Poppy Build Guide by LesRobotics

Intro - Getting excited to give free hugs

Everybody wants a hug, especially into a wall.


Poppy is so underrated even though her damage output is HUGE. Her job in a team is to kill the carry asap in every teamfight. If you're playing Poppy and the carry survives, you're doing it wrong.

Although bad at farming, last hitting with Poppy is easy thanks to her Paragon of Demacia.

This is not really AP Poppy, neither is it AD. I guess this is Hybrid Poppy.
If you want to smack people in the face, then Poppy is the champion for you.

Hybrid Poppy focuses on dealing as much damage as possible with your Devastating Blow. I feel like going AD makes you deal less damage and by going AP you have to limited damage. That's why I feel like Hybrid is the way to go on Poppy.

Runes - Setting up free hugs

I chose these runes 'cause of the Movement Speed and the little extra AP. Most of your damage will come out your Devastating Blow, so Magic Penetration is kinda necessary. The AP just gives you a little more punch effect. That could be replaced with Magic Resist or something else that you want.

Masteries - Still setting up free hugs

My choice, if you got a better idea. Then try it out. But I like the Movement Speed so much that I think it's worth putting 21 points into the utility tree.

Items - Lets give them the best free hugs as possible

Rush -> . Gives your q INSANE damage.
Then go for . Gives your Devastating Blow EVER MOAR damage.
Then go for tanky items. Gives your Devastating Blow TIME TO ACTIVATE MOAR TIMES.

If things are going slowly during Early Game, try to get Philosophere's Stone and asap.
The tanky items depends on the enemy team,
AD, go and
AP, go and
Moar Damage? or is your boi
is a lovely item on Poppy as it gives you tenacity and health regen. Get this item when you feel like it. I usually get it when I get annoyed with CC.
Either or Mercury Treads. Depends on the enemy team composition.

Other items worth mentioning:

Deathfire Grasp - AP Poppy's best friend. I don't feel like you need THAT much of burst, but I sometimes pick it up before Hextech Gunblade if things went real good during lane phase.
Infinity Edge - Only on AD Poppy, we will not be using this here.

Skill Sequence - How to give free hugs

No other way please, just hurts my eyes.

When you go AP Poppy, you max Heroic Charge together with your Devastating Blow.
I know Malmortius (a famous Poppy player) max Heroic Charge before maxing Paragon of Demacia but I really can't see it.

Skills - All the possibilities to give free hugs

That's your main damage output. It's so good against anyone. It can even bring tanks to their knees with the % damage.


That is your gap closer, damage boost and your escape, all in once. Its such an amazing skill that I max it second.


Is another gap closer that could potentionally stun. This is the spell that makes Poppy. This ability has endless functions. It can serve as gap enhancer, gap closer, CC, or just activated to proc Sheen.


This is your get out of jail free card during teamfights. This skill also tips 1v1 fights into your favor in numerous ways.


One of the best passives in the game. Makes you immune to burst damage. Be careful for ranged attackers with high attack speed, also known as Carries. When you see them, try to kill them.
Poppy > Akali anyday

Summoner Spells - Boosting your free hugs

Flash - do I need to?
Ignite - IS as a matter of fact improved by your ultimate.

You could go Exhaust to position your stun, but I like Ignite more. Ignite just gives you so much more burst damage with Diplomatic Immunity.

Early Game - Learn how to give free hugs

I usually go Top Lane with Poppy, but you could definitly go bot or even mid with her as well. You could also jungle, but that isn't as good as laning.

Get experience, get farm. Nothing else.
Unless you see the opportunity to get free killz, then gogogo.
Try to use your Devastating Blow to last hit 2 minions at a time. The same goes for Heroic Charge during some circumstances.
You could recall when you have about 750 gold to get Philosopher's Stone and Boots of Speed and then continue laning.
Don't forget to ward your lane, Sight Wards save your life from ganks.
Buy Health Potions, since your passive makes you really hard to kill if you fight with Health Potions.


I really advice you NOT to roam with Poppy.

Mid Game - Time to give free hugs

Crush Carries, try to survive.
Or trade your life for the Carry, thats kinda worth it during small teamfights.
If things went good Early Game, try to gank other lanes as much as possible.

Do fight over dragon, Poppy is really good at teamfighting in a place with walls, like dragon.
Let the team know that if you get a stun off someone, they should also focus that person. Most teamfights in my experience are lost due to splitfocus.

Late Game - Are you tired of free hugs?

Win.

If it gets to late game and your team isn't bad, you will eventually win. Poppy is super good in late game. Your Devastating Blow hit INSANELY hard on a low cd and your whole skillset is a threat for Baron Nashor .

In teamfights, DO NOT INITIATE. That's your tanks task. And you're not a tank, you are the Anti-Carry. Let the tank initiate so you can flank in on the carry. Pop your ult on the champion with little to none CC and then smash the face in on the carry.

Tips and Trix - Free hugs anyone?

1.

Activate Paragon of Demacia before Devastating Blow to do more damage with Devastating Blow. This usually occurs anyways if you needed to get in range with your Paragon of Demacia.

2.

Your Diplomatic Immunity makes you immune to tower damage. If you want to tower dive, activate it asap and run out with Paragon of Demacia as soon as you are certain that you or your teammate will pick up the kill.

3.

During teamfights, activate Diplomatic Immunity on the champion with the least CC. Preferably someone without CC. Try NOT to activate it on the carry, 'cause when the target is dead the effect wears off and you'll be standing in the middle of the team, just waiting to get free hugs.

4.

Devastating Blow resets your Auto-Attack timer, try to use it right after your Auto-Attack to maximize your damage output.

5.

Use Flash if you need to position yourself for Heroic Charge to stun. Even though Flash gets you out of bad situations, so does Heroic Charge and Paragon of Demacia.

6.

Ignite and Hextech Gunblade does increased damage on the target of Diplomatic Immunity. Try to Ignite a target asap for the entire duration of Ignite to deal more damage during Diplomatic Immunity.

7.

You can use Heroic Charge on a minion to escape from ganks or 1v1 fights. Be careful to not get yourself into bad situations because of it and try not to go into 1v1 fights you cannot win. And never ever save Heroic Charge 'cause you want to escape. You're not Lee Sin

General Info - General free hugs are BORING

1.

A kill is about 17 creep kills. This will help you determine if you can fight 1v1 against someone or not.

2.

Poppy is easily countered by champions that are good Early Game. If you're up against Renekton or Morgana, try to switch lanes asap so you won't be facing them.

3.

If you know that someone doesn't have an escape ability up, don't be afraid to punish them for it.

4.

Know the range of all the abilities your facing. This will help you lane with champions that doesn't have sustain (i.e, Poppy.

Ending - Anyone else that wants a free hug?

If you ever want me to show you how to play Poppy, just add me on EU West. My nickname is Les Robotics and I rarely say no to games.

And if you don't master Poppy instantly, it's understandable. She is a pretty hard champion to play.

Thank you all, and many free hugs to you AND your opponents ;)