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Xerath Build Guide by Hanjaro

Support Hanjaro's Xerath Supporting your way to Challenger

Support Hanjaro's Xerath Supporting your way to Challenger

Updated on September 30, 2021
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League of Legends Build Guide Author Hanjaro Build Guide By Hanjaro 115 9 295,301 Views 9 Comments
115 9 295,301 Views 9 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author Hanjaro Xerath Build Guide By Hanjaro Updated on September 30, 2021
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Runes:

Sorcery
Arcane Comet
Manaflow Band
Transcendence
Scorch

Inspiration
Biscuit Delivery
Cosmic Insight
Bonus:

+9 Adaptive (5.4 AD or 9 AP)
+9 Adaptive (5.4 AD or 9 AP)
+6 Armor

Spells:

1 2 3
LoL Summoner Spell: Flash

Flash

LoL Summoner Spell: Ignite

Ignite

Threats & Synergies

Threats Synergies
Extreme Major Even Minor Tiny
Show All
None Low Ok Strong Ideal
Extreme Threats
Ideal Synergies
Synergies
Ideal Strong Ok Low None




Hey guys! Hanjaro here!
A little bit about me

I started playing League in Season 1, towards the end of the season. Since the beginning I was a support main, I enjoyed the 2v2 dynamics much more than 1v1s so I've stuck with it throughout my league career.
I have achieved the rank of challenger at multiple points during seasons 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, and continue to push for the highest elo I can get.
I love competitive games and have yet to find anything for me that compares to League.

Aside from League, I am a happily married man, father of 2 kids and I am a beloved pet owner. If you guys have any questions about my guides, champions or really anything in general, feel free to stop by my stream!

Why Xerath?

Xerath is a high range, high damage, skillshot dependent, poke mage that excels at harassing his enemies out of lane. He has decent CC with a stun and a slow, giving him the ability to catch out enemies, and peel for his ADC. He can carry his own games, and doesn't need many items to start melting through his foe's.

If you enjoy playing, or want to learn more about Xerath, you can read and discuss more over at
/r/XerathMains.

Summoner Spells



Flash is taken as your primary escape summoner, and can be used alongside Shocking Orb to land a stun or to get in range for a clutch, max range Arcanopulse.

The reasoning behind Ignite is that it gives you a lot of extra pressure in lane - something Xerath thrives off - and furthermore adds a 40% healing reduction.

Barrier is a strong option on Xerath, giving him extra lane safety and potentially saving his life from all-ins. Although he has long range poke, he's immobile and is very susceptible to being caught out - Barrier can turn dives around, giving you a clutch escape and potentially securing kills.

Exhaust is used when there are high damage threats on the enemy team, such as Zed, Kayn, Draven etc. It is very rarely taken on Xerath as he focuses on damage and laning pressure, but the option is there.
It gives you an extra chance at escaping with the damage reduction, as well as the slow it provides. The damage reduction can be used to negate all in damage, from something like a Zed's Death Mark.

Runes
Sorcery + Inspiration





Arcane Comet allows Xerath to have stronger laning presence, and is a reliable source of extra poke with all your abilities. It's easy to proc, reducing it's remaining cooldown - meaning extra poke, and use it with Arcanopulse as it adds to your overall harass damage.

Xerath may be able to sustain mana quite well with Mana Surge, but the costs can ramp up quickly if you're casting your combos a lot in lane, and if you don't want to get in auto range if you're vs an aggressive all in lane. Manaflow Band helps negate running out of mana in laning phase as fast, and grants passive mana regen when you reach the 250 threshold.

Transcendence is a strong rune for Xerath, granting you 10% CDR at level 10, and converting any excess into AP, increasing his damage output exponentially.
Absolute Focus is also a good choice for Xerath, he has very long range using his abilities to poke the enemies - staying safe from damage, and this rune increases his damage output as long as he stays above 70% HP. You generally want to take Absolute Focus if you can guarantee you'll manage to stay above the threshold more often than not, otherwise the rune is useless.

