Lux Build Guide : **IMPORTANT** #1 Support Lux, An In-depth Guide to Luxanna

Introduction

Update 6/22: As of patch v1.0.0.120 (Yorick), Philosopher's Stones have been nerfed slightly. I'll be exploring the effectiveness of the build as it is and possible alternatives. I have a few ideas, just need to actually test them out in enough games to feel confident about them.

So, you're looking to play Luxanna, huh? Here are my thoughts on the best way to build Lux. Please note that this is NOT a pure AP-damage build. This build is meant to play SUPPORT (which actually has very little damage output sacrifice). I realize this is not how most players build Lux so please have an open mind and try it. The biggest thing is going to be the skill sequencing which primes you for mid-game team fights.

Also note, this guide is long and fairly in-depth. Fortunately, I've included a TL;DR for most sections.

(non-)Legal Disclaimer:

Everything in this guide is a mere suggestion. Anyone can copy a build and replicate minimal success, however, you must be able to adapt if you truly wish to improve. Many things in this build can and should be changed on a game-to-game basis. This is guide is an outline of what you should aim for but don't be afraid to deviate from it where needed. I am not responsible for any failures as a result of inflexibility, nor am I responsible for any being harmed.

Highlights of this Guide

Play Lux as support without sacrificing damage output
Keeping your team alive and winning teamfights
Why Maxing Q destroys Lux's early and mid-game
How to manage solo and mid lanes
Lane against any champion in confidence
Never miss a "blind-shot" again
Max Cooldown reduction for optimum skill-shot usage
Maximizing your gold income

Why does Lux need another Guide?

Simply put, I feel that many players have the entirely wrong conception of how to build Lux. There is a mentality in League of Legends that many players have to get an amazing K:D:A ratio to feel like a build is great, which leads to everyone trying to be a one-stop hero. As such, you see many Lux builds advertising damage. I, however, feel that all of these damage based Lux builds are far inferior to a Support based Lux since there is little sacrifice in damage output but much added utility. Additionally, I'm tired of seeing people putting non-sense items in their builds such as or (explained in the Items section).

My goal: To introduce the role of a support-based Lux who sacrifices minimal damage output while seeking optimal support value.

Outline

1. Introduction: This is what you're reading right now. This is recommended reading.

2. Core Beliefs: This is what differentiates my build from others. This is essential reading.

3. When to Play Lux: Learn when to play Lux. This is recommended reading.

4. Runes: This is recommended reading but not essential.

5. Masteries: This is recommended reading but not essential.

6. Summoner Spells: This is essential reading.

7. Items: This is essential reading.

8. Skill Sequence: This is essential reading.

9. Skill Usage: This is recommended reading but not essential.

10. Gameplay: This covers basic gameplay. It is recommended reading.

11. Summary: Ending Statement. It is recommended reading but not essential.

12. Change log: This is optional reading.

Core Beliefs

Support Role: Build vs Play Style

I'd like to introduce the idea that the support role is not based on the build alone, but the play style behind the build. This build does not necessarily have all of the staple support items, however, I consider it support in the play style behind it. This can be more difficult to teach than simply handing over a buy order. I consider this build support because when it comes to team fights, even though I build a fair amount of AP, I'm not strictly trying to get a combo off on my enemies. I am keeping an eye out for my teammates, watching where and when I can shield them, I'm seeing who I can root, who i can slow, etc etc. Damage based Lux builds will be looking to get those combos off, where as a traditionally built support role on Lux would be sacrificing a great deal of damage output. I, therefore, believe that the best way to build Lux is an AP Support role. The build will sacrifice minimal damage output while seeking optimal support value. The distinguishing factor between you and another Lux is going to be the style of play you use. With that said, the build is intended to give you what you need to best fulfill your support role. It has a high sense of endurance and with your MR/CDR, you'll be able to make the most out of your skills. You're scaling your AP because it increases the effectiveness of your shield as well as the damage portion of your skills. You'll find there is little sacrifice to the damage dealt after discovering the endurance this build has to stay on the battlefield.

TL;DR: The support role is just as much about your play style as it is your build.

Level 1 Light Binding until 14?!

Yes, one of the things that sets this build apart from nearly all others is that I only put ONE point into until and are both maxed. My reasoning is simple: Lux's Q is one of the few roots in the game that has it's full duration at level one. The only difference between a level 1 and a max is the insignificant damage increase. I say insignificant because I play Lux as a utility/support character. I see no point in maxing Q when I can max instead. By maxing early you'll be able to be more valuable to your team in team fights. Not only will you have your max root duration from and slow from , but you'll also have a max as well.

Just think about it, most other guides call for to be your last skill to be maxed. This essentially makes a waste until you're level 18. In the mid-game when you would have your max and , you're only carrying a level 1 which blocks a measly 60 damage while opponents are dishing out 100's, if not 1000's. By maxing your last you will have your full utility by level 13. This includes max root, slow, and shield...everything your team needs in a team fight! Remember, you're support. Yes, you can melt health away with Finales Funkeln, but let a DPS make up for the 200 damage difference between a level 1 and a max . Keep that teammate alive and they'll do much more than 200 damage.

TL;DR: has it's max root duration at level 1. By only investing one point into you will have your max root, max shield and max slow by level 13.

No mejai's Soulstealer?!

Again, another thing that I realize goes against many player's concept of how to play Lux. It is true that Lux should never die, but the simple truth is that in high level games, you will be focused down hard. I used to rush but found that if I didn't already have a high enough bounty on my head then this would be my death sentence. Having to merch your first 1235g investment that you spent is never a good feeling and that is why I don't rush . If you have a significant advantage and feel comfortable by getting it, by all means, it does provide the best AP to gold ratio in the game with max stacks, however, I personally prefer to avoid taking this gamble. I particularly never understand how players expect to live against a competent team while carrying the and combo that some builds call for.

