Build Guide by Malzki

Introduction

Hey guys,
i decided to make this guide, because i heard of a lot of new players what a bad tank rammus is. But i think this is just because they don't know how to play him.
In this guide i will show you my way to defeat my enemys.

(This is my first guide, so please be gentle in the comments.)

Pros and Cons

Pros A lot of armor Can win 1vs3 (hard but possible) Is able to solo towers Cons

• Weak in the beginning of a game
• Low Attackspeed

Runes

I think, I don't have to say that much to the runes.
Rammus' passive needs a lot of armor. Thats the reason why I took the Greater Mark of Armor and the Greater Seal of Armor.
The Greater Quintessence of Health beacuse of the bonus health you get from it.
Because the items don't give you magic resist the Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist. At level 18 you have more magic resist as if you take the Greater Glyph of Magic Resist (just 64,56).

Masteries

In the defense i mainly concedntrate on getting more armor. Because of Rammus sweet passive it's realy usefull.
The points in the offense tree aren't that important for me so put them where you like it.

Items

May you think, why i took items with high armor because, you get 150 armor and magic resist by using Defensive Ball Curl. That's easy to explain: Rammus have a bit lower attributes than other tanks so you have to take items with mor armor. The reason is his own skill. (Crazy but it's true)

Cloth Armor

Givey you a bit Armor, which is important in the beginning of a match and you need it later for the Ninja Tabi. If you don't want this item you can take Doran's Shield. But if you take it, you need more time to get annoying for your enemies (i think you want that as fast as possible, right?) and you have to waive the Health Potion and Mana Potion.

Health Potion Mana Potion

Well, Rammus is strong in the end but for the start you have to use this potions. You can buy just one of both or just the two health potions but, my experience showed me that it's the better way to start with 2 health potions and 1 mana potion. You don't have to go back to your base that often.

Ninja Tabi

The boots should you buy rally quick. You get some more armor and movement speed, which is usefull in combination with Powerball, because you earn extra speed if you are rolling over your lane. An other option are Mercury's Treads. They will give you a bit magic resist.

Thornmail

This is one of my favourites items. Why? Great in ensemble with Defensive Ball Curl. And the 100(!) armor will reduce your damage about ~60% that you get and increase your damage for 25.
It doesn't matter if you buy the Chain Vest or the Cloth Armor first. Just look how much Money you have. An alternative selection would be Force of Nature, when your enemys are having high AP.

Sunfire Cape

A really good item wich is giving you a bit health and armor. With that more health you will endure a lot longer. I wont forget the little bonus damage of the cape. 40 Damage isn't that much but damage is damage. No matter how the oppinion team is balanced, buy it.

Randuin's Omen
A good and usefull item. You get a bit health and a lot of armor. But the greatest thing of this item is his active effect. You can slow your enemies. Unbelievable good if, and this shouldn't be often, your Powerball and Puncturing Taunt are on CD at the same time.

Warmog's Armor

A really good item. You can get a lot health and health regenaration from it, because everytime you kill an enemy you get a little bonus health and regenration. If you don't want more health but mana so take Frozen Heart. It will give you almost as much armor as Thronmail, a lot of mana and reduces your CDs.


With all these items your nearly unbeatable. Because of your Armor you will get arround 80% lower damage, what is really nice. Just a little example. I was able to hold a lane alone against Xin Zhao and Master Yi for a complete match. My stats at the end were 15/3/10. And I think for a tank.... that's not bad.

Skills/ - Sequence

Powerball
Yes, it makes damage, but don't use it for making damage. Just use it to chase your enemies or escape from them. BUT! You can use it for damage, if your opponent have around ~10% of his health. Then it prevent that your enemiy is able to escape.


Defensive Ball Curl
This is a really good Skill. Everytime, you get hit, you make, at max. level, 55 damage plus 10% of the armor value. Try to keep it working in every fight against an other champ.


Puncturing Taunt
A usefull skill, when your enemy tries to escape, because he has low health or he's scared. Owing to this skill you will get a lot of assists and kills.


Tremors
A Skill that makes really good damage in "waves" how i call it for 8 second. A funny thing is it makes indeed damaga at buildings. Yes! Really!
And i think 60 seconds CD for an ultimate abillity is small.

Just a few words to the skill sequence. Give your first abilitypoint to Puncturing Taunt if your teame WANTS first blood. The affected champion have to attack you. First just for a really short time but maybe it's enough. When that's not the instence take Powerball.
The other skills don't have to be taken like i said it. That's just my kind i do it but, i can recommend for it.

Summoner Spells

When you train to play with Rammus you may should think about using the skill Heal, because you wont die that often. But the skill gets useless in the late game so think about it. Like the name sais, it heals you for an amount that is dependent of your champions level.

Teleport

It's a good spell, because you can be fast at a point where your help is needed and may get a new assist.

Flash

In combination with Powerball really good. You can chase your enemy with it or use it for escapiing.

Ghost

It's a really usefull spell. You are able to escape from your enemys and can chase them, too. You may owe many kills with this spell.

How to play?

Expiry

In the first mintues of the game you have to play with one other champion on your lane. later you can do it alone. Preferably with a close-combat champ. The reason for it is, that you are a bit susceptible for damage at the start. You can help them better than ranged champs. And don't be frustrated when the match is starting like this: 0/4/0. That's just normal. Later you will be able to turn it.
In the beginning play, before the vasalls come, carefull. Your are an easy victim for first blood so watch out that you don't get slowed or stunned. That's your dead. When the Vasalls come you can play a bit more agressive with every level (and item) you get. If it's given that you are alone on your lane,and you are sure that NO opponent on your lane, you can play really agressive because, you need a lot of money (11.6k) for the build.
At the latest, you should be able to play alone on your lane after level 10. Then you should have Thornmail, what is giving 30% of incoming damage back to your opponent, and Giant's Belt, the 430 health you get from it, are really helpfull. And this is enough to make good damage and stay a live a bit longer.

The Attack Rotations

Attack Rotation against a full health close-combat champ

• (Wait until your enemy attakcs you or roll to him with Powerball)
• Defensive Ball Curl
• Tremors
• Wait a bit.
• Use Puncturing Taunt when your oppnonent tries to escape
• Slow him when he's escaping with Powerball ( Puncturing Taunt is probably on CD)
• Now start again with Defensive Ball Curl

Maybe you are thinking now: Why the hell isn't he starting with Puncturing Taunt?. Well, that's easy. Your enemy will lose health very quick. When he tries to escape taunt him. Because of the effect from Thornmail, Defensive Ball Curl is allowed to be on CD.

Attack rotation against a ranged or no-full health champ

• Powerball
• Puncturing Taunt
• Defensive Ball Curl
• Tremors
• Wait, until your opponent tries to flee. Then Powerball (if needed: Ghost or Flash)
• Start again

Here you start with Powerball because, you are fighting against a ranged/ no full health champion. They will try to flee if you are getting coler to them. After you hitted them taunt them, so they have to attack.

Usefull information

• The rotations are really needing a lot of Mana!
  
• BUT! Your enemy should be dead after one rotation. Latestly, after two... Or he managed to escape.
  
• Tremors is making damage on towers and inhibitors. (Yes, really)
  
• And keep always in mind that Tremors will be on CD after one Rotation.
  
• When your against a tower and ONE champ you ignore the tower. You should get both down.
  
• Don't forget Randuin's Omen its effect is able to slow your oppponents,too and can be used as an alternative for Powerball if it's on cooldown.

You don't have to play this rotations. But I think they're the best way, because you always have an option to slow your enemy.