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Runes: Survive and Thrive
1
2
3

Resolve





Precision






+10% Attack Speed
+6 Armor
+6 Armor
Spells:
1
2
3
Standard

Flash

Ignite
Items
Ability Order
Threats & Synergies


Extreme
Major
Even
Minor
Tiny

None
Low
Ok
Strong
Ideal


Champion Build Guide





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Hey! I'm L3gislacerator, a Diamond/Master tier support main and gem enthusiast. Taric has been one of my favorite champions for a long time now, and over the years I've accrued over a million mastery points playing him. What's there to love about him so much? Well, everything!![]() While Taric is easy to pick up, he's definitely hard to master. You'll need a keen sense of time, good decision-making, and a little creativity if you want to bring out his full potential. Once you get the hang of him, though, it's as rewarding as no other, and soon enough you'll be outplaying your opponents time and time again. This guide is going to show you the ins and outs of playing the gem knight as well as the builds I've had the greatest success with yet. With so many tools to shield, heal, and peel for your team, any well-played teamfight can be considered won. Without further ado, let's dive right in! ![]() |
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Taric shines most when allied with strong initiators. Simultaneously, he counters enemy burst with his ultimate. However, due to his short range, he struggles against champions with lots of mobility and poke.

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Tankiness and Armor With defensive items and the armor buff from ![]() |
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Sustain in Lane While not on the scale of medics like ![]() |

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No Mobility Besides ![]() |
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The Resolve tree is where tanks gets all their favorite runes. It provides you with a plethora of effects including improved defenses and healing that allows you to buff your team while being a resilient tank.
This is the most commonly used and universally useful keystone for support Taric to have. As a protector, your specialty is keeping your allies alive for as long as possible, and Guardian helps you do just that. The shield can be easily set up by casting ![]() The recent changes to this keystone in patch 10.12 removed its speed boost at the cost of a higher shield range. The shield now only procs on bursts of damage or fatal damage, not just any damage received. The end result is a rune that is less good for escaping but still effective at protecting. That works just fine for Taric for whom running is a last resort. Your specialty remains keeping friends alive then turning things around when the going gets tough. |
What's an ADC? As far as anyone's concerned, you're the carry now. Aftershock turns you into the manliest of men. With it equipped, you can engage much more powerfully and confidently, most notably during laning phase. The key to making the most of this rune is to be aggressive. Landing your stun arms you with a heap of bonus defenses, scaling with your armor and magic resist, for a few seconds before exploding for damage in a circle around you. In short, your main goal is to blow up and then act like you don't know nobody. Give your target the old Razzle ![]() ![]() |
Melee supports and immobile ADCs are the best enemies to use Aftershock against. Don't take it in matchups where you know you'll be easily outranged since you'll rarely get the chance to engage, rendering the rune useless. Also keep in mind that landing Dazzle is the only way you can activate Aftershock as Taric, and missing it means that you're essentially without a keystone for a while. If either of these is a concern, including if you're not confident that you can land most of your stuns, it's better to instead use Guardian and make use of its guaranteed utility.

FONT OF LIFE
Pick this rune to give your team more survivability in fights. With it, enemies you CC are marked for 4 seconds, and any ally that hits them regenerates health. This applies to any CC including



If laning phase won't be problematic and you want to invest in generally effective power, this is the rune for you. Conditioning gives you bonus resistances after a 12-minute waiting period, so it will kick in by midgame once teamfights begin. It scales with your own total resistances, so you continue to get bulkier as the game goes on. |
Opt for this against poke champions like ![]() ![]() ![]() |
This rune can protect you from tons of damage, most importantly against early-game aggressors. When using it, you won't get hit as hard by combo champions like ![]() ![]() |

REVITALIZE
There are two things that Taric was put on this world to do: heal and shield.
What's that? Revitalize buffs both? It's a match made in heaven!

With runes that give you more battle stamina, a secondary in Precision is great for those who like to brawl. Together, these two runes together combat your mana limitations and low mobility, keeping you strong during and after the fight.

These runes will help you through the early game if you would prefer to play passively. While they don't offer much direct combat power, they set you up for a more powerful midgame and help you survive until then.
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COSMIC INSIGHT Using this rune grants you 15 summoner spell haste and 10 item haste. This adds up to crucial seconds off of ![]() ![]() ![]() |