TL;DR: is not reliable when against a competent team who will just focus you down. Gambling your first 1235g on this item can severely hamper your progress.

Clairvoyance + Finales Funkeln = OP

Finales Funkeln Following the trend of support, I use to fill the need of the team. However, this does give Lux the benefit of never having to make another blind-shot finales funkeln again! can easily be used with Finales Funkeln to melt away the opposing teams health as they come to engage, snipe an enemy who thought they could but clearly has never encountered a Lux with legal map hacks, and let's not forget this combo can steal dragon and baron from an enemy team. is already an extremely valuable asset to the team, but coupled with Lux and her Finales Funkeln it, in my opinion, becomes the most valuable and overpowered summoner spell on Lux.

TL;DR: + Finales Funkeln = never miss an otherwise blind shot again.

When to Play as Lux

A common trend many players fall into is playing ONE champion and refusing to play any other champion while forcing the team to build around them. As a Lux player, you cannot fall into this category. Lux is support and no matter how well you play Lux, you'll be hard pressed to win a game if you fail to meet basic team build composition such as having a tank.

Generally a team will compose of:
A tank
An off-tank
An AD carry
An AP carry
A Support
A Jungler (can fill any of the above roles but generally a tank/off-tank).

If you insist on being one of those stubborn players who has to play their champion then you should at least have a tank when playing Lux. I strongly recommend, however, that all of these roles are filled. Learning how to play multiple roles will definitely benefit you when solo queuing and finding these players who don't play more than one champion. I personally learned to play tank specifically because I frequently found myself in a position where no one else seemed to be up for it and I'd rather have a chance at winning then joining a game with an inferior team composition.

At the time of writing this, my team from the last game I played composed of , , , while I wanted to play Lux. The didn't respond if I asked whether he was building AP or AD so I assumed the worst of him building AP and us having a team entirely of magic damage. So, I sucked it up and switched to a random off-tank and locked in. Sure enough, went with an AP build. To add to my frustration, we had our ragequit after dying in the early-game. We were behind much of the game but eventually our Poppy and I had been fed to the point we reached the 25 minute mark and in a 4v5 team fight we aced them without one of us dying. The score went from 12-7 to 17-7 They refused to surrender but shortly after we had a second team fight ending and forced them to at that point with a team score of 22-7.

Now, why did I share that? It's true, that's only one example and we still had a pretty inferior team composition with 3/4 of us being largely magic based damage, however, having 3/4 magic based and me playing off-tank was better than me playing Lux and us being 4/4 magic based and even more easily countered. Bottom line is that if you hope to play Lux every game then you're likely going to be setting yourself up for disaster at one point or another. Trust me, I've been that stubborn player who refused to play tank in fear of failing. As such, I played Lux in a few games with no tank and was completely shut down at the start of every team fight. Eventually you'll need to know other roles to maximize your success.

TL;DR: learn to play multiple roles and play Lux when a support role is needed. Do not play Lux when you're lacking major roles like a tank.

Runes

Greater Mark of Insight x9
Greater Seal of Clarity x9
Greater Glyph of Force x9
Greater Quintessence of Potency x3

Pretty straightforward for the most part. MrP and MP5/lvl are the obvious choices for the marks and seals. No CDR glyphs are used because masteries and items will give 39%-40% CDR (depending on your item selection). Hence the rest of your runes (glyphs/quintessences) are used to raise your AP to give you some power in the early game. Additional MrP is avoided in the quintessences because does not benefit from it and the rune slots are better allocated to AP. You'll have substantial MrP come late game so the quintessences will give you a little extra power in the early game.

NOTE: My core runes/masteries/items put you at only 39% CDR. If you'd like the 1% difference to max CDR then you'll either have to swap for -OR- swap out one for one to put you at 39.9% CDR. The runes as they are shown are meant to be user-friendly and are a generalized AP rune set to be used on most AP champions.

Masteries

Standard 9/0/21, Shouldn't be any surprises here. Adjust your utility points based on the summoner spells you choose.

Summoner Spells

The great thing about this build is that your summoner skills are easily accommodated by your personal preferences. I personally currently prefer using and , however, this build is not reliant on like many Lux builds and both of her summoner skills can be changed to what you prefer. In the past I've majorly favored and which can be shown in my alternative build (which is largely the same).

Viable summoner skills:

I’ve already spoken on the potential of . I’ve recently starting picking over . I think it’s important to note here that is by no means necessary on Lux if you ensure you’re in proper positioning, however, this is not always possible. will be great when needing to return to lane, or needing to defend. on the other hand will be able to save you if you find yourself out of position. Without I rarely had deaths, but with it I’ve reduced this already small number.

falls under the same Category as . It’s not necessary, but can be useful. I still have no problems with carrying over either of these though.

Less Viable skills:
: This would only be a little useful in the early game if you're planning on being hyper aggressive. Come mid to late game though this is useless without changing the items around completely.
: A great skill but we're not building for damage right away.
: As awesome of a skill this is, I feel on Lux it is better to have or .
: A good summoner skill but again I feel that it is better to carry something else on Lux.
: You already have enough CC, this is unnecessary and/or overkill.
: Would prefer another summoner to carry this if already carrying .
: Only if you want to be one of the few summoners who have ever made use of this.
: Awesome for trolling but rarely practical and never on Lux.
: Unfortunately, this is not a jungle Lux guide.

TL;DR: is a must and is my current personal preference. and can be used if you find yourself being out of position and want increased survivability though they are not necessarily needed. can be used to help defend a turret, help allies or put yourself back into your lane quickly.

