Hades had a giant dog with three heads in order to keep the order in and out of the underworld. A fearsome beast able to massacre whoever brave enough to come near it. Its name was:

Years passed and during the Ulysse's journey it was necessary for him to communicate with his dead ancestors in the uderworld for advice on how to return home. In the grand battle that followed Ulysses prevailed and Ceberus was slain.
This event made Hades boil with anger. So he went to Thermopylae in a search of a grand warrior. A dead warrior. He found a body of a slayed Hoplite named Άκροσφαιρος(name given by its success in the ancient olympics).
Hades took his dead body, and poured the old soldier's soul inside it.
Eyes glowing but his heart not beating. Hades named him Πάν8ειον(Pantheon). A fearsome warrior with no remorse or feelings.
Its reason of creation was simple. To haunt down Ulysses and bring his head on a pike. This was not justice but revenge.
When the Gods of Olympus learned of this treacherous act they exiled Hades, and stripped him of his powers. It was forbiden to resurrect dead souls as the fate of every person could not be changed or be undone.
With his last words he made Pantheon the guardian and commander of the underworld.
And so the Son of Hades was born. Ready to fill the underworld with the souls of the dead.

Well, before I analyze why Pantheon is more effective as a bruiser, I will explain what made him viable for this role.
In the past, Pantheon's skills had very low base damage but extremely high AD ratio, and therefore we needed to invest on damage to be effective, otherwise Pantheon was useless and ignored with ease.
Now, after Pantheon's remake his skills get more and more damage with each level, and thus he can deal considerable punishment even without going with a balls to the wall build.
Also, because Heartseeker Strike now inflicts 3 hits instead of 5, it does not allow Pantheon to have the same bursting potential as in the past so killing carries takes much more time and forces you to stay longer in every fight to be effective.
More or less, Pantheon's anti-carry days are somehow over. He is still fun to play like that but he is defenetly less viable for that role. Besides, Talon and Shaco are a much better choice for this job.


Bruiser Pantheon is more effective because he can stay in fights longer, initiate and fit better on team compositions in the current meta.
In general, bruiser Pantheon is much more able to determinant the outcome of the game because he can be an awesome leader inside the fights and show his teammates the way to victory.

Hands down the best way to play Pantheon.

I've been working on a way to maximize the characters potential in every single step of the game. The item path and decisions are an outcome of huge experience and effort to deliver the best possible build that a Pantheon player can use.
The guide is based on Solo top,both Ranked and Normal.

Please READ the guide. You will find all the answers you need as well as information on how to use and play with this build effectively.
The build evolves during the game around 3 main things:
-Lane sustain.
-Survive Ability.
-Damage.
All three of them are accomplished by making the right choices and by matching 3 items together.

This is combination we have seen a lot for characters like Lee Sin or Jarvan IV but rarely seen on Pantheon.
Like a Phoenix rebirthed from its ashes Pantheon comes to dominate solo top and take the role he deserves in the competitive scene.

PROS -Fatal finisher. -Highly durable. -Good initiator. -Fun to play. -Build in "teleport". -Roflstomping joke and taunt.

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CONS -Item and team dependant. -Easely countered. -No build-in escape mechanism. - Grand Skyfall requires practice to place properly.

I prefer a more offensive approach on Masteries since we aim for more defence in items, so I can achieve balance between damage and sustain.
:Free attack damage while Ignite is off cooldown. Helps with last hitting and harassing. Not bad.

:Again some early game damage. Not much difference but every little bit helps.

:Helps stacking up your Aegis Protection and lasthitting consecutive low health minions.

:Awesome mastery works perfectly with your abilities.

:Small amount of AD, I use this to reach Lethality.

:Empowers your criticals significantly and helps finishing off low health enemies.

:It works nicely with the regeneration you have from Regrowth Pendant making you much more durable in lane.

:Scales insanely well with Greater Mark of Desolation and Greater Quintessence of Desolation.

:More damage against low health enemies. I like.


:The lower cooldown can save your @ss.

:I use this mastery to reach further down to Meditation

:Helps a lot against Pantheon's early game mana starvation.

Spending your 9 points wisely:
There are two main options that I suggest.
Initiator.
I do this in order to preserve a point for Weapon Expertise witch i believe cannot be skipped. Its trully a must because as a bruiser you must be able to pack a punch for the softer targets.

The rune setup follows the same phylosophy as the whole build. Survive ability combined with damage.

Greater Mark of DesolationGreater Mark of Desolation.These runes are absolutely fantastic! They are exelent for countering early armor and securing your damage throughout the game.
Greater Seal of Resilience.Defenetly a must have to counter attack damage oriented champions, as most solo top champions are.
Greater Glyph of Shielding.As a true bruiser you must be able to withstand the damage inflicted on you. And as you will face a blend of damage types, so must your runes develop around that fact.
Greater Quintessence of DesolationGreater Quintessence of Desolation.Same logic as with Marks. The total Armor penetration you have on lvl 1 reach a outstanding 25 Arp!(31 with Sunder ).






This setup allows for exelent harassment, but weakens later in the game. Its a good setup if you are facing more squishy solo top opponents like Talon.





Personaly I wouldn't run this, but it could work if you like charging around like a dummy. Still, you will deal next to no damage early game, especially if your enemies invest on Ninja Tabi and Wriggle's Lantern.

Exhaust.A personal favorite of mine. Reduces both damage and movement speed and adds one more crowd control to your arsenal. Can shut down carries and dangerous enemies in general. A great substitute for Ignite.
Flash.the most popular summoner spell of the game. Provides the character with an awesome escape mechanism. Most of the time every one has this spell selected, with only few exeptions. For Pantheon Flash is a must since he lacks escape abilities. Take it, hold it, love it.
Ignite.Loved by some, hated by many. I find this spell great because it can provide a lot of kills, especially early game. Also helps when engaging enemies protected by heavy healing support champions like Soraka. And last but not least its necessary for destroying a variety of targets like Gangplank and Yorick.
Ghost.Movement Speed steroids available every 210 seconds! Its a nice spell but its underused because it cannot offer the flexibility Flash provides. But if you like hauting people down chasing them around the turrents be my guest.
Teleport.A very interesting spell when used on Pantheon.Gives extreme map mobility and allows to defend your lane like a boss. Its also a very effective way for completing Philosopher's Stone very fast. I usually take Teleport depending on who my enemy is. If I have Riven as an opponent for example I might swap it because she doesn't have a build in heal like Gangplank so Ignite won't be so necessary.
Cleanse.Although this spell is more effective for Dps characters, Pantheon makes great use of it since the more he attacks or cast abilities the more he block enemy attacks. Extremely helpfull against very heavy crowd control teams(supress,etc) and in case of permastun situations.



Clairvoyance.I used this spell a few times before they add range limit to Grand Skyfall. It helps with your aiming but I wouldn't swap Ignite for it. Because you lose the element of surprise and your team's support will have it already. There are much more important spells to take instead.
Clarity.Okay I've seen it on some guides and tested it myself as well. It significantly increases your harassment but after a certain point of the game it will become useless. And you will be end up thinking how many kills you might have gained if you had picked something more useful.
Heal.After the recent changes to summoner spells Heal got a major boost to its viability. But since we don't play glasscannon Pantheon this spell is not needed. We need a more offensive approach to achieve balance between survive ability and damage.
Promote.May prove usefull for pushing the enemy turrent at the absence of your enemy, but its not a combat oriented spell. And it will be a waste if the enemy jungler is near by. We can certainly get something better than this.
Revive.I saw an Evelyn doing some crazy stuff with this. But you are not her. And you don't aim on dying. Besides you might want to roll a cigarette.
Smite.I don't use it for obvious reasons. You can find many intresting Jungling guides for Pantheon if you take a look around. I prefer laning.
Surge.Ok for a second forget about the Ability power it provides. The attack speed is intresting but not usefull enough to substitue Exhaust or Ignite.



I recommend Ignite+ Flash because they provide a great balance of survive ability and damage.
All the other Top tier summoner Spells are viable. So if there is another combination that works better for you feel free to test out yourself and find what suits you better.

Aegis Protection.(P).After attacking or casting spells 4 times, Pantheon will block the next normal attack that deals more than 40 damage to him.

This passive is what gives Pantheon its great durability on solo top. Most solo top opponents and junglers are attack damage oriented and since it procs very ofter you shrug off much of the incoming damage. With this block you can take towerdiving to the next level.
Aegis Protection can block:
- Ashe, Frost Shot(Blocks the damage, but the slow is inflicted).
- Blitzcrank, Power Fist(You block the damage but still get thrown airborn).
- Caitlyn, Headshot(You block the attack even when the passive is triggered).
- Ezreal, Mystic Shot(Blocks all the damage,but applies red buff if the enemy has it).
- Gangplank, Parrrley(Blocks the damage but Grog Soaked Blade is applied).
- Garen, Decisive Strike(Blocks the damage, but silence is applied).
- Irelia, Bladesurge.
- Jax, Relentless Assault(You block the physical damage part, but magical damage is still inflicted).
- Lux, Illumination(You only block the physical damage).
- Miss Fortune, Double Up(You block it if you are the first target,but it still bounces to the next target.If you are the second target you block the impact).
- Nasus, Siphoning Strike.
- Poppy, Devastating Blow(You only block the physical damage part).
- Renekton, Ruthless Predator(Blocks the damage, but the stun is inflicted).
- Shaco, Deceive.
- Shen, Ki Strike(Only blocks the physical damage).
- Talon, Noxian Diplomacy.
- Vayne, Tumble.
- Wukong, Crushing Blow.
- Xin Zhao, Three Talon Strike(You still get thrown airborn if its the 3rd hit).




