Riven has the potential to become a very strong choice due to her mobility and burst. Riven can be a god if played correctly, but punishing if played poorly. I hope my guide will help with your endeavors to learn and master The Exile.

I am sorry for simple guide without pictures and links but I am too lazy to make it just for esthetic reasons. My buit is not impressive but effective.

Pros / Cons

Pros:
+ Riven scales with AD very well.
+ Riven's ultimate has long range, and is on a very short CD.
+ Riven's farm is very strong because of her mobility, and multi-target damage.
+ Riven is a strong Pusher.
+ Riven is currently underestimated.
+ Riven has Two Disables, and what are effectively four Movement Abilities.
+ No Mana, just CD!

Cons:
- Riven is kind of Squishy.
- Riven's base defenses are low.
- Riven's base damage is low unless built correctly.
- Broken Wings HATES you, and often go away from your target.
- Riven must Auto Attack between skill uses to use her full potential.

Very important thing: You are not a main tank. Don't try to be.
Riven is an AD based champion who uses lots of mobility. Offtank built is based on her mana independent and short CDs and possibility to crit with her skills.

Skill Rundown:

[Passive] - Runic Blade: This is by far Riven's most complex ability. Every time Riven uses a skill, she charges her next Auto Attack to deal extra damage, plus her bonus physical damage. Used correctly , this is the skill that makes Riven what she is.
(This is also the main reason I take AD runes over armor pen.)

[Q] - Broken Wings: This is Riven's main Damage-Dealing skill. When activated, Riven dashes forward a short distance, and swings her blade, dealing damage to all monsters and champions in front of her. This can be activated up to three times in succession, the third time slamming the ground, and knocking all enemies near the point of impact away.
(This is the other reason)

[W] - Ki Burst: This is Riven's second disable. When activated, Ki Burst deals damage in a radius, and stuns all targets hit for a (very) short time. This can be useful in many situations, and can also aid you in landing empowered Auto Attacks on enemies.

[E] - Valor: This is Riven's second Movement Ability, as well as her defensive ability. When activated, Riven dashes forward and gains a Shield (That scales with bouns AD). This ability can be used to block incoming Turret hits, as well as any unwanted cheap shots. It is also good for escaping skills like Swain's Nevermove, and Viegar's Event Horizon.

[R] - Blade of the Exile: This is Riven's ultimate, upon activation, Riven gains bonus AD and Range on all of her attacks, this also enables the use of Wind Slash.

[Secondary R] - Wind Slash: This is Riven's most powerful attack, and by far most deadly skill. Once Riven has used Blade of the Exile, she can activate Wind Slash at any time during it's duration. Riven shoots three projectiles in a cone in front of her, dealing damage based on her AD and the amount of health an opponent is missing. Wind Slash is very good when used on multiple targets, and when attempting to pick up kills. Using Wind Slash does NOT end the duration of Blade of the Exile, so you will still have your bonus range and damage even after using it.

Skill Sequences and Gameplay


How to combo Riven:

A lot of people just spam Rivens Q, which shouldn't be done because it's taking away from her doing the most damage. A lot of beginner Riven players tend to Q, Q, Q without auto attacking between each Q. Do not do this! Here are a few ways you can use Rivens combos to gain maximum damage output:

Death dealing combo:
Blade of the Exile + Valor + Broken Wings + Auto Attack + Broken Wings + Auto Attack + Ki Burst + Auto Attack + Broken Wings + Auto Attack + Blade of the Exile
R, E, Q, Auto Attack, Q, Auto Attack, W, Auto Attack, Q, Auto Attack, R.


Only use your R if they are half health or you know you can kill them.

I'd recommend you use your W before you use your last Q in order to stun them before you knock them back with your final Q. Follow up with your final R - Windslash blow to take them down. Be sure to try and do your Q in front of them in order to knock them back instead of forward or to the side.


Quick Attack + Escape:
Broken Wings + Auto Attack + Broken Wings + Ki Burst + Valor + Broken Wings
Q, Auto Attack, Q, W, E, Q

This is an effective quick burst and escape attack. You lead with your Q, followed by an auto attack, and another Q which starts to initiate your escape. After the second Q use your W to quickly stun the enemy followed by your E to dart away from the enemy. Use your final Q to gain distance and knock them away from you if they're chasing.

*This would be a recommended attack if you're laning against a ranged opponent.


