Why should you read this guide?

I threw in a couple of my worse games to prove that I'm also human :)

My name is FrostFlare12. I have been playing Darius since Season 2 and I am currently in the Platinum ELO on the North America server (NA).

The feeling of completely destroying your enemies and taking over the game really appeals to me, so I picked the high damaging yet durable sub-class of Juggernauts as my main focus.

This guide covers how I generally build my Darius, but playstyles are subjective through everyone.

Easy Baiting with % Heal Sustained and Burst Damage Sturdy Wall of Unrelenting Destruction

Low Base MS Short Range Flamed for miscalculating Noxian Guillotine

This chapter is at the top because it is so important! How many times I've seen Darius' run into the enemy team to be instantly bursted and costing their team the game.

This chapter details the primary goals of Darius in a teamfight.

tl;dr at the bottom of rant.

If the enemy engages onto your team,

STAY NEAR YOUR CARRIES.

Your carry teammates are the only thing separating you from a win or a loss.

Protect them at all costs.

They are the gateway to your P E N T A K I L L .

Resetting Noxian Guillotine in fights is beyond important, as you have the potential to do upwards of 5000+ true damage to the opposing team.

With Darius' Hemorrhage breathing down their necks, they will feel intimidated to approach your carries, therefore alleviating pressure against your team while also making the enemy team uncoordinated.

YOU ARE NOT THE PRIMARY INITIATOR.

Do NOT run into the enemy team without your entire team following up. You have only a single short range CC ability, so you cannot reach their back line without putting yourself in danger of being blown up.

A dead Darius is a useless one.

If you die without even getting a single reset, you will likely be the target of your team's harassment, and nobody likes that.

Therefore, be a team player. This does not mean you should never steal kills with your ultimate now and again, as long as you use that kill to leverage your lead and gain big air during resets. If anybody comes to try to save the enemy, Noxian Guillotine is waiting to mop up the fight.

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Fury : 1 AA = 200~ damage. Sorcery: +20~ damage on Noxian Guillotine.

Fresh Blood : Damage. Feast : Sustain. Expose Weakness : Teamplay.

Vampirism : Sustain. Natural Talent : Stats.

Bounty Hunter : 7.5% damage increase from pentakill. Double Edged Sword : 5% increased damage, take 2.5% increased damage. Battle Trance : 5% increased damage over time in combat.

Battering Blows : Darius does physical damage. Piercing Thoughts : Darius does not do magic damage.

Warlord's Bloodlust : Darius does not rely on life-steal to survive. Fervor of Battle : Darius excels at long fights. Gains AD every attack. Deathfire Touch : Darius usually builds as a tank, not damage dealer. COMMON MISTAKE: DARIUS PASSIVE DOES NOT ACTIVATE Deathfire Touch !

Savagery

Wanderer : Roam faster. Savagery : This can save you time, ex. kill minion in 1 auto instead of 2.

Runic Affinity : Darius does not get buffs often unless enemy donates it. Secret Stash : Corrupting Potion and Elixir of Iron last 10% longer. Assassin : Damage increase when you are alone.

Merciless : Damage increase against low health enemies. Meditation : 1 point in this can help out your mana problems, if any.

Greenfather's Gift : Damage. Bandit : If you like to AA enemies, or can't get cs. Dangerous Game : Brute force sustain in fights.

Precision: Ignore some defenses. Intelligence : Have abilities up faster.

Stormraider's Surge : Unkiteable. Thunderlord's Decree : A little more burst. Windspeaker's Blessing : Only half useful because you don't heal or shield allies.

Recovery : Small sustain. Unyielding : More defenses.

Explorer : Roam faster. Tough Skin : Take less harass. Siegemaster : Safer under ally tower.

Runic Armor : Heal more from all sources. Veteran's Scars : Higher base HP.

Insight : Summoner spells up more often. Perseverance : Sustain in lane vs high poke. Fearless : Burst of resistances in fights.

