Hello MOBAfire community, it's NinjaToss here, bringing you my very first guide. From the moment I first saw Orianna I knew she would be one of my favourite champions, she had it all, power, strategy, utility, survivability, and most importantly fun mechanics. Since her release I've been avidly playing Orianna, and for the most part I've been doing very well. What I hope to do with this guide is show you all 'my' way of playing Orianna, I can't promise you that it's the best way to play her, but what I can promise you is that if you follow my guide, and take the time to really learn Orianna, you'll be a force to reckoned with in solo queue or in premade ladder.

NOTE; I like to play Orianna as a tanky mage who can do some sweet damage, while still being able to fall into a support role when needed. If you're looking for a full-support build, I'm sure you kind find one elsewhere on this site. :)

PROS
-Great Farmer
-Lots of Utility
-Very flexible
-Great Solo mid
-Low cooldowns
-A buttload of AOE
-Great harrasser
-Fun to play
-Nice damage (When built right)
-An AWESOME shield
-She's a freakin' robot

CONS
-Hard to play
-Has mana problems early
-Requires a decent team to preform well
-Falls off a bit late game
-Does not have the power to enslave humanity

Runes are basically regular caster runes.

9 Greater Mark of Magic Penetration
These are great on any mage. The magic pen is never a bad thing, and these marks will help you throughout the course of the entire game.

9 Greater Seal of Scaling Mana Regeneration
These are sweet on any mage who has mana problems early and mid game, if you're running these runes, your mana problems should be minimal by mid game!

9 Greater Glyph of Scaling Ability Power
These runes are very solid for almost any mage. They give you a nice AP boost into the late game, and can make the difference between a low HP enemy and a dead one. You really can't go wrong with these runes.

As for quints, you have several options, it all depends on what you're looking for throughout the game.

3 Greater Quintessence of Ability Power
The AP boost from there runes are awesome, it really helps with harassing and picking up kills early on, and continue to be useful through to course of the game. Pick these up if you like to play agressively in lane.

3 Greater Quintessence of Health
These runes give you some nice flat health, which can help you stay in lane and gain an advantage over your opponent since you can trade harassment more often with more HP. Jungler will also be reluctant to gank a beefy enemy, so there's that as well.

3 Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed
With these runes you have greater mobility throughout the game. You can get to that dying tower a bit faster, chase down that low HP opponent a little easier, or get away from a gank quicker. These are good runes to have, take these if your positioning is less-than good from time-to-time because they can really be a life saver.

As with most casters, I go 9/0/21. The 9 points in offense for the spell pen are basically required, and the rest go into utility for some much needed CDR and all-around goodness.

I like to take Ignite and Flash on Orianna.

Ignite gives you the early game killing potential you need to finish off your lane opponent and pick up a few early kills, which will help you get your items faster, which means you'll be carrying your team to victory faster. It's usefulness does tend to fall off in late game, but it's still good, especially against people with spell vamp, or who spam heals such as Vladimir OR Swain.

Flash is hands down the best summoner spell in the game. It can be used in a variety of ways, to chase after low HP enemies, to escape over terrain, to reposition yourself in a team fight, or to bait an enemy into chasing you into your entire team. Simply put, it's the best, and that's why I take it.

ALTERNATIVES
Ghost
A viable alternative to Flash, however I wouldn't recommend it, as your W is basically Ghost on a lower CD.

Teleport
This is a great summoner spell, you can use it so push a lane, save a tower, set up a gank, or just to get back into the action ASAP. If you like this SS, by all means take it, because it'll probably help your team in the long run.

Clairvoyance
This is a great SS, and I generally don't like going into a game without someone on my team having it. It is like a free ward on a low CD that can be placed anywhere on the map at any given time. However, this is normally taken by the support, and since I don't play Orianna as a full support, I rarely take this.

SKILLS

Clockwork Windup (Innate): Orianna’s autoattacks deal an additional 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 (+0.2 per ability power) magic damage every hit, subsequent attacks on the same target within 4 seconds deal an additional 15% magic damage per hit. This bonus stacks up to three times.

This is a pretty underrated passive in my opinion. While you generally won't get too much use out of it in late game since you'll be mostly staying far out of auto attack range, it can be an amazing little bonus during low levels while you harass your opponent in lane. I can't count the number of kills this has helped me pick up by simply knowing when to poke my opponent after a quick Q=W combo.