Spear Shot.(Q).Pantheon hurls his spear at an opponent, dealing 65 / 105 / 145 / 185 / 225 (+1.4 per bonus attack damage) physical damage. If Heartseeker Strike has been leveled up once, Spear Shot will crit to deal 150% damage against opponents whose current health is below 15% of their max health.

This spell is just fantastic! Thats what makes Pantheon able to outharass most solo top opponents. With its low mana cost and short cooldown its awesome for zoning out opponents and finishing off heavily damaged foes.

Characteristics:
-Cannot be blocked.
-Its damage raise dramaticaly through spell ranks.
-Benefits greatly from Armor Penetration.
-Deals 150% damage against targets with less than 15% health.
-Its doesn't apply on-hit effects.




Aegis of Zeonia.(W).Pantheon leaps at the target enemy champion and deals 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 / 150 (+100% of ability power) magic damage and stuns them for 1 second. Pantheon also instantly refreshes his Aegis Protection.

This spell synergizes perfectly with Grand Skyfall and Heartseeker Strike making Pantheon a deadly weapon. The stun and gap sloser are truly invaluable. The only problem is that it scales off Ability power, and I think that's really dumb. But I guess thats for the sake of balance. Aegis of Zeonia does pitiful damage but that's not its purpose.

Characteristics:
-Instantly refreshes Aegis Protection.
-Covers all the time you need to cast Heartseeker Strike.
-If aimed before Pantheon touches the ground with Grand Skyfall the character will jump on the targeted enemy even if its outside of the ultimate's circle.
-The stun duration remains the same in all spell ranks.




Heartseeker Strike.(E).Passive: Pantheon gains 100% critical strike chance against targets below 15% of their max health.
Active: Pantheon channels for 0.75 seconds and deals 3 swift strikes in a cone in front of him. Each strike deals 13 / 23 / 33 / 43 / 53 (+0.6 per bonus attack damage) physical damage, and they deal double damage to champions.

Just awesome and feared by all fragile characters. Heartseeker Strike is the AOE damage that Pantheon needs. Able to hit several opponents at once this is a very nice punishing tool for teams that glued together all the time.
On Rank 1 without any extra damage it deals 26*3=78 damage in only 0.75 seconds! If you can pull out the same damage with autohits inside 0.75 secs on lvl 1 with 54 basic attack damage that Pantheon has be my guest.

Characteristics:
-Low cooldown on hight ranks.
-Perfect synergy with Aegis of Zeonia.
-Passive bonus makes farming ridiculously easy.
-Awesome when combined with an AOE damage teams( Amumu, Morgana, Sona, Graves).



Grand Skyfall.(R).Pantheon gathers his strength channeling for 2 seconds and then leaps high in to the air, crashing down at the target area 1.5 seconds later. Deals 400 / 700 / 1000 (+100% of ability power) magic damage to units at the center (down to 50% at the edge) and slows them by 35% for 1 second. If the channeling is cancelled, the cooldown is reduced to 10 seconds.

The spell which made Pantheon so famous. Very awesome and effective when aimed right and used properly. Can help you get a lot of kills early game due to the unexpected gangs you can pull out. Now that its range and cast time are reduced its aiming became much easier compared to the past. Great tool for initiating and towerdiving, but can be used defensively to escape a gang or annihilate huge minion waves threatening your turrent. Its a great tool for both offence and defence.

Characteristics:
-Huge range.
-Great synergy with Aegis of Zeonia and Heartseeker Strike.
-Takes the enemy by surprise.
-Can force the enemy to use its flash.
-Very high damage if the foe is caught in the center.
-Allows great map control.




In my personal opinion there are two ways that work better when playing bruiser Pantheon.
The first one is more damage oriented,while se second is based on faster stun cooldowns.

This is the main ability sequence I use.
I max Spear Shot first because its damage benefits greatly from spell ranks. Its the main tool you use to kill your opponent. Maxing it first enables powerfull harassment at very low mana cost and its one of the main reasons why Pantheon fits so well on solo top.
The spell that gets maxed second is Heartseeker Strike because by level 13 you will have everything you need to deal devastating damage with it. Do not underestimate its power, even in a less AD oriented build.
The spell that's maxed last is Aegis of Zeonia for obvious reasons. Its damage increase its rediculous and the stun duration remains the same. The only thing that's worth it is the cooldown reduction.
Of course upgrade your Grand Skyfall when its available at levels 6, 11 and 16.

The basic logic is the same. Outharass and outlevel your opponent. There is one major change though.
We max Aegis of Zeonia> Heartseeker Strike.
This reduces our overall damage but enhances our crowd control ability greatly by gaining Aegis of Zeonia 4 seconds faster! The only problem is that Heartseeker Strike becomes complete trash and its not worth using untill very late in the game. We sacrifice AOE damage for crowd control.
I suggest using this ability sequence when:
-The enemy team has very versatile and agile characters like Ahri, Vayne, Nidalee etc.
-If your team has plenty of damage but moderate to low crowd control, for example Akali, Shyvana, Nidalee, Caitlyn.
-If you prefer attacking during the stun duration instead of casting Heartseeker Strike. You will deal less damage with auto attacks compared to the Heartseeker but you can probably place yourself better for a chase and move in between attacks before you finish your target with Spear Shot.

Everything we need to do our job effectively as a bruiser is inside this amazing combination. The way they synergize together is just astonishing! By mixing these items together we get massive Health, reliable damage and extra mobility. Its the perfect balance between survive ability and damage for Pantheon.


Warmog's Armor.I think that most people have mixed feelings about this item. Some say its too expensive, others say its not worth it because it does not offer resistances. What I believe? I think that Warmog's Armor is an awesome item for just one simple reason. The enemy team has to cut through 1,2+ k of health in order to kill you. Its the main reason you can survive being focused by multiple targets. And because it provides massive health you can focus on buying heavy resistances afterwards combining both health and effective health. Its like Cho'Gath with full Feast stacks and 200+ magic resist and armor. Just unbeatable.

Atma's Impaler.We get the Impaler to combine damage with resistances. Warmog's Armor+ Atma's Impaler=Package of destruction. Very cheap and effective item,its a must have to make use of our health pool. The Critical Strike chance is not that important on first sight, but if you crit while Trinity Force is active you will inflict some serious pain.

Trinity Force.Gives a little bit of everything?. Thats not bad at all. What makes this item so important is the 150% extra damage on your next basic attack after a spell is casted. And since Pantheon is a spammy character he makes great use of it. When its completed you hit like a truck,run faster than Usain Bolt and be a stone cold killer like the Terminator. Noone will be able to see your evil smile behind your helmet.

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Regrowth Pendant+ .My favorite starting item for solo top Pantheon. The health regeneration allows you to stay in lane for a very long time and regenerate the health you will lose from early game exchanges. Your Health Potion adds even more sustain to the mix. A very good combination against any type of character.

Boots of Speed.+3x .Great early game mobility and 450 extra health provided by your three Health Potions. Very awesome start against mobile enemies like Riven and Shyvana as well as for avoiding gangs and skillshot based spells.

Cloth Armor+5x . Superb for countering and shutting down Tryndamere and can also be upgraded to Wriggle's Lantern if needed for lifesteal and a free ward. This combination is great for aggressive players because the five Health Potions almost double your available health.




Mercury's Treads.These are the boots I use 99.99% of the time. The best choice for negating some of the cc that is going to be thrown at you. The magic resist is pretty usefull as well. Expensive boots but they worth it.


Berserker's Greaves.I find myself using these boots very seldomly because they dont provide as much as Mercury's Treads. The only situation when I would get them is if the enemy team has both low crowd control and poor magic damage. The attack speed helps charging up your Aegis Protection faster and deal some more damage while you wait for your cooldowns. They work best with the Stunner Ability sequence because you rely more on auto attacks to deal damage.


Ninja Tabi.I believe that these boots are awesome after the dodge removal. The 10% damage reduction for basic attack stacks amazingly well with your armor, and helps a lot not getting torn apart by fed AD carries. Its what I usually chose against characters like Tryndamere and Olaf on solo top.

In this chapter I will show you the builds I have tested and used as bruiser Pantheon. All of them are created through endless testing and experience. Which one you will use its up to you mostly. Some of them are more damage oriented while others should be build if your team needs more tankyness.The final choice its up to you.






This is the build I find myself using most of the time. Provides protection against both Attack damage and Magic resist making it a perfect combination for most games. Its very rare to see a team only AD or AP oriented. Also you have great mobility combining Trinity Force and Force of Nature witch helps greatly initiating, chasing and doing your job more effectively in every aspect. This is a great all around build. I find myself replacing Force of Nature with Guardian Angel if I am on a long kill streak or have a clear advantage over my opponents or if I need to combine Armor with Magic resist.






