This guide is still under construction and will always be...

Changelog

04.07.2011 I posted the guide


Hello, my name is Scipio I, this is my first guide, dont expect everything to be perfect(;. As you may have noticed, English is not my first language, i hope you will rate this guide based on the guide and not based on my english skills. I would love you to rate my guide and comment it, but please stay constructive...

But lets get to the serious part!

Lore

The Ionians have developed some of the most breathtaking and deadly martial arts on all of Runeterra - just one manifestation of their pursuit of enlightenment. The most remarkable blade style to emerge, however, was the unusual byproduct of foreign intervention. Master Lito was a swordsman whose teachings were sought by ruling classes from nearly every city-state. His art was a highly-guarded secret, but it was said that swords would breathe in his grasp. He withered unexpectedly from a mysterious disease which baffled the brightest of Runeterran physicians. When he died, he left behind Zelos and Irelia, his son and daughter, and a truly unique weapon. Zelos became a sergeant in the Ionian military and left to seek assistance from Demacia immediately prior to Noxus' invasion of Ionia. Irelia, charged with the protection of their home until Zelos returned, was alone when the Noxian forces struck.

The Ionians fought admirably, but soon Ionian blood stained the land beneath the prints of foreign boots. At the Great Stand of the Placidium, Ionians prepared for surrender, but were inspired to maintain their resistance when the young Irelia lifted her father's enormous blade and pledged to hold until her brother returned. In the chaos of the ensuing fight, Irelia was cursed with dark Noxian Necromancy. As her life ebbed, Soraka, the Starchild, made a final attempt to anchor her fading soul. Unwilling to relinquish her home, Irelia rose at the brink of death, and her father's sword lifted in the air alongside her. Irelia rushed back to the fore, unfazed by the blade's sudden animation. The weapon danced around her effortlessly, cutting down Noxians as they gaped in horror. The decimated invaders were forced to retreat from the Placidium. Irelia was appointed Ionia's Captain of the Guard, and when the defense of her homeland moved to the Fields of Justice, so did she.

'The sword flourishes, as though painting with blood.'
- Taken from a Noxian Field Report

Why do i write a guide for Irelia now?
Irelia was the first 6300 champion I bought and I still love her. But what does Irelia make so fun to play? Why is she such a great char?

Pros and Cons

Pros

+With this build she's really tanky
+She can still throw out tonsof damag
+She can farm pretty well later on with Bladesurge, but also early game with her great attack animation
+Great CC reduction, 75% in a teamfight is just godlike...
+Mixed damage, does magic dmg with Equilibrium Strike, physical dmg with auto attack and Transcendent Blades and true dmg with Hiten Style
+Great solo top laner
+JUST A GREAT OFFTANK

Cons

-Needs to perform an perfect early game, its important you get a lot of farm
-Needs items to throw out dmg/survive
-Pretty weak till lvl 6
-you need a good team, you should get pretty many kills

Ok, now we saw what Irelia can do, and we learned about her -few- weaknesses. Lets get on, why do I build her as I build her?

LOL!
Why do I build Irelia as an Offtank? ****in Hell, She could throw out tons of dmg with an IE, 2 Hextechs, a Bloodthirster...

STOP!
Thats enough. That may sound really nice, but what does it give you? Ok, your ult will scale pretty well. Equilibrium Strike will also throw out some more dmg with the AP you get...
Mmmh. Hextechgunblade gives you 75 AP, with one of them your Equilibrium Strike will do around 37 dmg more. Mmmmh. Transcendent Blades will do 30 dmg more. And i didnt count MR and armor. As your Bladesurge acts as an Autoattack i wont count the Bonus dmg there, the most important part of BS is the leap anyway...
Your attacks will do more damage aswell. But look at your survivability: you will be focussed down and die instantly. Irelia has to get near the enemy to do dmg!
And her abilities do enough damage! You just dont need bonus dmg or ap. A Hextech gunblade does only occur in my build because of the spellvamp and lifesteal. But enough gameplay part, over to my build!

This is good for escaping, chasing and ganging. Its just a good allround spell
This does dmg and gives you heal reduction

Alternatives

You may want to exchange ghost for that. Its just a great allround spell.
This is really good if you arent that experienced with Irelia. If you need to recall you can get back to lane fast and your turret wont be damaged.
This is good for chasing, and you can kill their AD carry pretty fast.

I couldnt think of any other spells on Irelia, if you have any idea tell me.

I use these babies at the moment, they just add up to my lasthit power, makes the whole thing a bit easier. As an alternative I've got Greater Mark of Desolation, maybe the armorpen is nice for your Bladesurge but seriously, if youve got any ideas for got marks on Irelia, please please tell me!

These are just great, this armor early on is soo effective! Its especially important for your early game harrass, which I will explain later.

Good against any casters, you will probably receive the most damage of casters early game, thats the reason why i pick flat MR. If you are sure about your survivability, get , this will improve your spells...

2x ,1x
The health Quints are, in short, great for any champion, 52 life may be the edge you need...
Same is true for MS quints, the bonus MS can be the MS you need to chase up or get away.

