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DPS Garen - Mr. Silence 'N' Slash






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Spells:
Exhaust
Ghost
Ability Order
Perseverance (PASSIVE)
Garen Passive Ability
What and Why?
Now first of all, I don't want any downvotes on this untill you've tried out the build. Seriously: It works. Also, no downvoting because of things you see in the build before you have at least seen the reasoning behind it.
This is a DPS version of

Basically, this build is really something that can make you feel overpowered. The early game is hilarious - almost no matter who you face, you will cut them down in no time - especially once you have gotten hold of both Judgment and Decisive Strike - It makes a mean burst combo.
To put it completely clear, this build is all about the early game and mid game. If you get a good or just a decent early game, you can get a good mid game. If you get a good mid game you can get a decent late game. However, in a way, when using this build you generally want the battle to end soon. This is actually very easily accomplished from just getting fed. As soon as they see how much damage you actually deal, they'll have their fingers automatically spell out: "/surrender".
Please read on if you feel encouraged to do so =)
21/00/09:
These Masteries are pretty standardly set for a physical DPS'er.
Firstly I spec full into the Offense Tree:
Critical Chance, Improved Exhaust, Attack Speed, CD Reduction, flat AD(Which is essential for this build), Critical Damage and finally overall damage.
I choose to put the last 9 in the Utility Tree:
Firstly the Improved Ghost, which give you some nice bonuses, and then the increased Health regen. (The mana regen doesn't apply to Garen - Too awesome) Now, in this case, this is just what I usually spec, and I do realize that a lot of people prefer the reduced time spent dead, and it is also a perfectly fine choice - I simply choose this above the other because of being able to stand around in the bush, taking advantage of my Passive, where this Mastery setup helps out a bit as well.
Next, I spec the Experience bonus just because the other one to choose from is really just useless(mana). As the final thing to spec, I choose the Greed Mastery, simply because you can't get enough gold. It's a small bonus, but hey: It makes it a tad easier to sometimes wait in the spawn for that last amount of gold you're missing for your B.F. Sword ;)
21/06/03:
I want to note that it is also viable, if you prefer so, to choose to, instead of the Utility Tree, spec in the Defense Tree:
In this case I would suggest to still get the Improved Ghost Mastery from the Utility Tree, and then from the Defense Tree, I'd say that getting those 6 extra points in each defense is a very fair investment. For the last 2 points, there isn't really anything else to take, other than the Dodge Mastery, which I suppose would be a little bit of a waste.
![]() Greater Mark of Strength Now, I can guess that a load of you might just be wondering why in the world anyone would get AD Runes, as many like to prefer Armor Penetration. My reply to ArP contra flat AD is as follows: In the case of having skills based on attack damage, with high ratios I think AD runes are completely worth it. These Marks really, really help you get very strong in the first few levels, which, as mentioned, is a key part of this build. ![]() Greater Seal of Alacrity Really these are quite good to have with you along with the Alacrity Mastery. They help a lot with landing the last few hits on champions that are trying to take you down while your cooldowns are up. Also, if an enemy happens to escape with just one basic hit worth of HP, you'll land the hit a little bit faster, in the case they are using ![]() |
![]() Greater Glyphs of Focus The cooldown reduction from these Glyphs do a really good job, allowing you to make faster decisions, and even while it might not be something you notice while playing it does indeed help you out a lot. It also helps you be able to harass or just scare off your opponents more often. As well as in the case of you just having slain one of your opponents on the lane, being able to go to the bush, and come back a little bit quicker than else. ![]() Greater Quintessence of Strength These are here for the same reason as the marks; to give you that amazingly, sometimes OP-looking Attack Damage at the first few levels. The Attack Damage that will surely blow your enemies' minds away. These work so well just because of the extremely lovable AD ratios on Garen's two spells: ![]() ![]() |
Math Reasoning:
I've done some math, and here's the deal:
About changing the AD Quints for ArP Runes against a target of 30 Armor at level one with the damage from