You want to crush some skulls? Want to kill that annoying Soraka bot with one Heartseeker Strike? If you need damage for any reason this is the perfect way to get it! And to be honest this is my favorite build ever. The core makes you a very hard target to kill already so going more aggressively is acceptable. The critical chance along with the proc from Trinity Force and the extra damage from Infinity Edge makes carries evaporate. A simple Aegis of Zeonia with an empowered auto attack can easely destroy 800+ health points from the enemy. The squishier the target the better the results are. Stun+hit then spear+hit=dead. Suggested only if your team has a tanky setup and needs of more damage.WARNING:This build is abnormally expensive.





This build makes Pantheon a pain in the ***. You will be initiating, stunning slowing and attempting to get as much beating as possible. A great build for working with squishy teams that need a solid bruiser to do the dirty job. You wont be dealing much damage with this build but if you follow this item path damage is not your concern obviously. I replace Trinity Force with Frozen Maller for more crowd control and durability. Also it makes Atma's Impaler more effective.





This build was the prodrome for theBASIC. That was my main idea before evolving it later on. Its perfect if you want to be very tanky early game,rushing Warmog's Armor and Atma's Impaler and still become very deadly late game. I take Sheen before Phage. Helps doing more damage and its more beneficial because we dont have enough Arp for our abilities yet. Last Whisper and Randuin's Omen are just icing the cake completing a very strong all around build. Highly suggested if you dont like using Youmuu's Ghostblade.






This is an old build of mine revamped and recreated to fit in the current game. Its a build that can bring a lot of destruction to the other team because it combines very high damage along with lifesteal to sustain yourself inside the fight. I use Berserker's Greaves in order to apply Frozen Mallet more frequently and use the full effect of Bloodthirster. Its not a build based on many resistances and that makes it a bit vulnerable against magic damage. Not recommended if the enemy team has either Kog'Maw or Vayne because the % damage hurts a lot more. Still a very effective and fun build to use.

In this guide you are not the classic AD oriented Pantheon who plays more like an assassin trying to catch the enemies soft targets off guard. You are a BRUISER. You have to understand that you have a diffrent role inside the team. If you don't like this kind of change do not jump into conclusions comparing one to another. Because they are designed for different purposes.


You use Spear Shot first while maintaining yourself inside range of Aegis of Zeonia followed by a Heartseeker Strike aimed on as many enemies as possible.

In order to use your Grand Skyfall effectively:

Target it slightly behind your enemy.
Cover choke points and escape routes.
Trap the enemy team between you and your team.
Towerdive enemy champion.
Finish off a foe who escaped your range.
Defend Turrets.

These are the most usual cases when you will want to use your ultymate. Grand Skyfall is a great skill for intiating a fight but works wonders for clean up as well. You must think and act fast when you want to use your Skyfall. Try predicting your enemy's moves and land on their heads by surprise. Also because its cast time got greatly reduced during the Pantheon remake it can be used for escaping gangs and sticky situations as well.
If you see you are getting cornered by the enemy solo top and jungler run fast inside the bushes and use it in a random location inside its range on your side of the map. If they don't have an interupt this is a secured escape.






Cover the Blue Buff or the Red Buff depending on which side you are and what your jungler needs.
As soon as the enemy creeps arrive enter last hit mode.
Use Spear Shot on the enemy champion. This is a good measure to see how easely he can be killed.
If he is too bulky wait untill lvl 3 and only counter attack if he gets close enough. Otherwise continue throwing spears at his face.
Try to zone out your opponent in order to outfarm and out level him. Even if you get only one kill you are directly ahead.
Don't overextend too much. Pantheon does not have mobility steroids so if you get caught by Red Buff only a miracle will be able to save you.
If your opponent solo top starts to push the lane you can start auto attacking but be aware not losing last hits.
Harass your enemy every time he goes close enough to farm. Auto attack him if you have creep advantage.
As much as you can don't overextend because Pantheon is vunerable to gangs. Only if you know where the enemy jungler is you can move towards his turrent.
You main priority is Farming>Harassing>Slaying






Farming under the turret

-For melee minions let the turret hit them twice and get the last hit by auto attacking or throwing a Spear shot.

-For caster minions:On the first 3 levels hit them once, then let the turret add 1 hit and take the kill with an auto attack. You can also let the turret hit once and then use your Spear Shot to finish it off. Later on use only your basic attacks.

-For siege minions just wait enough untill they reach low health and finish them off with a basic attack. Turrets deal reduced damage on siege engines so last hitting them wont be much of a problem.


Even if you get pushed a lot there is no need to get frustrated. Pantheon can recover easely from a bad start and your Philosopher's Stone and Heart of Gold provide a standard income of gold so you won't get undergeared. What's more important is not giving away kills to the enemy solo top or jungler.

When you go back to base make sure to purchase a couple of Sight Wards. I usually take two so I can stay in lane for longer periods. I place a Sight Ward inside the bushes in the river close to my lane. I prefer this because most people tend to camp in there before they appear for a gang.
Also a very helpful Warding guide can be found Here.





Turret Diving

Before you turret dive your opponent you much check a few things:

-Your target must be under 30% health at least.

-Check the position of the enemy jungler. If he is not visible and you don't have a ward in the river its preferable not to dive. A 2v1 fight under the turret will get you killed.

-If your target has both Exhaust and Flash and they are both out of cooldown your chances to have an successful towerdive fall dramaticaly.

-Make sure that you have your Flash out of cooldown. Thats extremely important because you might need a fast getaway if something goes wrong.

-If you can dive with Grand Skyfall do it. Its an unexpected move and will deal extra damage to your target.
-Kill most of his creeps before going in and try having as many of your creeps alive as possible.

Towerdiving effectively is not an easy thing and not all targets are susceptible. Enemies with stuns or with skills that add durability like Renekton and Nasus are very difficult to kill even on low health. So sometimes its better not to take that risk.





When getting towerdived

-Stay as close to your turret as possible so the enemy will have to walk a longer distance to get out of the turret range.

-Stun with Aegis of Zeonia and throw a Spear Shot while he is stunned.Try to kite him around the turrret in circles.

-If your death is certain and your enemy is at low hp use your Ignite if its off cooldown to attempt to take the kill.

-In case of a towerdive by two enemies focus the one that's getting hit by the turret and try to kite them as much as you can.





How to kill

-Throw your Spear Shot often to lower your opponents health. After you have Philosopher's Stone you can use it almost every time its off cooldown.

-Always check the minimap. You don't want to get caught in a 2v1 fight.

-Its preferable to have more than 190 mana available and your Ignite out of cooldown.


If you have 190 mana you are ready to engage. Start buy throwing a Spear Shot. Move closer to your target and stun with Aegis of Zeonia and use your Heartseeker Strike. Auto attack the target immediatly after your Heartseeker Strike its finished. Your stun lasts 1 second flat if the enemy does not have Mercury's Treads. The cast time of Heartseeker Strike lasts 0.75 seconds. This means you have 0.25 secs to unload a free attack. Afterwards move in between attacks and maintain range for your final Spear Shot. If you need to use Ignite to finish off your target do it. I sometimes throw it anyway if my enemy has a build in heal like Gangplank or to just make sure that my target will die.

-If you still have enough mana and health stay on the lane and farm. Otherwise return to base.

This is a guideline and cannot precise enough for every single fight.


IMPORTANT:Get as much kills and cs as you can during the laning phase. Because after it has ended your primary objective is to get your AP and AD carry fed, not yourself.







This is where tactic and good decisions determine the outcome of the game. Even if you had an ideal start you should not get ahead of yourself or act selfishly. Your primary target is to help your team mates to recover from a bad start(if they had one) or just maintain the advantage you gained in the begining.

Map awareness

I believe that map awareness gets more and more important as the game evolves because the lanes break your enemies could be just anywhere.

-Even if your support is buying wards you should do the same when able. I like warding Dragon and the enemy Red buff. This helps the team greatly to assemble a gang and get some free buffs and gold. Taking Oracle's Elixir is a very good idea for breaking the enemy's Sight Wards. This might not sound so important but its extremely helpful for giving free space for your team and prevent enemy gangs. Its better to be safe than sorry.

-Always be aware of your team mates positions in the map. You must know who will be able to help you in case of a fight or when to use your Grand Skyfall. So stop yelling in chat "Why noone help me". Know when to engage and when not.

-Be ready 24/7 to use your skyfall if needed. Its a spell that can really turn the tides inside a fight. And for a successful Skyfall map awareness is key.

-Be aware of your enemies movements. If you spot the enemy carry getting Red buff and his team is not covering him jump inside-kill him and take the buff. The tricks you can pull out with Grand Skyfall and proper warding are endless.





Protecting

-Always try to help a ganged ally, unless its an obvious lost cause.

-Cover your carry while its taking buffs. Do not think that because its on your side of the map its safe. Anything can happen.

-If your enemies are focusing your carry too much try to have your Aegis of Zeonia ready to defend it.

-Never leave your team behind. Chasing around fleeing targets while leaving your team vulnerable is a very bad idea.

-When able try to block enemy skill shots from poking your AD or AP carry. You will definitely lose less health than they will.

-If your death can save your team mates do it. Its better to take one for the team instead of having 2-3 or even 4 of your team mates dead.





