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Talon Build Guide by

[S3] Ranked Talon, Cleave the Mid

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4 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author Goffterdom

Talon Build Guide By Updated on

Guide Discussion (4) More Talon Guides

Spells:

Ignite

Flash

Items

Starters

Early Items

Core Items

Completing Items

Ability Order

Talon Passive Ability

To Begin

"The three deadliest blademasters in all of Valoran are bound to the house of Du Couteau: my father, myself, and Talon. Challenge us, if you dare."
- Katarina Du Couteau

]Blackberry

]Blackberry

Hi everyone.

After my and guides, here's my guide. I'd like to think that this guide will share the same quality than the previous. I'd like to write an in-depth analysis of my favourite champions.

I bought right after his release as I was expecting a real physical assassin that would come, shut a target down and vanish to the darkness. I played as a Solotop at start, then it became clear that he was a dominant champion on the middle lane. I started to shred a lot of players that werent used to face an AD Caster. Then Season 3 arrived, finally giving a useful improve. arrived and it just drived crazy. After all the games I'v made, I'd like to think that my 's experience worths to be written and can give you something.

I'm not like all those guys who posted a guide about only one or two days after his release. I dont think you can do something of quality in one day. I trained a lot, either on Public or Ranked queues. I tried several builds and different skill orders ! I trully believe this build is efficient and can allow you to carry your games as .

Have a nice read ladies and gentlemen, I hope this guide is going to take you to higher 's skills.

]Blackberry

]Blackberry

Note on the Shyvana's patch: has been nerfed. But it's not a reason to cry, on the contrary. All the freaking dumbs who were playing him because they think he was some kind of "OP" will now play another champ. It makes us the new generation of deathbringers.

Quoted:

Talon
Rake mana cost increased to 60/65/70/75/80 from 45/50/55/60/65
Shadow Assault cooldown increased to 75/65/55 seconds from 60/50/40

This nerf is kinda deserved. The increased mana cost of is not an issue at all with this set of runes and masteries. As long as you dont spam your abilities you won't run out of mana. The increased CoolDown duration on is really fair, that was OP. It has still a really low cooldown afterall.

]Blackberry

]Blackberry

Note on the Season 3's patch: Brace yourselves squishies, is coming.

This gives a legit improve. This also gives a better scaling lategame (meaning his power will vanish slower than before).

Pros & Cons

Why would you like to play ? I'm going to tell you why you have to play him.

P R O S

• Finally a real physical assassin
• High burst through early and mid game
• Easy farmer ()
• A complete counterpick
• A silencing gap-closer ( Cutthroat)
• A skilled way of escape ( Cutthroat)
• Nice AoE damages in Teamfights
• Nice escape mechanism ()
• High chances of getting double or tripple kill
• Synergizing with

C O N S

• No sustainibility on lane (less important on the Mid Lane)
• Squishy and Melee
• No escape mechanism when and are on cooldown
• Less efficient in the late game
• Bruisers take you down (, , ...)
• and shut down a part of your escaping capabilities

Runes, Masteries & Summoner Spells

The pre-game elements. Often what the reader is searching for.

I'll make it brief because my choices are simple.

Masteries

There's nothing fancy here so I'll explain it quickly.
gives you CD Reduction. I prefer this mastery to because this mastery only gives 12 AD at level 18. 4% CDR gives you 29% flat CDR with the core build. I dont feel like we can benefit from the extra attack speed.
I like the Butchery mastery for an easier farming.
I also dont choose the / combo mastery because I don't choose any Critical Chance items.
I like to get that 9 defensive points because has to comit (place himself in a dangerous position) in order to kill.
You can also get that 9 utilitary points that gives you increased duration for the blue, I would personnaly choose this setup vs an easy match up.

]Blackberry

]Blackberry

Runes

Precision

Fleet Footwork

Phase Rush

Greater Quintessence of Armor Penetration and Greater Mark of Armor Penetration

Give you 20 Flat ArPen.