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![]() One of its best uses is in conjunction with ![]() This spell is also your one and only escape tool. If you're ever in trouble, don't hesitate to use it to get over a wall or dodge a skillshot that would otherwise be your demise. |
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![]() ![]() In teamfights, save Exhaust for the enemy who has the most kill pressure or burst damage — most often an assassin. Spring it on them quickly as soon as they're about to use their most powerful moves. It's always better to use it early rather than too late. |
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Starting Items
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Relic Shield: This is the best first pickup as a tanky support, specifically a tanky enchanter. The bonus health will make you harder to kill, and the AP goes directly towards a slight boost in your heal and stun. This item's Spoils of War passive periodically lets you execute minions with bonuses when you do so. Specifically, you can execute minions every 35 seconds, or around twice per three waves. The bonus gold you share, on top of the passive bonus gold generation, enables you to build towards your other items quicker. NOTE: The alternative tank starting item, ![]() ![]() |
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Targon's Buckler: By earning 500 gold through Spoils of War, your Relic Shield will upgrade into this, gaining improved stats and the Sightstone active. Sightstone will provide you with three refillable ![]() |
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Bulwark of the Mountain: With more health, more gold generation, and more AP, this fully upgraded support item continues to keep you healthy and wealthy. Gain 1000 gold through Spoils of War to activate this upgrade. Although the Spoils passive leaves once you get this item, you gain increased gold generation to compensate. |
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Health Potions: Sustain is essential in the early game, and these potions get the job done. They're your way of healing after trades to stay as strong as possible, and they're also very helpful in sticky situations. A useful trick is to use them during a fight to have a constant edge over your opponents. |
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Warding Totem: This trinket serves an important purpose by providing free, albeit occasional, sources of vision. During laning phase, its wards can be put to great use by spotting threats such as the enemy jungler before they have the chance to ambush you. |
Boot Upgrades
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Plated Steelcaps: Become more resistant to physical attacks, particularly autoattacks. Plated Steelcaps are the new Ninja Tabi with the same stats: armor, percentage resistance, and upgraded movement speed. The armor synergizes well with your kit, so it will often be your optimal boot upgrade. It is a must buy against AD teams or any game where the enemy has a threatening AD carry. |
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Mercury's Treads: These boots are the upgrade to go for when you're struggling against crowd control, magic damage, or both. Being locked down by your enemies is a poor state to be in when your allies are depending on you to actively protect them and peel for them. Buy this against enemies who have abilities with strong or frequent CC so that you can stay in the fight. |
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Boots of Swiftness: These fulfill a similar role to Mercury's Treads but specifically against slows. Not only that, but these boots have additional base movement speed over other boot upgrades. The extra speed helps keep up with enemies so you can continue attacking them, and it is also functional defensively if enemy slows are stopping you from running out of danger or to your allies' aid. |
Mana Resources
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Tear of the Goddess: This season, Taric is having mana issues. With the loss of mana on a number of items, the mana hungry champion is out of luck in a standard build. That's why building Tear of the Goddess is so worthwhile. At a mere 400 gold, you can buy this on your first back and have it stacking throughout the game. No need to upgrade it; the mana alone is why you own it. It stacks on successful ability casts which affect allies (ex. heals, shields) and enemies (e.g. Dazzle). The goal is for the Tear to alleviate your mana issues at least somewhat throughout the game. Once you've reached your full build, you can sell the Tear for another item. |
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Glacial Buckler: A classic low-cost mana item that survived into Season 11, Glacial Buckler (formerly Glacial Shroud) remains a good option for early mana. It is a component of Zeke's Convergence, an item that Taric should always be building this season for its well-rounded stats which include mana. Buckler is also a component of Frozen Heart which can be bought later on as well. It's a good idea to pick this up early, typically right after completing your Mythic Iteme and on the way towards completing Zeke's Convergence. |
Mythic Items
These items have incredible power and form the center of your build. You can only own one Mythic Item at a time. Each one has a powerful ability and a Mythic Passive which gives you bonus stats with each Legendary item you build. Taric's Mythics are best rushed immediately after Tear of the Goddess or another source of mana is purchased. You can change your choice in a Mythic Item from game to game based on what your team needs or who you are fighting against.
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Locket of the Iron Solari: This is often Taric's best choice for a Mythic Item. It is universally useful for its stats and active which synergize well with your kit and your purpose as a protector. Locket's active shield scales can negate impressive amounts of damage in an instant. By activating this item as enemy attacks are arriving and ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Shurelya's Battlesong: This item supplies you with a nice mix of stats including bonus health, ability haste, and mana regen. The highlight is its active speed buff. This item grants mobility which is powerful, universally useful, and much appreciated as a melee support. It lets you rush down and catch opponents with your team. On top of all that, your team gains empowered attacks after you use this active, cementing it as a great engage tool. The Mythic Passive further increases your own movement speed with each Legendary item. |
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Moonstone Renewer: When the match contains lengthy fights and battles between tanks, you know you are in for a war of attrition. Moonstone Renewer is an enchanter's Mythic that fulfills that fantasy. This item slowly pours out additional heals onto your lowest-HP ally while you fight when affecting champions by abilities in combat. The heal increases over time. In a fight, so long as you're casting spells and attacking, the heals will flow as time goes on. That being said, this item is not well suited to deal with burst, especially compared to items such as Locket. Its utility is best in drawn out fights, and the item itself gives little defensive stats. |
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Turbo Chemtank: If your team doesn't have a powerful engager, pick this Mythic up to become one. Activate it to lead the charge and rush at an enemy, then once the slow descends, follow up with a stun to start the fight off strong. Turbo Chemtank comes with a good mix of defensive stats with its high health, armor, and magic resist. You'll also be dealing decent damage due to the item's Immolate passive. Its Mythic Passive makes you even harder to lock down since you gain tenacity and slow resistance with each Legendary item you pick up. |
Core Items
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Zeke's Convergence: An effective combat tool, Zeke's proves that sometimes the best defense is a good offense. It is packaged with a solid set of defenses in its health and armor, ability haste, and importantly, mana. After binding to an ally with this item, they gain bonus damage on hit to any enemies you immobilize (i.e. land ![]() |
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Knight's Vow: This item turns you and an ally of choice into a formidable duo. Once the bond is active, 15% of the damage your Partner takes is redirected to you. You should always crown your strongest but frailest carry (this doesn't have to be the ADC) since they are most worth protecting. After buying this item, reconsider who to keep ![]() |
Healing Options
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Ardent Censer: This item caters to all your enchanter needs. Its passive buff, which grants attack speed and magic damage on-hit to those you heal, has great synergy with ![]() |
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Redemption: With its strong active, this item is a great pickup which strengthens your teamfight power and gives you greater map presence. To get the most out of it, cast it mid-battle when your allies are grouped up and their health is starting to drop. It combos well with ![]() |
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Mikael's Blessing: Be an ally's saving grace and a healing and shielding machine. By using Mikael's active, you can cleanse an ally and give them an instant heal when they might need it most. It also works on yourself, but details, details. Protecting is where it's at with this item. Pick this item up when there are deadly CC effects on the enemy team that one of your carries might need saving from. This item is also generally useful for its high healing and shielding power boost of 20% and its other stats. |
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Staff of Flowing Water: This item is the Ardent Censer for your AP carries. No, really. The two have the exact same stats and price tag. The difference lies in the passive. Where Ardent gives damage on hit and attack speed, the Staff of Flowing Water gives bonus movement speed and ability power to you and your allies when you affect them with a heal or shield. Get this item in situations where you want an offense boost and have AP carries who would benefit from this item's passive. |
Survivability Options
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Frozen Heart: With some of the most armor you can get on a single item, this item is best bought against full AD teams. Its passives reduces the attack speed of enemies in an area rather than just those who hit you, which makes it a must against multiple heavy autoattackers, and it also reduces the damage you take in general based on your health. The ability haste and mana are the cherry on top. |
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Randuin's Omen: This item helps you survive against AD threats, especially melee ones, due to its crit damage reduction, attack speed slow, health, and armor. Its active slow is a heavy one that can be used to peel for allies who get engaged on. |
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Thornmail: Grievous Wounds and a damage reflection passive have always been the hallmarks of Thornmail. This defensive item helps you weaken and deal with enemies with a lot of lifesteal. Even one Grievous Wounds item can save a lifetime of trouble for your team. The damage reflection is great as well for taking down those enemies who just don't like to go down. |
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Spirit Visage: Plenty of magic resist and health, alongside a survivability-boosting passive, make this item a solid pick up against mages. Its passive increases the effectiveness of both heals and shields that come your way, including your own. |
Vision
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Control Wards: Vision denial is just as important as vision itself. Apart from offering sight, these wards last indefinitely and disable nearby enemy wards. Always try to have one on the map and at least one in your inventory. Place them in areas of high activity, preferably well-hidden, to get the most information out of them and deny enemies from doing the same. These wards can also reveal hostile camouflaged units such as ![]() ![]() |
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Oracle Alteration: Swap ![]() |
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Stirring Wardstone: This item ups your vision game and is good for capping off a full build. Able to store up to 3 control wards, you can now do both the task of maintaining vision control while also using your last item slot for an actual stat-giving item. At level 13 you can upgrade this item into a ![]() ![]() |
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Taric's abilities form a diverse yet cohesive kit. Each spell has a way of interacting with another, and they offer usage in whatever situation you find yourself in. Depending on your needs, you can easily switch between protecting your allies and dealing damage. |
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Taric infuses his next two basic attacks whenever he casts an ability. He doubles his attack speed for these two attacks, which deal 25 - 93 (based on level) (+15% bonus armor) bonus magic damage and reduce his base spells' cooldowns by 1 - 0.6 seconds and grant one charge of ![]() |