Initiating

-First one in-last one out.

-Position yourself in front of the team. Be the leader of your team. Ping and communicate with your team and focus a single target every time.

-Either work as a bait and allow your team to flank the enemy, or flank the enemy yourself along with your team mates.

-If the target you focus is going down very fast its good to use your Ignite to foil a healing attempt from the enemy support.

-Make sure that the enemy you tag with your Aegis of Zeonia is accessible by your team mates.

-Don't use Aegis of Zeonia carelessly. If you don't position yourself correctly you may get cut off from your team.

- Grand Skyfall is a great initiating tool. If the teams are facing each other trading poke spells its a good time to cast Grand Skyfall and allow your team to collapse on the marked target. Aim your Aegis of Zeonia before you land so you can jump immediatly upon your target.

Stun priorities:

1)Enemy carry(AD or AP)
2)Target close enough to your team to obliterate
3)Position for Heartseeker


If you manage to pull out all of them in the same time you managed to do the perfect dive. Otherwise just try to at least do one of these three objectives.







The time when good team setups win the game. You must act smart and work with your team as one.






Group Up

-Never go alone. Don't get caught out of position. You don't want to leave your tean on disadvantage.

-Gather your team. Don't be scattered around the map. Most of the time the team that wins the battle is the one who has numerical advantage.

-Ambush lonely targets every time you get the chance. Don't give them space to breathe.

-Never chase down lonely targets if you don't know where the rest of the team is.

-Don't get baited. If you see an enemy alone farming on a lane with his teammates nowhere to be found it could be a trap. And sometimes one ace is enough to lose the game.





Team work

-Its your job to initiate, facecheck or anything else the team requires of you.

-Be aware of your carries status inside the fight. Don't let them get shredded by characters like Shaco or Talon.

-If you need to buy Sight Ward, Vision Ward or Oracle's Elixir go ahead. Don't expect everything to be done by your team mates. You have to contribute to your team in every possible way.

-If your team has enough crowd control you can start a stun chain by leading with your Aegis of Zeonia.



Pantheon is very team reliant late game. You have to understand the nature of this problem and stick with your team.

In this chapter I will try to give you advices on how to play and counter most of the solo top opponents you will face as Pantheon.

This chapter relies on my personal opinion and experience. This is a guideline and it cannot be precice enough for every single fight.




Difficulty:Easy
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: + , +

Akali is a surprisingly easy opponent for Pantheon. This is an outcome of her weak early game. She is fairly squishy and without any crowd control. Very easy to handle overal.

She will probably start with + . This means that you should be carefull not getting auto attacked when you have Mark of the Assassin on yourself.
Even with 3x she won't be able to sustain herself if you do your job right.

After she reaches lvl 6 be carefull. Shadow Dance transforms her from an easy target to a stone cold killer. Do not stay in lane with low Hp. She will just eat you alive.


Tips:

-Stay out of her Twilight Shroud.
-Use your Heartseeker Strike to damage her inside the Twilight Shroud.
-Don't get auto attacked while you have the debuff from Mark of the Assassin.
-If you get auto attacked while you have Mark of the Assassin on yourself at least try to get Aegis Protection charged to negate the physical damage from the basic attack.
-If you shut down Akali from the begining you are already halfway to victory.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: +

Cho'Gath can be described with a single word. Annoying. His passive Carnivore provides him with exceptionally durability. He is a worthy opponent for Pantheon.

Cho'Gath has a great variety of starting items available, he is exeptionaly durable in lane even without them. If he has + for summoner spells you are going to have company in your laning phase 24/7...

If you manage to sieze control over your lane and render him unable to use Carnivore you must turn on the heat and use your Spear Shot as often as possible. If he stays he dies, if he goes back you have an immediate level advantage. Win-win situation.

If Cho'Gath is munching on your creeps healing up through Carnivore do not use your Spear Shot. No reason to dry yourself out of mana and gain nothing.

Avoid his super annoying Rupture no matter what. Especially after lvl 6. Cho'Gath is a nasty motherf@cker and you should not underestimate the power of his Feast. Be extremely carefull. Don't end up being Feedtheon.

Try to take him down with your jungler. Don't let him stack up his Feast.


Tips:

-Back to basics. Avoid Rupture.
-Try to zone him so he can't make use of Carnivore.
-Be aware of the angle he attacks the creeps. Avoid getting hit by Vorpal Spikes as much as you can.
- Vorpal Spikes deal 80 damage when maxed, equal to an Infinity Edge. Keep that in mind. Don't underestimate his attacks.
-If you can't zone him focus more on last hitting. Attack Cho'Gath when your jungler arrives.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: +

Dr. Mundo is a character with good durability although he is very rarely seen in game anymore. Because of his unreliable crowd control, health costs and item dependency he can be shutted down fairly easely if dealt properly.

I believe that Dr. Mundo is a character that tests the Summoners kills. So there could be a great difference in difficulty from one Dr. Mundo player to another.

Avoid his Infected Bonesaw easely by moving around your creeps. Avoiding this ability is your first step to win your lane.

Attack him every time he tries to farm. Don't give him space to breathe.

Throw your Spear Shot every time he uses Heart Zapper. Its good to harass him as much as you can when he uses this spell. He will sustain heavy health loss because you combine your damage along with the sustained health loss he inflicts on himself.

Blunt Force Trauma gets easely countered by your Aegis of Zeonia. Also its duration is too low to deal significant damage. Dr. Mundo has a very low attack speed. You should be more afraid of Heart Zapper.

Try having your Ignite ready to negate the effectiveness of Maximum Dosage.

Dr. Mundo can recover from a bad start. Do not underestimate his power after lvl 6.

Never towerdive Dr. Mundo if you dont have Ignite ready.


Tips:
-His main harassing tools are Infected Bonesaw and Heart Zapper. Both easely avoidable.
- Heart Zapper reduces your stun duration. Do your combinations fast.
- Ignite is your best friend. But don't use it on him unless he has Maximum Dosage active or he is less that lvl 6.
-Don't make the fight like a sabotage match. Dr. Mundo is extremely durable because of Goes Where He Pleases so fighting like this is not to your benefit.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: + , +

Honestly my experience against Fizz is limited. Some things to have in mind is that a skilled Fizz is very difficult to harass and even more difficult to kill due to his awesome mobility.

Try to attack him very early. Use Spear Shot as much as you can. After he aquires Playful / Trickster play more defensively.

Fizz excels on attacking the enemy withough giving the ability to retaliate due to his Urchin Strike+ Playful / Trickster combo.

Follow Fizz while he is performing Playful / Trickster and use Spear Shot or Aegis of Zeonia+ Heartseeker Strike+ Spear Shot to win the exchange.

Don't waste your time chasing Fizz around. His mobility can be used to bait you and get you ambushed by his jungler.


Tips:
-Use your Spear Shot before he gets Playful / Trickster.
-Focus on farming as much as you can.
-Don't let him auto attack you. Seastone Trident enhance his attacks.
-If he is level 6 and your health is less that 50% recall back to base.
- Chum the Waters can be avoided if you are fast enough. Do not use Flash while you have the debuff on yourself, because it will move Chum the Waters to your location.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: +

Galio is a force to reckon with. He can deal significant damage and take a lot of punishment at the same time. A strong, bursty champion.

Resolute Smite deals very painful damage. Avoid it as much as you can. Its good to start with for extra mobility.

Bulwark makes Galio exceptionally bulky. Don't use your Spear Shot while Bulwark is active.

Resolute Smite followed by Righteous Gust can bring a lot of pain. Don't get hit by both simultaneously.

After Galio is 6 be extremely careful. Idol of Durand along with his jungler can get you killed.


Tips:
-Never stay still. Always move. Last hit with Spear Shot if needed.
- Galio can push your lane very hard. Auto attack if you have to.
- Resolute Smite+ Righteous Gust deals very heavy damage. Along with that it reduces your movement speed. Don't get caught out of position because you won't be able to outrun your enemy.
- Galio is a slow character. Outmaneuver him with early game mobility.
-If you use your Aegis of Zeonia the same time he uses Idol of Durand you will stun him and his ulti will be wasted.







Difficulty:Easy
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: +

Gangplank is a very good asset for every team. But he is one of the easiest enemies you can have on solo top so shutting him down and ruining his game is one of your main priorities.

Your Aegis Protection blocks Gangplank's main harassing ability, Parrrley(Yay).

Try to recharge your Aegis Protection fast because Parrrley has a very short cooldown.

If you can, force him to use Remove Scurvy to heal up before you use Aegis of Zeonia, so he will have no way to avoid your stun.

Don't get caught out of position by the enemy jungler. Gangplank can deal loads of damage early game and the slow from Grog Soaked Blade will make your escape very very difficult.

Never towerdive Gangplank after he reaches lvl 6. Cannon Barrage can be devastating under the turret. Also it applies slow so making your way out of the turret is much more difficult.


Tips:
-Keep your Ignite to finish him off and make Remove Scurvy useless.
-Don't give him any kills! Its very important to shut down Gangplank very early.
-Attack him if he goes in melee range to farm.
-Be extremely aware after he gets Cannon Barrage. It can turn the fight to his favor.
-Don't waste your time chasing Gangplank. He is very hard to catch up because of Raise Morale.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: + , +

Garen is a character we are all familiar with. Godly early game and weak late game. His power should not be underestimated.

