Hello, and welcome to my guide on how to be the face-smashing pubstomper that is DPS Blitzcrank. This is my first ever published build on Moba, having got the idea to post this after some friends encouraged me (although it was mostly just myself..) Anyways, you may be thinking to yourself, "DPS Blitz? YOU TROLLAN'? HE IS SUPPORT/AP/MAGIC.." etc. etc. Well, before you downvote and go back to your productive life of browsing forums, I encourage you to review this guide, and try it out before you go all angry pants on me. All will be explained within, I promise.

Change Log:

• 08/21/11: Changed Utility masteries as I realized I was not taking my own advice regarding Good Hands; added note for core about testing/possible change
• 08/25/11: Changed core from Trinity/Starks/Nashors to Trinity/Nashors/Bloodthirster after several tests; updated sections accordingly. (Noticeable difference even though the original build stomped face too)
• 09/03/11: Note about starting with Sheen and added Atma's to situational items. Thanks for the review, BBerger!
• 12/17/11: Finally got around to fixing those masteries, also changed the items from a Nashors to PD. As much as I loved Nashor's, PD really is better.
• 12/25/11: Merry Christmas! Switched to grab a BF before finishing PD just for practicality
• 03/02/12: Just a few more tweaks
• 06/03/12: Edits to item sections to reflect complaints (look at me being a nice guy); switched Sheen to first item for dat better help imo (I should have made this change awhile ago, I haven't built Zeal first in forever,) flipped some items, etc.

You may be thinking this, but it just isn't true. You also probably wondering how I ever got the crazy idea to do this, and herein lies a tale that follows...

One day, whilst playing League, bored of everyone I had and all that, I decided to mix things up. I wanted to try a fun build that I hadn't seen before and see how I did. But what should I do? Crit Soraka? Jungle Vlad? Oh, the possibilities... And whilst browsing through my (small) champion list, it came to me:

Now, Blitzcrank is one of my favorites, if not the favorite. He was the VERY first ever champion I enjoyed. After playing him on rotation once, I knew he had to be mine. Thus, he also became the first champion I EVER purchased (I played rotation for a VERY grudgingly long time until that sweet 6300 IP was obtained). Since then me and him have made it through hell and more on the battlefield, and...

Well, anyways, I decided that having never seen nor heard of such a thing, especially never having strayed from the first build for him I ever used on Moba, it was time to break to mold and unleash the monster within... and released it was.

The first game was quite fun, and I did surprisingly well for a build I thought was just a gimmick. The next game was better, and the next better, until I realized that this build is not only viable, but the BEST (in my opinion, of course.)


tl;dr got bored, tried weird build on favorite champ, continually owned, bam bam bam, etc.
(Image courtesy of 'yanniplum' on DA)

Alright, now I will finally explain my reasoning behind and for the bloodthirsty machine that is DPS Blitz. Normally, Blitzcrank is played as either a tank or as support, mainly because he can soak damage nicely with items and his Mana Barrier grants him even more survivability, while his Rocket Grab, Power Fist, and Static Field allow him to support the carries and ensure those kills. However, beyond this I did not really see him being of as much use as he could be; building him AP for example provides some slight burst but not much more. However, as DPS he is able to still support with his skills AND get quite a few kills himself.

In teamfights, a normally built Blitz (that is, AP/Support/Tank or what have you) can provide slight burst damage and cc with his ult, while also knocking chasers (or runners) up and grabbing with his arm, yadda yadda. However, there is always this downtime while he is waiting on cooldowns in which he really cannot do anything. Most builds provide him the CDR cap of 40%, however even with these he still has long enough downtime to make or break a fight.

DPS Blitz, however, can still support as a normal, as he does not lose any of his skills, but he can also dish out some major damage to opponents in the mean time!