Flat AD gives you more damage at levels 1-6 then ArPen Runes become more efficient. Choose either of these two Runes Types according to your playstyle.

I also choose to remove two Greater Quintessence of Armor Penetration for two in order to chase, juke and escape more easily (since you have very few escape when in on Cooldown).

Greater Seal of Armor

Give you 13 Flat Armor. It can looks strange considering you are facing an AP Carry (dealing Magic Damages).

Most of the mid-laners are Ranged Champions that will harass you with their auto-attack as soon as you get close to the minions for last hitting. Having allow you to decrease the efficiency of such an harass. It also decreases the damages of a potential AD Jungler.

If you don't like these Sceals you can switch for or mayve even Greater Seal of Magic Resistance.

Greater Glyph of Magic Resist

Give you 14 Flat Magic Resist.

For obvious reasons these runes fit our lane perfectly since they decrease the damage output of your lane opponent.

]Blackberry

]Blackberry

Summoner Spells

Highly Recommended Ignite / Flash

The Metagame dictates, we follow. As sad as it may sounds, in Ranked Games you play for the win. If pro players play this way it means it's the more efficient.

I can give few explainations anyway.

is a must-have in the current meta because Jungler's ganks are way too pressuring. Without a flash the enemy jungler can camp you like madness because he knows as soon as you are CC'ed, you are dead.

also helps you getting kills with your / Cutthroat gap-closer.

fits the meta because it makes you capable of killing your opponent. All the players try not to die, makes the difference between letting your opponent fly away or killing him.

also synergizes with really well.

Maybe in few months, when pro players got used to the new elements of season 3 we will see more Summoner Spells, and I hope so. I just don't have enough time to try everything out. I already tried and on the middle lane but I just feel like I miss too much.

Skill Order

Ability Sequence
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18

The borring part considering the small summery at the start of the guide. I'll explain my choices of abilities.

#1 Shadow Assault

Your ultimate.

#2 Rake

As most people say "your bread and butter skill". This is an "all-purpose-tool", farming, chasing, damaging. This does everything.

#3 Noxian Diplomacy

Your secondary burst ability. This deals damages opposed to Cutthroat.

#4 Cutthroat Cutthroat

Your only ability that doesn't deal damages. You can level it for the Cooldown decreasing but I really think is a more reliable choice.

Build Analysis

The interesting part of my job. My item build and the explanation of my choices.

Starters

Item Sequence

BLANKThe different starting possibilities.

Crystalline Flask

BLANKBuy two s and a Sight Ward with this item. This is the new "OP" starter. This gives you an amazing lane sustain and an early map control to avoid giving firstblood on a jungler's gank. Having a better sustain than your opponent makes you able to push him out of the lane to recall before you. This gives you a chance to hit 6 before he does in order to kill him, it should also makes you ahead in Creep Score. Finally if your opponent is forced to recall before you, you can gank a side lane without being pushed or loosing some creeps.

Long Sword

BLANKBuy two s with this item. I start with this when I feel like I'm going to dominate my lane (vs an easy matchup or in low elo zones) It gives you an impressive amount of burst at really early stage of the game. It also makes you capable of building , , or even , depending on what you need.

Null-Magic Mantle

BLANKBuy two s with this item. Starting with this vs a high damage output in order to rush . If it appears you don't even need it, you can still improve it into or .

Boots of Speed

BLANKBuy three s with this item. Starting with this vs a skillshot based AP Carry ( for instance). I would not recomend to start out with boots now they have been nerfed, but it still helps a lot to dodge skillshots.

]Blackberry

]Blackberry

Core Items

Item Sequence

BLANKThe heart of your build. What makes you able to use at his full potential.

Ability Mechanisms

How to properly and efficently use 's abilities in order to get the maximum potential out of him.

The Counterpick

is a counterpick. You can't pick him first on a lane. is a champion to pick against several determined champions. Here is the list.

counters a lot of AP Carries on the middle lane. I'll try to list them all and I'll also name the specific counterpicks.