Attack speed, damage, and cooldown reduction, oh my! Packed with all of that, this passive is what makes Taric the king of melee fights. Because you can activate it frequently, you can lay down a lot of hurt while keeping you and your allies alive in extended trades.
One of Bravado's most important aspects is its cooldown reduction from each empowered swing. When fighting, always try to weave in two autoattacks between each ability cast so that your cooldowns constantly reset. By doing this, you can easily get several more heals, shields, and stuns out during a trade than usual.
After each ability cast, you gain doubled attack speed and bonus damage on your next two attacks. Through this, you can maintain a high DPS that is enough to even outduel most ADCs in the early game. This passive's damage scales off of your bonus armor, so getting tankier also lets you hit harder.
But that's not all: this passive lets you perform autoattack resets. If you autoattack, then use an ability as soon as the damage goes through, you cut your current attack animation short and the next attack will come more quickly. This is useful for maximizing your damage output as well as rapidly destroying wards.

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Cost: 70/80/90/100/110 mana Recharge Time: 15 seconds PASSIVE: Taric stores a charge of ![]() ACTIVE: Taric heals himself and all nearby allied champions for 30 (+20% AP)(+1% max HP) per charge stored at the time of cast, up to a maximum of 150 (+100% AP)(+5% max HP) at 5 charges. |

With each rank of this spell, the heal increases substantially, so with even a couple points into it in the early game, you can keep you and your lane partner healthy.* Because of its max HP ratio, the heal will grow with you as you both level up and buy more items. The mana cost is the same regardless of how many charges you use it at, so it's best to cast it when it's fully charged to save time and resources.
With each empowered autoattack from


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Range: 800 Cost: 60 mana Cooldown: 15 seconds PASSIVE: Taric and his ![]() ACTIVE: Taric shields himself and the target allied champion for 2.5 seconds for 8/9/10/11/12% of the target's maximum health, blessing them with ![]() |


Its active is a shield that acts on both you and a target ally, scaling off of maximum health. It's useful in all kinds of situations including blocking damage, baiting enemies, and even saving lives.
The first passive gives you and your

The second passive is its linking component. When you use

Starlight's Touch will also heal around your linked partner, allowing you to heal at range and affect more people.
Dazzle will fire off of your linked partner towards the cursor. The extra stun area gives you greater engage potential and a better chance to land it. In some cases, you can stun your opponent from unexpected angles.
Cosmic Radiance will create a completely separate invulnerability field around your linked partner, opening up the potential for a team-wide ultimate.
Although there's a lot to it, this ability isn't as complicated as it looks. Just remember: using Bastion on an ally gives them armor, a shield, and ability replication.