As we know, the main reason for choosing Xerath is his high damage output in lane, and Scorch is used for early game, laning harass. It adds extra damage on your first ability used, and then again after the 10s cooldown.
Gathering Storm is an option, but as games don't tend to go above 30 minutes in this meta, it loses a lot of it's usefulness.

Biscuit Delivery adds extra sustain in laning phase, giving you another source of health and mana regen. Consuming or selling a biscuit permanently increases your mana cap by 50, which is great with Xerath as he needs a high mana pool. This is a great rune as it synergizes well with Manaflow Band and Mana Surge.
Magical Footwear is a counter option you can take if you think you'll be getting a lot of kills in lane, to provide yourself with free boots early in the game. This rune becomes useless if you're not getting takedowns.

Cosmic Insight has good synergy with Transcendence, offering you extra CDR, as well as Summoner Spell CDR - great for decreasing the cooldown on Barrier - and Item CDR. Generally the optimal rune to take.

- OR -

Cheap Shot deals bonus damage when impairing enemy champions movement, which includes the slow from your Eye of Destruction and the stun from your Shocking Orb, offering you extra burst damage.

One of Xerath's highest damaging abilities is his ultimate, enabling him to cast a long range, AoE damage arcane barrage. Ultimate Hunter reduces the cooldown by 5%, plus an additional 4% per bounty hunter stack, which is gained on the first kill of every enemy champion. Very good synergy with Transcendence.



Itemization


-OR-



-OR

Sorcerer's Shoes > DAMAGE
Xerath's main aim in the game is dealing spell damage, and the +18 magic penetration is going to increase his damage output and burst exponentially. These are the best boots to take on Xerath.

Ionian Boots of Lucidity > CDR
A good choice if you want extra CDR, synergizing well with Transcendence and Cosmic Insight, but it's generally overkill at this point. You're better off buying Mobi boots, increasing your roaming potential.

Boots of Mobility > MOVEMENT SPEED
These are the best pick up if you're behind, or you're going to be concentrating on roaming, or peeling.


Luden's Echo > DAMAGE/SUSTAIN/CDR
Xerath focuses on doing damage as a mage support, making Luden's Tempest a core item for extra burst AoE damage. It also increases your movement speed by 30% for 2 seconds, giving us a little more mobility as Xerath is an immobile mage. It also provides us with magic penetration, and gives all of our legendary items an extra 5 magic penetration, which is great against enemies who are taking magic resist.


Horizon Focus > DAMAGE/DMG AMP
When hitting an enemy with a none-targeted ability (Q/W/E/R) at more than 750 units away, or immobilizing one (E), reveals them and increases your damage dealt to them by 10% for 6 seconds. This synergizes very well with Xerath's kit as none of his abilities are targeted, and he is a long range mage; this item increases our damage substantially.


Morellonomicon > DAMAGE/UTILITY/SURVIVABILITY
While increasing your overall damage output and magic penetration, and increasing your survivability with an extra 300 HP, Morellonomicon is a brilliant pick up if the enemy team has healers such as Sona, Soraka or enemies like Vladimir, or a Draven with Bloodthirster. Morellonomicon inflicts grievous wounds, reducing their healing on themselves and others by 40% for 3s. You can pick up the Oblivion Orb first for the grievous wounds.


Zhonya's Hourglass > UTILITY/SURVIVABILITY/DAMAGE
If the enemy team has a lot of burst damage threats, you can take Zhonya's Hourglass to keep yourself alive longer, or negate damage spells such as Zed's Death Mark or Ignite. Zhonya's Hourglass is generally a core item on Xerath as he is squishy and immobile. It can spell the difference between living or dying, you also gain a nice chunk of AP for your burst damage, 45 armor and CDR.


Banshee's Veil > UTILITY/DMAGAGE/SUSTAIN
Banshee's Veil offers protection from long range engage, such as Malphite or Blitzcrank, that Zhonya's Hourglass cannot - if you're cc chained, you can't activate it! You gain 60 magic resist, so a good pick up vs heavy AP teams such as Fizz and LeBlanc.