Command: Attack (Active): Orianna commands her ball to fly towards target location, dealing damage to targets hit but dealing 10% less damage for each additional target hit (minimum 40%). Her ball remains behind at that location afterwards.

Range: 925

Cooldown: 6 / 5.5 / 5 / 4.5 / 4 seconds

Cost: 40 / 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 mana

Magic Damage: 60 / 100 / 140 / 180 / 220 (+0.6 per ability power)

This skill is nearly always the start of any combo you can pull off with Orianna. It does decent damage, considering it's mostly used to get your Ball into position, and it has a very low cooldown at max level so your Ball will literally never be standing still. I choose to max this skill out last, since it doesn't get any bonus from leveling except for CD and damage.


Command: Dissonance (Active): Orianna commands her ball to emit an electric pulse, dealing damage to units around it. Afterwards, the ball leaves a field behind for 3 seconds that speeds up allies and slows enemies for 2 seconds. This effect diminishes over time.

Cooldown: 9 seconds
Area of Effect: 250 (estimate)

Cost: 70 / 80 / 90 / 100 / 110 mana

Magic Damage: 70 / 120 / 170 / 220 / 270 (+0.6 per ability power)

Movement Speed Modifier: 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 %

This ability is really amazing, and it is the one I choose to max out first. It is a nice AOE nuke, that can, on top of taking away a quarter of multiple enemy's health, speed up a teammate or slowdown an enemy, and if placed well can do both at the same time! It is amazing for harassing someone down to low enough HP that your full combo can finish them off, but it is also an awesome utility ability than can help yourself or a teammate escape from certain death. I really can't say enough about this ability, use it well!

Command: Protect (Passive): The allied champion the ball is attached to gains bonus armor and magic resistance. Bonus Armor & Magic Resist: 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30

(Active): Orianna commands her ball to fly to and attach onto an allied champion, dealing damage to enemies it passes through and shielding the allied champion when it arrives for 4 seconds.

Cooldown: 9 seconds
Cost: 60 mana
Range: 1000 (estimate)

Shield Strength: 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 / 240 (+0.6 per ability power)

Magic Damage: 60 / 90 / 120 / 150 / 180 (+0.45 per ability power)

This amazing shield has saved the lives of myself and my teammates multiple times and will continue to do so for as long as I play Orianna. When used in combination your other abilities this shield can speed up your teammates, damage your enemies, and help you farm a full creep wave in seconds. I max out this ability immediately after I've maxed out my W, as it just benefits the team so much more than maxing out my Q for a bit off additional damage.

Command: Shockwave (Active): Orianna commands her ball to unleash a shockwave after a short delay, dealing magic damage to nearby enemies and flinging them into the air a set distance towards, and possibly over, her ball.

Radius: 400 (estimate)
Fling distance: 250-350 (estimate)

Cooldown: 120 / 105 / 90 seconds

Cost: 100 / 125 / 150 mana

Magic Damage: 150 / 225 / 300 (+0.7 per ability power)

This ultimate is what makes Orianna such a strong presence in teamfights. This one ability can completely turn the tide of a battle into your team's favour, while dishing out a sweet amount of damage at the same time! This ultimate can be used in a variety of ways, such as forcing multiple enemies to be hit with your W, pulling the enemy carry out of the safety of his team, or interrupting and channeled ability such as Nunu & Willump's Absolute Zero. There are too many ways to use this ability to list them all here, so get creative and think up your own ways to make this ability your own.


ABILITY COMBOS AND USES
Command: Attack + Command: Dissonance
This is your most basic combo, and will probably be the one you use the most throughout the course of the game. This combo allows you to get some nice damage off on your opponent, as well as slowing them and positioning The Ball for more damage and different combos. Learn to time and place this right, and you'll be on your way to learning some of Orianna's more difficult combos.

Command: Attack + Command: Protect
This a very basic combo used for farming and if placed correctly, harassing your opponent twice, while shielding yourself or a teammate. When placing your Q, be sure to try to place it a little behind your opponent, so that you can force them and any creeps in The Ball's path to take damage as you shield yourself from your opponent's attacks.

Command: Protect + Command: Dissonance
This simple combo is quite simple to pull off, and can save the live of whomever you decide to use it on, yourself, or a teammate. You simply need to place The Ball on yourself or a teammate, protecting them from damage while giving them additional Armor and Magic Resist, and then immediately activate your W to speed yourself or your teammate up, while hopefully damaging and slowing your opponent down, should they choose to chase.

