Hello, and welcome to my guide about my main champion, Ryze. Mainly in Ranked I play Ryze, and I got 100% win with him, 8 wins, 0 looses.
This is my first guide, so please be easy on me.
This is my build and not all other Ryze players use this build. I tried a lot of different builds, but this is the one making me most tanky, and DPS Carry at the same time.
Let me take you through my guide, I hope you will like it.
This.. is my guide.

Ryze' abilities to farm are very good. He nearly doesn't need to use his Q, Overload, or W, Rune Prison to farm. Only when he gets his Tear of the Goddess of course. His auto-attack is so simple and so excellent to farm with.
As a clever man once said: "Remember, Ryze abilities to stack Tear of the Goddess isn't as easy as ex. Karthus, Cassiopeia and Nidalee." You need to combine his combo Q > W > E > Q. And you will be needed to do that all the time, to get your Tear of the Goddess stacked fast.

Start items: Sapphire Crystal, Health Potion and Mana Potion. You can instead of a Health Potion and Mana Potion, go for two Health Potion, if your opponent is a big harasser.
Your first real item: Should be Tear of the Goddess. Ryze is a slow Tear of the Goddess stacker. And you should start stacking very early. And of course Sorcerer's Shoes.
Later items:
Rod of Ages should you have for the mana is gives you, 525 mana + 200 mana when stacked. And the health making your more tanky then you would think. You receive 450 HP + 180 HP when stacked.
Bansheee's Veil should be your nest item if you are against an Ability Power carry, like Annie, Brand or Cassiopeia. For the 475 mana and HP.
Frozen Heart or Will of the Ancients should be your 4th item, depends on if you get killed by their AD's fast, or if you need more spell wamp, for you ultimate, Desperate Power. You can decide that for yourself. But the item you don't choose should be your 5th.
Archangel's Staff should you buy as your 6th and last item, especially if you got Tear of the Goddess full stacked. And you finally should have it.
Then go in team fight, ultimate, and then go "Penta Mode".

Ryze is such a good solo queue player, especially in Ranked. He's not depending on other players and is so good at 1vs1 situations, maybe one of the best. Making seriously damage when he got his ultimate.
The truth of why he is so good solo queuing is because he can escape with his W, Rune Prison, and can use that ability to hold your opponent back, and once again make your combo on your opponent, Q > W > E > Q.
Remember in team fight to use your ultimate, Desperate Power:
Ryze gains passive, permanent bonus maximum mana.
Ryze becomes supercharged, gaining spell vamp and causes his spells to deal 50% AoE damage.

I used to see Ryze guides on here on Mobafire, and most of the guides recommend that you use your skill point on your W, Rune Prison. Because if you do that, you can W > harrash with auto attack. But I believe and I can prove that if you use your skill point on Q, Overload, you can make more damage with one single Overload, then you do with W > auto attack.
But then take W, Rune Prison in level 2 to be able to harrash at your best. Q > W > Q, will secure you, a good laning phase.
Ryze' E, Spell Flux, will you need at level 4, and can be used a lot when you buy your Tear of the Goddess to stack and farm at the same time.
Remember, Ryze isn't an easy Tear of the Goddess stacker, so keep spamming your abilities, and ask your jungler for Ancient Golem/blue buff. So you can be able to stack Tear of the Goddess, and harrash your opponent without running out of mana.

Offense: Pure Ability Power: Mental Force , Blast and Archmage . Cooldown Reduction: Sorcery. And Magic penetration: Arcane Knowledge .
Defense: Magic resistance for the AP in mid lane: Resistance .
Utility: For the most important thing for Ryze, mana: Expanded Mind and Meditation .

Magic penetration, no doubt about that. Ryze will love you for this.

---

For the AD's on enemy team, basic attacks etc..

---

Mana, that's what Ryze abilities damage goes with.

---

I use Flash and Ignite for Ryze. I mean Flash is just meant to be, for all champions and summoners. You can't play without Flash, in my opinion.
The Ignite is used mostly for luckers. I can't stand luckers. Ignite will make true damage over time.
You can use Exhaust if you'll need it, but I highly recommend you don't take it as Ryze. Rather take it as an AD carry as Vayne, Graves or Caitlyn.
Ghost can also be used. Just to put on your Rune Prison and then your combo Q > W > E > Q.
Teleport is very good if your opponent harasses you so hard, that you'll need to recall once, or twice. Harasser that can make you consider, picking Teleport, is champions like Cassiopeia or Ziggs.

Some late game Ryze pictures, of my build, mana and health:

---

Thank for reading and watching my Ryze guide. I hope you liked it, and was helpful for my and your games. Hopefully some other guides will come up soon, for Annie, Mordekaiser and Singed. If you liked my guide, please vote.
+Rep too please!
If you disagree or think I could do something different, please tell me what, and I can see what I have done wrong.
See ya, heya! :-)

March 4. 2012: Checked for error/fails.
March 4. 2012: Remade the guide.
March 4. 2012: Giving the guide more life.
March 6. 2012: Pictures putted in.
March 6. 2012: Colors and BBCode putted in too.
March 6. 2012: Top chapter, pictures of Ryze skins input.