Void Staff > DAMAGE
If your team is AP heavy, the enemy team is most likely going to start stacking MR - Void Staff negate's 40% of their magic resist, which then applies magic penetration, making this a very strong item vs MR.


Rabadon's Deathcap > DAMAGE
Rabadon's Deathcap increases the damage of all of your abilities. Unfortunately, as a support, Rabadon's Deathcap takes a substantial amount of time to build, and mostly replies on you to be very ahead of the enemy team, as it has a very high cost, and it doesn't offer any defensive stats. It's not a good pick up vs any assassins like Zed, LeBlanc, Rengar etc.
You're better off building other items first, and only consider this when you're ahead.
Abilities


Mana Surge
Mana Surge (Passive)

INNATE: Xerath periodically empowers his next basic attack to restore 30 − 195 (based on level) mana, doubled to 60 − 390 (based on level) against enemy champions.

The passive doesn't trigger if the mana restored would cause Xerath to exceed his maximum mana.



Arcanopulse


Arcanopulse (Q)

TARGET RANGE: 750 - 1400 (based on channel time)
COST: 80 / 90 / 100 / 110 / 120 mana
COOLDOWN: 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 / 5
FIRST CAST: Xerath charges for up to 3 seconds to increase Arcanopulse's range over 1.5 seconds, gradually slowing himself for the duration by up to 50%.

Arcanopulse is canceled when the charge ends, refunding half of the mana cost.

SECOND CAST: After a brief delay, Xerath fires a beam of energy in the target direction, dealing magic damage to all enemies hit.
  • While charging, Arcanopulse can be interrupted by any hard disables.
  • If Xerath is displaced by a knockback or pull effect during the cast time, the beam will fire from the original point of casting.
  • Yasuo's Wind Wall does not block Arcanopulse


Eye of Destruction


Eye of Destruction (W)

TARGET RANGE: 1000
EFFECT RADIUS: 210
COST: 70 / 80 / 90 / 100 / 110 mana
RECHARGE: 14 / 13 / 12 / 11 / 10
ACTIVE: Xerath calls down a blast of arcane energy upon the target area which strikes after a 0.5-seconds delay, dealing magic damage to all enemies within and slowing them by 25% for 2.5 seconds.

Enemies in the center of the blast take 50% increased damage and are slowed by a greater amount (60 - 80%), decaying down to 25% over the duration.
  • There is an 0.2 second casting time that must be completed in order for the impact to deal damage. After the 0.2 second casting time, there is no way to stop the blast.
  • If Xerath is displaced by a knockback or pull effect during the cast time, Eye of Destruction will still go off at the target location even if he is no longer in range.
  • Eye of Destruction grants sight over a large area on-cast, which persists for a short duration after the blast hits.


Shocking Orb


Shocking Orb (E)

TARGET RANGE: 1060
COST: 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80 mana
COOLDOWN: 13 / 12.5 / 12 / 11.5 / 11
ACTIVE: Xerath fires an orb of energy in the target direction, dealing magic damage to the first enemy hit and stunning them for 0.5 − 2 (based on distance the orb traveled) seconds.


Rite of the Arcane

Rite of the Arcane (R)

TARGET RANGE: 5000
EFFECT RADIUS: 135
COST: 100 mana
COOLDOWN: 130 / 115 / 100
BARRAGES: 3 / 4 / 5
ACTIVE: Xerath roots himself to his current location for up to 10 seconds, gaining the ability to cast Rite of the Arcane Arcane Barrage multiple times, but losing the ability to cast his other abilities.

Arcane Barrage - ACTIVE: Xerath launches a blast of arcane energy to the target area which strikes after 0.5 seconds, dealing magic damage. Each cast has a static cooldown of 0.8 seconds.

Rite of the Arcane can be canceled early by moving or attacking. If Arcane Barrage ends without any usage, half the cooldown is refunded. Rite of the Arcane is canceled and put on full cooldown if Xerath is affected by any crowd control that prevents or interrupts the casting of abilities.
  • The maximum-range indicator is visible to both allies and enemies.
  • Activating Rite of the Arcane does not automatically use the first cast of Arcane Barrage - you must activate the ability twice in order to first deal damage.
  • Each cast of Arcane Barrage grants a brief area of sight.