Items

Overview

Starting Items:

-OR-

Early game:
Philosopher's Stone Philosopher's Stone

Mid game:
Philosopher's Stone Philosopher's Stone

Late game:

TL;DR: This overview is your TL;DR for this section.

Core Items

Philosopher's StonePhilosopher's Stone(s):
This is essential, It provides Lux enough health and mana regen to stay in combat for an extreme amount of time. With two of these it will be easy to get at least your , if not your whole without having to back. They give a minimal increase in gold income which will eventually pay themselves off, but you're mainly getting these for the health and mana regen to sustain you for the early to mid-game. They'll make you an endurance machine to keep you in battle and supporting teammates while killing enemies.

Rabadon's Deathcap:
Absolutely essential for any AP caster. Between the straight AP increase and the unique passive, this item is a must have for Lux. I choose to get this as my first major purchase as it does provide the best AP to gold ratio next to a with 20 stacks. Your Philosopher's Stones will have kept your energy and health management in check so grabbing will start adding that much needed extra firepower behind your skills.

Sorcerer's Shoes:
These should be the only boots you ever get with Lux. There are some builds you can run with Lux that are early and mid-game focused that hit extremely well, but they ultimately lose their fire in the late game. For example, I've seen some players opt for and rush a 40% cooldown reduction on Lux. Come late game, however, you'll need the magic penetration from the boots more since you'll have other sources of CDR while MrP is limited. We still rush CDR fairly quickly but we pick up the valuable MrP. I choose to keep my Lux build focused on the late game so are the obvious choice.

Zhonya's Hourglass:
An extremely valuable item for surviving team fights. Occassionally I'll delay this item if I'm not being targeted in teamfights, however, it doesn't hurt to get this item if they aren't focusing you down yet. It gives a nice bulk of AP that is beneficial as well as the armor and the unique active. Some players feel that this item is useless because you can't cast while under the effects of the unique active, but this item is not meant to kill your opponents in 2 seconds before they kill you. It is meant to survive spikes, such as 's (per chance your is on cool down). There are plenty of situations that warrant the use of this unique active. Don't underestimate it.

Shurelya's Reverie:
A severely underused item on Lux. This item essentially serves as a one-stop for utility on Lux. She gets her health and mana regen that continues to give her extreme endurance in team fights while also giving her valuable 15% CDR. To finish it off, she gets a unique active that can be used for the team both defensively and offensively. Just note that after upgrading to this item you will no longer benefit from Philosopher's Stones gold income. This item can be delayed for the added revenue from Philosopher's Stones, though it can be rushed and make you a potent force in the mid-game. If you still want the CDR and the gold income then you can buy a and keep it ungraded until later in the game. This is most significant if you're running instead of because it will put you at 39% CDR with the full benefit of both Philosopher's Stones until late game. If you're running it will put your CDR at 34% until you upgrade to Shurelya's. Don't delay this too long, however, as you will want the utility of Shurelya's unique active as well.

Deathfire Grasp
Again, another item I feel is underused on Lux. This item helps complete your CDR by contributing another 15% while giving you a small amount of AP and more mana regen. The Unique active seals the deal here. Late game you'll have upwards of 500 AP which means you can instantly deal magic damage based on 47.5% of anyone's current health. It requires a close range so be cautious of your positioning. Can be replaced with (see Alternative Items) if you'd prefer to drop the unique active for superior passive stats at a cheaper price.

Void Staff:
I generally opt to go for this because most tanks will build magic resistance at some point in the game, as well as possibly have magic resistance coming from their runes. I chose this over because you're not always in range for 's unique aura to take effect. You will, however, always benefit from having more magic penetration which is why I personally prefer .

Alternative Items

Technically this is more useful than if the opposing team doesn't have a high level of magic resistance, however, just remember you won't always be in range for them to suffer from the aura. Switch this for .
: Another defensive item if you're running against a heavy AP team. Generally the choice comes down to or since you don't want more than 2 defensive items (the other being which is more of a defense/CDR/utility hybrid). Again, this varies game-to-game though as occasionally you might need both and . Just be wary that your AP will start to suffer when picking this item over another.
: If you want your attack attack to hit hard, then this is the way to do it. Just be wary that this requires you to frequently be in close range will be taken down more easily. I personally prefer over but both can work well. Can be switched with Deathfire or (if the opposing team is not heavy on the magic resistance).
: I don't consider Mejai's a core build because, as I discussed earlier, I feel that this is too much of a gamble against a competent team. It's great for trolling and pubstomping lower level players, but eventually you'll start to be punished for picking it. Even still, there are a few occasions that can warrant getting this so I won't say avoid it completely, just don't rush it. Establish an advantage and capitalize on that advantage.
: This can be used in place of . Morello's is superior to Deathfire in every aspect other than the lack of a unique active. You'll have 39% CDR with Deathfire so using Morello's over Deathfire gives you 1% extra CDR (maxed at 40), a little more mana regen and 15 extra AP. Personally, I prefer Deathfire. Even though Deathfire requires close range, I feel much better carrying a unique active that in the late game does magic damage up to 47.5% of a targets current health. If you're not having health issues then you could swap for Morello's, though I personally stay with Shurelya's for the utility support of the unique active.

There are more situational items that will depend on a game to game basis but I'm not necessarily going to list them here. I find most new players to the game will follow this guide's basic outline and players who are experienced will know well enough what could be used to counter a team's composition (such as against an entirely AD team composition). If you're somewhat of a new player, don't fret; the basic outline generally does well against most team compositions.