Make careful use of your mana pool. Perseverance makes Garen very durable in lane.

Try to harass him at least every 7 seconds to prevent him from healing up through Perseverance.

You Aegis Protection will absorb the damage of Decisive Strike but you still get silenced.

Don't use your Spear Shot while Courage is active.

Avoid his famous Judgment. Don't stand near your creeps while its off cooldown.

Keep your distance. Decisive Strike+ Judgment is a very devastating combination.

After Garen reaches lvl 6 don't go toe to toe. Demacian Justice is known for its unforgiving damage against low health characters.

If you destroy Garen's early game he will be useless later on.

Tips:
-Try shutting down Garen very early.
-Harass him often.
-Don't let him zone you with Judgment.
-Kite him around. Garen does not have a gap closer.
-Recall if you are low on health.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: +

Irelia is a very effective solo top character. She is able to sustain herself with Hiten Style and shred your defenses with true damage. A very worthy opponent overal.

Harass Irelia very early. Zone her out as fast as possible.

Retaliate every time she tries to farm with Bladesurge.

Don't let her farm so she wont be able to heal through Hiten Style. Also be aware of the active. It allows her to heal true damage with every hit. Do not underestimate her attacks.

Don't towerdive Irelia. Especially after she gets lvl 6. Her Equilibrium Strike along with Transcendent Blades can get you killed.


Tips:
- Pantheon can deal more damage than Irelia early game. Use this to your advantage and don't let her farm.
-Zone her to destroy her sustainability.
-Don't get caught out of position. Equilibrium Strike along with the enemy jungler can get you killed.
-Have your Ignite ready to get the upper hand when she uses ther Transcendent Blades.







Difficulty:Hard
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: + , +

Jarvan IV is the ball breaker of solo top. Very difficult to kill, zone and shut down in general he combines great flexibility with considerable damage.

Jarvan IV is able to deal significant punishment without any damage items. He is very dangerous in any way. Don't do stupid mistakes.

Jarvan IV increases his armor passively with Demacian Standard. Don't dry yourself out of mana if you see that you can't take him down.

Don't throw your Spear Shot while Golden Aegis is active. It will absorb most of the damage if not all of it.

Jarvan IV can make you an easy prey for his jungler if you get caught by his + .

Have your Flash ready to avoid Cataclysm.

Keep your distance. Jarvan IV is a very capable distance closer.


Tips:
-Focus heavily on farming
-Use Spear Shot every time Jarvan IV tries to farm.
-Wait for your jungler to attemt to kill.
-Don't use your Flash unless you really need to. Try having it ready for his Cataclysm.







Difficulty:Easy
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: +

Jax is a very powerful opponent late game. But because he is very item dependant and has a very weak early game he can be shutted down easely.

Don't be afraid of his Leap Strike+ Empower combo. In the past it was devastating but after the recent nerfs it tickles.

Use your Spear Shot often. Jax has no way of sustaining himself in lane.

Do not let him farm. Attack him every time he goes close to your creeps.

Avoid auto attacking Jax while Counter Strike is active.

Don't let him land consecutive attacks. Both Grandmaster-At-Arms and Relentless Assault need time to stack up. Use this to your advantage.

Try not giving him kills early on.Because Jax has a gap closer he can synergise very well with his jungler during a gang.

If you shut down Jax early on you are halfway to victory.


Tips:
-Harass Jax with Spear Shot very often. Destroy his farming potential.
-Have a Sight Ward in the bushes near the river so you can dominate the lane even more easely.
- Jax is very weak early game. Your damage output is significantly higher.
-Do not give him any kills! Even if you die only once he will be directly ahead.
-Be careful after Jax reaches lvl 6. Grandmaster-At-Arms enhances greatly his damage output.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: +

Lee Sin is a formidable choice for every team. Able to lane and jungle effectively he is a major threat to your team.

There is a very high skill cap on Lee Sin's playstyle. There can be major differences between each summoner.

Back to basics. Avoid Sonic Wave / Resonating Strike.

By avoiding Sonic Wave / Resonating Strike you disable him from using his abilities ti harass you effectively

Do not use Spear Shot while the damage absorption from Safeguard / Iron Will is active.

Harass him every time he tries to last hit. By zoning him you render useless the lifesteal from Safeguard / Iron Will.

Invest on early game armor like Ninja Tabi or Wriggle's Lantern if needed.

Be very carefull after Lee Sin acquires Dragon's Rage. If he kicks you back to his jungler you are f@cked.


Tips:
-Use your creep wave to win early game exchanges.
-Don't allow Lee Sin to combo his abilities.
-Don't stand to auto attack him if you have the debuff of Tempest / Cripple on yourself.
- Lee Sin is not item dependant. He is a force to reckon with.
-Don't get caught by Lee Sin and his jungler. Unless you want to roll a cigaret during the ressurection timer.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: +

Leona is a very sturdy character with loads of crowd control and interrupts. Rarely seen on top since she can aqquire many roles. But as she is a Rakkor herself be sure that this will be a tough fight.

Leona is very durable but she lacks damage. Damage her severely through the levels to win your lane. By level 4 she should be at least with half health.

Be aware that both Shield of Daybreak and Zenith Blade can interrupt your Heartseeker Strike.

Don't stand near Leona while Eclipse is active. It can deal considerable damage early on.

Use your Spear Shot often but don't harass her while Eclipse protects her.

Do not over extend. Leona has a very powerful array of crowd control which can lead to your demise during a gang.


Tips:
-Win the lane with your damage output.
-Don't over extend.
-Be extremely aware of her + + + . It can deal a lot of damage and have you pinned down for a very long time.






Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: +

Although Malphite can put some great annoyance on top, he is not a real threat against Pantheon if you play against him correctly.

Enter farming mode. Don't lose a single creep if possible. Don't waste your time harassing Malphite.

If you want to harass Malphite you need to cast Spear Shot twice. One to break Granite Shield and the second to just tickle him a bit. Its just not worth it.

Ask for many early gangs to seize advantage to your lane.

Because Seismic Shard transfers a percentage of your movement speed to Malphite chasing him won't help much.

Malphite does not have enough damage to push you out of the lane,unless you get hit idiotically by Ground Slam.

Don't stay close to your creeps to avoid harassment from his Brutal Strikes.

Be extremely aware for enemy gangs. Because if you get hit by Unstoppable Force his jungler can easely finish you off.

Don't stay in lane with low health. Especially after Malphite gets lvl 6. His Unstoppable Force+ Ground Slam+ Seismic Shard combo deals a lot of damage early game.

Don't count to your turret for protection. Malphite is a very potent turretdiver.


Tips:
-Farm like a boss.
-Attack him only if you have creep advantage.
-Don't waste your time harassing Malphite.
-Communicate with your jungler for very early gangs.
-Don't get caught out of position.







Difficulty:Hard
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: + , +

Maokai is a very difficult opponent to have against. He is able to sustain himself awesomely and deal considerable amounts of damage. A skilled Maokai can turn your balls to planets.

Even if you have Aegis Protection active Maokai will still heal himself with Sap Magic if he attacks you.

Avoid Arcane Smash if he casts it without Twisted Advance. A simple right or left turn is enough.

Don't use your Flash while he jumps on you with Twisted Advance because you will drag him with you.

Sapling Toss is easy to avoid if you are on constant awareness. If you are not you probably lost the lane already. Its his main harassing ability and deals painful damage if the sapling explodes on you.

Require early gangs from your jungler and zone him out if able so he wont be able to heal with Sap Magic

Do not over extend because if Maokai's jungler ambushes and you get caught by Twisted Advance its probably the last thing you will ever do.

Don't towerdive Maokai after he reaches lvl 6. Vengeful Maelstrom and Twisted Advance will make it a lethal experience.


Tips:
-Play carefully and be on constant awareness.
-Coordinate with your jungler to shut Maokai down.
-If able, zone Maokai to prevent him from healing himself.
-Have good map awareness and use wards 24/7.A 2v1 fight will get you killed.







Difficulty:Hard
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: + , +

Mordekaiser is a true game changer. Able to turn fights to 4v6 and take a lot of punishment is a very good choice for teams with heavy crowd control.

Mordekaiser is a very difficult opponent for Pantheon on solo top. That's because Pantheon's harassment is cooldown based, which allows Mordekaiser to absorb the damage through Iron Man by using his abilities.

You have 5 seconds to farm after Mordekaiser uses his Siphon of Destruction.

Stay away of your creep wave as Mordekaiser can use it to harass you.

Use your Spear Shot to farm from distance if needed.

Assault Mordekaiser heavily in the first levels with Spear Shot because he doesn't have enough damage to power his shield up yet. Later on take a more defensive approach.

Be aware that Mace of Spades can jump from near by targets to yourself. Also don't let Mordekaiser hit you with Mace of Spades if you are alone.

Mordekaiser's damage raise dramaticaly through spell ranks and levels. Don't under estimate his damage output, especially after he reaches lvl 6 with Children of the Grave.

Request early gangs to seize advantage over your lane.

