Welcome to my Orianna guide!

My name is ReeceLightning and this is my first guide here on MobaFire. Considering this is my first build then this is going to be a small introduction to who I am and what I do. I play many characters which I usually just follow builds for and decided to create my own after I had played Orianna for a while.

This Orianna build is for control and sustain early game and then adds the burst at around the 20 minute mark. If you get the creep score you need and then some assists and kills along side it, it should be no problem for you to follow.

Also, thanks to Searz for the awesome guide format! You can find it here.

28/02/2012 - Update spelling & grammatical errors.
29/02/2012 - Added colour & update the items section to make more sense and added the update section. ^_^

Usually when you see a build, they have these two subjects in different chapters, but they are sort of linked, when you have blue especially. When you have blue you can use a distinct method of farming which works very well. The distinct farming method is sort of like this:

Minion Wave (in lane) >> Your Wraiths >> Minion Wave >> Enemy's Wraiths

Is it worked out to work exactly in time and the idea is to get blue at around level 6 and start using this farm. This works incredibly well if neither team has a jungler, and if you can do it quick enough, then you can slightly counter jungle them if they do have a jungler, if you have a jungler however, make sure it is ok with them that you take wriaths (it should be ok, they can gank once or twice to make up for the experience & gold. You will also find that this works particularly well on Mordekaiser as soon as you get a Will of the Ancients.

Q - Command: Attack

- In lane, you need to use your ball to control your lane, wherever your opponent is farming, move your ball towards them, keeping them on their toes is needed, even better if you can get them out of experience range. Considering all of your abilities come from your ball, they'd be stupid not to avoid it.

W - Command: Dissonance

- Probably one of your most powerful abilities, except your ultimate of course. Slow your enemies, speed buff your team mates, and do some insane damage to your opponents.

E - Command: Protect

- Honestly, I don't think it's that great, I usually use it when one of my team mates is ignited, probably it's best use. However, it does do damage on its travel from it's previous position to whoever you're shielding.

R - Command: Shockwave

- Your most powerful ability, as most ultimates should be. This ability can be game changing if you play it right, you need to find the perfect moment to use it. best time is when their whole team is stacked together, because it brings the squishy champs to the front and flings the tanks to the back.

My personal skill sequence goes like this:

>> >> >> >>

And repeat as appropriate, fitting in ignite wherever you can; note that your Command: Protect will do damage to the enemy on it's way back if it is in it's line of fire.

My item sequence is due to my opinion and what works for me, if you think otherwise or have found a better one for you post below cause you may help others out!

Sapphire Crystal

- I take this for the extra mana early game, along with two health pots for the sustain, until I build my Sapphire Crystal into a Catalyst.

Catalyst the Protector

Catalyst the Protector - Gives awesome mana regen and health regen early game once you level, getting this as fast as you can is a great advantage on Orianna, it also counters general harassers such as Veigar & Karthus who can spam their Q abilities, because as soon as you level, that health is just gonna regen.

Boots of Speed

- Taking this gives you the movement speed you might need along with your W ability to avoid ganks from junglers and other lanes. They also help you have that little more avoidance against enemy abilities such as Karthus' Q and various skill shots, if you find you're against someone mid with these kinds of abilities, feel free to take these first.

Needlessly Large Rod

- I like to buy this early so I have the option to buy a Rabadon's early on. Depending on creep farm, kills, assists, etc.

Rabadon's Deathcap

- I try to buy this by the 20 minute mark. Like I say, if you don't have enough gold, don't worry, buy a Rod of Ages first, then buy this after Sorcerer's Shoes. This item is ESSENTIAL when it comes to AP carries and the earlier you get it, the better.

Sorcerer's Shoes

- Again, this item is ESSENTIAL for casters, in my opinion better than Ionian Boots of Lucidity for the magic penetration and also I think blue buff suffices for the cool down reduction.

Rod of Ages

- Situational item, the situation on how much gold you have, if you haven't read the Rabadon's description yet read it, so I don't have to repeat myself. Since you have a Rabadon's Deathcap you may not need the extra ability power from Rod of Ages, so take a Banshee's Veil instead, however if you do this, take the Banshee's Veil at around the 30 minute mark instead of rushing straight into it.

Will of the Ancients

- Helps the team, helps yourself, take this if you're being focused, so you can have the spell vamp to heal and survive that little bit longer.