Items to be avoided

: You'll be using Philosopher's Stones and eventually as your main source of mana management. There's no need for both. Also, this generally would take too long to max and isn't worth rushing when you could have a with much more AP. Save Archangel's for a character who can spam skills more, like .
: Common starter, but not in our item tree. s will give the mana regen in the early game and will be upgradable to your Philosopher's Stones.
: Even though the tenacity may be tempting, Lux should always be in good positioning which reduces the need for CC reduction). Additionally, is invaluable when compared to Eleisa's because Shurelya's not only has a useful unique active, but it also has the essential CDR.
: I actually like this as a defensive/CDR item with a nice unique, however you want to try to avoid close range so you lose effectiveness of the unique passive. I realize that carrying is close ranged as well, however it's also a defensive measure to spike down someone who targets you. I feel that this is better suited for a champion who will be in close range more often. I'd say this is more "Less Viable" than "To Be Avoided", however, I didn't want to make a section for one item. Regardless, you'd need quite a different item sequencing to accommodate this item.
: This is a perfectly viable pick for any mid-game build, however, it severely hampers your progress in the late game. Magic penetration comes from very few items leaving you limited to getting MrP from runes and the few items there are. This makes exceptionally better as they give MrP which will be valuable in the late game and you can easily pick up CDR from other sources.
: I can see how this could be tempting but unfortunately this falls under the same reasoning as . Mana regen is more important for Lux than straight Mana and though the AP is nice, it takes 10 minutes to get the full benefit from this item. I don't find it worth rushing either when I could have a for close to the same price while my Philosopher's Stones keep my mana in good condition.
: I'll never understand why some players opt to get Rylai's on Lux. A slow for her root, a slow for her slow, a slow for her shield that doesn't target enemies are all useless. This leaves Finales Funkeln, which yeah, can be useful when you're spamming it every 24 seconds, however, I would not consider it worth the 3105g for a 15% slow every 24 seconds. Rylai's is much better on a champion like with his that is spammable and can blanket the battlefield. If you have ever questioned then I highly suggest getting Zhonya's over Rylai's. Zhonya's gives more AP, armor and a far superior unique ability on Lux.
: You're not a tank.
: You're not a jungler.
: You're not a ninja.

Skill Sequence

Finales Funkeln Finales Funkeln Finales Funkeln

-OR-

Finales Funkeln Finales Funkeln Finales Funkeln

Level 1: Light Binding vs Lucent Singularity

There can be quite a bit of debate about which skill to take at level 1 but I always make my choice based on my lane and if my lane mate plans on being aggressive pre-game or not. If you do not plan on being aggressive, I suggest going for as it is much easier to harass opponents with them from a distance and also serves as a free ward for any bushes to avoid being ganked. If you plan on being aggressive, however, is good for offensive and defensive moves. I take occasionally when I'm mid to go help gank top/bottom/jungle in the pre-game. It really just depends on your style of play and how aggressive you are going to be. Going first will never be a bad choice though so if you have any doubt, go for .

Max utility by level 13

I already talked about the skill sequencing earlier but just a quick recap; this skill sequence gives you your max root, max shield and max slow by level 13. This is much better for a support role than maxing second and having to wait until level 18 to have your max like many builds suggest. By putting more than one point in in the early game you are handicapping your team and ruining Lux's early to mid game by delaying a max . You're here for support, keep your teammates alive and they'll do more damage than the small difference in a level 1 and a max . The other thing to note here is that you'll have your max root, max shield and max slow by level 13 and shortly after you'll have 40% CDR which will maximize your effectiveness in the mid-game.

Tl;DR: Pick in any duo lane and for pre-game ganking. is my choice if I'm mid or solo want an early start on harassing from a distance. The rest of the skill sequence gives you max root, shield and slow by level 13.

Skill Usage

Mostly common sense here, but for those of you who are new to Lux:

This skill gives it's full root effect at level 1, which means there's no reason to put more than one point in it at the early game. This also means that it makes for a great root for ganks, but be wary, this is also one of your biggest defenses. If going to gank and this shot is missed then it can be very easy to find yourself out of position and open to a counter attack. should never be used to check a bush for a hidden enemy because if it only hits one target it will continue to move past them and appear as though it is safe.

An amazing skill that scales well with each point put into it. This is best used if smart-casted holding shift. Also be sure to try to get it to hit your ally the second time as it comes back to you.

This skill will has many uses. It is great for farming minions, checking bushes or through walls (baron/dragon/blue/red), as well as slow enemies. Don't feel rushed to explode it right away, let them walk through until the last possible second you can explode with it still hitting them.

Finales Funkeln This skill can easily melt anywhere from a 1/3 to 1/2 of an entire teams health. Many players mistakenly save their Finales Funkeln to snipe enemies, this is one of the biggest mistakes you can make on Lux. Notice the cooldown on Finales Funkeln is short. At level 3 it has a 40 second cooldown and with a 40% CDR you're looking at 24 seconds. There is absolutely no reason to save this skill for a kill when you can use it to handicap their entire team before teamfights. You can even use it to clear out minion waves without much worry (just be sure that there isn't an impending gank set up for you). By saving this for a kill you're limiting your damage output. Some players will mistakenly wait anywhere from one to two minutes looking for a chance to use it, however in that time you could have gotten your Finales Funkeln off numerous times.
Also, if you ever find yourself out of position and/or about to be ganked, try to use your root/slow/shield to get away of course but if it's obvious you're not going to make it, turn around and send a and finales'Funkeln their way while yelling "DEMACIA!!!" in all chat as you die.

Some things to remember with Finales Funkeln:
Use it on recharge to ensure maximal damage output.
Do not blatantly kill steal. You want your allies to be fed too and kill stealing does not help them. Don't be that guy. If you use your judgement to determine the enemy would otherwise get away, then by all means finish them.
Use to ensure maximum accuracy.
Contrary to many people's belief, this is not channeled. As such, it is possible to be knocked into the air after you have already cast the skill and appear to be firing while in the air. Damage will still be dealt. Imagine the fury of an who thought he interrupted me only to get 30% of his health melted away to his death.