Mordekaiser can push your lane very hard, but you can use this to your advantage if you know how to farm under the turret. It also leaves him vulnerable to gangs which can work in your favor.


Tips:
-Harass early, focus more on farming after he reaches lvl 4.
-Don't give Mordekaiser any kills early game, he can win a game on his own if fed.
-Do not go toe to toe against Mordekaiser after he acquires Children of the Grave.
-Avoid unnecessary harassment. Coordinate with your jungler to win the lane.
-If you manage to push Mordekaiser away from your creep wave you can destroy him because he won't be able to charge up his shield.







Difficulty:Easy
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: +

Although Nasus is a character able to change the whole game, he is very easely shut down and countered if his early game gets ruined.

Don't let Nasus farm. Always attack him with Spear Shot and auto attacks whenever he tries to get a last hit.

By zoning Nasus you don't allow him to sustain himself with Soul Eater and you destroy his damage as he is unable to stack up Siphoning Strike.

Aegis Protection blocks Siphoning Strike completely(Yay).

Do not over extend. Wither's incredible slow makes you an easy pray for enemy gangs.

Avoid attacking Nasus if he has more creeps that you in lane. The extra damage from the enemy minions can make you lose the exchange.

Don't ever ever towerdive Nasus after he gets lvl 6. NEVER. His Fury of the Sands in combination with Wither will most likely get you killed.


Tips:
-Shut Nasus down, otherwise he will crush your team.
-Do not let him farm. Harass him heavily.
-Be extremely aware for enemy gangs. Don't give him space and kills/assist early on.
-Towerdive with caution, don't towerdive after Nasus is lvl 6.







Difficulty:HARD
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: +

Nidalee is a pain in the @ss. Seriously, she is so annoying. A skilled Nidalee can destroy you in lane.

Because Nidalee is a ranged character she can easely break your Aegis Protection 24/7.This makes your passive next to useless.

Although Atmog's Nidalee does not deal much damage with Javelin Toss / Takedown she will throw it in your face if you are out of position. Avoid it you must!

After you have Philosopher's Stone use Spear Shot every time its off cooldown. Force her to heal up several times with Primal Surge / Swipe to get out of mana.

After Nidalee acquires her Aspect Of The Cougar keep your distance. A single combination of her cougar form abilities can drop you to almost half health.

Don't chase Nidalee after she gets lvl 6. Its just a waste of time.

The abilities of Aspect Of The Cougar don't require mana, and thus she can use them endlessly.


Tips:
-Don't let Nidalee auto attack you all the time, because you will get forced to recall.
-If you managed to drop her health have your Ignite ready to disable her Primal Surge / Swipe if you jump in for a kill.
-Never towerdive Nidalee after she acquires Aspect Of The Cougar.
-Don't use Grand Skyfall to attack Nidalee, unless you are using it to return fast back in lane.
-Stay focused and farm as much as possible.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: + , +

Nunu & Willump is an annoying character, able to harass very frequently his opponents and sustain himself through heavy healing.

Use your Spear Shot to retaliate if its certain that you will get hit by Ice Blast.

Spam your Spear Shot very early before Nunu & Willump acquires Consume.

Zone Nunu & Willump to prevent him from casting free spells with Visionary, or heal via Consume.

Ice Blast deals exceptional amounts of slow. Don't get caught out of position by the enemy jungler because the slow from Red Buff and Ice Blast will get you killed.

Make Absolute Zero useless with the stun provided by Aegis of Zeonia.


Tips:
-Use your Spear Shot to farm if needed to avoid harassment.
-Zone Nunu & Willump and coordinate with your jungler to destroy his laning phase.
-Don't allow Nunu & Willump to outlevel you, because his harassment will become too powerful for you to handle.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: +

Poppy is a very sturdy character. Her damage output can execute your carries and her durability allows her to withstand a lot of focus fire.

You Aegis Protection only blocks the physical damage part of Devastating Blow.

Harass Poppy as much as possible with Spear Shot. Force her away from your minions.

Stay away from walls. Her combo of Heroic Charge+ Devastating Blow can evaporate your health.

Don't count on your turret for protection, because Poppy can disable it with Diplomatic Immunity.

Towerdiving Poppy is not a good idea because of Valiant Fighter, Paragon of Demacia and the stun of Heroic Charge can get you killed.


Tips:
-Force Poppy to back off from your minions with heavy harassment.
-If you manage to shut down Poppy you've done a big step towards victory.
-Her stun from Heroic Charge can leave you vulnerable for a gang.
-Don't stay in lane with low health, because Poppy can finish you off with Diplomatic Immunity under the turret.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: + , +

Renekton is a very durable character. You need patience and awareness to win him on solo top. Luckily his moves are very predictable so as long as you play carefully you will eventually get the upper hand.

Always pay attention to Renekton's Fury bar. Be carefull fighting him when its above 50%.

Don't get hit by Cull the Meek. Its very easy and predictable and easy to avoid. But it will cut a considerable portion of your health, especially if he has more than 50% fury.

Aegis Protection block the damage of Ruthless Predator but you still get stunned.

Don't stay close to your minions.

Renekton can use Slice and Dice+ Cull the Meek+ Slice and Dice to get in your creep wave to farm and heal in the same time. Throw your Spear Shot while he performs this move to negate his healing. But don't go too close. He can stun you with Ruthless Predator and harass you by using Cull the Meek if you are standing amidst your minions.

By early game armor items if needed.

Don't towerdive Renekton after he reaches lvl 6. His stun from Ruthless Predator and the extra health he gains from Dominus makes turret diving a very bad move.


Tips:
-Don't stand amidst your creep wave.
-Use Spear Shot every time Renekton goes close to farm.
-Don't turrent dive Renekton unless he has very low health.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: + , + , +

Riven...hmm.. Well she is a very strong character if you learn how to play her, or she can become a feeding machine if not. The difficulty between a skilled Riven and a newcomer Riven can be enormous.

You Aegis Protection helps a lot not getting harmed from Riven's Runic Blade.

Use your Spear Shot early and often. Riven has no way of healing herself up in lane, so burning out her health potions will be very easy.

After Riven gets lvl 3 expect increased harassment. Her combination of Broken Wings+ Ki Burst+ Valor allows her to lower your health while she takes minimum damage.

To avoid Riven's harassing combo its preferable not to stand amidst your minions. Keep your distance at all times and try to lower her health first with Spear Shot.

Don't use your Spear Shot while the shield from Valor is active.

Riven's awesome mobility can turn her to an escape artist. You must coordinate with your jungler effectively to take her down.

Recall back if you are low on health. Don't give her any kills early on.

After Riven reaches lvl 6 be extremely carefull. Her combo along with Blade of the Exile can get you killed if your health is recklessly low. Also she is a very potent towerdiver. Don't count your turret as serious protection.


Tips:
-Retaliate every time she tries to farm or attack.
-Destroy her laning phase to make her useless for the whole game.
-Do not allow her to zone you or get ahead.
- Riven is very item dependant on terms of survive ability and damage. Use this to your advantage.
-NEVER stay with low hp in lane. Blade of the Exile deals executing damage if your health is below 20%.







Difficulty:Hard
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: +

Rumble is a very strong all around character. He is able to deal loads of damage over time and still be tanky enough to sustain a lot of beating.

Always keep your distance and farm with Spear Shot if needed tp avoid getting harassed by Flamespitter.

Don't waste your Spear Shot while Scrap Shield is active. Also keep in mind that the extra speed Scrap Shield provides can be used by Rumble to harass you with Flamespitter.

Avoid getting hit by Electro-Harpoon because this is the ability that allows Rumble to harass you effectively.

The Equalizer paired with the damage of Flamespitter can evaporate your health. Have your Flash ready for quick escapes. Don't underestimate Rumble's sustained damage.


Tips:
-Keep mana to farm from distance if needed.
-Coordinate with your jungler to win the lane.
-Outmaneuver Rumble by using early game mobility.
-Don't stand inside Flamespitter. Its his main harassing ability and it deals a lot of damage.
-Don't get caught out of position with Electro-Harpoon, as it can allow the enemy jungler to catch up and finish you off.







Difficulty:Easy
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: + , +

Although Sejuani is a strong champion in team fights, she does not have the sustain or damage to win against Pantheon on solo top.

Aegis Protection will block Sejuani's basic attacks, but Frost is applied.

Sejuani is a very predictable character.Avoid her Arctic Assault easely by standing away of your creep wave and just dodge right of left.

Arctic Assault is the alpha and the omega for Sejuani because its the ability that allows her to use her other skills effectively. Understand the importance of dodging that spell.

Northern Winds are easely avoidable, just don't stand amidst your creep wave. But if you get hit by Arctic Assault+ Northern Winds its gonna be painful.

All of Sejuani's spells synergise very well with enemy gangs. Her incredible slow and stun from Glacial Prison can get you killed if you are out of position.


Tips:
-Be always ready to dodge Arctic Assault.
-Farm from distance if needed.
-Use your Spear Shot often. Sejuani has no way to heal herself unless she uses her health potions.
-Do not over extend. You will die if you get caught out of position by all this crowd control.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: +

Shen is a sturdy character able to heal up and lane and harass repeatedly. A skilled Shen can be a very difficult opponent to beat.