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Range: 575 Cost: 60 mana Cooldown: 17/16/15/14/13 seconds Taric projects a beam of starlight towards the target location, erupting after a 1-second delay, dealing 90/130/170/210/250 (+50% AP) (+50% bonus armor) magic damage to all enemies hit and stunning them for 1.25 seconds. |

With a wave of the hand, this ability leaves your opponents stunned. Used as a means to engage, deal damage, and peel for your carries all the same,


Landing this ability is crucial since it is your only form of CC. However, considering the 1-second delay, doing so must be a conscious effort. Ask yourself these questions before casting it:
Where can the enemy run? The simplest way to evade Dazzle is to sidestep it, so you should predict and mimic your enemy's movements. If you notice that your enemy often moves down to dodge, move down with them as you charge. If a wall is on their left, follow them as they inevitably move right. If your enemy doesn't sidestep, you're either in Bronze V or against Faker himself. Bless your soul.
Does the enemy have an escape? If so, you can count on them using it to dodge Dazzle. You'll need to wait for your enemy to use their mobility spells before attempting to stun them.
Will the enemy expect the stun? Dazzle and the element of surprise are the perfect duo. Chain the ability with Flash as it charges for a nigh-guaranteed stun, or use it on an unsuspecting foe from within a bush.
Who should I prioritize? When possible, save Dazzle to quell your most lethal enemies. Using it to slow down the enemy tank? Pathetic, says the enemy

When used in tandem with



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Cost: 100 mana Cooldown: 180/150/120 seconds
After a 2.5-second delay, cosmic energy descends upon Taric, granting invulnerability to
him and all nearby allied champions for 2.5 seconds upon impact.
After a 2.5-second delay, cosmic energy descends upon Taric, granting invulnerability to
him and all nearby allied champions for 2.5 seconds upon impact.

With this stellar little spell, you become the ultimate protector. There is so much power in invulnerability that being able to use it — and even more importantly, being able to give it to multiple people — is a huge responsibility. Seconds in this game can be ages when everything is hectic, and having even a little extra breathing room can be a game changer.
Its interaction with

There's a lot to consider with an ability like this — so much, in fact, that the next chapter will dive deeper into the whys, hows, and whens of using it.



This repeating combo is the most efficient way to reset your ability cooldowns. With it, a rank five




LEVELS 1 - 5
Level 1: Take

Level 2: Take

Level 3: Take


Level 4: Put a second point into


Level 5: Put a second point into

LEVELS 6 +
Put points into

Max E > Q > W from here on, but with a couple nuances.
You're going to want to max

The next step is to get



Max

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The massive power of

Essentially, your ultimate is your Get Out of Jail Free card. Tower diving? Use it to come out unfazed. Got engaged on? Turn that into an opportunity. Teammate on the brink of death? Lend them a few extra seconds of safety. With the right reflexes, predictions, and a bit of luck, you can cast the perfect ultimate that will fortify your friends and frustrate your foes.

Getting trigger happy with this ultimate is a common mistake, and with its long cooldown, it shouldn't be put to waste. As long as you're patient, the openings will present themselves to you. Don't panic. If your ![]() |
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The same case applies to teammates with lots of mobility. A

Recognize when a fight can be won without your ultimate. If your team has enough of an advantage to overcome your opponents, you may not even need to use


Casting your ultimate too late comes with risks of its own. Once someone's health bar drops to zero, your chance at saving them goes down the drain. (Unless they're reviving — but I'm getting ahead of myself.) Being vigilant is they key to preventing this. Show up to fights on time. If the other team looks like they're ready to pounce but you're busy wandering the map, they will likely capitalize on it by picking a fight with the rest of your team. Group up! Taric is a team captain who thrives through empowering his allies. If you show up late to the party, whoever you need to protect may already by long gone. |
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Respect enemy damage output. If you know that an opponent is capable of killing quickly, don't try to hold on to your ultimate until the last second. Maybe that enemy



Block entire abilities, empower your whole team, and pave the way towards victory. A well-timed ultimate has the power render your foes completely helpless, and if you can do so consistently, you'll practically be carrying the game on your back.
Seize opportunities when you see them. When you notice an escalating conflict, be on guard so that you're able to react when things start to get hectic. In turn, you will likely be able to block the brunt of the enemies' damage as it comes out. Like

If you fall victim to a hard engage, do not hesitate to use it. You already know what's going to happen when someone like

Start off fights strong. If you have a team that specializes in going all-in, by all means give them your support. Using

For the audacious, this ultimate is also great for tower diving. Bind yourself to whoever is going to take tower aggro (if that's you, bind to your lowest-HP ally), then cast it as soon as the dive begins. Make sure everybody is on board with the plan first, though. Otherwise you'll have a very lonely, very deadly experience.


