Build Guide by

This is a basic Ryze build created for a friend.

The intention of this build is to provide plenty of MP5 for Ryze, especially end game so he can keep blasting enemies throughout a fight and have plenty of staying power.

Rod of Ages will provide Ryze with an increased health pool and Zhonya's has the active "Stasis" ability, giving Ryze much more survivability between the two items. It is absolutely essential to time the usage of Stasis properly, as it can often render you invulnerable while allies back off, leaving you completely vulnerable when you come out of it.

Archangel's Staff is the main focus of this build. Ryze's primary single nuke - Overload - let's Ryze continue to push out the spell damage even very late game. Archangel's synergizes well with Overload because of the Mana -> AP conversion. Rod of Ages and Lich Bane both give extra Mana, providing Ryze with a lot of AP conversion and more than enough Mana to stay out in the field.

Void Staff is obvious - the flat 40% magic penetration will knock off a huge amount of resists from your targets no matter how much they stack Magic Resist. If the enemy team is not stacking M. Resist at all and you are struggling with other nukers, consider picking up an Abyssal Scepter instead for the large chunk of M. Resist.

The final two items, Zhonya's Ring and Lich Bane, both scale very well with other items. Zhonya's increases the AP benefits of all other items Ryze is carrying, making it a huge upgrade for straight up nuking. Lich Bane is a powerful weapon when Ryze starts packing around AP. Timed correctly, Ryze can nuke, auto-attack, and repeat for up to approximately 500 extra damage on an auto-attack.

Although this build has a few survival items built in, Ryze is still incredibly fragile. I know it's tempting to dive in to get in range for a snare, but Ryze is NOT an initiator. He is NEVER and initiator, unless you're a moron and stacking armor so your nukes do approximately **** end game.


Summoner spells are personal preference. Clarity will be completely unnecessary end game, but can allow Ryze some extra staying power in the lane early game. Fortify, Rally, Revive, and Smite should all be avoided.
Fortify - Your job is to blow up the enemy in team fights, not come to the rescue of towers.
Rally - You should help your team push, but you are absolutely not a tower pusher. Your talents are better off clearing entire creep waves while your carries dive in and blow up towers.
Revive - You should focus on NOT dying, regardless of your hero. This summoner ability is counting on you doing poorly in the game to come. Not a good battle plan.
Smite - When you get your ultimate, you are going to absolutely destroy creep waves. You can grab yourself a blue buff easily with your three nukes, Smite is overkill.


The talents are pretty straightforward. Cooldown reduction and magic penetration are the aim in Offense. Regeneration, mana, movement speed, further CDR - all of these are benefits for Ryze out of the Utility tree.



As stated before, this build was created for a friend. Feel free to use it for yourself, and comments are welcome. Best of luck bringing on the pain with Ryze!