Avoid getting hit while Ki Strike is active. If your Aegis Protection is up then you will block the physical damage, but magical damage will be inflicted.

Do not auto attack Shen. And in general don't go very close to him during the laning phase.

Shen can literaly spam Vorpal Blade. Don't stand in his range all the time. If you keep getting hit you will be forced to recall.

Use your Spear Shot to kill the ranged minions if needed. Avoid getting close. If he taunts you with Shadow Dash inside his creep wave you have lost the exchange.

Don't throw your Spear Shot while Feint is active.

Be aware that Shen can use Stand United as an escape mechanism.

NEVER turret dive Shen.


Tips:
- Shen is deceptively durable even when he is low on health.
-Don't get caught out of position with Shadow Dash.
-Farm from range if needed.
-Don't push the lane but don't let Shen gather an army of minions either.
-Don't get repeatedly harassed.








Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: + , +

In my opinion Shyvana is a great overal character. She is able to deal crazy amounts of damage while being very difficult to kill. Thankfully due to her weak early game she is manageable.

Shut down Shyvana. Thats a very important step towards victory.

Sadly Aegis Protection doesn't block the second attack of Twin Bite.

Keep your distance. Shyvana can harass you easely with Burnout if you over extend too much. Keep in mind that it increases her movement speed as well.

Flame Breath is easely avoidable. Don't get hit to minimize the health loss during an exchange.

Shyvana has no way to heal herself back. Throw your Spear Shot often.

Keep your health as close to maximum as possible after Shyvana acquires Dragon's Descent. Her ultimate is what makes her so deadly.

Luckily Shyvana has next to no crowd control. This doesn't mean you should over extend though.


Tips:
-Attack Shyvana and force her out of farming range as fast as possible.
-Keep your distance to so she can't get you with Burnout.
-Stand amidst your minion wave to win the exchange if she tries to assault you with Twin Bite and Burnout.
- Shyvana can use Dragon's Descent only if her fury bar its full, and therefore its easy to guess her next move.
-Be extremely carefull when fighting Shyvana after she is lvl 6.







Difficulty:Hard
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: + , +

Olaf is a bulldozer. He has remarkable sustainability and unmatched burst with Reckless Swing. A very difficult opponent for Pantheon on solo top.

Olaf is extremely deadly when on low health because of Berserker Rage. Don't count on your Aegis Protection.

The only way to shut down Olaf is to kite him around all the time. Don't let him get close enough. He is very devastating in melee range.

You must avoid Undertow. Its pojectile is rather slow so its easely dodged if you are on constant awareness.

Olaf can regenerate a lot of health with his Tough It Out. If you can't bring him down don't dry yourself out of mana with Spear Shot.

Reckless Swing can destroy your health early game. Kite Olaf around to prevent him from casting it on yourself.

Never stay in lane with low health, and never goe toe to toe against Olaf!

Don't waste your Aegis of Zeonia if Olaf has Ragnarok active, unless you desperately need to charge Aegis Protection.


Tips:
-Keep your distance.
- Olaf lacks escape mechanisms. Take advantage of this and assault him early with your jungler.
-Farm with Spear Shot if needed.
-Don't give Olaf early game kills. He is very item dependant mid and late game, so messing up with his early game will decrease his effectiveness.







Difficulty:Easy
Main damage type:AP
Preferable starting items: + , +

From my experience Singed will either win the game for his team with successful moves, or he will fail dramaticaly and become an easy target. But definitely he is not a character to be underestimated.

Singed is a very predictable character. By keeping your distance and playing carefully you can easely control the lane with Spear Shot.

Poison Trail is easy to avoid. This also means you should not let him come to melee range to use Fling to throw you back.

Singed has no way to heal himself in lane. Cut through his health pool with Spear Shot to either force him to recall or kill him.

Singed synergises extremely well with enemy gangs. Don't over extend.

Farm with Spear Shot if needed to avoid Poison Trail.

Don't play aggressively early game by jumping on him with Aegis of Zeonia. Poison Trail deals a lot of damage and will make you lose the exchange.

Be extremely carefull after Singed acquires Insanity Potion. Recall back to base if you are low on health.


Tips:
-Farm from distance.
-Don't over extend.
-Play passively untill you have harassed him enough.
-Don't chase Singed.
-Shut down Singed as fast as possible.







Difficulty:Easy
Main damage type:Varies
Preferable starting items: +

Sion appears very seldomly on top, and when he does he is played as AD most of the time. But even if he is AP he can de easely controlled due to his weak early game.

Zone Sion as fast as possible to prevent him from expanding his health pool with Enrage.

If Sion is AD destroy his Death's Caress with a Spear Shot when he uses it. If he is playing AP keep your distance untill it wears off.

Have your Ignite ready to render Cannibalism useless.

His Cryptic Gaze cannot be avoided. Don't over extend at all costs.


Tips:
-Try to zone Sion as fast as possible.
-Harass him heavily with Spear Shot.
-Be extremely carefull after Sion reaches lvl 6.
-Its vital to shut down Sion very early, because he has the power to trully dominate later in the game.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:Hybrid
Preferable starting items: +

Skarner is mainly a jungle character but he may appear on top as well. He is fairly easy in the first couple of levels, but he becomes more and more deadly as the game develops.

Don't go close to Skarner as much as possible so he won't be able to use Shattered Earth
on yourself.

Avoid using Spear Shot while Seismic Bastion is active, unless you want to break his movement speed effect.

If able, try to zone Skarner so he can't sustain himself with Ixtal's Impact.

NEVER over extend. Impale is a pain in the @ss and it can be used to drag you inside his turrent or get you killed during a gang. Also it has various bugs with Flash. The main reason why Skarner is so dangerous after he reaches lvl 6.


Tips:
-Avoid going close to Skarner
-Be aware that the movement speed from Seismic Bastion can allow Skarner to come close and pile up his abilities. Break the shield to end its effects if needed.
-Don't push the lane.
-If able, don't get hit by Ixtal's Impact.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: + , +

Talon is a very bursty and fun to play character. He can be very effective if he gets fed early on. And that's why you should be very carefull against him on top. Shut him down as fast as possible because he is a major threat for your carries.

Predict when Talon is about to use Rake. He usually moves closer to the minion wave and yourself when he is about to use it. If you throw Spear Shot from the end of its range you can harass him withought giving him the chance to retaliate.

Aegis Protection blocks Noxian Diplomacy (yay).

Talon gets a lot stronger after he has all of his main abilities. Be cautious after he reaches lvl 3 or 4.

If needed, use a Vision Ward or Oracle's Elixir during his Shadow Assault.

Even if you die once, Talon will be directly ahead if you, making victory in your lane very unlikely.


Tips:
-Be carefull after Talon reches lvl 4.
-Don't get harassed needlessly with Rake.
-Communicate with your jungler for very early gangs.
- Talon can deal devastating damage if you play carelessly. Immediately recall to base if you are low on health.







Difficulty:Easy
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: + , +

Tryndamere is a crit and damage master, able to evaporate squishies and chase the course of a game. But due to his team and item dependancy he is very easy to shut down and manipulate.

Zone Tryndamere immediately.Don't let him heal by stacking up Bloodlust.

Harass Tryndamere all the time with Spear Shot, even auto attack him if he goes close to farm.

Buy Wriggle's Lattern for more damage and sustain if you need it. Consider taking Ninja Tabi as well. It helps greatly since Tryndamere's damage output relies totally on auto attacks.

Coordinate with your jungler for early gangs.

Tryndamere has rather slow attack speed without items, making Aegis Protection more effective.

As always, keep your ignite ready to finish off Tryndamere when his Undying Rage wears off.


Tips:
- Pantheon has a much stronger early game compared to Tryndamere. Use this to your advantage and crush his laning phase.
-Don't over extend carelessly. The slow from Mocking Shout won't let you get away during an ambush.
-Don't stand like a fool and auto attack Tryndamere while his Undying Rage is active. Five seconds might be enough to take you down considering that he has full fury.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: + , +

Volibear is a very durable character and he can become a true beast if you let him farm or get fed. A skilled Volibear can turn the tides of the game.

You can easely decrease Volibear's effectiveness by just keeping your distance(preferable standing behind your caster minions). He needs to be in melee range to deal damage.

Even if Volibear uses Thundering Smash he won't be able to catch you if you don't over extend stupidly.

The active of Frenzy cannot be blocked by Aegis Protection.

Don't tower dive Volibear unless you have Ignite ready. Its a mistake that I've done a couple of times myself and it never ends up well.

If Volibear manages to throw you back during a gang, you are probably dead.


Tips:
-Farm from distance if needed.
-Don't underestimate Volibear even if he is on low health. The Relentless Storm is a pain in the *** early on.
-Pay attention of Volibear's movements. He is quite easy to predict.







Difficulty:Hard
Main damage type:Hybrid
Preferable starting items: +

Warwick ia a character that his playstyle has evolved greatly over the last year, and thus creating his infamous brother:Lanewick. Lanewick has a very strong early game and he is able to deal a lot of damage even without items. A strong opponent overal.

Hungering Strike cannot be blocked by Aegis Protection. Pain, keep your distance.

Don't let Warwick stack up his Eternal Thirst on you. Also don't dry yourself out of mana. He can take outstanding amounts of harassment.