DPS with AD Quints: 73,8 DPS w/

DPS with ArP Quints: 71,25 DPS w/

Keep in mind that this example is against a foe with 30 Armor. If you face enemies with less Armor than this at level 1, the difference in AD and ArP Quints' damage increases even more.
As you will want to focus the most squishy opponent you see at lvl 1, this is pretty solid evidence that AD Quints overgo ArP ones.
Recommended by me:
![]() Exhaust This is one spell that really is awesome for our little Damage Dealer of Demacia. It simply is excellent at locking enemy Physical DPS'ers down with the damage reduction, however the slow is what's the most deadly part of it. While storming at the enemy, you can use Exhaust to catch up, and then bring doom upon them with ![]() |
![]() Ghost This spell is kind of in the same genre as Exhaust, since they can both be used for both catching an opponent and for fleeing. If you see someone about to escape and if they have a bounty on their head(killing spree) and you really just don't want them to get away, Ghost can be used in combination with ![]() ![]() |
Alternative Choices:
![]() Flash Flash might just be a decent spell for Garen as it lies in the same category as Exhaust and Ghost: Catch or Flee. However, when it comes to it, I, again, find that Ghost and Exhaust are way more useful. Flashing into a fight to get a kill is just gonna get you killed and focused down right away anyway. |
![]() Ignite Ignite is a fairly decent spell, however, to put it completely bluntly, you should leave Ignite for someone else. Your purpose is to track down and kill. Getting a kill means you do the actual last hit anyway. I find that ![]() ![]() |
Never Ever:

Smite
Sure, go ahead, if you feel like jungling, lol. Actually: Just don't do it.

Clarity
You don't use mana, do you? If you do, there's something I've misunderstood...

Clairvoyance
Leave it for the supports. You're a damage dealer, and you don't have any skillshots, so there's no use to run around with this.

Rally
Hell no. Leave this one for... Umm... Just don't ever use it, lol.

Revive
Just don't... Doesn't really benefit you any. If you already died once, running back at full speed, won't hinder you from dying again anyway.

Fortify
Leave it for the tanks. You want to kill. If you defend, it's to improve your minion farm.
E > Q > E > Q > E > R > E > Q > E > Q > R > Q > W > W > W > R > W > W
Priority:
R > E > Q > W
This Skilling Sequence, as you can see, focuses on leveling








An alternative to the above Skilling Sequence is one where you bring in

This way you get



These are just really easy to buy early, if you get the first blood, or even if it isn't going to well. It has the obvious double effect of making it easier to catch the enemies, but also makes you be able to get away from a dangerous early encounter quickly.
Basically, you're enemies should have found out about your frighteningly high Attack Damage by now, however when you get this item so early they'll regret ever having booted up their PC to play this particular game of LoL.
Just to make a note of it: I do not recommend finished your boots before getting B.F. Sword as you want this extra high amount of AD as soon as possible. Note that if you aren't getting too many kills, you should focus on minion farm to be able to afford this lovely item.
Also note, that if you get this fairly early, it'll allow you to use

This is when you're gonna blow their minds. The speed from these, along with the B.F. Swords are going to print the two letter "O" and "P" into the faces of your enemies. It really will make them hate their lives. I am not exaggerating - It really is, as long as you kill from the start, what's going to be happening in their minds.
As soon as you have this guy with you is when you will start being able you really minion farm, which you will also want to do to build up your AD through the AD you get from farming with this item. This is also one of the items that, if you get it early enough will make the enemies say to eachother "Who the hell fed this guy?!", even if they can't blame them for being taken down by Mr. Silence 'N' Slash DPS Garen.
Time to get some bulk. Well, at least some "fat" to make you be able to soak up just a bit more damage. This will bring some good synergy to your character after investing in all that Attack Damage and Speed.
Well. We like fat. :) Finishing this will make people really confused as you'll start off taking them down, but yet being rather squishy. This will make the enemy hate the world for making it possible to create Tanky DPS.
Yay! More tanky stuff. Well, don't worry. This is the last part of tankiness we'll bring into this. This extra amount of Armor will make it extra easy to tower dive just that little bit to get the kill you're after. There's really nothing better than tower diving with no mercy, and walking away again unscathed.
This is what we needed that