Laning against ranged:
When laning against a ranged character, keep your distance. Riven doesn't do so well against a ranged champion considering she is melee, so only attack if you're paired with someone who either has a slow or stun.

It can be quite difficult to farm vs a ranged character so only use burst attacks on minions when they are near dead to get the last hit, then use your E + Q to quickly get out before you're hit too much. Remember, keep your distance!


Dodge + Quick Burst
Valor + Broken Wings + Ki Burst + Escape with Broken Wings + Broken Wings
E, Q, W, Escape with Q, Q

When laning against someone with a skill shot stun like Ezreal and Lux use your E to quickly dodge their attack or stun, then quickly Q to them and burst them with W. Escape with Q, Q.


The Minion Farm
Run to minions + Ki Burst + Auto Attack
Run Around + W + Auto Attack

When playing against ranged you want to constantly be moving, standing still is not a good idea at all. Don't waste your Broken Wings combo on minions at first. Early game it's not very great against minions, especially when going against ranged. Use your Valor + Broken Wings only to escape when farming minions, unless you're confident that you and your partner can kill whoever you're laning against.

Greater Mark of Desolation: Straight up ArmorPene. Classic choice for any AD champion.

Greater Seal of Resilience: Will help you fight longer and stay in lane. Another choice is Armor per Lvl Seals.



Greater Quintessence of Desolation again ArmorPenetration, classic AD champion choice.

I think that Riven needs better runes in early game. You ll get golds from kills and in late game you will rock with items.

21/9/0 Riven doesn´t have mana or AP bonus dmg.
You can take cd reduction istead of HP per level.

CLG showed us how super aggresive can be 3 teleport strategy - so 21/8/1 can be in good...

I almost always use Flash and Exhaust, only with few champions I use Flash and Ignite (Flash rule) because Exhaust has offensive and defensive application in lane fights or ganking. Also in team fights is exhaust better, you can protect your teammate or slow weakest enemy and with armor and magic resist reduction make instant kill. BTW it is always 4. point in Mastery Offense tree.

Other good choices:

Ghost: How I said, I prefer Flash over Ghost, but this is possible too.

Ignite: Your tool for getting first blood. His power is on low levels and in disabling healing effects like Mundo´s regen, WW and Xin´s lifesteal. Also helpful in lane fights against supports and self-healing juggernauts.


Teleport: It can be useful with smart ward placement to set up ganks, and to get back in lane quickly. Or you can try to cop CLG 3 teleport strategy...


Less Useful spells:

Cleanse: You can pick cleanse if you play draft mode game and you see several slows and stuns but less armored champions. You ´ll cleanse and kill them fastest you can...

Heal: You have better choices but quite ok spell. Strong on low levels.
seful.

However don´t forget improve any spell in masteries if it is possible.


NEVER

Clarity: Do I need to say something?
Clairvoyance: Are you support ?
Revive: Don´t die !

Runic Blade and Ki Burst are your most important skills, with full CD reduction you will stun and deal massive Dmg to your enemies. So skill them first.
I prefer little bit lowering stun CD but increasing Dmg in Runic Blade is also very good. So personal changes on 7-10 lvl are possible. Also if you are against strong top laners like Vladimir, Yorick or Rumble you ll maybe need skill Valor sooner.

My full built is very expensive but Avarice on a beginning of game is very helpful in this problem. You will probably built only Warmog´s Armor or Atma´s but in real late game you will need Infinity edge. With 60% critical chance and CD reduct you shoud be able to kill everyone except really fed AD counters.


If you think that you are ahaed of your oponents you can replace Frozen Malet by Warmog´s Armor.

Why HP items?
- because Riven has low CD so longer fight and more used skills.

Why crit items?
- simply because Riven can crit with her abilites.

If you will change built because of enemy team is heavy AP, you shoud built Force of Nature, or Quicksilver Sash or Wit´s End not Banshees Veil. Active function of QSS is better than cleanse so it is very useful item.

Against heavy AD team buy Randuin´s Omen or Thormail. Thornmail has more armor but another ¨gold maker¨ in Randuin´s Omen with good farming will give you big gold advantage.

Thank you for checking out my build. I will continue in editing and following up another informations and tips. In this moment I hope my build works well for you.

Remember that this is a guide, and don't be afraid to build differently based on the match.

Feed back is nice and GL and HF.