Rylai's Crystal Scepter

- Survivability. This is the only word that is needed for a Rylai's; it gives you a lot of health, and a slow, which can stack with the slow from your W ability.

Abyssal Scepter

- Magic resist and ability power, almost perfect for a Champ like Orianna, only missing armour. If you need the armour, however, take a Zhonya's Hourglass instead. You may also find if you want the extra magic penetration that Void staff will be a better replacement.

Summoner spells are pretty straight forward, set ones for AP, AD, Support and Tank, this is what I use for Orianna, and here are some relatively viable ones too.

Ignite

- Best summoner spell for AP carries due to the AP increase through the mastery when it is on cool down. Good for getting those life stealing AD's off your back the the healing reduction.

Flash

- Great for escapes and helps getting away from big ganks and works well with your W ability to flash over a wall and get the movement speed increase.

Clarity

- Good for early game if you need more mana regen, however falls off pretty hard late game. My opinion is to take flash & ignite for the best escape.

Ghost

- Great for escapes, works really well with the W ability for a double movement speed increase, also great for chasing close kills with it allowing you to run through creeps.

Heal

- If you're planning on going Support early game then you will need this to keep whoever you're supporting alive. It is possible to take ignite instead, but as I said previously, the shield isn't that great for constant damage.

This is my opinion on what summoner spells are good and bad for Orianna, if you find better ones feel free to post below incase others think mine just don't work quite that well for them.

Greater Mark of Insight

x9 - Do I really need to explain? Magic penetration is a massive edge to have over other mid champs.

Greater Seal of Clarity

x9 - Mana regen is good early game and getting additional mana regen per level can help late game too!

Greater Glyph of Potency

x9 - Ability power early on I find is more beneficial to get the ability power back that your missing from building your Catalyst first.

Greater Quintessence of Potency

x3 - Standard Quints for any AP carry, no other should be even considered.

Orianna

- Lets start with a mirror match; Orianna is down to who can play the character better, as long as you keep on top of her on farm and keep control in the lane with your ball, you should be ok.

Mordekaiser

- Mordekaiser is a difficult mid, keep your distance from him and try to keep his shield down, and use your ball's maximum range.

Veigar

- A difficult mid because of his ultimate, keep him as far away from the minions as possible to avoid him farming his Q ability, then when you have a gank ready or your full burst combo, take him out.

Brand

- Not too hard to control, Brand should be kept at range at all times if he gets an ability off on you, throw your shield on to stop his damage over time doing too much damage to you.

Morgana

- Morgana is a good opponent to be against mid, if she is stupid, she will spell shield as soon as you throw your ball at her, however is she doesn't, use your slow, then she'll use it. Ideally you need to wait for a gank to help kill her, unless she's not smart.

Fizz

- If you end up against Fizz mid, you want to push against him as hard as you can, not too much so that his jungler can get you, but enough to do some damage, as soon as he uses his dodge ability, pull him back with your ultimate, and you should have a kill.

Anivia

- Anivia is a strong mid, however not as strong as Orianna, time your moves well and get your burst off then you should have an easy kill, but remember to save your ignite for her egg!

Kassadin

- Kassadin is the strongest mid right now, stay defensive and make it difficult for him to farm with harras you should be fine. If you have a jungler request ganks often to keep him down.

Annie

- You can out range Annie very easily, keep her at range and and wait for her to go past her stun and then take her out while she has little defence.

Vladimir

- Vladimir is a tricky champ to hit and keep his health down, treat him like Fizz and Mordekaiser, try to keep his health low and wait from him to use his Sanguine Pool until you decide to use your ultimate. If anything, try to open your combo with ignite against him, to keep his healing to a minimum.

All other champs on based upon keeping them at range and preventing them from farming. Keep the harass up and move your ball around to keep control of the lane. As well as avoiding their skill shots, if any.

Heimerdinger

- This may be the only champ you may have problems against keeping control in the lane, simply because of his turrets, easiest way is to just let him push and stay by your turret, then request a gank.

Thanks for reading my first Mobafire build! I hope you enjoyed reading it! If you read it all, to all those who just found it for the items and didn't really pay any attention to the explanations, then if it doesn't work for you, that's your own fault!

To all those that read and paid attention, please try it out before you vote it up!