way to go. I repeat, cooldown is not the way to go on Taliyah. If you use the runes I laid out earlier in this guide, you'll have the perfect amount of CDR for Taliyah. Now, you may end up with a little more depending on what build choice you take, but there is no need for 40% CDR on Taliyah because you'll be making worked ground much faster then it disappears. It's just not a good trade off.

That being said, the first item should always be Rylai's Crystal Scepter. This is the most important part of your build. Once you get this, if you catch an enemy out with even half of your Threaded Volley, it's almost a guaranteed kill, unless they flash or otherwise use movement to escape. It also helped to set up the burst of Seismic Shove + Unraveled Earth. Your first back you should at least be able to buy Blasting Wand, but if I can help it, I usually try to stick around for an Amplifying Tome too. As soon as you get the gold for the completed item, go back and buy it. As an idea to see just how easy Rylai's Crystal Scepter makes setting up kills, see the video directly below. This also gives credit to this tankier build, being about to turret dive and finish off kills. Play Video Second item to finish is Sorcerer's Shoes. Magic pen is a key part of why this build is so potent.

Third is Rod of Ages. A good goal to keep in mind is I normally complete these first 3 items by the 17-20 minute msrk. If you are up in lane, and feel like you have an advantage, Blasting Wand should be the first part of this you buy. If mid lane trades are hard, you fear jungle ganks, or just wanna play it safe, pick up the parts for Catalyst of Aeons and finish that first.

Fourth is Liandry's Anguish. If you thought up to this point you were doing fantastic damage, just you wait. Haunting Guise is the part of this you should build first, for the magic pen. Once you finish this item, any squishies you come across will die almost instantly and tanks will be shredded.

Fifth is the situational slot. Generally, I pick up Void Staff here. Adds a ton of damage from the final dose of magic pen. If you're facing a hell of a lot of AP targets or a fed AP assassin, Abyssal Mask should be substituted in place of Void Staff. Conversely, against a team full of AD/fed AD assassin, substitute in Zhonya's Hourglass.

Last item, is Rabadon's Deathcap. The item almost every single mage wants. Will provide the late game spike in damage you'll need. If you get so far ahead that the game is in your favor by a landslide, build this before the situational items above.

Normally, other guides start with a list of other options to trade in in rare circumstances. I won't do that. I'm confident that this build is the best after my hundreds of games with Taliyah.

Taliyah excels against people who lack movement abilities in lane. Setting up Worked ground correctly (as mentioned above) will give you the edge on people with less movement options. In lane, as always, farm is key. Use unworked ground to push faster and create a zone of movement speed for yourself as you see fit, and if you're trying to freeze the lane, throw some [threaded volley's off of worked ground to throw just one rock to last hit. If you wanna push to go gank, unworked ground is the way to go. Then try to harass the enemy as they move towards their minions with the AOE from Threaded Volley. After you get Rylai's Crystal Scepter, connecting even one stone is grounds for landing a whole combo. If you're playing someone with no gap close or movement, feel free to harass with the full kit, keeping in mind warding to see the jungler's movement. If you're playing someone with a gap close or movement ability, try to save your E for when they are going to use a gap closer, such as Distortion or To The Skies!. That will make them damage themselves, and when they landed on you, you can Seismic Shove them back onto it for more damage.

Here's a video of how a good play looks 1v1 mid lane. Keep in mind watching the placement of all the spells, but most importantly, watch where I cast Threaded Volley in relation to the other worked ground. Utilizing the Rift like this is the key to playing a fantastic Taliyah. Play Video

Taliyah is a control mage. Therefore in most situations she should be positioned behind the tanks, but in front of the carries. Your job is to harass and provide zone control and utility. With this build though, you have the option of being a pseudo-front line mage, and being an initiator with your ult and getting into the thick of things. Try to position as best you can to make use of not only the unworked ground around the fight, but using the worked ground to you advantage in dodging skill shots and repositioning. Make the most of Threaded Volley, hitting as many members of the enemy team as you can. All of Taliyah's kit can be utilized against more then one enemy. Remember that when Aiming your skill shots. I have a few videos of good teamfight placement and general what to do's during fights.

This first video is a great video to show great positioning, not only of Taliyah herself, but the Threaded Volley placement. Also a prime example of why I think this build is the way to go. After we chase them to the tower, we continue the dive, with me taking turret aggro and tanking the turret long enough for us to secure the kill on twitch. The latter half of this video is as a reminder to everyone that wards save lives. It saves my behind from being caught, and gets us another kill in the process. Play Video

I want to thank you all for your time, in checking out my guide for my favorite league champion, Taliyah. I hope you enjoyed what your read and that it helps you further your game on a very underrated champion. If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please, feel free to comment or contact me! Thanks again for reading/rating/commenting, whether good or bad! See you on the rift!