Skill Combo / Burst Damage

Your main source of damage in the early game is going to be . It takes practice at first, but you want to make sure that you're landing an auto-attack to activate your passive, , after each spell. The idea in the early game is to continue harassing them with and that by the time you're level 6 you can kill them with a combo involving finales funkeln.

A typical combo should look something like this:

finales funkeln

The Lightbinding is going to ensure that your target is immobilized and that you hit with your finales funkeln. At which point they'll either be dead, retreating or attempt to attack you. Either way, you'll have your to throw down to slow them down. Throw an auto attack and then explode your . Be careful when you go to attack someone with your combo that you can kill them. If your combo fails then you you'll have to rely on as a slow and means to escape. This isn't necessary a problem, but Lux does burst damage and having 7-10 seconds of all your skills on cooldown can leave Lux very vulnerable if you're caught out of position. This is not to say to never use your combo on an enemy, just be careful that you're not leaving yourself open to a counter attack.

TL;DR: finales funkeln

Teamfights

Teamfights are going to be where you are most useful to your team. A lot of this will take practice and experience to perfect as Lux is entirely skill shot based. When engaging in Teamfights be sure not to blow away your CC uselessly. can be used defensively to help an ally get away from an enemy champion or it can be used offensively to give your team a chance to kill a target. It's important to practice this skill shot to ensure clutch snares. The same can be said about by not exploding it right away and letting them walk through it until the lost possible moment for you to explode it and it still hit them. will be used to save your allies from taking damage. You can position yourself around your teammate to ensure that it hits them a second time as it comes back. And of course, you're going to want to almost always use finales funkeln on cooldown. This is going to do the most damage to their team. Remember, Lux has fairly long cooldowns, even with max CDR. This means that once all her skills are used she'll be extremely vulnerable. This is why positioning on Lux is extremely important because bad positioning can lead to a quick death.

Gameplay

Early Game - The Laning Stage

General

If the enemy team has a jungler (which they should), use your to determine the route of jungler. You can attempt an pre-game gank on their jungler or choose to follow their jungling route by checking on key points periodically. By following the jungler's route you can track their progress and keep yourself, as well as your team, protected from a gank. Each jungler has a gank time when they're generally ready to gank (unless they're bad or are rushing to level 6). You'll also want to use for any other MIA's that may appear.

Typically, you're going to hold your first back until 970-1590g to buy At least one Philosopher's Stone and . If You have the money, go ahead and grab the second Philosopher's Stone of course. Once you have both of your Philosopher's Stones then you'll be able to stay in lane and with your teammates for an extended period of time.

Mid

In Mid you'll be able to out-level much of the enemy team which particularly is useful because this build can be fairly weak in the early game while you're still waiting to get your philosopher's stones and finales funkeln. You'll also have the responsibility of calling any uncalled mia's to help avoid your teammates and yourself from getting ganked. can help you with this.

Playing mid I typically open with unless I feel like doing a pregame spike on the bottom or top lane, in which case I'll opt for . It is important to note when laning in Mid that you do not push. The goal is to last hit minions and harass your opponent as much as possible. The reasoning is that you want to fight as close to your tower as possible to protect yourself from any MIA's/junglers/roamers. When landing a try to land it so that it only hits your opponent to ensure that you'll be staying as close to the turret as possible. This is forgiving though, so don't be afraid to hit the minions with your either. Just learn when you can push and when you shouldn't.

When you have 970-1590g then go ahead and back to purchase your Philosopher's Stone(s) and Boots of Speed] and use [[Teleport if needed to return to your turret quickly. After you have bought one or both of your Philosopher's Stone(s) then you can start to push out mid. You'll want to use and/or Sight Wards to ensure that you are not going to be ganked. Watch the top and bottom lanes for any opportunities to help gank. Push mid before leaving to help the gank to keep your turret protected. Don't be afraid to leave your lane to help someone else out at this point.

Solo 1v1

Treat a solo 1v1 lane much like you would playing Mid. Be cautious of the enemy jungler's route and avoid getting ganked from pushing too hard.

Solo 1v2

If you're asked to go into a solo lane when the enemy team does not have a jungler then be prepared for a rough first few minutes. Until you get your first Philosopher's Stone you'll be hard pressed for enough mana to keep your enemies at bay from your turret. The same applies here as it did to Mid, be sure to last hit minions and try to fight as close to your turret as possible. After having one or both of your Philosopher's Stones you should be in a fairly commanding position. You'll have a level advantage and sufficient mana and health regen to hold them at bay. As always, be cautious of ganks and be ready to gank when a teammate comes to help.

Duo Lane

Playing bottom you'll likely want to get to both be aggressive and defensive. Just take note that if you're planning on spiking a target in the pre-game, Lux lacks significant damage output. Starting at level 2 and 3 she will be more useful in a spike. As always, last hit and deny xp as much as you can. If you're going to be pushing heavily then be sure to purchase wards to help prevent ganks. Use or to check bushes if you're unsure they are safe. Lux should not be underestimated in a duo lane. Her CC and support mixed with damage output is excellent for ganking enemies. With a decent DPS alongside her, your enemies will find it difficult to hold you off after you have one or both of your Philosopher Stone's, allowing for relentless skill shots.

Jungling

Lux does not jungle, though mid to late game you can land a to kill a group as you run by. Don't attempt to kill the blue buff by yourself, have a teammate help you as it takes far too long to do so yourself.

