Welcome to the "How to Mage'Gath" guide. Today I'll be teaching you the basics on how to play Cho'Gath the correct way. As a mage.

Tank Cho'Gath can be useful. As a sponge. He's not really a threat in any way and can almost be ignored unless you're low HP.

Mage'Gath is always useful and his damage cannot be ignored.

This passive will make you incredibly durable during the laning phase. With just a few last hits, you can go from half health to nearly full with this alone. It makes Cho incredibly durable during the laning phase and allows him to take middle lane.



1:1 AP Ratio delayed knock-up that slows when targets hit the ground. We max this first because of it's ability to start teamfights and to slow pursuers while low on HP.



1:.7 AP Ratio silence which lasts for four seconds. Used to silence in team fights, of course. After the latest patch, it now does 75 / 125 / 175 / 225 / 275 (+70% of ability power) damage.



Makes your auto attacks more potent and can be used to help last hit if having trouble during the laning phase. After the latest patch, it now does 20 / 35 / 50 / 65 / 80 (+30% of ability power) damage.



High TRUE damage nuke which can be used to secure kills after having six stacks. Each stack increases your maximum HP which makes you survive a little longer in team fights. After the latest patch, it now does 300 / 475 / 650 (+0.7 per ability power) true damage.

Greater Mark of Insight - 0.95 Magic Penetration ( x9 )

Penetrates enemy Magic Resistance which causes your spell to do more damage
Greater Seal of Resilience - 1.41 armor ( x9 )

Let's you take more auto attacks while in laning phase which will let you live longer.
Greater Glyph of Potency - 0.99 Ability Power ( x9 )

Makes your abilities more powerful which makes you more of a threat to the enemy team.
Greater Quintessence of Potency - 4.95 AP ( x3 )

Makes your abilities more powerful which makes you more of a threat to the enemy team.

We take these masteries to increase our overall damage while helping the last hit in the lane and to help reduce time dead.

I always take Flash and Ignite. With Masteries, while Ignite is on cooldown, you'll have increased Ability Power. This is always useful to have, so don't be afraid to initiate with Ignite.

Flash can be used to secure kills and escape ganks. If you find an enemy is low after your combo of Rupture and Feral Scream and you're unable to close the gap quick enough to Feast, just Flash in and use your ultimate to get the kill. You get gold, experience, AND a Feast stack for the cost of one Flash.

I like to start off with Doran's Ring simply for the fact that it gives me HP, AP, and mana regeneration. All of these properties help during the laning phase.

By the time I blue pill back to base for the first time I usually try to have enough gold to go ahead and buy a Catalyst the Protector outright. If I'm forced to back before then, I'll get a Ruby Crystal and Boots.

By the time I go back the next time I'll have enough to finish the Rod of Ages. This usually happens around 12 - 14 minutes into the game depending on whether I'm in a side lane or solo lane.

After the Rod of Ages, get Sorcerer's Shoes and a Needlessly Large Rod. You should try to get these two items by 16 - 18 minutes.

Finish off your Rabadon's Deathcap and start working on a Zhonya's Hourglass by starting with another Needlessly Large Rod.

Once you've finish off your Zhonya's Hourglass you can either get a Banshee's Veil or an Abyssal Mask. I usually get Abyssal Mask first, but if you're having a hard time avoiding being CC'd, then go ahead and get your Banshee's Veil first.

Optional Swaps:

You can swap out Rod of Ages for a Rylai's Crystal Scepter if that's what you prefer. Rylai's Crystal Scepter is good for the slow on Feral Scream and Vorpal Spikes. This is completely up to your preference as they're both good item choices.

Always max Rupture first. It's your highest damage nuke second to Feast.

Having said that, don't think that you have to get it first. If you're in a side lane with a partner that already has a stun, you can go ahead and get Feral Scream for the silence and slow for when your partners stun wears off.

After maxing Rupture, we want to max Feral Scream for the prolonged silence and slow.

I don't normally put points into Vorpal Spikes until Rupture and Feral Scream are maxed just because I don't normally find a need for it. If you have trouble last hitting minions during the laning phase, go ahead and put one point into Vorpal Spikes at 2, but due to Cho's high base damage and the masteries we took, I don't find that I need it at low levels.

You always want to put a point into Feast whenever you can. It can be used to weaken a tanky enemy, finish off a squishy, to help kill / steal Baron, to help kill / steal Dragon, and to increase your HP when you kill minions / enemies with it.

Farming with Cho is probably the easiest thing to do in League of Legends.

Rupture creep waves and if they don't die from that, then Feral Scream.

After you get your first Needlessly Large Rod, you should be able to kill the neutral Wraith camp with your Rupture by itself. You should take advantage of that whenever possible.

Cho is strong when partnered with a champion that has a stun. It helps Cho land his Rupture which is usually followed shortly after the stun to maximize the time that the enemy is disabled.

Rupture can be used to initiate fights if you're able to get multiple people with it. The small opening that it gives can be enough to win a team fight and get on to pushing the lane and/or grabbing Baron.

I've seen quite a few Cho's have a tough time landing rupture because it's so easily seen.

I've found that zoning an enemy and causing him to move where you want him to will cause you to land more Rupturess.

What you'd normally want to do is put them between the Rupture and yourself with not a lot of space to the sides if possible.

Ruptures delay is a little long so you need to lead by nearly the entire targeting circle. It can be tricky to hit consistently but when you do hit it, it's pretty dang satisfying to watch them fly up then land in a Feral Scream.

In short, this guide should help you become a better Mage'gath by providing a solid item build, good masteries and runes, and what I find to be great summoner spells that work well with Cho'Gath.