Pros:

• Deals out a serious butt whoopin'. Bam bam.
• Can still function as a semi-support with the ability to pull, knock, and silence
• Good 1v1; enemies who try to run will not be able to escape due pull, knock-up and slow from Trinity Force
• Better early-game farmer than normal Blitzcranks
• More use in teamfights than normal builds

Cons

• Not very tanky; can be quickly taken down if not careful or if focused
• Sort of item dependant (but then again, only a few aren't... I'm looking at you, Trynd)
• While still good early-game, DPS Blitz will not shine his brightest until late-game

If you're not convinced, some scores can be found in the summary.

LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THESE RUNES ARE NOT SET IN STONE; I DO NOT BELIEVE RUNES MAKE OR BREAK DPS BLITZCRANK AND THEREFORE YOU CAN USE WHICHEVER YOU LIKE.

Other Possibilities:

As stated before, these runes are most certainly not set in stone and can be freely swapped to whatever you like. Some of the most helpful choices are as follows:

Marks:

• Greater Mark of Critical Damage provides more crit damage, which will provide more damage late game and are a decent alternative.
• Greater Mark of Attack Speed provides more attack speed, however you will be breaking 2.0 attack speed late game, especially with your Overdrive which I think is the Goldilocks amount... however more couldn't hurt, right?
• Greater Mark of Critical Chance provides extra crit chance, increasing damage output throughout, more towards beginning than late, however the amount is small enough these aren't that great of a choice.

Seals:

• Greater Seal of Replenishment because everyone loves more mana regen!
• Greater Seal of Evasion dodge can always be useful on melee carries.

Glyphs:

• Greater Glyph of Scaling Cooldown Reduction will provide even more cooldown late-game, choosing between these and Focus glyphs is mostly preference.

Quints:

• Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed makes a fast man even faster.
• Greater Quintessence of Desolation even more ArP. Yay!

Mana Barrier
This is Blitzcrank's passive. Basically, when you drop below 20% of your maximum health, it will take (not use) 50% of your current mana and turn that number into a shield, which self-applies and lasts for 10 seconds. It's saved me and other Blitzcranks alike many a time, however I do not think it is worth stacking mana in order to make a big shield.

Rocket Grab
Blitzcrank's Q and his pride and joy, this skill is what makes Blitzcrank Blitzcrank, and is also what 95% of the people who hate Blitz hate him for. It is a skillshot that will grab the first enemy it hits, both champions and minions, and pull them to you. It does not affect allies at all and enemies can be pulled through them. Enemies can also be pulled through pretty much any surface or object the arm can reach, and are pullable even if not visible. His grab can ensure an enemy's death or ensure a teammates survival when used correctly. Let it be known that Banshees Veil WILL negate the grab.

Overdrive
Blitzcrank's W and the skill that makes DPS that much more viable. It raises his movement speed and attack speed by quite a significant amount, allowing him to run to (or from) enemies and also give them a good whallop.

Power Fist
Blitzcrank's E and yet another valubale skill, this causes your next attack to deal double damage (!) along with knocking the opponent up (!!). It can be used offensively, to smash somebody for a nice number and to stop them in their tracks temporarily, or defensively by knocking enemies up and keeping them off a fleeing teammate.

Static Field
Blitzcrank's ultimate, which does AoE damage and temporarily silences enemies. It, like every other skill, can be used offensively to deal damage, and defensively to stop someone from casting that finishing spell. It has a very low cooldown for an ultimate and can thus be used to clear minion farms quickly.

My reasoning for the above build is pretty simple; you get a point in your grab first for a potential first blood, as with the fist, and from there on you max your W first. The reasoning behind maxing your W first is that the attack speed increase will greatly increase your damage output early game, and also allow you to get to places faster, chase easier, run easier, etc. Next on your max list is your fist, which really only reduces the cooldown, but despite this I think it's work going for second because once again it increases your output greatly. Having a much lower cooldown on the fist means you can spam it both to farm easier (when your ult is down) and lay the hurtin' on enemies more frequently. Then all that's left is maxing your arm, and you're good to go!