Mid Game to late game

Heading into the mid-game your primary role as Lux with this build is to be a support/utility. As you enter into the Mid and Late game it is less important for you to be pushing a lane by yourself and more important to be with your team, helping them gank and helping them through team fights. Players will begin to start turning to gank lanes. Be sure you are using your finales funkeln as often as possible. This will help give your team an advantage when engaging in a team fight by keeping their health low. At this point in the game you should be focusing on getting your CDR maxed out with and (or other CDR items such as ). You can also opt to rush for instead and delay your CDR items. This will obviously make your skills less spammable but make your (and other skills) more potent.

Coming into the late game you're going to want to finish off any necessary items (as deemed by the circumstances of the game). Teams will start pushing lanes if they haven't already and you'll be most useful with your team aiding them in that.

Dragon/Baron

When clearing the dragon/baron with teammates, You'll be most useful standing in the bush nearby since you have a fairly low level of damage output by standing there with your teammates. Occassionally walk out to use on your teammates and then go stand back into the bush. can either be used to damage the dragon/baron or it can be used to check the hedge coming from mid or your opponents base. Note that you don't necessarily want to do this unless you suspect they are grouping up. Doing this may hint them that you are killing the Baron/Dragon, as well as make your unavailable temporarily should you need it as a slow when they really do attack.

If your opponents are clearing the dragon/baron then it is possible to snipe it with either/both finales funkeln. Hopefully you have the area warded, if not you'll have to use and approximate your guess of when to shoot your skill shots. Take note that many players will also attempt to spike it at the end to prevent a steal.

Gold farming

Come to the mid and late game you should be getting enough or close to enough AP to clear an entire creep wave with . Additionally, if you have a high CDR rate and no enemies are nearby, don't be afraid to use finales funkeln on the creep wave If you're going to use Finales Funkeln on a creep wave though, it's generally best to use it while they are moving and in a line unless it is a large creep wave. Keep an eye out for those large creep waves that have been pushed and will be a good target for your and use if you need to to save any towers from them.

With your masteries and Philosopher's Stone(s) you should have a fairly steady, static income.

Overtime

In overtime everyone will have close to or have their complete build and one bad teamfight can lose the game. You are going to be most valuable with your team at this point in the game. If someone is backdooring your base then you should let someone else on your team handle it if possible. Support your team and try to ensure they win any teamfights. Not too much to say about this stage of the game as I assume you're aware of basic gameplay mechanics. Lux is not a backdooring champion (though this can be different if you picked up a .

Dealing with Fellow Mid/Solo Champions

This section is to provide basic information on how to deal with other champions you might encounter in a mid or solo lane. It's not intended to be extremely in-depth for each champion. It's more of a quick reference for players who may be unfamiliar or are having trouble with a particular champion.

Anivia:
One of the hardest champs you'll find to kill, though not impossible. Two things to remember here: If you're going in for the kill, be wary of as Anivia may spike you before you kill her and then kill you upon reviving. The other is be extremely careful of her + combo. It will hurt so keep a distance and try to get your as fast as you can. Don't be afraid to call for ganks if you're having trouble killing her.

Annie:
You'll have a range advantage using your . Be careful of her skill combo, particularly when is charged. Harass her from a distance until you're confident enough to combo her or snipe her. Also keep in mind she has which will be a free activation every 30 seconds that raises her magic resistance. Try to get your combo off while this is on cooldown, as Annie will likely pick it up at some point to charge her faster (and for free). Of course, letting her get a combo off on you can be deadly so be careful to keep your charged in case she attempts to get within spell range.

Ashe:
She can be difficult to lane against at first while you're still waiting on getting your Philosopher's Stone(s). Her , if used, will keep you pushed at your turret. If she is actively using try to always maintain a creep between you and her. If she uses then you can attempt to get a combo off with . Just be careful as she can hit hard and may opt to fire a point-blank at you so she has a long enough time to kill you. If she fires an be sure to call it for your team. Also, be careful of her passive and be sure to avoid her attack when she has it charged.

Caitlyn:
She is one of the few champions who can out range you so be careful when trying to land skill shots on her. You'll likely have to hug your tower at least until you get your Philosopher's Stone(s). Watch for her and attempt to dodge it. Also look out for her passive, , when it's charged and avoid being hit by the auto-attack. If she attempts to use you can either use a reactionary to negate as much damage as possible.

Ezreal:
I feel that this build significantly improves your laning against Ezreal. Ezreal is extremely potent in the early to mid game which is the opposite of this build. Once you get your Philosopher's Stone(s) you'll be in a fairly commanding position against Ezreal by being able to have a high level of endurance between your health and mana regen. Both Lux's and Ezreal's skills are all skill shots so a large factor of your match-up against him will be who is able to land them more precisely. Ezreal will be able to dodge your skillshots with . If attempting to get your + finales funkeln combo off on Ezreal, try to get him to use his to dodge your and then land a + finales funkeln after he shifted. Dodge his and force him to use his defensively rather than offensively. If he uses offensively he's leaving himself susceptible to your combo. If he uses his then be sure to call it for your teammates.

Fiddlesticks:
Your biggest concern against Fiddlesticks will likely be his silence, . Try to keep a distance from yourself and your minions as will bounce off them to hit you. Fiddlesticks isn't a particularly challenging champion to lane against as long as you're harassing him and keep him from farming too much. Be careful pushing a tower while he's MIA as he may be waiting to you. You'll always want to call MIA's but you should particularly have your allies take note when he's level 6 and MIA. Use your to try to find him before his has charged. If you're in range, you can always use while he's channeling . The same goes for his .

Karthus:
It'll be important to be aggressive against Karthus and keep him from getting too much farm or any level advantages. His ultimate should be notified to the team when he hits level 6. Try to dodge his and if you're attempting to combo him, be careful of a as he kites. He's not particularly a threat until he gets his ultimate up and has farmed quite a bit so keep him shut down and call for ganks if needed.

