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Neeko functions as a hard punishing Support. Since she has AP ratios and can snowball because of that she has more damaging power than the other Tank Supports, the trade off is that she is squisher, and harder to play but much more rewarding when used correctly.

Pros + Great ULT Pop Blossom + CC + Damage + Dominate Laning & Early Damage + Tricky Gameplay

Cons - Squishy - Hard to Play - Needs follow up to her CC - Low Impact in hard losing matches

IGNITE Ignite is great for Neeko complimenting her highly punishing laning phase, and also reducing healing on caught out targets. Ignite is on a very short cooldown, so spend it early during all ins, and don't be scared to waste it.

FLASH Flash is standard on most champions, Neeko is no exception. Neeko can use flash to reposition her E Tangle-Barbs, or to more importantly reposition her ULT Pop Blossom before it's root.

Why not Exhaust? Exhaust is currently just weaker than Ignite, it's cool down is longer, it doesn't deal damage, and most champions don't have high burst to negate with Exhaust. Exhaust also has little synergy with Neeko's catch and kill play style.

Resolve Inspiration

AFTERSHOCK

Aftershock gives Neeko more safety & a small amount of damage when engaging, when you CC a target you will temporarily gain bonus Armor & Magic Resist. Enabling you to tank damage while fighting in the Bot Lane. Later into the game the bonus stats offered by Aftershock are paramount for surviving in Teamfights.

Demolish

Demolish enables you to take Turret Plating much easier throughout the laning phase. It's important to push your lead in the bot lane, by not only killing your lane, but acquiring this gold before it's gone at 14 minutes. Demolish obviously helps take towers throughout the match, but more importantly can help you speed up the tempo of the match minutes 0 - 16, the faster you take your bot lane tower, the faster you end up top, the faster you take top tower the faster you get rift herald, etc.

BONE PLATING

Bone Plating simply blocks damage for free, it's one of the simplest and best runes in the game. Bone Plating helps at all stages of the game, negages poke during the laning phase, helps you survive in fights, and lets you soak more damage in a late game team fight, and it happens automatically super good rune.

Unflinching

Unflinching offers Neeko a small amount of utility during all ins, or skirmishes. It offers slow and CC resistance after using a Summoner spell, or while Summoner Spells are down. When approaching for ULT's Pop Blossom it's very important to not be interrupted by enemy cc but also to be able to gain distance on the enemy. You can run Overgrowth instead of Unflinching but the subtle effects of Unflinching will have more impact across multiple games, rather than the scaling Health from Overgrowth in Solo Queue.

Perfect Timing

Perfect Timing gives you a 1 time Stopwatch at 10 minutes, opening up huge playing making possibilities, to either dive the enemy Bot Lane safety, or to turn an uneven fight by avoiding key abilities. In Neeko's unique cast she can upgrade this immediately to Zhonya's Hourglass if she chooses. Zhonya's Hourglass is a very strong item on Neeko as it enables you to survive when initiating fights Mid - Late Game. The better foresight you have the more value you can gain out of Stopwatch.

Approach Velocity

Approach Velocity enables Neeko to run down targets after landing an E Tangle-Barbs in lane. It can also help you assist allies in danger. The bonus movement speed helps set you up for an ULT Pop Blossom after landing E Tangle-Barbs.

Apative Runes:
+9 AP
+9 AP
+6 Armor

Can swap for
+10% Attack Speed
+6 Armor or + 8 Magic Resist
+6 Armor or + 8 Magic Resist
Making you more tanky, also consider making W 2nd vs Q if you are playing this way.



If you are looking to play Neeko is such a way that you smash lane and continue to snowball the game you can run this rune page, I only run it when i have a proper lane such as Ashe + Neeko since Arcane Comet's primary function throughout the laning phase is to add more damage to Neeko's Q Blooming Burst damage.

Runes:

Arcane Comet
Manaflow Band
Absolute Focus / Transcendence
Scorch
Perfect Timing
Approach Velocity / Cosmic Insight


More damage early game, with this Rune page you MUST win lane or you will quickly be out scaled by a standard tank support, any loss is also exacerbated.

Glacial Augment is only valuable at a very high elo in which your carries benefit from the added slow, don't run it.

Neeko's ability offer a mix of CC, Damage, and utility. You must use them all well to gain maximum value, unlike other supports that just need to land a hook and all things are linear, Neeko has lots of options in her play, keep it simple at first, and once you get the hang of her look to be creative with her options.

Spellthief's Edge offers you more damage on abilities, and rewards gold for damaging the enemy. It's puts the owness on you to damage the enemy throughout the laning phase.

2 Health Potion should be spent any time you take more than 100 Damage in lane, it's easy for Neeko to get poke out of lane when you misstep, that is not what the potion is for. The potion is for temporarily trading your health for the enemies, as health offset on the enemy ADC is usually a linear path to victory.