Why not Sunfire Cape?
The main reason that I choose to go with



Time for that Attack Speed that I promised you. At this point you're about as tanky as you need to be - at least considering the fact that you are a DPS, and not a tank.
Attack Speed is however, of course, not the only awesomeness of getting this item. While it does indeed at some extra DPS to your Auto-Attacks, it also, almost just as importantly, grants you improved Movement Speed, to make you even more speedy. This speed increase obviously also adds onto your other speed inceases. After getting this item, popping



Naturally, this improved speed will also help you get out of some of the stickier situations.
Finally you get a nice amount of Critical Strike Chance, which will work well with out next and final investment.
Now for the icing on the top of the cake. You should get the B.F. Sword as the first item for this, simply because anything else would be stupid. (You gain a lot more from B.F. Sword than you do from any of the other sub-items for Infinity Edge)
Once you have this item, you've hit a nice Critical Chance of 83 % as well as a Critical Damage of 260 % due to this item as well as the Critical Strike Damage Mastery.
This is about when you want to actually refrain from using the skill



--> Don't wait around in bushes too much. It'll ruin your farm.
--> Be active on farming, however without pushing too much - Only use

--> Whenever you see a chance for it, slip into the bush to try running out and silencing the enemy whereafter you spin after them untill you are forced to go back by tower, by CC or until you automatically stop spinning.
--> Always hit the enemy with



--> Don't play Hero of all things just because you're on a killing spree. Especially after getting



--> PUSH. You don't want the game to drag out for too long. You become weaker and weaker for every step you take into Late Game. You want to have a positive score, stay away from dying, and Push when you have the chance. With your speed you should be able to go from lane to lane fairly quickly.
Lane Decision:
Firstly, make sure, that if the enemy has a jungler, you should avoid the top lane, as that's where the solo laner will usually be placed. You do not want to face a solo laner. It simply won't bring you any kills, unless you choose to gank mid every other minute.
If the enemy does not have a jungler, you don't need to care where you are headed - either side lane is fine.
-
Laning:
You will want to start off with the

This high amount of AD is what's going to help you hopefully get first blood.
Head off to your lane, hopefully WITH your lane partner (First Blood in the bushes can be hard to accomplish by yourself, and if your laning partner isn't with you, don't go to the bush at all), head to your own bush, and await for the enemy to enter your bush. If they don't, don't worry, be happy, you can get it later. However if the do show up, you want to pop

After your


If you didn't run into your enemy in the bushes and they took a more defensive stance from the start, simply wait around, making sure you get Experience, until you get to lvl 2. Also don't push until you have this. Then go to the bush, and await for a chance to jump at the most chance-opening one, and use


After attempting a gank, wait for your cooldowns, and all through the laning phase make sure to last hit as much as possible, which should by the way be fairly easy with the extra 28 Attack Damage you gain from the start. Make sure not to push too hard though, wait for your cooldowns when they are up, and look for any opportunities to rush into the bush, and attack them from there.
Always keep in mind that getting minion last hits is very essential for your purse.(Money)
Do not just wait around in the bush to leap towards the enemy. Be active on last-hitting, without pushing over the middle of the lane, and also make sure not to actually be pushed. If you feel pushed back, use

That means: Don't initiate, aside from catching enemies off-guard who are spacing out or something. Don't just jump at their carry as the first thing in a teamfight.
When someone from your team has initiated choose your victim by judging by both distance and killableness(New word of the day?) If their carry is very far away, but the most killable, do not choose their carry. If they have some sort of AP-user, then they are usually fairly easy to bring down, aside from people like Ryze, Kennen etc. who like to bring Armor with them.
Note that Late Game is important to not drag out for too long. While it is a sad fact, you want the game to end fairly quickly. Once you have

As a final note: When you step into very Late Game and have aqquired


I hope you can see what I did with this build. Try not to judge it on the whole needing to finish the game fairly quickly. It isn't all that bad.
I also hope that you will have as much fun and succes as I have had with it so far ^^
See you another time!
Kirluu~
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