0-9-21!!!
The 9 points in defense are pretty obvious I think, MR and Armor is just good for an Offtank, lifereg is always good...
So. Why the hell 21 points in Utility??? Who the **** needs Utility on Irelia? Get your self 21 points in Offense and go for Pentakills!
No.
You need these 21 points in Utility. Irelia needs to perform a PERFECT earlygame. You need the bonus XP. You need the bonus Manareg. You need the Bonus MS and the additional buff duration- you will want to get the red buff. 6% CDR are great too. And the topping of the cake:
The reduced recharge time on your summoner spells! And yes, even 1g per10 is good, that grants you- in an average game- around 300g. Thats 4 wards. And 4 wards more to buy may save your life- or your baron. And what does Offense give you? More dmg. A bit CDR. A bit MPen...
Do you need that? No.
To make it short, Utility just gives you more than Offense.

I pick up a point in Bladesurge at lvl 1. This is for easier lasthitting, and for escaping(you can leap to opponent's creeps to get away). At lvl 2 i get Equilibrium Strike for obvious reasons. At lvl 3 i get my first point in Hiten Style for that great heal, that may be the time you need it. At lvl 4 look at your lane. If you have free farm and you arent harrass pick up Equilibrium Strike for better harrass. If you have a 1v2 lane get Hiten Style, also if youre harrassed hard by a tanky char. If that stupid Teemo annoys you, get Equilibrium Strike and kill him-he will die after 2 hits. At lvl 5 get the skill you didnt take at lvl 4. Now you obviously get your Ult. At 7,8 and 9 max out Equilibrium Strike and then max Hiten Style. Get your Ult at lvl 11 and 16. The other times get a point in Bladesurge.

If you want to offtank you will find the items here:

I start off with these cause they give me MS to chase and to escape, plus you will be able to buy 3x . These should be enough to heal up until youre lvl 6 and have your own heal.
[Heart of Gold size=64]Get one of these if you go back the first time, Gp5 items are still good, you may want to exchange that for a Philosopher's stone.
When i saw these one first at the Dreamhack's when aAa SoaZ picked up that item i thaught it was an crazy idea. Then i tested it myself and- its great! You are able to spam your skills like hell, you only have to recall for buying items, because youre able to heal up with Transcendent Blades and Hiten Style and you regenerate your mana with this item.
This item is a must with Irelia, you get 75% CDR in a teamfight
This should be the most important item for every Irelia. As soon as youve got that you should pretty much dominate the game (;


Now we got our most important items, now your build should change with ever game
Against hard DPS teams:
That gives you armor and an amazing slow. Plus, you have something to build you Heart of Gold in.
OK, thats the really hard stuff. I would pick up this item against a 5 dps team... You get loads of armor, plus this amazing passive.
This gives you armor, CDR, and a bit mana...
This grants even more life, and this funny passive, this may really be helpful for an Offtank as you should stay the whole time in the fight. In a fight of 10 seconds you would do 350dmg to everyone. Thats nothing to overlook...

Against hard Magic Damage teams:
nice spellblock, a bit life, mana and a lot of MR. Pretty nice (;
Yummieeeeee.... A cheap item with MR and that great heal improve is pretty nice
I would only suggest this item against Urgot, Malzahar or Warwick because their Supresses arent affected by your CC Reduction. Any other time this item is ****.
Such a lovely item! After 4 Autoattacks you have got all stacks what grants you 50 MR, the 40 AS does help too, you will proc more often with your Trinity Force Phage proc, and easily throw out more dmg.

Against mixed teams/ Offensive Items:
See above.
Thats nice if you have tons of life and get so some bonus dmg.
See above.
This gives you spell vamp and lifesteal and a bit bonus damage.
Pretty cheap item, gives some dmg, plus MR and a great passive.

Level 1-6

Pick up Boots and 3x Health Potion and head on to your lane. At level one you should put a point in Bladesurge except you opponent goes over agressive. Then you should take the point in Equilibrium Strike to stun him. Wait until youre in lane when putting your point. When you put the point in Bladesurge and start farming. You should focus on farming from lvl 1-6! If your opponent overextends harrass him with Bladesurge in and then Equilibrium Strike. But care, after this the creeps will attack you and you may run out of mana pretty quickly. If YOU are harrassed REALLY hard take a point in Hiten Style more or play more defensive. But there arent many heroes which should be able to harrass Irelia that hard. You should try to get every Creep in any creepwave.
If you have a 1v2 l lane, go tower hugging. Get at lvl 3and4 a point in Hiten Style. Be patient. You will own their team late game.

Level 7-11

Start engaging fights against your opponent. Just Bladesurge in Equilibrium Strike and then Hiten Style. If you get at low health use your Transcendent Blades to heal up. Then start ganging, you should get a few kills by now.

Level 12-18(teamfight time)

In a teamfight Bladesurge in and thro Equilibrium Strike on the AD or AP carry, turn Hiten Style on and attack him. Kill him move on to the next target. Irelia is a great backdoorer, because her Hiten Style heal works on turrets too. She is also pretty good at taking Baron down too.

Thank you for reading the whole guide! I hope you liked it and if you didnt leave a comment please, so i can improve my build! Tell me for better marks too, ive got no idea for them.
Thank you!