Kassadin:
Kassadin will be fairly weak in the early game, as you will, but he will be exceptionally stronger in the mid to late game. Prior to level 6 when he obtains , you are capable of outranging his . Post level 6, however, you'll have to be extremely careful as Kassadin has a very potent combo. If you can't shut him down yourself then you'll need your team to help. Kassadin is one champion you don't want to farm too much as he scales extremely well.

Katarina:
One of the most important things when laning against Katarina is to avoid her . Keep a distance between yourself and your minions to avoid it bouncing to you. When Katarina goes in to last hit, use to harass. After Katarina is level 6 you'll want to keep available in case she attempts to + you. Don't Panic, use and kite.

Kennen:
A lot in your match up against Kennen goes back to how well you can dodge skill shots. Kennen's . Keep a distance to out range him with and make ease of dodging his s. After he his level 6, make sure to keep your available to root him in case he tries to combo you with + + + . By using your you're leaving yourself open to his chain.

Kog'Maw:
Kog'Maw has a fairly long range to deal with on his . This will want to be avoided, both at its launching and the trail it leaves, as allowing yourself to get slowed can leave yourself open to more of his skills/attacks. After Kog'Maw hits level 6 you'll be out-ranged by his . This can be fairly easy to dodge as long as you have purchased your by this point.

Leblanc:
Leblanc packs a pretty powerful combo. When going to execute your combo make sure that you root her first, otherwise she can use to dodge any of your skill shots. If she marks you with Sigil of Silence, you'll want to be wary of a follow-up attack, such as or a + Sigil of Silence. This will leave you silenced and vulnerable. Again, Leblanc is one of those champions you do not want to scale, so if you're having difficulty handling her, call for a gank.

Lux:
Lux on Lux action, hot dang. Once you get your Philosopher's Stone(s) you'll be fairly difficult to kill assuming you can dodge a good amount of skill shots. Again, battle of the skill shots. Can't say too much more, in a mirror match-up, especially with skill-shot based champions, you're on even playing grounds. Avoid gettin hit by a + finales funkeln combo

Malzahar:
When laning against Malzahar, you will have the range advantage, however, do not let this make you over confident. Be careful when attempting to spike Malzahar that you don't run into his which will leave you open to a counter attack. Harassing from a distance can keep Malzahar in check until you're ready to combo/snipe him from a distance. is going to be your biggest threat laning against him. is channeled, but it is also a suppression meaning you won't be able to do anything while targeted by it.

Miss Fortune:
You'll be able to out-range Miss Fortune with skill shots, though be careful when attempting to activate Illuminate as she has the same auto attack range as you. Miss Fortune can also use her and to punish you for coming too close. Keep a distance and if you're going to auto attack, be sure she's rooted and be ready to dodge the impending .

Mordekaiser:
Mordekaiser will be one of your hardest match-ups to mid/solo against. Lux simply lacks the damage in the early game (and even in the late game) to make killing him easy, particularly if he's spamming his skills to keep his shield up. Mordekaiser will be pushing hard and you'll likely need to call for a gank if you want any early relief. Also watch for which is often used with to drain you to death. It's a very powerful combo so if he gets it off on you be sure to use . Also, try to time your combo around when his shield is drained. Sending a Finales Funkeln when he has full shield will only get you laughed at.

Morgana:
Lux against Morgana is an interesting skill shot fight with each having their own perks. Morgana's serves as a root effect which means you are capable of casting through it while she is unable to cast through your . However, if she has her up she will be able to block your skill shots until it is depleted. Both of you have an aoe skill that can be used for harassment though will slow and will reduce magic resistance. Morgana will have the range advantage between and , though you'll have the range advantage with the primary means of harassment, compared to . You'll also out-range her ultimate with and, of course, finales funkeln. Essentially, keep the harassment up against her and attempt to get your combo off when her is on cooldown.

Nidalee:
Nidalee can outrange Lux with her , though this is relatively easy to dodge if you're keeping max distance and especially after you pick up your . Take note of when she disappears into bush to plant . Keep a distance from her while harassing and dodge her skill shots. Also be careful of her using + to get within close range of you. She can use this to if you happen to miss your while trying to combo and leave yourself open to an attack.

Ryze:
Ryze is terrible in the early game and having him mid or solo means they have the hope of having Ryze scale quickly. Unfortunately for him, all of his spells have a fairly small cast range (slightly longer than your auto attack range). Here you'll want to harass him from a distance with . It shouldn't be too dificcult to either kill him or make him back. If he's carrying you may want to be concerned about him using it to get within spell range and spiking you. He does pack a powerful spike, however, unless he has he has little hopes of getting it off on you. Once he hits 6 he gains a little more holding power with his ultimate, , however, this merely helps keep his health up during the laning stage and will be more useful to him during teamfights/ganks. Shut him down early so he's not a mid to late game hero.

Sivir:
Your biggest, immediate threat against Sivir will be her which can easily deal a ton of damage if you don't dodge it. When dodging this skill be sure you're moving to the side and not back. Attempting to run back will mean you'll be hit by it twice if you're within range. Here you both have somewhat similar range on and . You have an auto-attack range advantage that you could use to your advantage if you managed to land a . Take note of Sivir's which lasts 3 seconds and blocks skills. It will block damage and effects, except for the slow from . Try to avoid hitting her with a spell while she has up as it will give her a return of energy that she can turn around to use for . Be careful of when she has available that you're not overextended.

Swain:
Swain doesn't pose an immediate threat to Lux, as she's able to outrange him in most aspects. He does have which acts as a root so be cautious when trying to combo him that he doesn't root you. As per dealing with most champions, keep a safe distance while harassing before you think you're capable of combo'ing him.