Another possibility is maxing your arm second and fist last, which I think could work well too if used correctly. Once again, this is just your preference, as maxing the arm first will of course lower its cooldown and whatnot. I prefer the fist second, but do as you please. I do think, however, the W should always be maxed first in this build.

We start off by grabbing a Sapphire Crystal to rush the Sheen which will increase our output early with the synergy to Power Fist, mana, and ap. I used to start by building Zeal first, you could go either perhaps. Your pick! I just prefer Sheen now.
After rushing the Sheen, you will build Berserkers Greaves which will further increase your attack speed. Then you start building toward your Trinity Force, which can be done in any order, based on what you think will be most helpful. I usually grab the Phage first, but if you feel like you're fine without the extra bulk for now, the Zeal is your friend.
These items are what make DPS Blitzcrank DPS Blitzcrank. The Trinity is just complementary to any champion, but this one especially due to all those special procs it has. When you have the insane attack speed, the percent chance slow on the Phage will seem like 100, it gives attack speed, mana, hp, etc, and it retains Sheen's proc, too.
Phantom Dancer replaced the Nashor's Tooth which I used to use, and I still am not 100% sure about it. It gives even more movespeed and crit and it's good for smashing the **** out of people, something this build is already about. Personal preference here, dawg. Infinity Edge finishes up his core with some much appreciated AD to complement all that attack speed, along with that SEXY crit boost. Power Fist will now live up to its name. (I'm saying you'll be fisting your enemies. Come on.)
Once the core is built, the world is your oyster. You will be an unstoppable grabbing, knocking, and pubstomping machine. Which item you build after the core is your choice, I personally go more for the attack damage since I think he has good enough attack speed at this point, especially with his Overdrive, and you will be getting more bang for your buck by buying AD. Each item has its uses. To start off with the tanky finishers, Bashee's Veil is just good on anybody really. Mana for your passive, health and MR for tanky, and the sexy block. Frozen Heart is good on Blitz if the enemies are walloping on you with dem autos. The mana helps your passive and the armor and slow effect make you tankier. GG Scrubs. For damage finishes, Bloodthirster gives lots of AD and lifesteal; Black Cleaver gives even more attack speed, along with decent AD and that nice armor shred; Last Whisper provides decent damage and tons of ArP percentage, taking down those heavy armor tanks. At this point, the enemy team should surrender, if they know what's good for 'em.
All of these items are just for when you need them, and I think should be built after your core unless you really, really have to build them ASAP. Randuin's Omen is also good for the armor and debuff it has, and gives some health too to fortify its tankiness. Atma's Impaler gives good armor along with crit chance, and the passive means more AD! Manamune... I have a very love/hate relationship with it. Actually, it's hate/hate. I really don't like it, I don't know why. Blitz has early mana troubles and this item would certainly help with that, along with his passive and give him AD. It sounds like a great item, but I'll be damned if it doesn't screw me every time I get one on anybody. Mana can be managed early game and becomes less of a problem as time goes on, so it's up to you. Guardian Angel just gives good resists along with that 'rebirth' which will let you maybe lay the hurtin' one last time or get away scot-free.

The time you've all been waiting for, a list of some scores:

Boom. There's the proof. You'll have to trust that I used my own build. These are games I did, all in a row, the only ones that I omitted were games in which I did not even finish my Trinity (because we either won.. or lost.. too fast). I have, as of writing this, only had two games with negative K/D scores, one of which is above and is still a very good score, another which I choose to refuse happened because they got an inhib before I finished my Phage. Derp.

But yeah, that's DPS Blitzcrank. If you read all of the guide, then I thank you and emplore you to try it if you haven't. If you just skipped here for the scores or some reason, well.. read the build!

I'll try to keep this updated although they haven't been changing Blitz much lately other than bug fixes, so it should be alright. If you have any suggestions or questions or aaaaanything at all, please, comment!