Swiftness : Kited less. Legendary Guardian : More defense in fights.

Grasp of the Undying: Sustain + damage in fights. Courage of the Colossus : Big HP shield when you hook. Stoneborn Pact : Increased health, and heal allies slightly.

Teleport allows you to group with your team, splitpush, and gank enemies from different angles.

Ignite gives you higher kill potential. Good if you are up against sustain champions.

Flash lets a champion instantly move across a distance to engage, or to escape over walls or away from dangerous areas.

Exhaust allows you to weaken an enemy, giving yourself or your team an advantage in fights.

1 Ghost will make it so a champion cannot be kited easily. It will enable Darius to stick to and outrun his fleeing enemies.

AD Top

Marks: Greater Mark of Attack Damage x9
Seals: Greater Seal of Scaling Health x6, Greater Seal of Armor x3
Glyphs: Greater Glyph of Armor x9
Quintessence: Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed x1, Greater Quintessence of Attack Speed x2


AP Top

Marks: Greater Mark of Attack Damage x9
Seals: Greater Seal of Scaling Health x9
Glyphs: Greater Quintessence of Magic Resist x9
Quintessence: Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed, x1 Greater Quintessence of Attack Speed x2



Greater Mark of Attack Damage: Boost Darius' damage in the early game.

Greater Mark of Critical Chance: A slight gamble of hitting a critical strike.

Greater Seal of Armor: Reduces AA harass and minion damage.

Greater Seal of Scaling Health: More health throughout the game.

Greater Glyph of Magic Resist: Reduces magic damage from mage harass.

Greater Quintessence of Attack Speed: Smoother autos.

Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed: Move faster.

Spirit Visage: Increases HP and Healing. Reduces Magic damage taken. Let 'em think you're done, then heal it all back.

Maw of Malmortius: Large shield when you are low HP and magic damage hits you. Gives lifesteal and spellvamp, and scales 1:1 with bonus magic resist. Put your Mortius where your mouth is.

Sterak's Gage: Large decaying shield when any damage bursts you. Increases your damage and size. Put more people on me. I like it.

Frozen Heart: Reduce all Attack Speed around you. Mana, Armor, CDR, the perfect anti AD item. Everyone around me is moving in slow motion.

Dead Man's Plate: Large men charging at you is scary. Stay on the man.

Randuin's Omen: People will focus you, but this item will make them regret it. Knowing you're up against Darius is all the omen you need.

Thornmail: Why are you hitting yourself? You can try to foul me. Really - try.

Sunfire Aegis: Damage everything around you. Darius' specialty. You thought I was hot before?

Titanic Hydra: AoE damage on AA's. Large burst active. You can all share... in the Dunk-struction!

Trinity Force: This is excessive force. You really become a fast pentakilling version of Nasus. The Trinity is where dunk meets dunk... meets... dunk.

Zz'Rot Portal: Speed near turrets. Babysit a lane. Good vs autopushers ( Tryndamere) There, don't say I'm not a team player.

Warmog's Armor: Low health? Not. Pure energy - no carbs.

Turbo Chemtank: Highlander speed boost. Infinite mana. It isn't the shoes, it's me.

Youmuu's Ghostblade: Speed on speed on speed on... damage. Let me teach you about persistance.

Banshee's Veil: Just when they think they've got you. Block whatever you want. I'm the only magic allowed on the court.

Phantom Dancer: 12% less damage for a raidboss, and more movement? I'll take it. Spooky.

Darius is very powerful in the right hands, but don't forget that you still need your team's cooperation to be able to carry to your full potential.

Whether it be picking champion compositions with strong CC, or your teammates allowing themselves to be focused to let you get free resets, Darius is not able to 1v5 against a competent (and/or) CC heavy enemy team.

The hallmarks of a skilled Darius player are being able to land Apprehend consistently, comboing skills fluidly, and executing enemies quickly within the threshold of Noxian Guillotine.

Practice these and once you are comfortable with them, you will be a formidable opponent no matter the circumstances.