Build Guide by Read
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Ability Sequence
Not Updated For Current Season
The masteries shown here are not yet updated for the current season, the guide author needs to set up the new masteries. As such, they will be different than the masteries you see in-game.
Masteries
Introduction
Caitlyn is one of my favorite champs to play, which is partially because I am bored of my other champs. In any case most people who play as Caitlyn either play too passively or too recklessly IMO. Caitlyn is about sniping. STOP...and think about what that means. You have to take advantage of opportunity to harass but also not overextend into enemy territory without backup. Sniper fight smart. So should you. The guide is built in hopes to shed some light as to how a sniper plays Caitlyn.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Amazing Range
- Great Harass
- Great Escape Mechanisms
- Awesome finsher
- Great Farmer/Jungler
Cons
- Very Squishy
- Item Dependent
- Can be hard to play correctly
Runes
Obviously, not everyone wants details on every aspect of the build, but I will attempt to show my reasoning for every choice I make. Many people do not have their full rune sets yet so I will list the rune in order of importance. Lower numbers being the priority in the build.
1. Greater Mark of Desolation
- Maximizes early and late game damage
- Synergizes with the build in every way
- Caitlyn is an AD champ
2. 
Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration
- Mitigates Caitlyn's mana problems mid and late game
- There is nothing worse than not being able to Ace in the Hole a low hp that has gotten away because of OOM
3. Greater Glyph of Scaling Cooldown Reduction
- I like to take CDR because it really helps her with escaping (spamming 90 Caliber Net or Yordle Snap Trap
4. Greater Quintessence of Attack Speed
- Helps with early AS as it is not built until late game
Masteries
I like to focus the Offense tree. It really helps in farming early game and being a threat late game. One of the things I hate the most is someone tower diving you (Rammus) and you being able to do nothing about it. As a squishy you are heavily reliant on itemization. The other team knows that. They need to fear you. Maximize AD as much as possible. Kite them around your tower. You have great escape mechanisms and if they are taking a ton of damage they won't harass for long.
I also jump down the Utility Tree to take some Regen, XP, and Gold boosts.
Summoner Spells
I like to take Ghost. This is great for escaping as Caitlyn. You have some good CC to begin with and this is icing on top. People like to focus squishes. However, if they make their move on you and don't even damage you. Then they are probably getting worked by the rest of your team. Jump back in and finish them off.
I also like to take Exhaust. It fits well with the Mastery Tree and the only suitable replacement IMO would be Flash which is escape overkill IMO. But Exhaust also helps shut down Carrys and can help you escape.
Skills
Haha on to the fun part.
1. Piltover Peacemaker
- Max this first for a great harass at ridiculous range
- Use this to snipe low HP enemies sitting in their base
- Because of the increased damage but also increased falloff from the latest patch, try to line up shots without hitting minions.
2. Yordle Snap Trap
- Early game use these to prevent ganks or snare chasers
- Great tool for killing champs drop one behind them and when they are low on HP and turn to run...they cant...ROFL
- Late game use these to constantly snare the tank or carries so that the other team cannot position correctly
3. 90 Caliber Net
- What a great ability
- Amazing escape tool slow/blink/wall hop
- Allows for backdooring
- Quickly jungling
- Quickly setting up ganks
4. Ace in the Hole
- At first I thought this was the most useless ult in game. Now I love it
- Do not open with this, it is a finisher
- Range increases with level and with the new patch no one will be able to escape the shot
- It also has increased damage so squishies will need to be very careful in deciding whether or not they want to stay in a fight.
- Try to keep your distance or even ult them while jungling to make sure they understand that snipers don't need to be seen to be felt
Itemization
When you start pick up a Doran's Sword or if you are rushing your build, go ahead and pick up Dagger. I use for the HP and LS boost early on.
After that build into your Berserker's Grieves. After that follow the build in order. Selling your Doran's Sword at the end if you got it. I usually take the AD items first in the smaller pieces of your build but going for the LS component can help in some cases.
I always try to build AD first, then some Crit, and finish with some AS. All the items in the build contribute to multiple factors. However, certain stats are focused first. As well the speed from Phantom Dancer affords a little bit of escapability as well.
I like to start with Last Whisper. This item makes you a threat to everyone and even tanks will back off instead of constantly charging you. If there are no tanks or even tanky characters, you can and should forgo this for the Ghostblade instead. Because, it is percentage based it will only be more effective against armor stackers.
I know that IE is not a popular choice for her, but I feel it's just too awesome. After I get, I start destroying. When headshot is procced and you get a crit, it will hit very hard, +1k and that is your AA. It makes you very dangerous.
After you get Crit Chance and AS up, you will be critting your Headshot constantly. You will blow away any and all carrys and help shred tanks very effectively.
Aren't you tired of people laughing at your ult and saying that you're a mosquito biting them. A sniper doesn't shoot a .22. They fire a .308 or a .500 and blow their enemies apart. THAT my friends, is the goal.
Playing
You should stay in your lane and farm from the bushes if possible. I always try to push them all the way back to their tower with Caitlyn. I usually don't do that. However, with her range, she can put very early hits on tower. While these won't do much, it is very annoying to the other team and they will usually make the mistake of charging you. Simply kite them down the lane and let them push back mid. Keep up the harass until level 8. At this point, you should have boots and your first item. Start jungling.
On the bottom, simply jungle from the bushes. Get a Vision Ward to kill their mid ward and ensure your safety then head over to their bottom jungle.
after that, go ahead and jungle your top left. Use Peacemaker to bait the jungle into the upper bush and kill them. That should give your team some quick solo XP.
The second you get 
The Bloodthirster Jungle everything on the map except for the Dragon. Try to get the dragon at this point. If you can't, get with your team and push a tower real quick. You will most likely down it too quickly for them to save. Kill a couple minions waves and then down dragon. Keep up your jungling from now on. Your team will constantly yell at you to get out of the jungle. Tell them you are getting buffs. Get them and then go help. Tell your team to wait on your buffs. They make a big difference no matter who tells you otherwise.
In this way, you will maximize XP for your team and keep your Gold amount pretty high as well.
Team Work
It is important for people to understand how Caitlyn plays. You need to be out of the fight. Stay on the outskirts and snipe them.
1. Constantly drop traps to keep them from maneuvering
2. Peacemaker at the squishes, it won't affect tanks too much but can make squishes hesitate to enter the battle
3. Help your team escape: pop Ghost run and drop traps and your net. It helps a lot
4. If your tanks are about to kill each other, don't be stingy: Ace the tank in the Hole and your whole team will be able to push. ^_^
5. Late game you should have good AS, Great Crit, and ungodly AD
6. Try to snipe squishes with your abilities constantly
7. You can even use Ace in the Hole to force tanks to break lines to defend and open up their other squishes for destruction.
Quick Tips
1. Master Yi is your enemy do not overextend when facing him
2. Max AD so you will not have to stay in a fight. You will be able to jump in burst and get out.
3. Try to team with a nuke or a carry of some kind. They will usually have some kind of CC and can generate a bunch of early kills.
4. Remember to Jungle constantly until level 18 or for your items if necessary.
5. Don't be a try hard. Play for fun. Isn't that the whole point?
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