Mainly because you still do damage if you do, but if you're a little experienced you can max Sonic Wave / Resonating Strike or Tempest / Cripple if you think you're doing better than the enemy.
The good thing is that if you max Safeguard / Iron Will you will have a LOT of sustain, you can absorb damage and fill your health back up with Iron Will and Tempest if there are a lot of minions around. I actually have more fun if I max Safeguard / Iron Will because it's easier to survive and less frustrating.

You can go for boots whenever you want, I buy them if the game is going badly with homeguard.
I'm usually going for Ionian Boots of Lucidity because I love the CDR, but you can also go for Mercury's Treads or Ninja Tabi if you're against heavy CC, AP or AD.

Pros

lll // Lots of damage even if you max Safeguard
lll // Great escapes
lll // The most awesome ability rythm
lll // Fun to play
lll // Hard CC (especially with e.g. Frozen Mallet)
lll // Can go in and out ( Sonic Wave and Safeguard)
lll // The amazing pleasure of landing Sonic Wave on a champion with low health and then killing him/her with Resonating Strike
lll // Uses energy

Cons

lll // No good poke, Sonic Wave gets stopped by minions :( // But also a pro because of more mobility.
lll // Can make big mistakes very easy
lll // Safeguard scales with AP
lll // U need skillz to master the rythm

You can take a pass on 1% CD, and it's good early if you use Ignite.

Good especially for energy users who can spam abilities.

You need that for more damage.

This removes 8% of the enemies armor.

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I actually would almost prefer this over CD, but because of it's not necessary.

Not necessary since you're building AD.

Would only increase your shield, not worth it.

Use if you really want to get your turret down, but I like to farm :3

It's so little, still a go to if you're 21/9.

Would increse the damage of but it's not worth it, especially because you would need to spend 4 points in something useless.

Would stack up well if you're building would actually really like to go that way. Never tried it tho.

Yes if you're 21/9.

Not worth it.

Nope, you won't be building any AP, it's such a small difference.

Damn icon again, but still no.

Yep, very good early. If you're going 21/9.

No, and even if it wouldn't make a difference because you aren't building AP.

Would definitely give it a point if I would go 21/9.



Is almost default for every lane.

Take 3 points in this if you're against an AD champion in your lane.

Take 3 points in this if you're against an AP champion in your lane.

Good against your enemy in lane, it really makes a difference over time.

Very good top, especially against ranged opponents.

Less CC can make all the difference in the world.

Really good early, fades off lategame sadly.

The right CC in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.

If you're stacking health it can save your life.

I use it but I think it can be replaced by something else, maybe .

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You won't be taking any of those summoners, I would consider it though.

Damn wrong icon, I don't use it, replaces it.

You're not jungling

You're still not jungling.

Wrong icon shiet, could be useful after the tower buffs.

I don't use it, mainly because it is really not worth getting.

I don't use it and I don't think it's worth it, it only makes a difference if you've got lots of armor and magic resist but even then the percentage doesn't increase by a bit because the armor you've got, the less difference 10 armor makes.

I don't use it, because investing points in other things help more.

I don't use it, since you're top, not many people are going to build crit. Even if they do it's not worth it.

Always good, on everyone. It will safe you if you use it correctly.

Very good, I love it early, helps me get the first kill in my lane most of the times.

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Could really consider using, but mainly with alot of team communication.

Would actually like to try that, especially early for the first kill in the lane.

Vision is always good, but wouldn't take it.

Always takes this summoner, it will make the enemies /surrender.

If I would ever need something like that I would go for .

Could be useful, never tried it tho.

That's for dominion, but this guide isn't for dominion.

Since you have a lot of jumps it would actually be a good thing.

Heal is good, wouldn't use it on him tho.

Good if you're losing, but how do you know that you're gonna lose?

This isn't a jungle guide, would be good for jungling tho.

Good if you're tanky.

Very good for 1v1 and teamfights, just get it.

Good early, not too early though.

If you're doing badly against a Garen or something.

Got nerfed :( still good though if you really want a kill.

Not very good in gold value, but still good.

Ye, dunno, if you can't win teamfights.

Get those, they're yummy.

Nobody really tried it, I think it would be good though because tempest does magic damage.

Very good if the enemy has so much armor you don't do any damage, take it every game in the late stages.

The jungler will buy it most of the time, good against an AD top laner.

I love this item, very good start with hexdrinker against an AP.

Also good against an AP, especially one with heavy CC, but the speed boost it will give you because you're melee can also help you secure a kill.

If you're against a Garen or a Riven this is very recommended.

Very good, I'm buying it less and less though.

Awesome on Lee Sin, it can save your life because of the extra HP and ward jumps with Safeguard!

Rarely seen in top lane, still can be useful.

sight ward Always have a ward, or Sightstone

I know it's jungle item and gives mana regen, but it's so valuable for it's stats.

I love this item, you can build it with your early Rejuvenation Bead

Good against an AP champion, you will alot with your lifesteal and spellvamp from Iron Will

I've almost never seen it on him, but I think it's good.

So risky, it's worth almost FIVE TIMES as much as it costs with 20 stacks, already worth gold with 4 stacks tho.

Almost always get this, I don't like it tho, the passive doesn't work and it not worth in gold.

Very good, worth a lot of gold.

It's annyoing to build it because All those items you need to buy before you get it are very bad and built very slowly. When you upgrade it with the last 3 GOLD it will be worth it, don't get it if you're not fed a little.

The go to tank item.

It's cool, but I'd rather go for Sightstone

Not worth in gold, will Avarice Blade compensate it? I don't know.

Worth a lot of gold, get it if you don't have any tenacity.

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I can't really write about anything, I don't have enough IP to buy a lot of runes. I just use those all the time.

Difficulty 3/5

Use the against hard AD in lane if you're falling behind, max Safeguard so you can block all the damage from his Decimate.
Don't just only build damage against him, if he becomes 6 the difficulty will increase a lot, be careful when you go straight onto him, he will dunk you if he gets his Hemorrhage stacks.

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http://imgur.com/a/uLtvi#3