• Ideally you get Frostfang first back every match.
• You can buy multiple Health Potions through out of the laning phase, as Neeko is susceptible to poke.
• If you are snowballing consider purchasing Sorcerer's Shoes, they are expensive but give you more damage coming into the Mid Game.
• Purchase Control Wards to aid your jungler in ganking your lane, or to offer protection to Mid Lane.
  
  
  
  CORE BUILD
  
  

  Zhonya's Hourglass gives Neeko her play making potential, without it most champions will insta kill her mid game, it's also very natural to build out of a winning laning phase.

  
  

  Protobelt gives you the option to immediately reposition your ULT Pop Blossom while casting it, it's also a very cheap item giving you a good amount of damage as well. You can build this first or second item.

  
  It's very rare to get past these 2 items in a match if you do consider buying any of these items below depending on a game state. If you are looking for a copy and paste build see the "Full Build" Above.
  
  
  
  Offensive Items

  Building Oblivion Orb can be a nice snowball item when purchased in combination with Sorcerer's Shoes giving you simply more damage. Be careful purchasing this 3rd item, as that late into the game the enemy will likely have magic resist ruining it's effectiveness. Look to purchase Oblivion Orb 1st item when snowballing.

  
  

  Liandry's Torment functions as a solid 3rd item for Neeko as it offers health, AP, and a passive that helps damage bruisers and tanks.

  
  

  Twin Shadows's is a pretty obvious buy in the matches it's good in, but pretty cloudy when it's not. It's a cheap item, offering only AP and a slow active which usually isn't useful. So in matches when it's good look to get it 2nd item, otherwise avoid it.

  Fully upgrading Oblivion Orb is not only expensive, but usually not worth it as the enemy will start itemizing magic resist, but the healing debuff can be useful, don't look to far into it though, as getting enough gold to actually complete Morellonomicon 3rd item in the matchups in which it's valuable is super rare.

  
  
  
  
  
  Defensive Items
  
  If you are going to itemize these defensive items you might as well build all of them in succession > Turbo Chemtank into Gargoyle Stoneplate into Abyssal Mask as they multiply in value, rather than having a 1 off in the standard build of Zhonya's Hourglass + Hextech Rocketbelt.
  
  

  Turbo Chemtank is the most obviously useful "Tank" item for Neeko as it's cheap enough to be purchased early and it's active aid's not only with your engage, but your allies ability to follow up.

  Offers a ton of stats, and active makes you very tanky when around multiple enemies, so aid's in when diving the entire enemy team as Neeko or any tank. Can build out of Perfect Timing's Stopwatch making it cheaper.

  
  

  Locket of the Iron Solari is very good when very far behind, or very far ahead. It's bonus shield helps keep you and your carries safe during fights, and bonus stats help Neeko especially against AP threats as she has few good magic resist itemization options.

  
  

  Redemption is very solid on Neeko as a 3rd item. It's cheap and offers healing + Damage. It's harder to pull off, but is probably going to be my go to as I play her more.

Level 1 take up a look out either above red buff on Blue side, or opposite in the brush leading into river on Red side. Neeko's invade is somewhat lack luser, as walking away from her E Tangle-Barbs is very easy even for those with the slowest reaction times. Her Counter-Invade is very strong though, as her E Tangle-Barbs is empowered the more enemies it goes through, it's perfect when you cast it at 5 seen enemies marching into your jungle.

Delay leveling an ability until required. Most matches you will end up leveling Q Blooming Burst as it deals more damage to the jungle camp your jungler is starting. You will also spent the level 1 in most lanes poking with Q Blooming Burst as it's cooldown is low. Even in the slowest lanes you can cast it twice on the first wave. Look to punish the enemy for CS'ing, walking up to the enemy then casting it is a very bad approach.

Level 2 on Red side you will probably have to respect the enemy jungler doing Red buff > Krugs > Ganking Bot Lane. With the recent scuttle changes in patch 9.9 this path is going to become more and more common. You can counter it by warding the enemy Tribrush level 1 as you come to lane. Paying attention to the enemy jungler and know if they can do this path or not will also help.

As you are hitting level 2 in lane you should be walking up. Your ADC should be lasting hitting the 3rd Melee Minion to give you level 2, and you should be in front of the enemy waiting to land an E Tangle-Barbs as you hit level 2. In most lanes if executed correctly will result in a kill.
How you play out matches will obviously change based on what ADC you are playing with, and what bot lane you are playing against, and junglers. See the "Matchup" sections to be pointed in the right directions based on certain matchups. Some general laning advice I can give for Neeko is to look to poke with your Q Blooming Burst, look to block skill shots or initiate with W Shapesplitter, and look to punish with E Tangle-Barbs. This isn't a guide on overall laning, if you are interested in that check out my STREAM. Neeko is weak to poke, so avoid it and buy multiple Health Potions when it's unavoidable. Neeko's advantage against poke lanes is her all in, Neeko's advantage against melee lanes is her poke, range, leading her into a better all in. In most melee matchups you will likely be able to block a key spell such a hook or binding with W Shapesplitter.



