Alright guys. This is my first build and I hope you like it!

I've been interested in Lee Sin for a while but I recently made the plunge and bought him. I've been looking around on the current guides for Lee Sin, but none seemed to match exactly how I played and built Lee Sin. This guide encompasses how I build Lee Sin and my certain playstyle with this amazing champion.

Laning you say? I've seen Lee Sin jungle in these tournaments, not lane!

Yes, jungling is a very good way to use Lee Sin. However, I believe Lee Sin operates just as well (if not better!) in lane. He has great sustain due to his lifesteal and power source (energy) and general tankiness. He can outlast his opponents and push them back by farming minions with Tempest or general harassment with his Q.

Lee Sin is a great champion for solo top as well as a great choice just in general.

Lee Sin takes a bit more getting used to to play in-lane, but if you can master it, you WILL see the results.

Masteries are pretty standard 21/0/9 AD masteries. There are a few addendums to account for Lee Sin's lack of mana.

I play Lee Sin as a tanky DPS in-lane, usually taking solo top.

As such, I get ArP marks, flat armor seals, CDR glyphs and ArP quints.

I'd consider magic resist per level glyphs as a viable alternative to CDR glyphs, depending on how tanky you want to play Lee Sin.

In general Dragon's Rage > Sonic Wave / Resonating Strike > Safeguard / Iron Will >= Tempest / Cripple

Safeguard / Iron Will and Tempest / Cripple depend mostly on how the first 6 levels go:

Are you getting kills without a problem? Are you having trouble chasing down your enemy or getting last hits? Tempest / Cripple helps you farm minions and push while also allowing you to put a good amount of damage and slow on an enemy.

If you are having trouble or things are just kinda going meh, then consider maxing Safeguard / Iron Will. You have a slight shield and if you hit W again, you gain lifesteal. Safeguard / Iron Will helps your sustain so you can outlast your opponent in lane and hopefully get an edge on minion kills or even push a tower.

When engaing in a fight, make use of Lee Sin's passive ( Flurry)! Whenever you use an ability, your next two attacks have increased attack speed; This means you should space out your abilities to after every 2nd attack to make the best use out of his passive.

Remember to use Safeguard / Iron Will on your initiator (if you aren't it!) to rush into the middle of the battle and become of use instantly. Use Tempest right after you engage to get some nice AoE damage, then single out a target with Sonic Wave. If the team starts running away, pop your E again to Cripple them and then rush to your target with Resonating Strike. If the champion you are focusing starts running away from the fight, consider using Resonating Strike to leap to them and either using positioning or Flash to get the right angle to knock them back into the fight with Dragon's Rage.

Remember that your second use of W gives you lifesteal! I have seen many Lee Sins just leave this out of their rotation. Don't let that be you! You will be missing out on another activation of Lee Sin's passive AND some nice lifesteal!

Good Choices

Flash: You can't really go wrong with this spell. Use it offensively or defensively.

Ghost: I prefer Flash over Ghost with Lee Sin (as he can chase pretty darn well already), but it is a matter of personal preference.

Ignite: Your tool for getting first blood. Very helpful in team fights against pesky supports and self-healing juggernauts.

Exhaust: While Tempest/Cripple already has a slow, this can be useful to nail down someone you are chasing. Also useful to neutralize carries in team fights.

Less Useful Summoner Spells
Fortify: Generally, your tank or support would grab this. Fortify can still be useful offensively if you knock the enemy back into your turret with your ulti, but their are many champions better suited for that style.

Revive: Ideally, you won't be dying.

Teleport: It can be useful with smart ward placement to set up ganks, and to get back in lane quickly, but it is generally less useful than some other spells.

Heal: Lee Sin has great sustain already, but I suppose if you added this in you'd never get back to base. Loses efficacy late game.

Situational Summoner Spells
Smite: While I tend to lane with Lee Sin due to his awesome sustain, jungling Lee Sin is a very common and effective route.

Clairvoyance: Yes, clairvoyance. While not the best choice overall, clairvoyance is helpful no matter who has it.

Don't even think about it!
Clarity: Really? Really? You DON'T HAVE MANA.

Rally: Just don't.

I tend to play a tankier Lee Sin, however, with armor runes and decent base stats, Doran's Blade beats out Doran's Shield because of the lifesteal, decent AD, and health.

Boots
Your choice of boots varies by situation. I like to get Berserker's Greaves up front to help with damage early game, however, Mercury's Treads are on the docket against a heavy AP or heavy CC team.

Ninja Tabi can be useful against heavy AD teams as well.

After boots, Phage is your next purchase. It gives an on-hit chance to slow, decent damage and health. It's a great item to round you out until you get Warmog's.

Warmog's Armor and Atma's Impaler are your core items. The combo is great for tanky DPS.

After Atma's, you're left with a choice: Trinity Force or Frozen Mallet?

Trinity Force is an all-around great item for you. The item passive synchronizes well with your passive, you get movement speed, an on-hit chance to slow, and plenty more goodies. I build this if my team is looking solid and I could use perhaps a bit more damage.

Frozen Mallet is along the lines of being more tanky while still delivering some DPS aspects. The health gives you AD, the Mallet gives you AD and a guaranteed slow: Great for chasing down fleeing enemies.

I usually choose Guardian's Angel at the end to round out my armor and MR. Add in a FoN or BV if AP champs are bringing you down.

If things are going well (or you feel too tanky), sell your Doran's Blade and pick up a Bloodthirster and/or a Zeke's Harbinger.

I want to thank you for looking at my guide to playing Lee Sin!

Please tell me what you think in the comments below, and vote!