![]() "Surge ex doloribus, cüm spe in corde! Rise out of sorrow, with hope in your heart!" * ![]() Revival and stasis, through means such as ![]() ![]() Similarly, ![]() ![]() If your ally is untargetable, ![]() ![]() |
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Just about your whole playstyle revolves around empowering your allies. Likewise, your best work is often done with those who prosper in the middle of the action.

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A Kalista with a Taric by her side is a force to be reckoned with. With you as her Oathsworn partner, Kalista's ultimate ![]() ![]() Together, the two of you are strong brawlers throughout the game. In lane, ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Lucian's high mobility and burst are well-complemented by your kit. This pairing becomes especially deadly after he unlocks ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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When Tristana goes in, she goes in hard. After making an explosive entrance with ![]() ![]() |
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Four shot kill dude Hits hard with ease. Stun lets Jhin root. Dead foes; easy game. |
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Usually, the best defense against Taric is simply running away. However, with constant slows from Ashe's passive, you will have an easier time landing stuns and be able to keep up with enemies to pummel them with ![]() ![]() |
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Draven's home is the heat of battle. ![]() ![]() |
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Ezreal has great synergy with you. (Maybe even chemistry.) As he pokes with ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |

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Super Tanks![]() |
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Strong Engagers![]() |
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Hyper Carries![]() |
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Stealth Assassins![]() ![]() |
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This may be the last chapter, but if you've taken a peek at the scroll bar, you'll know that it's a hefty one. Get ready; it's time to put everything you know together and come out of this guide a Taric support master.
This chapter is separated into four distinct areas of gameplay, and its goal is to sharpen your proficiency in each. Below you can also watch a full gameplay video to see everything in action.


When the game first loads up, start to have a plan in mind. Your jungler may need your help to leash or invade, so you should align your interest with theirs for a smooth start. Whatever you end up doing, aim to reach the minion wave at bot lane by 1:50 so you don't miss any experience.
DEFEND & LEASH: Guard your bottom-side jungle against invades by positioning yourself near one of the jungle entrances. If you see enemies approaching, drop a ward, leave, and ping to alert your team. With the ambush avoided, either your enemies will withdraw and you proceed as normal, or they stay and your jungler moves onto another buff. If your jungler is starting their clear on bot side, leash for them once Red/Blue spawns at 1:30. Stun the monster as soon as it arrives, then together with your ADC, hit it until it reaches about 500 health and leave so your jungler can land the killing blow. |
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INVADE: Invading should be done swiftly and as a group effort. If your team has a strong level 1 catch/kill potential, you or your allies can make the suggestion at the start of the game. If everyone is on board, head straight to the enemy's bottom-side jungle as a pack. Be ready to use

If you manage to get a kill or force out a summoner spell, consider the invade a success. Afterwards, take the same next step as your jungler, either staying to help them take the buff or leaving and recalling. The experience granted from an early kill, while small, will get you to level 2 faster in lane, so if you plan to play aggressively, use that spike to your advantage.
CHEESE: In the event that your jungler is neither invading nor needs you to leash for them, you can use some of your free time to set up a cheese: a strategy meant to catch your opponents off guard. Defend your jungle like normal until about 1:20, then make your way to the enemy's bot lane jungle entrance. (By then, the ADC and support should have left to leash, so they'll never see it coming). Wait in the bush until around 1:50 and have




Farming is the most reliable source of income in the game. As a support, your lane partner should be the one last-hitting the majority of the minions so they can afford their expensive items. You, on the other hand, aren't as reliant on money, so you'll be fine as long as you use Relic Shield's passive efficiently to share just a few of those minions.

Execute melee minions over caster minions when possible. Not only do they offer more gold than the latter, but since you don't have to walk up very far to reach them, you'll be in less danger of getting attacked by your enemies.
If the enemy pushes you under your tower in the early game, you can help your ADC farm by getting the minions just under kill range so your ADC can clean up. Melee minions take two tower shots and one autoattack to kill; if they're at an uneven amount of health, get them to either 50% (it can be killed after taking one tower shot) or 10% (it can be killed right away). Leave the full-health melee minions alone. Caster minions take one tower shot and two autoattacks to kill; if they're at full health, hit them just once then let them take a tower shot. Otherwise attack them until they're one hit away. If you're not used to doing this, it's best to let your ADC handle it themselves to avoid any mix-ups. Regardless, once your ADC buys a damage item, they won't need the help anymore.
Lane management is an important skill to have. While it's fine to do nothing but last hit and keep the lane even, there are situations where it's more advantageous to speed up or slow down your push.
Pushing the wave is easy to do with


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To freeze a lane is to keep it stagnant while right outside, but not under, your turret. (If the turret gets to hit the enemy minions, it resets the lane and ends the freeze.) To perform it, let the enemy minions pile up and push towards you, then interrupt them at the spot you want them to stay. Once your own minions arrive, they will stay in that position. From then on, only last hit and repeat. Pros and cons include:
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The position of both your friends and foes is important to keep in mind. Being aware of it lets you know when it's safe to play aggressively and when to step back.
If you spot the enemy jungler nearby or the enemy mid laner is missing, play it safe by standing closer to your turret. After it's clear that they're no longer around, you're good to go.
If you're planning to receive a gank, make it easier to do by letting your enemies push far enough from their tower, which in turn gives them less of an opportunity to run when the time comes.
If there's no outside interference, play as you see fit. In a favorable matchup, you should position yourself aggressively by standing next to or in front of your minion wave and looking to engage. In a difficult matchup, your best bet is to stay behind your minions for safety and just focus on farming.