Follow up

Although Neeko has lots of damage, it's keep to play the lane out properly, if you are miles ahead of your ADC and land an E Tangle-Barbs it will get no follow up. Now amplify this play to your Jungle & Mid Lane. If you are initiating all ins before they can arrive to your lane, you simply have less follow up, and entering the Mid game more and more champions will have the opportunity to arrive in the bot lane. Use Control Wards to allow your jungler to be near bot lane without being seen, then setup a play. Watch your Mid laner, to see where their lane position to give yourself more information of what to do next. Fundamentals win games and make you better.



Turret Plating

Turret Plating is an important objective in the laning phase, getting usually means you are winning the lane. That's usually how it functions, as a prize for winning the lane. Demolish helps you take Turret Plating quickly, so that you have better timing to back off and recall afterwards. Overstaying for Turret Plating is a noob move, so don't do that.

Mid Game on Neeko support should continue laning with your ADC regardless if the lane you and your ADC are farming is Bot, Mid, or Top lane, even when the Mid Game starts you shouldn't perma roam on Neeko. Rather or not you should move to top lane, mid lane, or stay bot lane after taking or losing the first tower bot the decision of where to move afterwards will change every single game. But just because your are out of the laning phase doesn't mean you don't have to get Experience anymore. All bad supports will be over zealous when it comes to get wards and invading Mid game. You likely only need 1 ward to protect your ADC while their farming, then look to move with your jungler to Ward, Skirmish, or start an objective ( Dragon / Rift Herald)

If you are very crafty in the Mid Game you can disguise yourself as a Carry, tricking the enemy into initiating a fight onto you then you land an easy E Tangle-Barbs into ULT Pop Blossom on them.



Remember the objectives to be gained Mid Game are Dragon, rift herald, and outer towers in all lanes. If you are not fighting for these you are probably in a bad spot, and also putting you carries in a bad spot as they have to follow up on your nonsense in which they can't be farming during that time, and if they end up dying it's perfectly awful as they don't get farm, the enemy gets gold for killing them, gold from pushing out waves, and gold from taking towers. Avoid those obvious throws.

Warding

Warding is easy. Put a single ward to spot out enemies coming to your lane, and if your lane is pushed out you can move with your ADC / Mid / Jungle to ward the enemies jungle or engage on caught out enemies.


Dragon / Rift Herald

Setting up dragon / rift herald is also easy, put a ward in the pixel brush to spot out enemies coming, you can also see them coming from lanes if you push out lanes prior to starting the objective. Calculate your team's HP, Mana, and ULTs to know if you can/ should turn, and if you can't / shouldn't than ping them back and exit the objective when the enemy team is approaching NOT as they arrive if they have arrived it's too late.



Farming
Remember the objectives Mid Game are dragon, rift herald, and Towers. This can be a slow point in the game for supports as this time can be boring since it's likely proper to be doing nothing and sitting near carries as they farm. Your presence in a lane is an action in itself don't get ahead of yourself or you will likely over do it and end up dying.

Personally all their is to farm as Neeko Support with Spellthief's Edge is the experience from the minion wave. Hitting level 11 is important as a 2nd point in ULT Pop Blossom gives you a lot more damage.

When you enter the Late Game pay attention to itemization (who has good items and who doesn't) and levels on all champions. It will really sho in the Late Game if someone over roamed to didn't farm enough as they will be down in Gold & Experience there for making their champion weaker. Observing these factors will help you make decisions around taking / forcing fights, or which champions to focus / ignore.

Late Game things get more brutal, death timers are longer, and everyone deals more damage to structures, so when you and your team wins a fight you will be able to take more without the enemy being able to respond. So it's very important to take the 1 good fight late game rather than every fight possible that you might partake in the Early - Mid game to try and gain advantages.


So the map becomes more open, and your job Warding becomes more important. Most the time you will want 1 ward in Mid lane, 1 ward in the pixel brush near Baron (left side Mid), 1 ward in your own jungle, and a control ward on Baron. It will be a constant game of refresh these wards as they are cleared, and advancing them further into the enemies side of the map when you gain advantage.

Getting caught out warding alone late game isn't acceptable, if you can move into the fog of war, don't. Wait for an ally, ping a lot, pray, good luck.



Teamfighting

Neeko is strong in the late game because of her team fighting ability. Pop Blossom is very powerful when not wasted. Like mentioned before you can disguise yourself as a Carry and move into the enemy and bait them to initiate on you. When playing around objectives you should also be looking to turn on enemies as Neeko's Flash + Tangle-Barbs + Pop Blossom punish is very, very strong.

If you are not the only engage on your team, you can look to use your abilities to peel for your ally carries, especially if the enemy has champions that will likely dive onto your carries. Neeko has the benefit of dealing a lot of damage as well, making it harder for Bruisers such as Irelia, Jax, etc to survive while diving.