Command: Attack + Command: Shockwave
This combo, post-six can be used to land your Ultimate on multiple opponents for some sweet damage, or to pull a fleeing/chasing enemy away from/towards you.

Command: Attack + Command: Shockwave
This combo is sort of situational in the sense that it can only be used to full effectiveness with certain champions on your team. For example if you have a Katerina on your team and she Shunpo's into the enemy team, you can shield her and use your Ultimate to pull the enemy team towards her to ensure that they take full damage from her Death Lotus.

Command: Attack + Command: Dissonance + Command: Protect
This combo can do some sick damage at all levels, if used correctly. With this combo you want to try to place The Ball slightly behind your opponent, just in range to hit them with your W, before dragging your ball back to yourself with your E, hitting them for even more damage. If you can learn to perfect this combo, the rest of Orianna's combos will come easy to you.

Command: Attack + Command: Shockwave + Command: Dissonance + Command: Protect
This is easily your most damaging combo in the game, and if executed properly can net your team an extremely easy Ace on the other team, freeing you up to take Inhibitors or Baron Nashor. Simply send The Ball into the middle of the enemy team, and activate your Ultimate to pull them onto the ball, once they're all in the cent of the ball, use your W for massive AOE damage, and then shield yourself or an ally for additional damage. On top of any other AOE abilities your team has, this combo can turn a 5v5 into a quick, clean ace.

CORE ITEMS
Off the hop I usually pick up a Sapphire Crystal and 2 Health Potion to help me stay in lane and farm. The extra mana from Sapphire Crystal helps allot with harassing your opponent, while the 2 Health Potion allows you to recover from any harass which they may dish out to you in return. However, if you're going against someone like Karthus you may want to pick up a Boots and 3 Health Potion, if you feel like you're going to need the extra movement speed and regeneration to win your lane.

Regardless of what I chose to start with, I usually try to pick up a Catalyst The Protector on my first time back, and at least my Boots (Unless I started with them) and a Blasting Wand on my second time back. This gives me the AP and survivability to dominate my lane and get ahead in both CS and EXP as I begin to zone my lane opponent out. It is around this time that the first team fights of the game may start occurring, so I always stay aware of the chances of a gank, while looking for places to gank myself.

After farming up a bit more, and hopefully picking up a couple of kills, I usually back again to pick up my Rod of Ages and my Ionian Boots of Lucidity. This is the part of the game when you really start to become a force to be reckoned with, you have the AP to do some sweet damage to the other team, while having enough HP, along with your shield, to remain alive in team fights. By now you should be moving as a team and warding up the map, so be sure to buy at least 1 Sight Ward every time you back from this point on. Wards win games.

The next time you have a large sum of money you should back to pick up your Rylai's Crystal Scepter. The AP is nice, but with this, you should have at least 2600 HP, along with the added bonus of all of your abilities slowing the enemy team, which is always a good thing. Now, here is where your build starts to vary, you have a few core items, and it's time to start building according to the enemy team, and how the game is going thus far.

If the enemy team has a decent amount of magic damage, and have learned to start focusing you in teamfights, you'll probably want to rush your Banshee's Veil for the added survivability. If the other team is stacking Magic Resistance, now would be a great time to pick up your Void Staff for the amazing Magic Penetration, and AP, with this and your Magic Pen runes, you should be slicing through MR like butter. If the game has been a faceroll, you can rush your Rabadon's Deathcap for the huge AP boost it gives you. By the time you've finished building any, or all of these items it should be endgame, and you should be stomping the other team into the ground while keeping your team alive with your awesome shield. Once your build is complete, be sure to pick up a bunch of Elixirs whenever you back, they really help, guys!

ALTERNATIVE ITEMS
Abyssal Mask
This is a really good, yet underrated item. It gives you some good MR, and AP, while reducing the MR of all nearby enemy champions. Feel free to pick this up instead of a Banshee's Veil if your heart desires.

Zhonya's Hourglass
This is a solid item on any caster, it gives you a nice chunk of AP, Armor, and comes with a great active that makes you untargetable for a couple of seconds in team fights, it can really be a life saver if you're having trouble staying alive in team fights.

Sorcerer's Shoes OR Mercury's Treads
Either of these options can be taken instead of your cooldown boots, if the other team gets early MR, or has lots of CC. Go with what you're comfortable with.