Gameplay

Early Game


You'll most likely want to start with Arcanopulse, it's his main harass ability. If you're being invaded, you can take Shocking Orb for the stun to disengage and get out alive, or if you're going for an invade and you need the hard CC, but you lose a lot of lane pressure, especially if you don't secure a kill.

You'll want to utilize your Arcanopulse in lane as often as possible, preferably when Manaflow Band and Arcane Comet are off CD, but if you see a kill possibility, do not hold back. You want to charge up Arcanopulse as long as you can, pressuring your opponents in trying to juke, and increasing the range you can cast it at. Try not to spam your other abilities unless you see a good opportunity for a kill, or to disengage, otherwise you'll find yourself running out of mana very quickly. You can use the slow off your Eye of Destruction to help land your Shocking Orb easier. Arcanopulse goes through minions, so be careful about
breaking a freeze your lane partner has set up.

You have a very high burst combo at level 6, especially if you land a Shocking Orb. You want to be going all-in pretty much as soon as you level up, ping your ADC so they know your intention. You're most likely guaranteed to burn at least one Flash with your ultimate as your opponents try to juke it, or at best, securing a kill.

Make sure to ward the brushes nearby your lane, and you can roam to midlane to set up an easy gank with the stun from your Shocking Orb, following up your midlaners CC, locking down the enemy, and utilizing long range from Arcanopulse.

You can use your Rite of the Arcane from a huge range, potentially helping out your jungler from lane, if they're having a skirmish in the river or jungle! It forces the enemy back, or to take extra damage from your Arcane Barrages, or even die to you. You can help secure or steal objectives from safety using your long range.


Mid - Late Game


During the mid - late game teamfights and skirmishes, you will be trying to slow multiple enemies with your Eye of Destruction, output lethal amounts of damage with your Arcanopulse and Rite of the Arcane, and the added aoe from Luden's Tempest.

You have very long range, use this to your advantage in teamfights, spamming your Arcanopulse into the middle of the enemies. You don't want to be caught out during your Rite of the Arcane as it roots you in place, making you very susceptible to getting dived, or having to cancel it early.

You can focus on peeling your ADC with Shocking Orb, or slowing the enemy down from engaging - or escaping - with your Eye of Destruction, along with Rylai's Crystal Scepter slow.
Xerath excels at locking down a single target with Shocking Orb, and bursting them down.

When you're roaming, you can throw Eye of Destruction's out for brief sight, instead of face checking brushes or fog of war. You can proc an enemies Banshee's Veil with one Arcanopulse, or getting your Luden's Tempest proc to bounce onto them from minions. Use this to your advantage, making them easier to CC and be bursted down.

The main thing to be aware of, is making sure your teams threats stay alive, while removing, or zoning, the enemy teams threats. Remember, you're also a very high damage threat, and very squishy, along with being very immobile if you get caught out! Utilize your Zhonya's Hourglass at critical times to survive burst damage, especially if they have a blue Kayn or a Zed.

You'll want to be sticking close to your ADC, while roaming efficiently and safely as possible to place deep wards.

Control Ward's are a staple part of any support, both to deny your enemies vision, and to provide your team extra vision.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed, and learned enough from my Xerath guide, to deconstruct your enemies as well as the pro's!

If you enjoyed my guide, you can check out my other guides here, in which I've covered more styles of supports, incase you want to branch out on supports such as engagers ( Nautilus, Pyke etc!).

If you're interested in seeing more of me, please follow my stream! I stream every day but Saturday, from 12:00pm - 11:00pm GMT. I play a wide variety of supports, and I am always engaging with my stream chat.
Update Log
  • 07/18/2019 - Published Guide.
  • 08/02/2019 - Updated to reflect 9.15 changes.
  • 11/26/2019 - Updated for 9.23.
  • 11/22/2020 - Updated for preseason.
  • 01/22/2021 - Updated for 11.2.
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