Build Guide by Keels
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The support Gangplank
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
Gangplank is my personal favorite character, and was my first champion. The first game I played with him I knew he was for me. Hitting big, critting big, and picking people off with my ult never gets old. GP is maybe the most underestimated carry in the game: close to nothing can stop you from marauding down a lane, tossing aside their pitiful starving squishies like rag dolls.
Gangplank may be fun, and he may be a monster late game, but dps isn't the only way to build him. Support Gangplank emphasizes cooldown reduction to spam your Parrrley every 3 seconds, and your ult every 60. Being able to use your ult so often lands you free assists, and a couple of kills. This Gangplank is not a carry; He's strong, but cannot bring down other champs so easy as his dps cousin. He relies on assists and last hitting minions and champs for his money. A nice feature though, is you can reach 40% cooldown reduction very easily on this Gangplank without being fed.
I'm going to apologize early for the length of this guide, I mean... it's two builds, give me a break.
Abilities
Gangplank's innate acts like an ignite, dealing damage each second, and halving healing. Somewhere out there, you can hear a Mundo player crying.
Gangplank's gun is his most valuable ability. It can hit like a Mac truck, and rewards you for last hitting minions, giving you plenty of booty early game.
This is a great ability: A cleanse and a heal in one ability. Beefing this up early game is a very good idea: for a relatively low amount of mana you can heal half your health. This can clear Exhaust and any CC on you, making gangplank very frustrating to chase down or solo. A quick heal from this, and the battle is turned around.
Raise morale is an interesting ability: a passive similar to Yi's Wuju style, but an active that has spawned the most unique build in all of the game. Denyplank may be a fun mid, but we're not here to discuss his merit. Unfortunately, in a few days the deny aspect of this ability will be gone. I imagine it will function something like Nunu's Consume, now.
Cannon Barrage is a gamble: picking off enemies around the map is not guaranteed, but using it in a team fight will be very effective. I will discuss it further in the next chapter.
Ult usage
The #1 thing your average Gangplank player gets wrong is when to use his ult. I am aware of the upcoming patch's affect on his ult, but for now there are only 3 effective and useful ways to use GP's ult:
#1: Early game, picking off enemies with <500 hp. You're not likely to do more than that if they're running. Be map aware; putting any enemies in the crosshairs of your ult is your best bet to catch that Evelynn who is teleporting back. Don't try and cover the whole area if they're standing still; your cannonballs hit in the middle first/
#2: Late game: Stopping marauding creeps about to take down your tower. This really helps you if you're farming for your Bloodthirster.
#3: Team fights: Whether saving your friends who are fleeing or dropping it in the middle of it all and turning around a chaotic team fight, your ult will be a no-fly zone; a place where your team has the upper hand.
Part 1: Dps Gangplank
Dps Gangplank is fairly straightforward: Crit big, run around, win game.
This build, dubbed "Critplank" is a nightmare for other teams. Gangplank's innate makes him able to take down lifesteal carries like Nocturne. He deals damage, and he deals it FAST. His Parrrley can crit for ~1000 on enemy champs, and he can cut them up as soon as he gets in close. Kiting a Trynd inside your ult is priceless, as he desperately tries to slow you and get in close while you run circles around him and shoot him down.
This is how I play Gangplank, it's how I learned him, and it's how I was raised.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Parrrley can be a kick in the pants at all stages of the game
- Remove Scurvy!! A Heal and a Cleanse Yo!!!!
- Your damage grows exponentially throughout the game.
- Global ult
- Haul *** speed
Cons
- No blink(Flash fixes this)
- No slow(See Exhaust)
- Squishy
- Parrrley is your only main offensive spell
- How many times have people slipped through my ult?
Items
Starting out the game, grabbing Brawler's Gloves
puts you at 22% critical chance. A couple of potions will help you recover some mana and health, but you can lane to 6 easy. Once you hit level 6, make sure to keep your eyes open for anyone trying to go b with low health.
I'll occasionally grab an Avarice Blade
if I don't have enough for a Zeal and boots. After getting your Berzerker's Greaves, go ahead and build your Phantom Dancer, This gives you much needed crit chance, and helps your Parrrley be more consistent. You won't be carrying right now, and you won't really until you get your Infinity Edge.
Getting Infinity Edge is a game-changer. From here on, your opponents will start to feel the hurt. Your parrley is hitting big, your attack is starting to move up, and you're beginning to carry. Getting Bloodthirster gives you some survivability- now you're not just a hit and run pirate. Now you're a pimp-slappin gangsta.