After Warwick reaches lvl 6 he becomes extremely dangerous. Infinite Duress can get you killed easely during a gang or a toe to toe encounter. Buy Quicksilver Sash later on if needed.

Have your Ignite ready to prevent Warwick to heal up if you go for a kill.


Tips:
-Harass and farm from distance.
-Communicate with your jungler for early gangs to seize control over the lane.
-Don't turret dive Warwick after he reaches lvl 6.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: + , +

Wukong is very fun to play and effective against every team. As a solo top opponent he is easy to predict, but deadly if you don't play carefully.

Aegis Protection blocks Crushing Blow (yay).

Stand away from your minions to avoid Nimbus Strike.

After Wukong reaches Warrior Trickster he can use his main harassing combo: Nimbus Strike+ Crushing Blow+ Warrior Trickster to damage you while taking minimum health loss. Stay away from his Warrior Trickster and move towards his escape route to retaliate.

If you throw Spear Shot before Wukong uses his Warrior Trickster the spear will him him even if he is invisible

Cyclone deals heavy damage and leaves you vulnerable for some time. It can really turn the fight to his favor unless you have a clear advantage over him.

You can purchase and use a Vision Ward to mess up Wukong's movements.


Tips:
-Throw Spear Shot often.
-Predict Wukong's movements and learn to identify the true Wukong from his Warrior Trickster.
-Never turret dive Wukong, especially if he has Cyclone ready.







Difficulty:Medium
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: + , +

If you fight against Xin Zhao, you should know that you must not engage in a long fight. He has very good sustain and damage through auto attacks. Harass from distance and wait for the perfect opportunity to engage.

The 3rd attack of Three Talon Strike will knock you up even if Aegis Protection is active.

Try to zone Xin Zhao, don't allow him to heal up with Challenge.

Xin Zhao can attack a minion twice with Three Talon Strike and then jump on you with Audacious Charge and knock you up to harass you. If you have Aegis Protection ready you can prevent this move.

Keep your distance and don't over extend.

Don't feed Xin Zhao because he becomes a true nightmare if you let him get ahead.


Tips:
-Farm from distance if needed.
-Have your Aegis Protection ready, always.
-Don't dry yourself out of mana if you can't zone Xin Zhao.
-Don't engage Xin Zhao in long fights.







Difficulty:HARD
Main damage type:AD
Preferable starting items: +

Its preferable not to pick Pantheon if the enemy is playing Yorick solo top. Its the most difficult enemy you can have. His tremendous amount of harassment and his abnormal sustain is just...pff.

Even if you have Aegis Protection active Omen of War will trigger if Yorick attacks you.

Don't stand amidst your minions.

Use the bushes for protection. Omen of War, Omen of Pestilence and Omen of Famine lose target when you are out of sight. This helps greatly avoiding some harassment from his consecutive ghoul spawn.

If Yorick pushes your lane too much use Heartseeker Strike on the enemy minion wave if needed.

Don't dry yourself out of mana. Yorick heals a ****load on himself every time Omen of Famine is casted.

Ask from your jungler to gang as fast as possible. Strike Yorick very hard on the first levels because he gets really powerful with every lvlups.

Don't count on your turrent for protection. Yorick is a superb turret diver with his ghouls and Omen of Death. He is just a true nightmare.


Tips:
-Just don't pick Pantheon if the enemy team has Yorick solo top.
-Farm from distance. Move in and out of the bushes to avoid harassment.
-Assault him heavily with your jungler as fast as possible.
-Cross your fingers.

As any character, Pantheon is a very strong pic for countering specific opponets, but he can get shut down against some solo top enemies. You shold know when its preferable to play him to be as effective as possible.

Because of Pantheon's strong early game he can easely shut down characters that require farming and items to be effective.
Akali can't burst you down without items and she is easy to beat if you play well.

Gangplank can't even hurt Pantheon because of Aegis Protection and he can get easely outfarmed and outleveled.

Nasus makes himself susceptible to harassment because of his need to stack up Siphoning Strike to be effective.

Jax is very item dependant and he doesn't have enough damage to kill you early on.



A skilled Mordekaiser can make your like miserable on top. As he gains more levels on Siphon of Destruction he gets very difficult to harass and kill. Not to mention Children of the Grave.

Nidalee has super sustain and her ranged harass makes it very difficult to farm without getting poked. She gets extremely powerful after level 6 with Aspect Of The Cougar which makes 1v1 fights very unlikely to win.

Because of Olaf's true damage and sustain its better to pick a chatarcter who can heal up insted. He can deal crazy damage so playing against him is pure pain.

Never pick Pantheon if the enemy team has Yorick solo top. Yorick has unrivaled harassment and sustain, and he can win the lane with minimum effort on his side. If you encounter Yorick in blind pick follow my instructions on the previous chapter and hope for the best.

//Q:Why play Pantheon as a bruiser when he is a much more dedicated melee caster?

//A:The bruiser role is hands down the best way to play Pantheon in the current meta. His durability inside the fight makes him exelent for the job and because he can stay in the fight for longer periods he contributes much more to the team.



//Q:Is Ignite and Flash so much worth it? Wouldn't Exhaust or Teleport be a better choice for solo top?

//A:For me and for my playstyle it has worked better. Exhaust is a great alternative though if your solo top opponent does not have build in healing effects. Still, the kills that Ignite can grand you early game are trully invaluable.



//Q:Why not use mana regen Seals or Glyphs?

//A:I prefer the extra armor and magic resist instead. Helps much more winning those crucial early game exchanges. For me, the mana regen from the masteries is more than enough.



//Q:Why not leveling up Heartseeker Strike first if it deals more damage than Spear Shot?

//A: Spear Shot is much more reliable, helps more harassing your opponent effectively and it also benefits greatly from spell ranks. Heartseeker Strike is more item reliant and its easely interrupted. Aside from that its not mana efficient since it needs to be paired with Aegis of Zeonia to be effective.



//Q:Why do you use Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist instead of Greater Glyph of Magic Resist??

//A:Ap characters gain more and more damage with levels early on, so its better to take magic resist/lvl to defend yourself better when they reach their maximum effectiveness.



//Q:Why you are so obsessed with Greater Mark of Desolation and Greater Quintessence of Desolation? You could use AD Marks or Quints instead.

//A:Most of your solo top opponents will start with around 40 Armor(sometimes more). If you start with AD runes your Spear Shot just tickles, but with 31 Arp it deals close to full damage. Arp is just awesome for Pantheon's kit.



//Q:Why not use double Doran's Blade instead of Philosopher's Stone and Heart of Gold? You get 20 AD and 200 health in a much cheaper price.

//A:Depends on the game. If you want to play more agressively and you plan to finish the game as fast as possible double Doran's Blade. Still you lose some sustain and tankyness early on.



//Q:Why do you buy The Brutalizer? Its a mediocore item and it looks more like a waste of money.

//A: The Brutalizer is a great item for every single situation. It works awesomely with your spells and its very cheap. If you build it fast you will literaly destroy your solo top opponent just because of this item. Makes any attempt for early game armor useless and it allows dealing true damage to the enemy carries. And it can be build to Youmuu's Ghostblade later in the game which synergizes perfectly with your item setup. For me, The Brutalizer is defenetly worth it.



//Q:Why do you choose Force of Nature as your 6th item? Is it so important to take this specific item every time?

//A:First things first. You build the items that fit better in the current game. You should never always follow the exact same item path because every game is different. The main build is merely a guideline. The core is what matters most and it cannot be changed. As for the 6th item specificaly, you should choose to either get an armor or a magic resist item depending on your needs. I choose Force of Nature because it works perfectly with Warmog's Armor and Trinity Force, giving outstanding health regen, awesome mobility and of course a sh@tload of magic resist.
The 6th item in every build is more or less situational. You must always build according to your needs.

This is the end for my Pantheon guide. Thanks for reading my guide. It has been a large effort to create and complete this guide.

Any feedback and constructive criticism is encouraged and highly accepted.

Grammar and syntax errors may occur. If you want to feel free to correct me in the comment section. Having a really hard time finding them.





Thanks to IceCreamy and his awesome review :) His review shop can be found here.


Aesthesia is a real life friend who introduced me to league of Legends and WoW. Sharp minded but lazy as f@ck. Helped greatly on creating this build.

These guys make the game fun and enjoyable. Good characters and with awesome sence of humor. In the end, LoL is much more fun when playing with friends.



If you found my guide useful it would be nice to give a thumbs up :) If not vote accordingly. Any kind of feedback is much appreciated!

Gl & Hf Summoners

08/06/12
Updated.

23/03/12
I think about merging Son of Hades with Phalanx Hoplite. Don't know if its a good idea yet. It would be nice leaving a comment with your opinion.

16/03/12

I clap my hands for all those who vote down without having the balls to justify why.

10/03/12

Did a spell check again, still if you find any grammar mistakes it would be nice to tell me about them. Having a really hard time fixing them up




05/03/12

I would like to thank all you guys for your support and for putting my guide on the top 10 of the month!

Its very refreshing to see that your work is appreciated :)




28/02/12

Added Change log chapter.

Changed the song in the intro, I tried to find something that would fit with the storyline. Anyway I just love this song so I thought it was worth sharing.