Level 1: Play it safe for now since you don't have enough tools for a proper fight. However, if you get the chance, use

Level 2: Armed with

Levels 3-5:



Level 6+: Your most powerful ability,

Getting to level 2 takes the first wave plus three melee minions. It has the potential to create a large gap in power, so if you're in a strong pairing and want to take advantage of it or want to prevent your enemies from doing the same, push the second wave to level up quicker.
Mana management is very important for Taric since he relies on his spells so much. To get the most out of your abilities, only use ![]() ![]() ![]() Holding onto Dazzle is often more threatening than actually using it. Enemies will try to dodge it whenever they can, but if you force them into a tight spot or wait until they've used their mobility, they'll be helpless against you. Conversely, if you cast it for no reason and miss, you leave yourself vulnerable. Minion aggro is no laughing matter, especially in the early game. Autoattacking an enemy champion when surrounded by their minions will certainly hurt and can turn an even trade into a lost one. As such, don't engage when too many enemy minions are around, but if your enemies make the same mistake, teach them a lesson by stunning them and forcing them to take damage. |
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Opportunities are everywhere. Catch your enemies out in their moments of weakness such as when they miss an important ability. Also, keep track of who uses what summoner spells. If, for instance, you know an enemy blew their

Target whoever is easiest to kill in the lane. Most often this is the ADC, but occasionally it is a squishy, immobile support like Soraka or Sona. If the enemy support is a tank, don't waste your time engaging on them; you'll end up not doing much while leaving yourself open to retaliation.


When you roam, you gank for your fellow laners and create pressure around the map. During laning phase, you can visit mid lane once or twice if the opportunity arises.
Before roaming, inform your lane partner and ensure that they will be safe in your absence. If they're ahead, mobile, and/or can farm safely from range, you're good to go.
Take the river when you gank. Ganking alongside your jungler is even better, so if they're nearby, coordinate a paired gank. Wait just outside the enemy's vision range, then once they overextend, approach and

Once the enemy bot lane tower has fallen, partner up with your ADC to either swap with top lane or group at mid lane and take down more turrets. If your side's tower is the one that fell, ward the river and its jungle entrances, let your ADC farm, then rotate by yourself to help your other laners. Mirror the enemy bot lane's position since it is likely that they will be roaming as well.

◦ Back to Gameplay ◦

As a support, setting up vision is one of your main tasks throughout the game. Knowing where your enemies are and aren't can be the difference between life and death.
Check your minimap frequently so you can capitalize on enemy activity. If you aren't protected by vision at all in an area, don't push up or wander farther than necessary. If you do have knowledge of your enemies' whereabouts, you'll be much better prepared against incoming danger.



During laning phase, keeping the bushes just above your lane warded is your priority. They are located on common gank paths, so if the jungler comes your way, you will have an ample heads-up. Place a ![]() Lane wards have several functions, the first of which is protecting you from death bushes — namely, a bush that an aggressive enemy support has taken control over. By warding it, you can tell where its safe to position to avoid any of their deadly spells. If you have no minions around and you know one of the bushes is occupied, your safest bet is to avoid it, lest you risk taking heavy damage or even dying. |
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Lane wards can also be used to set up a ![]() |
Dragon pit is a hotly contested area that you should keep an eye on. Having vision on it lets you see whether or not enemies are taking it, which will help you and your team decide whether to initiate a fight, or leave it be.
Deep wards let you see enemies coming from a mile away. When your lane is pushed, you can ward near the enemy Red/Blue Buff (whichever is closest to your side) as well as deep into the river, which will respectively inform you if the jungler or mid laner are making their way towards you.


Neutral Wards are the go-to option for both staying safe and keeping track of your enemies. The river is a great place to keep lit up since it is a highly active spot. If you plan to fight Dragon or Baron soon, drop a

Deep Wards are best used when your team is ahead. If you keep the enemy's jungle warded, you can catch out people who are travelling between lanes or wandering too far away from their teammates.
Defensive Wards can be lifesavers if your team is behind. When dangerous opponents are pushing waves and looking for fights, spread wards throughout your jungle, and for maximum protection, be sure to place

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Sweep often with your ![]() ![]() |
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Rift Scuttler Better known as the Scuttle Crab, this timid critter gives you better control over the river. Killing her creates a shrine in front of the Dragon or Baron pit (depending on which side she was on) which grants vision and temporarily speeds up allies who walk over it. Take a moment to capture her before fighting an epic monster. |
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Scryer's Bloom This plant briefly reveals all units in a large cone, allowing you to find and kill wards as well as gain information on your enemies' positions. To make the most out of it, angle it to cover your biggest blind spots. Use it near Dragon or Baron pit if you plan to fight either monster soon. |
◦ Back to Gameplay ◦