After proceding to your second Phantom Dancer, you'll be critting 99% of the time and cutting people down. You won't often get your Trinity Force, but it's well worth the wait: literally every aspect of Gangplank is improved with it. He gets much needed health, a slow, a base damage buff from Sheen, and even a little bit of AP for your ult.
Summoner Spells
Gangplank has two main criticisms:
He has no blink, and he has only one inconsistent CC spell.
THE SOLUTION!!
This is the solution to Gangplank's problems: He can jump to anyone, back to a turret, or escape through the jungle.
Gangplank needs this: a nice slow and it makes him twice as dangerous against anyone 1v1 at all stages of the game.
The Maybes
This was made for Gangplank to help spot for his ult. It's worthy of consideration for all Gangplank players, but is still more of a support spell.
Early in a game, Gangplank is a bit of a mana hog. This problem can persist even to mid-game, but this won't solve any big problems for this Gangplank.
Always nice to see this on your team
Gangplank is plenty fast, but if you really see the need to use this, go for it.
Whether setting up a gank, or zipping back to a turret, this is generally a solid choice for almost any character
The "Why would you ever" Spells
You already have a better heal, you don't need this.
You have a cleanse on a lower cd, don't ever bother wiith this.
You have this, too.
No thank you
Gp can't jungle and shouldn't until at least level 8, and that's 8 levels you've got a worthless spell.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
Part 2: Support Gangplank
Support Gangplank won't carry, but he will form the foundation of your team. A map aware person using this philosophy will be popping his ult wherever your team needs it.
Your job isn't to carry, it's to hand your team kills and give them the advantage at all stages of the game.
Note- this gangplank is AD, not crit.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Free assists from your ult
- 3 second cooldown on Parrrley
- Ult supports your team
- Cooldown helps you farm, heal, or even deny.
- Decent damage
Cons
- Can't dish damage like a Dps
- Squishy
- Won't be getting many of his own kills
Items and gameplay
You start the game exactly like you would as a DPS GP. Grab your Brawler's Gloves and a couple of potions and roll out! Lane to 6, buffing your heal, and when you go b for the first time, get your Avarice Blade and your boots, and if you have the money go ahead and get your Ionian Boots of Lucidity.
After this point, being map aware may have gotten you a kill or two with your ult and you should be doing fine. Get your Brutalizer(one of my favorite items in the game), and build your Youmuu's Ghostblade. Youmuu's Ghostblade gives you precious cooldown reduction and has a very nice active: the attack speed and movement speed of a Phantom Dancer. This makes you a dangerous mother! You'll be able to dish damage and hit your ult very often.
Next, grab the very cheap and effective Stinger. This gives you attack speed, and a nice dose of CDR, rounding out your 40%. Next is a Manamune: You will be spamming your abilities, and attacking fast, so it will get maxed out fast. This item gives you some attack damage and very needed mana, so you'll never run out.
Guardian Angel comes next, an it's what makes you able to really sacrifice for your team. It's what keeps you from getting bullied when you're helping your team. Some armor here, a little magic resist, but when you come back alive you always help your team, even if it is when your team escapes because everone puppy guards you to make sure you go down.
Finally, even though this Gangplank is a bit of a bruiser, Trinity Force makes you a credible threat even alone. Everything a Gangplank could want is here; crit chance, a slow, move speed, attack speed, etc, etc.
Summoner Spells
This Gangplank is all about his ult and spamming spells and support. As a result he faces low mana early game. But to maximize the effectiveness of his ult he'll want to be able to spot for it.
THUS...This lets you scout out locations for your team and place your ult better, making his ult much more effective.
Whether helping your lane partner or giving your Veigar a reason to stay in a fight, Clarity will always be helpful for you as a support Gangplank.
I'm not going to go over all the other summoner spells again, so see the previous section on this.
Summary
Gangplank is fun, and is very dangerous in both roles.
The Dps build here is nothing special; it's solid, and it's what any crit character should shoot for.
But I decided to show off a rather unique build for Gangplank, one that fills a different role and requires a different philosophy to play. I really hope this guide was helpful, and maybe I'll see a Supportplank one of these days.
P.S. I swear to god, if Riot messes up my beloved Gangplank, I'm gonna parrrley them in the face with my hate mail bullets.
Pirate rap!!!
I drop bombs as Gangplank
Niggas they do fear his stank
As their team I brutally spank
Cutting down their puny gank
As my pirate bearing captain rank
Taking kills back to the bank
How they run, my skills are frank!
Till I get yanked by ****ing Blitzcrank.
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Guide Discussion (4)
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