Gangplank Build Guide by Hi I Like Cats

Introduction

Why Gangplank?

Gangplank is a very fun champion to play and brings great help to his team with global ultimate and his raise morale. Your oranges can also allow you to escape from certain death!

When to pick Gangplank?

Gangplank works very well with other champions with AoE ultimates who can utilize the slow. Slow champions may also benefit from his raise morale boost in running away or catching a fleeing opponent.

When not to pick Gangplank

Since Gangplank lacks hard cc, it's best not to choose him when your team is lacking in crowd control. Champions with high armor, multiple crowd control effects, or can block auto attacks also counter Gangplank very hard.

Pros / Cons

Pros

Amazing chase and flee potential, can catch up/escape from nearly every champion with his W and movement speed and (Around 450 by mid game)

With teleport and your ultimate, you can splitpush while maintaining a global presence.

Can amass gold very quickly thanks to his Parrrley, gp10 items, and Statikk Shiv.

Excellent duelist

Can carry mid-late game with his high damage output

Raise Morale can help teammates escape and take down objectives quickly.

Cons

Squishy and mana hungry early game, although he gets tankier later, he can still be easily overwhelmed

Lacks a form of Hard CC

Countered very hard by armor, doran shields, and ninja tabi

Requires a lot of farm

No Gap Closer

Summoner Spells

A must, can get you out of bad situations and closer to good ones.


I take teleport over the other summoner spells for it's ability to gank, split push, and save turrets.


Because this guide focuses on passive early game play, ignite will not be needed for securing early kills. Once you've reached mid game, you'll be able to kill your target without ignite anyways.


While the damage reduction is very useful, your passive diminishes the need for the slow.


You'll have around 450 movement speed by mid game, so the extra speed isn't unnecessary.

Runes

greater Mark of armor penetration allow you to cut through some of the enemy's armor later in the game.
Greater Seal of Armor provide early game resistances to help against enemy harassment and minions
Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist are especially useful mid-late game when enemy AP becomes a big problem
Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed give you a movement speed boost that is useful throughout the whole game

Masteries

Your farm will allow you to build lots of critical chance and damage, which will be complimented by the offense tree while the 9 points in utility offer early game mana sustain while allowing for your summoner spells to be more readily useable.

Spells

Grog Soaked Blade

A mini red buff, your auto attacks and Parrrley slow and burn your target. Since it stacks up to a 21% slow upon 3 stacks, this is extremely useful for slowing down opponents that you're chasing or fleeing from.

Parrrley

Your main source of damage, Parrrley grants bonus gold whenever you kill a target with it, meaning you should last hit with it whenever possible to maximize gold income. It also refunds half the mana cost if it kills the target, allowing you to farm with it for a long time. Its mana costs however mean you shouldn't harass with it early game as it'll drain you very quickly.

Remove Scurvy

The bane of cc reliant champions, this ability removes all crowd control effects and heals you. Use caution when using solely for the heal as observant enemies will use their cc whenever this ability is off cooldown. Limit using this early because it's high mana costs limit the number of Parrrley's you can use.

Raise Morale

Passively grants attack damage and movement speed, can be activated for an enhanced effect to nearby allies. Useful for taking out towers either by yourself, or with your champions, or to provide movement speed.

Cannon Barrage

While the damage is unpredictable, it's massive aoe slow can help your teammates catch up or cut off an escape route. While its cooldown is fairly short, it shouldn't be used to kill low health champions as the damage is unreliable and can be negated by flashing away. This ability is best used when both teams are committed to fighting in a location or when their movement can be predicted.

Items

Some explanation on what to build in certain situations

Boots

For AD heavy teams


For hard CC/AP heavy teams


For teams with multiple slows or are very mobile


If you're doing well and would like to use your Parrrley and Cannon Barrage more often

I always take Enchantment: Homeguard so I that can quickly recall and get to where ever I need quickly.

Avarice Blade Build Paths

The avarice blade is extremely useful in the stats it gives and the items it can build into. Always have one to gain extra gold while you farm.


The first item you should always build from Avarice Blade, the passive is especially useful for quickly farming.


Can be built after your Infinity's Edge and Warmogs if you're looking for some extra armor and damage.


Useful against enemies that rely on health sustain like AD carries, Nidalee, AP Yi, or Chogath.

Early Game ~1-6

Just farm, farm, and farm.
Last hit with your Parrrley, and unless you'll get harassed by your opponent, use melee attacks.
Because of the items you'll be getting early, you'll want to play really defensively until you've obtained some damage.

Your goal is to reach at least 1140 gold to obtain your gp10 items ( philosopher's stone and Avarice Blade). Once those are obtained, you'll be able to sustain yourself in lane for a while.

Unless the enemy has Ninja Tabi or a Doran's Shield, you'll have enough mana sustain to effectively harass the enemy with your Parrrley by this point.

If you're pushed to your tower (Which is ideal since you can easily last hit minions thanks to the tower), coordinate a gank with your jungler to relieve some pressure.

Early-Mid Game ~6-9

Once you've reached level 6, you want to keep an eye on the minimap for any fights to occur. As stated above, your ultimate is best used when a team fight has already started or when your allies can't catch up to an enemy. For this reason, it's extremely useful to establish some way for your allies to quickly call for your ultimate.

Your next goal is to obtain your Statikk Shiv. Since it deals magic damage, you'll be able to harass enemies that stack armor while also being able to farm very quickly. Make sure you obtain another avarice blade after you get your Statikk Shiv.

With your bolstered income, always remember to buy a few sight wards.

Although you should keep farming, teleport should be used if the other lanes need an extra hand.

Mid Game ~9-15

At this point, continue farming and push top lane if mid and bot lane have become stagnant. Your homeguard enchantment should be purchased sometime around now.

Once you've gotten your lvl 2 boots, gp10 items, Statikk Shiv, and Warmog's Armor, participate in fights whenever possible. Your mobility and passive will allow you to focus and chase squishy targets while also being to kite others.

Your next goal is your Infinity Edge. This will max out your inventory so you'll need to sell your philosopher's stone if you wish to continue warding.

Don't underestimate your damage as one crit can net you a kill very easily.

Late Game ~16-18

You should now be very well farmed. Replace your gp10 items with end game items and continue to focus squishy targets.

Some extra resistances might be needed if the enemy has lots of AoE. Otherwise, continue building more damage such as a The Bloodthirster and Phantom Dancer.

Your boots can also be sold if you've finished your build as your Quintessence of Movement Speed, Statikk Shiv, and Raise Morale still make you faster than anyone else.

Tactics

Statikk Shiv

If your Parrrley procs Statikk Shiv's lightning, any creep killed by that lightning will give you Parrrley's bonus gold as well. On groups of low health minions, one lightning charged Parrrley can give you up to 16/20/24/28/32 extra gold. If you're guarenteed to kill a minion with your Parrrley alone, it's preferable to shoot that one instead of a lower health minion, as the Statikk Shiv proc could kill that one as well.

Teamfights

In a teamfight, you want to avoid the melee zone and go straight for the enemy AD carry or mage, continue pressing even if a support tries to peel you off as you're removing two players from the fight for yourself. Cannon Barrage is best used when the enemy has commited to a location.

Wards

With wards, you can teleport to take advantage of situations you would not otherwise be able to get. Encourage the other lanes to have a ward placed nearby to allow you to easily gank.