Will of the Ancients, As requested by PsiGuard!
This is a great situational item that you can pick up in certain team comps, instead of your Banshee's Veil or Abyssal Mask! If you have a couple of casters on your team who can benefit from the awesome spell vamp + AP aura that your WoTA gives off, be sure to pick this up, because it can really help out both yourself and your teammates in team fights throughout the course of the game!

Frozen Heart
If the other team has allot of auto attackers this is a great item to pick up as it gives you great mana, armour, and CDR, while at the same time reduces attack speed of nearby enemy champions by 20%. I fell in love with this item a long time ago, and will pick one up anytime I see 2 or more auto attackers on the enemy team.

LANING PHASE

I like to go solo mid with Orianna, as I feel she does best with a level advantage, since it lets her bully people early on, to make up for her somewhat lacking early game. If you can't grab a solo lane, be sure to lane with someone who is able to play aggressively and take full advantage of your utility with your range and shield. However, assuming you managed to take mid, you should start off with your Q, and focus mainly on last hitting, and occasionally harassing with your Q to let your opponent know that you're not afraid to throw down. Once you hit level 2 be sure to pick up a level in your W, as it is now time to start bullying your opponent off of your creeps. continue to last hit minions, but now take the time to start poking at your opponent any time they try to kill a creep. Hit him with your Q=W combo, and a few auto attacks, punish him for trying to hurt your lovely creeps.

After a few of these bursts of aggression, and a level or two, you should be ready to pick up your first kill. By now you should be level 4-5, and have one point in your E. Assuming you've been harassing correctly you should be able to net a kill with a quick Q+W and Ignite combo. Auto attack as needed to pick up the kill, if by some miracle your opponent lived, but was forced to back, take advantage of his absence to get further ahead in EXP and Gold. If you missed out on an early kill, don't be discouraged, you'll be picking it up as soon as you hit level 6. So keep farming, and feel free to back if you have enough for your Catalyst The Protector.

Continue to bully your lane opponent, and abuse the amazing range of your Ball until you hit 6. Once you hit 6 and have leveled your ultimate, you're ready to start picking up kills whenever it's off cooldown. Harass your opponent with a quick Q+W combo, then back off and act a bit passive. Then as soon as he gets overconfident and attempts to farm some creeps, you'll hit him with your Q+R+W combo, top it off with your ignite and you have netted yourself a kill. At this point you should back and buy, and start looking for places to gank, because soon enough a tower is going to be pushed, or there will be a team fight at Dragon, and you want to be as built as possible when that happens.

MID-LATE GAME
This is when Orianna really shines, and you can put her amazing utility to full use. Your team should be actively roaming together now, and attempting to pick up buffs, towers, and dragon. Make sure you're always using your abilities off CD, speed up your team, check bushes, shield your team, do everything in your power to give your team an advantage. Also try to pick up blue buff for yourself whenever possible, as it greatly helps you, since you'll be spamming your abilities non-stop from now on. You should be able to one-shot creep waves by now, so always be sure to clear your lanes when you have the chance, because you're going to need allot of gold in order to make up for your damage starting to fall off towards end-game.

IN TEAM-FIGHTS
This is what Orianna was made for, she can turn the tide of a battle like very few other champions can. Be sure to stay out of range of unfriendly attacks, while still being in range to deal damage and shield your carry. Positioning is key, because you're no use to your team if you're dead, so be sure to stay behind your tank! However, you should be beefy enough to survive a good amount of damage, should you stay a little too far into the fight.

Always keep The Ball moving, Q here, W there, E over there. It makes a HUGE difference, never let your Ball remain idle, but try not to get tunnel vision and lose track of your champion while you're controlling The Ball! Focus on catching multiple people in your ult in team-fights, the AOE damage you dish out with your combo can easily bring everyone caught in your ult down to below half health. This alone makes you an extremely important member of any teamfight, deal your damage, shield your carry, rinse and repeat. If you're preforming your job properly, and abusing the slow from your Rylai's, nobody should escape your team's wrath, and you're well on your way to victory!

Thank you for taking the time to read my very first guide! Please take the time to comment, and let me know what you thought! If you have any questions, or suggestions, I'd love to hear them, and I'm open to any opinion about what I could do to improve this guide. Thank you for your time, I hope my guide has helped you improve with one of the funnest champions in the game, Orianna The Lady of Clockwork! See you on the Fields of Justice, Summoner!