Okay, so for my second build, I am publishing my build of Olaf. Olaf generally is a pretty simple character to understand, so I'm not going to explain what the abilities do, but only how to use them in the "Gameplay" section. Enjoy and I hope it benefits! Thanks!

I take:

Mark of Desolation
Seal of Vitality
Glyph of Scaling Cooldown Reduction
Quintessence of Desolation

I believe these Runes to be the best combination to maximize the efficiency of Olaf.

Armor Penetration on Olaf makes him a formidable opponent to any character, including tanks. Armor can be a major pain for characters such as Olaf that only deal in physical damage, so the most efficient way to combat this is through Armor Penetration Marks and Quintessences.

Health per level Seals give just enough defensive edge to allow Olaf to be a little bit more aggressive and be able to get away with it. Health is one thing that Olaf is typically really strong in, so it's not a problem to get it per level instead of flat; also making him a big late game pusher.

Cooldown reduction glyphs are simply a nice touch. Although Olaf's cooldowns aren't too bad, they could still use some CDR. Thus, by pushing for per level CDR, then the CDR is maximized at max level, allowing for Olaf to get his Ragnarok off just in time or fling two-three axes in a fight instead of one-two.

Offensive based masteries allow Olaf to be that big pusher that he needs to be early in the game. The little bit of defense also is a quick help to any Olaf in need and should be helped by the dodge addition. Honestly, these masteries have benefited me most in a Olaf scenario. Not much else to say...

Exhaust is a must have for any melee of this type. Almost every single melee DPS character should use this spell. It makes for clean getaways and clean takedowns. Until Olaf aquires Frozen Mallet, the player has to rely on the skillshot of Undertow which can potentially cost you or the team a kill. And we don't want that, so in order to efficiently and cleanly score the take down, Exhaust is a must.

Ghost is fairly typical of a melee character, especially DPS. This ability is mainly based for getaways. Ghost is a fairly basic ability which is most often used for defensive purposes although it can be used to quickly traverse the map, or chase down a foe. But generally, this is a smart defensive step towards a survivable Olaf.

In my opinion, starting off with Undertow will allow for a good and clean harassment without the potential risk of Reckless Swing as a combat initiator. Tough It Out is more of a late game usage spell and therefore isn't required by this build until later in the game. The slow of Undertow is invaluable early in the game, another good reason for the early maxing. Reckless Swing can potentially be Reckless (pun intended) early on, so use it wisely for harassment, but note that you actually do hurt yourself... Don't be stupid or greedy.

For the above reasons, I max Undertow first, then Reckless Swing, and then Tough It Out.

Doran's Shield - really the main thing in the beginning is making sure that you don't die. Therefore it is always better to go the safer route than to attempt to be more deadly. I strongly suggest this over the sword for the survivability and less likelihood to have to return back early.

Mercury's Treads - I believe that these are the best for Olaf because of the defensive push added to him. Literally, it makes him unstoppable. The added magic resist and decreased duration of stuns, slows, etc. is really much more worthwhile than simply getting Berserker Greaves due to Olaf's passive.'

Frozen Mallet - really the main reason for getting this is for the slow and health. This health is really the top of defense needed to get Olaf that survivability. The slow makes it nearly impossible for targets to have any form of an easy getaway. Hands-down a great item for Olaf.

Phantom Dancer - this attack speed bonus greatly helps Olaf at this point and the movement speed makes it really easy to gank and chase down fleeing foes. The crit is a nice touch and it really doesn't cost that much. A must have...

Zeke's Harbinger - now it's time for some lifesteal. This amplified by Tough It Out] makes a wonderful addition this point in the game, not to mention the added aura which helps out the allies. The lifesteal and attack speed really push Olaf to the edge of God-like DPS.

Atma's Impaler - this item is the perfect balance of defense while packing a punch to the foe. The added damage by this point in the game really hits hard, while simultaneously making Olaf a harder to kill target. The impaler really balances Olaf out this late in the game to be a formidable opponent, a definite win.

Banshee's Veil - okay, never have I ever made it this far in the game on Olaf, but if you do, I suggest selling the Doran's Shield for this which will give Olaf the nice little perfection of defense that will push you to victory.

Efficient laning centers around wise usage of mana and harassment being balanced. Don't throw so many axes that you have no mana left to fight when it is crucial, but don't keep mana maxed so that the opponent can still feel safe and sound in the lane. Harass, but don't over do it.

Try to last hit as many minions as possible, the gold will really help in the long run, especially if you are laning with a more support geared caster type character.

Next, once team fights begin, be sure to use your ultimate when necessary. Please note that later in the game, with the use of the ultimate, you can pretty efficiently turret dive, but don't be too ballsy, err on the side of caution.

The flinging of axes and the summoner abilities should make for clean getaways and no lives spared on the opposing team. You want to maximize the efficiency of the slows of Exhaust and Undertow, while using Ghost to alleviate sticky situations.

Olaf can act as an in prompt tu tank if absolutely necessary by using Vicious Strikes and Ragnarok. Ragnarok will even allow you to tank turrets if necessary mid-late game.

Thanks for tuning in. Hope you learned a bunch from the build and it works. Check out my other build(s) and Thumbs up! Please comment!



-Janca