Always keep your eyes on objectives. Destroying structures inches you ever closer to the enemy Nexus, and killing epic monsters will grant you buffs that will aid you on that quest. Knowing which objectives are the most valuable and when to pursue them is essential to achieving victory.
Some objectives offer greater utility than others. Some supply such raw power, such as Elder Dragon and Baron, that securing them for your team is top priority when they are up. If you have the choice between several objectives, consider this hierarchy: Elder Dragon > Baron > Dragon Soul > Inhibitor > Turret / Dragon. Start at the biggest one that is both available and safe to do, then move down the line if time and resources permit.
In the early game, a common choice you will need to make (particularly after receiving a gank) is between damaging your lane's turret or taking dragon. Go for the turret if (1) you have the ability to destroy the turret outright, (2) you don't have the resources, vision, or time to take dragon, or (3) if your jungler is not around, dead, or unable to help. Otherwise, you should initiate the fight on dragon with your jungler.
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![]() BENEFIT: 160g local per plate (outer turrets) + 250g local, 50g global on destruction + 150g local for Turret First Blood With their damage and vision, turrets create large zones of protection. Destroying them provides gold for your team and gives you important territorial control, so just as you should take your enemies' down whenever possible, take care to protect your own. Turret Plating is active on outer turrets for the first 14 minutes of the game. There are 5 per turret, each granting 160g locally, so work with your ADC to take them down before they're gone. Additionally, Turret First Blood gives extra gold to whoever destroys the first turret of the match. If laning phase is going well for you, make it your goal to take down your opponents' tower quickly and get that bonus. Be cautious when taking turrets since you are bordering enemy territory when you do so. If you suspect enemies are nearby, don't hesitate to back out. |
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![]() BENEFIT: Spawns allied Super Minions in its lane upon destruction RESPAWN: 5 minutes after destruction Super minions, spawned upon an inhibitor's destruction, are a force to be reckoned with. Because of their resilience and strength, they can push waves easily and wreak havoc on enemy structures. You're free to attack turrets for a long time when they're around since they can withstand a great deal of shots. After you destroy an inhibitor, don't go full ARAM and hope for the best. Super minions are natural wave pushers and make great distractions, so while enemies are preoccupied with them, spread your influence to other parts of the map. For instance, if you take the bot lane inhibitor and enemies station themselves on that side to defend it, you have an opening to take Baron and push top. |
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![]() BENEFIT: Dragon Slayer buffs / Dragon Soul after 4th dragon SPAWN: Every 5 minutes from 5:00 until one team takes a Dragon Soul Each elemental dragon grants teams a permanent, stacking buff. After two dragons have been slain, the third dragon's element dominates the rift, transforming the map and causing any further elemental dragons to be of that same type. The first team to slay four dragons total gains a powerful Dragon Soul for the rest of the game. Due to the power that comes with getting a Dragon Soul, securing dragons for your team should take high priority. Being in bot lane and close to the dragon pit gives you some responsibilities. How you and your lane partner perform will impact your team's capability to take the first few dragons. Place wards, issue pings, and stay alert; if a dragon is spawning soon, play around your jungler and make plans to be present for and potentially fight for it. If you play well and have an advantage in lane, you can pressure your opponent towards their tower. From there, your team has more freedom to take the dragon. |
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INFERNAL DRAKE Buff: Gain 4 / 8 / 12 / 16% attack damage and ability power Soul: Damaging abilities and basic attacks create an explosion around the target Tips: The Infernal Drake is not directly useful for Taric, but it is useful to your team overall. Attack buffs put you ahead in fights, so aggressive play is rewarded more when you have the Infernal Drake's buffs. |
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CLOUD DRAKE Buff: Gain 12 / 24 / 36 / 48 ultimate haste Soul: Grants bonus movement speed, increased for 6 seconds after casting your ultimate Tips: This drake's buffs work wonders for Taric since it lowers his high ultimate cooldown. For perspective, with four cloud buffs and enough ability haste, a max rank Cosmic Radiance goes from a 120 second cooldown to 40 seconds or less. Additionally, the Cloud Soul's movement speed makes it easier to make an invincible engage or run at and save teammates while using your ultimate. |
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OCEAN DRAKE Buff: Regenerate 2.5 / 5 / 7.5 / 10% of missing health every 5 seconds Soul: Dealing damage to enemies restores health and mana over 4 seconds Tips: The ocean drake synergizes greatly with Taric. The passive regeneration on top of your own spellcasting makes you and your team become sustain monsters. With the Soul, you can count on winning any war of attrition due to how it gives you even more regeneration while brawling. |
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MOUNTAIN DRAKE Buff: Gain 6 / 12 / 18 / 24% armor and magic resistance Soul: After not taking champion damage for 5 seconds, gain a shield Tips: More defense is always a plus for Taric. As you get tankier with each rank of the mountain buff, both your defense and offense improve, and you can share more armor with an ally. The Mountain Soul's shield lets you better resist poke and adds insurance to your utimate. Since you and your allies can survive all-ins longer with their shield, the chances of Cosmic Radiance activating in time go up. |
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![]() BENEFIT: Aspect of the Dragon for 150 seconds SPAWN: Every 6 minutes after one team takes a Dragon Soul Once one team takes a Dragon Soul, the Elder Dragon takes the stage. Slaying it grants the Aspect of the Dragon buff and its signature effect Elder Immolation, which executes any enemies that you get under 20% health. Coupled with the bonus true damage it gives to all of your attacks, this buff raises your offensive power to massive levels. Whichever team slays this dragon may very well win the game, Dragon Soul or not. The monster itself has tons of health, regenerates quickly, and hits hard in a cone, which means fighting it must be a team effort. Before you fight it, ward the surrounding area and disable vision since enemies are likely to contest it. If it looks like they are, killing or zoning the enemy jungler is highly suggested. You don't want them to swoop in and smite the Elder Dragon for their own team. |
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![]() BENEFIT: Eye of the Herald (single-person, single-use summon) SPAWN: Once at 8:00, then can respawn 6 minutes later. Despawns permanently at 19:30 (19:50 if in combat) Once the Rift Herald is killed and summoned, she asserts her dominance on enemy objectives with ease. Her first charge against a structure can deal a whopping half of its health, and she will continue to whittle it down on it until moving onto the next turret. This can be the final push you need to take down an enemy turret, or it can lead to a snowball of taking multiple structures after a won teamfight. You often won't take part in fighting the Herald since she spawns on the top side of the map. However, if an ally summons her down your lane, use her help to push, and if an enemy sends her down, work with your teammates to end her demolition. |
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![]() BENEFIT: Hand of Baron for 210 seconds SPAWN: Every 6 minutes from 20:00 onward A fearsome beast whose size matches its strength, Baron Nashor is one of the most coveted monsters in the game. For the duration of the buff it gives, your team gains attack damage, ability power, empowered recalls, and most importantly, an aura than empowers nearby minions. Setting up for Baron is just as important as fighting it. Before you start, ward around it and disable nearby enemy vision, but be sure not to get caught out in the process. Also, make sure that you and your teammates have the health to take it on and enough damage to quickly dispatch it. If enough enemies are nearby, expect them to contest Baron and prepare accordingly. The enemy jungler may jump into the pit to attempt a steal, but you can prevent that from happening if you stun them as soon as they enter. If a teamfight breaks out, ![]() Once you've taken Baron down, turn your attention to sieging. With the buff, allied minions gain strength, range, and damage reduction, so if enough of them can swarm down a lane, your pushing power becomes insurmountable. Group to take turrets while the buff is on you or send someone to splitpush and stall for them as they do so. Whatever you do, don't let it go to waste. |
◦ Back to Gameplay ◦