Teemo:
Teemo can be a nuisance to lane against, though he doesn't have to be. A common mistake I see players make in the Lux vs Teemo match up is try to peg him with illuminate damage at some point or another. This can be extremely counter productive because Teemo has that will cause you to miss your illuminate auto-attack and he'll probably follow it up with a few auto-attacks which are even more painful if he has invested in . Take note if he is building AP or AD. You'll particularly wan to avoid his s if he's building AP, though you don't want to intentionally run through them either way. The will be invulnerable after they cloak so you'll have to buy or . Neither of which I recommend buying in the early game. A little trick you can use though, is when you place some sight wards in the bushes to avoid getting ganked, place the ward where you know a is. The ward will activate the but will survive. Again, I don't recommend spending 75g on a ward just to do this, but if you were going to ward the spot anyway, it will work. Harass Teemo from a distance and be cautious about following him when he kites after he's level 6 and has his s.

Tristana:
Tristana's auto-attacks will start to outrange you as she levels with her passive but you'll still be able to outrange her with your skill shots. Tristana will be able to push somewhat heavily if she starts investing in her to begin farming. It's also important to note that she has which she can use both defensively and offensively so be wary of leaving yourself open to a counter attack. Post level 6 she'll have which can also be used offensively and defensively. Overall just be careful when going within auto-attack range.

Twisted Fate:
When matched up against Twisted Fate you'll want to watch for his , which will outrange you. This just takes practice with positioning to avoid being hit. You don't want to position yourself directly in front of him and you'd want to keep yourself a decent distance away to be able to react to it. You'll be fairly safe harassing him but be careful if uses and draws a gold card which will stun you and leave you open for him to burst you. Twisted Fate is likely to go MIA quite a bit so be sure to call MIA when he tries to get out of sight.

Urgot:
Urgot can be extremely difficult to lane against, particularly until you get your Philosopher's Stone(S) and pose somewhat of a threat to him. Laning against Urgot you'll want to avoid getting hit by his at all costs. Once he marks you with it then you'll be open to him locking onto you with . You won't have much room to outrange him with so a lot of this match up goes back to who can land the skill shots. Be careful of pushing a tower against Urgot since he can use his ultimate, Hyper-Kinetic Position Reverse to put you within tower range.

Vayne:
The most annoying thing about laning against Vayne will be dealing with her which she can and will use both offensively and defensively. What you want to get her to do is start using it defensively to put you in a more commanding position. Getting a combo off on Vayne can be difficult because of her so your goal will be to get her to so you can follow it up with your standard + finales funkeln combo. Be cautious of her which can stun you if you are pushed against the terran and can be followed up by her putting a few attacks with into you. This is mostly notable when in the solo lane, though if you were in some bad positioning in mid you could also find yourself in a position to get ed. Positioning against Vayne will be extremely important. If you overextend it will be easy for her to use and attack you, using to dodge your . Vayne is also exceptional at tower diving so don't be surprised if she tries it.

Veigar:
Laning against Veigar you'll again have the range advantage but you'll want to be cautious when going in to combo him. If he predicts you coming for him he'll use and let you walk into it where you'll get stunned follow up by his . He won't always use with his stun, though it will be easy to dodge without the stun. Veigar has a very potent spike. Don't let him get within range to spike you and you should be in a good position.

Vladimir:
Vladimir is going to be another one of those champions that is difficult to lane against because Lux will lack the damage output in the early game to really set him too far back. Since Vladimir lacks mana he will be able to stay in lane for a long duration using along with his other skills. You'll be able to outrange him but until you get your philosopher's stone(s) it will be difficult to do enough damage to him to force him to go back. Additionally, Vladimir has which can be used to block your skill shots. If you're having difficult laning against Vladimir, call for a gank to help you.

Summary

Well, congratulations if you have come this far having read the entire thing. If you haven't, then I strongly recommend doing so if you'd like to improve your game with Luxanna.

The biggest thing that separates this guide from others I feel is the skill sequencing that primes you for mid-game team fights. This build is extremely flexible though because the only thing that shouldn't change is the skill sequencing. Everything else can be left up to you (assuming you use decent judgement). I can, and do, frequently change things such as my items or item sequencing from a game to game basis. Without the necessity of that some builds call for, you're left with much more room to do with what you'd like. Come to the late game this build won't have major differences from another Lux build other than the items you choose to get. This build, however, is focused on those mid to late game teamfights to help your team obtain an advantage and capitalize upon it.

You might be asking where the screenshots are or where's my boisterous claim of 500 games to prove the legitimacy of this build. Well, I'm not going to do any of that as they are both misleading. I've read some pretty terrible builds that have made such claims. As such, I ask that you try this build and let both me and the community know how you did. Otherwise there's nothing stopping me from posting screenshots of me trolling low level play with my friends and going 20-1-27. Basically, I don't feel screenshots and/or claims of experience from an author make a build legitimate. Don't like it that you don't get to see some eye-candy screenshots of full victory screens? Deal with it, go earn your own (it is possible).

I'm open for constructive criticism as I do have several years of experience in editor positions between former school publications. With that said, I apologize for any inevitable grammatical errors. Last I checked this was some 22 pages single-spaced so I'm sure there are corrections to be made.

This is my first guide and I'm hopeful that those of you aspiring Luxanna's will benefit from this guide.

Change log

Upcoming: Minor revisions and possible reformatting. Also looking at adding more graphics and/or graphs. Looking to expand on the Gameplay section to include a section on duo partners.
(this guide is still being added on to)

6/15/11: Added "Support Role: Build vs Play Style" to Core Beliefs. Minor revisions
6/13/11: Minor revisions.
6/8/11: Published

**IMPORTANT** #1 Support Lux, An In-depth Guide to Luxanna