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Riven Build Guide by LoLegionnaire

"The time for talk is over" - A Laning Guide

"The time for talk is over" - A Laning Guide

Updated on August 10, 2012
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League of Legends Build Guide Author LoLegionnaire Build Guide By LoLegionnaire 1,567 Views 2 Comments
1,567 Views 2 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author LoLegionnaire Riven Build Guide By LoLegionnaire Updated on August 10, 2012
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Spells:

LoL Summoner Spell: Flash

Flash

LoL Summoner Spell: Ignite

Ignite

Introduction

Hello all! This is a fellow Legionnaire of the League of Legends speaking. It's my first guide, and I would love some positive feedback, if you would be so kind. I frequent the League of Legends community, and that of MOBAfire, but just haven't been satisfied with any builds for Riven that I've come across. Before you downvote, please hear me out, and do not judge harshly based on my tendency to be concise. There are a lot of Riven guides on MOBAfire, and they all say the same thing for the pros / cons etc, so I will mainly focus on my build and strategy. Keep in mid that a Build Guide is only meant to guide your build. Everyone's different, and therefore must make their own choices to compensate. Hope you like what you see, and that it helps your top lane game!
Enjoy!

P.S. Please forgive my lack of pictures and all that, I haven't figured out how to add them.
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Playing the Top Lane

Riven is played the same in Twisted Treeline and Summoner's Rift top lane. She relies on her mobility, lack of mana, and later on her tankiness to sustain her DPS. I use Riven's mobility and high damage to harass my lane opponent. The best harassment is to ease in close to your opponent, then use all of the Broken Wings (q) activates, and escape before taking damage by stunning with Ki Burst, and Valor to clear the enemy's attack range.
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Skill Sequence

I feel that my skill sequence will draw a lot of criticism, as it seems that most people prefer to max Ki Burst first, and Valor last. Ki Burst deals low damage in comparison to Broken Wings, its cooldown is shorter than that of Broken Wings, and its crowd control effect does not increase. Basically, Ki Burst is only valuable for its crowd control, whether to keep an escaping enemy in range or to keep a chasing enemy out of range.
I max the levels on Valor second because the hitpoint shield is valuable for sustainability, and later in the laning phase (around level 13) its lower cooldown allows Riven to initiate with a significant amount of bonus health and a nice gap-closer, deal her combo's damage, and then cast Valor again, either to escape or to give Riven a second wind to win the fight.
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Items

You will have noticed that I left two item slots empty (at this point still filled by Doran's Blades). This is because Riven has reached a point in the game where she can tell whether she needs more tanking (namely to survive a team heavy in CC), armor penetration, and what combination of those will be necessary.
My favorite build completion items are the following:
Warmog's Armor - This is to help maximize Riven's durability
Guardian Angel - A good item for Riven, used to revive and allow her mobility to escape a fight.
Last Whisper - Only a good item if the opposing team is heavy on armor.
Maw of Malmortius - It is only worthwhile against an ability power heavy team.
Atma's Impaler - It can work well with the mallet and warmog build, also with a possible Infinity Edge - For its critical chance and damage in conjunction with the Atmog build.
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Summoner Spells

Flash is amazing for quick escapes and works well with Riven's mobility.
Ignite can turn a fight to your advantage removing regeneration effects, or just the extra DPS
Exhaust also works well, depending on your playing style. Heavy cc and damage reduction rocks.
Ghost can replace flash for some, great for chasing and escaping as Valor can replace flash's escapes for the most part.
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Masteries

I like these masteries, try them out. They are the most minor part of the whole shabang, so I'll keep this short.
Offence AD masteries help you deal more damage. Armor penetration helps too. I do not take the ad per level ones because it gives negligible damage.
Defence masteries rock for the extra sustain early game, and the armor gives an early advantage over your foe.
I may come across as patronizing, if so, I'm sorry. I don't think such a minor part deserves more consideration than I put into my selection of the masteries themselves.
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Summary

Riven rocks the solo top! Intense harassing with Broken Wings, while taking little damage with Valor. If you're new to her, check out my strategy in my "Playing the Top Lane" chapter. If you're experienced, I hope you enjoy trying out the way I play, who knows? maybe you'll like it and make some changes, or adapt your own build/play style. A guide is only meant to guide you, everyone is different. Have fun, take names.
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League of Legends Build Guide Author LoLegionnaire
LoLegionnaire Riven Guide
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"The time for talk is over" - A Laning Guide

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