I created this guide because all Irelia guides are based on Solo-Top.
I hope you will get some new ideas, so that you don`t have to play all characters on their lane that they "belong" to!

Pros:

• good lane sustain
• best character for farming, due to Bladesurge
• good damage with a lot of sustain in a teamfight
• easy to focus the Carry (AP,AD)
• good ganks on top/botlane
• best, and in my opinion only counter to LeBlanc
• good to harass
• early toweridve possible

Cons:

• melee character in mid is always difficult
• not a classic mid champion
• mana-intensive farming with Bladesurge, better you farm without it
• without farm useless, but it`s easy to farm with her

• Greater Mark of Desolation is neccessary on every AD-Offtank and AD-Carry. If you have these Runes you don`t need to buy Last Whisper and can spent your money on more important items
• Greater Seal of Armor is important on most Offtanks, because you reduce the incomming damage from minions and towers dramatically.
• I prefer Greater Glyph of Magic Resist instead of Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist because the early disadvantes of not being a ranged character is pretty strong so you need to have strong early game runes.
• Your opponent will try to harass you as much as possible so another bundle of extra health is always useful. You are, and look pretty tanky and your opponent will be afraid :)

Best options:

• These summoner spells are in my opinion the best for every mid champ. If you are ganked you can always flash away, and if you want to kill somebody with low life Flash+ Bladesurge is a good combination. And Ignite is a good extra damage and especially against Swain, Dr. Mundo and Warwick it`s neccessary.

Options:

• These are aswell options to play with, but in my opinion not the best. With Teleport you can help your team in a teamfight, but as you are in the middle-lane you will be the center of the world. You have a slow or stun with Equilibrium Strike and Heal is good but not perfect. You can heal yourself with Hitten Style and Transcendent Blades good enough.

• Why do you need to skill this abilities in this order?
• First of all Bladesurge is your major farm- and harass ability. You deal quite a bit with lv.1, but i would recommend not to use it to early on your opponents (only on minions).
• Equilibrium Strike is important if you get ganked. If you have more life you will slow him and if you got less, you can stun him. This is very useful if you get towerdived.
• Hitten Style gives you bonus true damage and if activated you will get a little extra heal aswell. This should be maxed first because with this ability you will deal most of your damage.
• Transcendent Blades is nice extra damage after you used Bladesurge on your opponent but can be used to clear out huge minions waves aswell. It has got a pretty low cooldown aswell.

1. Mercury´s Treads give magic-ressistent so you don`t get that much damage on mid-lane
2. Wit`s End gives you magic -ressistent aswell, and you gain attackspeed which cooperates extremely good with Hitten Style.
3. Warmog´s Armor gives your health and stakes with minions and because you`re a good farmer it`s a good adition to Infinity Edge
4. Trinity Force is neccessary on Irelia
5. Guardian Angel gives you even more magic-ressisten and armor and because of it`s passive it`s a good item for most champions
6. Infinity Edge instead of Atma´s Impaler: I prefer building Infinity Edge but if you think you need a little more armor and you don`t have enough gold for Infinity Edge I would buy Atma´s Impaler aswell. Although you are a very food farmer you will need quite a while t build this build up, but if you have most of the items you will be incredible.

Xou have to learn how to play Irelia mid, with a lot of experience she is insane. Of course you can play her top aswell as you will see in the other guides and it`s good aswell, but with this build you will surprise the mid champ. With and ap-caster top like Vladimir you are a good adition to your team. All in all Irelia is always good if she`s alone on her lane.