Teamfights are what Taric lives for, and with all the powers at his disposal, it's easy to see why. Play smart, play hard, and carry your allies so that they can carry you.

Choose your fights with a purpose in mind, whether it be getting an objective or shutting down a key target. Engaging unnecessarily is a risk that may offer little reward in the end — remember that before diving or chasing after a kill because if you get collapsed on without any backup or escape plan, you set your whole team behind.
Since your ultimate and your items are integral to your influence in fights, play around their cooldowns. Let your team know if you need just a bit more time for everything to recharge before engaging — it can make all the difference.
Open areas are the best places for you to fight. If you end up fighting in a chokepoint, such as a tight spot in the jungle, you're more prone to getting separated from your team and unable to assist them in time.


Your ADC is a prime target for enemies and will likely need your help to avoid getting killed. To protect them the most, bind to them with

If your ADC can stay safe on their own, you can help out your frontline instead. Strengthen their engages to set up kills and make quick work of enemy carries.
The first time you use


Unfortunately, not everyone can be saved, especially those who get caught when overextended. Using all your resources on a doomed ally is wasteful, so in such a case the best thing to do is to leave them to die. (Doomed does not just mean outnumbered, though. If you lend your aid to a strong enough ally, there's definitely a chance they can take multiple people on.)
Don't dive face first into fights. Although you can take a decent amount of damage, your job is not to be the main tank of your team; you want to stay alive as long as possible since it is through you that your teammates will survive.

Using your ultimate in conjunction with item actives can give your allies tremendous protection in a short amount of time. Certain combos will maximize your efficiency, whether you need to safeguard a single person or your entire team.
The Teamfight Combo combines



The Ultimate Protector Combo is a designed to use everything in your arsenal, and I mean everything, to ensure someone's survival. If you have a carry who is your ticket to victory but is constantly getting targeted by enemies, this is for them. Here are the key factors:
- Proactively bind to your chosen ally with
Bastion and
Knight's Vow.
- As soon as they're jumped on, open with
Cosmic Radiance and/or
Locket of the Iron Solari.
- Use
Redemption midway through your invincibility so the heal comes right after it wears off.
- After using
Exhaust, wait a second before using
Dazzle so the enemy is debuffed for as long as possible.
Of course, neither of these combos are set in stone; when and how you should use your resources always depend on the situation. Activating everything in a panic can be wasteful, leaving you and your team in a more vulnerable spot. If the enemies you're fighting aren't very dangerous, you may only need your basic abilities to fend them off. For bigger threats, though, be prepared to use whatever is necessary.

After winning a fight, pursue whatever objectives you can. Any progress is good progress, even if it just means pushing a minion wave or getting some damage onto a turret. While there may be the temptation to chase after more kills, doing so is always a gamble, so keep your eyes on the prize.
The longer death timers are, the greater and grander objectives you can seize. Early game, go for whatever is nearest to you and does not take much time to do, such as Dragon or a turret. Later into the game, when you take your enemies down for longer periods of time, you have much more freedom to go after the likes of Baron and even get multiple objectives at a time.
Do not overstay when you're pushing as it only ever leads to throws. After a teamfight, you'll often be low on resources, so if you meander for too long and your enemies have respawned, you're gonna have a bad time. Instead, take what you can get, then come back stronger and ready to give it your all once again.
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Thanks for reading! This guide has been one of my biggest creative endeavors to date. Everything I know about Taric has been expressed here, but there are always new things to learn and discover, so feel free to ask questions and leave feedback.
All of the coding was done by myself, as were the majority of the graphics. Special thanks to jhoijhoi for not only for creating these for me but also for her Guide to Making a Guide, which has always been a reliable resource.
That's all from me. Now get out there, be fabulous, and most of all, have fun.




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