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Heimerdinger Build Guide by Toliam

Top Season 13! - Former Pro's Guide to Heimerdinger - Toplane Compendium

Top Season 13! - Former Pro's Guide to Heimerdinger - Toplane Compendium

Updated on September 19, 2023
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League of Legends Build Guide Author Toliam Build Guide By Toliam 76 5 110,134 Views 3 Comments
76 5 110,134 Views 3 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author Toliam Heimerdinger Build Guide By Toliam Updated on September 19, 2023
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Runes: 13.18

Sorcery
Arcane Comet
Manaflow Band
Transcendence
Gathering Storm

Inspiration
Perfect Timing
Cosmic Insight
Bonus:

+9 Adaptive (5.4 AD or 9 AP)
+9 Adaptive (5.4 AD or 9 AP)
+6 Armor

Spells:

1 2
Standard
LoL Summoner Spell: Flash

Flash

LoL Summoner Spell: Teleport

Teleport

Threats & Synergies

Threats Synergies
Extreme Major Even Minor Tiny
Show All
None Low Ok Strong Ideal
Extreme Threats
Ideal Synergies
Synergies
Ideal Strong Ok Low None

Champion Build Guide

Season 13! - Former Pro's Guide to Heimerdinger - Toplane Compendium

By Toliam
Updates - Season 13!
Howdy - Tom here with a quick update.

I've taken a break from League over the past two years and as such, this guide has completely fallen out of date. Over the next few weeks I'll be updating it. There's quite a lot of changes to the game and Heimer is still viable in Toplane. I've been back a month now and have climbed to 300LP Master tier on the EUW server, under the username 'Tom and his ****'.

I've updated the build segment at the top of the guide, I'll get round to the in detail section as soon as possible. The short version is -> Don't buy Everfrost ever. Don't buy Mejai's. Play to create opportunities and space for your team.

You'll still do absurd damage, but giving your carries an easier time to do theirs, and giving yourself the room to make mistakes (larger health pool, zhonya) has recently yielded far better results.

Alsos stopwatch rune is absolutely busted and I genuinely believe that every game it has netted me a kill or two, which leads to tempo advantage, good waves etc.... It's like playing with a safety net for pretty much no downside.

Cheers lads, I'll update more soon. I've a big spreadsheet with everything I've been working on over the past month that I'm eager to share - 19/09/2023.
Combos
Heimerdinger E - Q Combo: E->Q
Heimerdinger's baseline combo is the grenade into turret combo. This guarantees a laser beam from the placed turret.

This combo can be added to all other combo's to increase the amount of turrets firing laser beams.

To perform this combo:

1. Throw CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade at target
2. Prior to CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade landing, place H-28G Evolution Turret

Heimerdinger Double Beam Combo: Q->E->Q->W->AA

The double beam combo (from a single turret) is the Heimerdinger's highest damage combo pre-ultimate. It requires the grenade to land, and then all rockets to land.

To perform this combo:

1. Place a H-28G Evolution Turret
2. Throw CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade
3. Prior to grenade landing, Place a turret
4. After lasers beams fire, Use Hextech Micro-Rockets

Heimerdinger Ult-Q Double Beam Combo: Q->E->R->Q->W

The Ult-Q double beam combo allows you to deploy your ult-turret and instantly fire a beam, followed up by additional beams from W. I use this combo defensively or in tower dives.

To perform this combo:

1. Place any extra H-28G Evolution Turrets
2. Throw CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade
3. Prior to grenade landing, R + Q ( H-28Q Apex Turret)
4. As lasers have fired, Use Hextech Micro-Rockets

Heimerdinger Ult-W Burst Combo: Q->E->Q->R->W->AA

The Ult-W combo is a rarer Heimerdinger combo, because it does less damage than the Ult-E combo if you have 5 points in W. Pre-level 9, use in single target burst situations.

To perform this combo:

1. Place any H-28G Evolution Turrets
2. Land CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade
3. Extra! - Prior to grenade landing, place turret
4. Hextech Rocket Swarm (Ult + W) on enemy.


Heimerdinger Ult-E Grenade Combo: Q->R->E->Q->W

Heimerdinger's best mid-late game combo is the Ult-E combo. It is his longest range and highest AOE damage combo.
It is used aggressively in teamfights or to make picks.

To perform this combo:

1. Place any extra H-28G Evolution Turrets
2. CH-3X Lightning Grenade (Ult+E)
3. Prior to grenade landing, place H-28G Evolution Turret
4. As lasers fire, use Hextech Micro-Rockets
Turret Tricks
Blocking Abilities

H-28G Evolution Turret and H-28Q Apex Turret both act as minions that can block enemy skillshots.

Simply place the turret prior to or during enemy spellcasts in order to block them.

Examples include:
Blitzcrank's Q - Rocket Grab
Pyke's Q - Bone Skewer
Ezreal's Q - Mystic Shot

Teleport Punish

If you see someone begin to cast Teleport, Heimerdinger can setup
H-28G Evolution Turrets and his
H-28Q Apex Turret to immediately punish the enemy.

Teleport cannot be cancelled, and
with a bit of practice, you can time
CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade so that it
lands as the Teleport cast completes.

I recommend performing the Ult + Q Double Beam combo -> see Combos

Prevent Dragon Leaving Pit

Red side teams will attempt to drag Dragon outside of the pit in order to make it harder for the opposing team to access.

Teams inside the pit are more vulnerable to large AOE ultimates (e.g. Miss Fortune's Bullet Time) as well as being easier to access from an enemy jungler trying to
Smite steal the dragon .

Heimerdinger can place his H-28G Evolution Turret over the wall inside the pit - resulting in the Dragon remaining inside until they are killed. If they get to close - feel free to combo them.

Placing Turrets Over Walls

Heimerdinger can place both his
H-28G Evolution Turret and his
H-28Q Apex Turret over walls.

Aim your cursor over halfway across the wall, but still within cast range (otherwise you will path around) and then place the turret.

It takes some practice to do it consistently and quickly.

This can be done along with the Ult-E Grenade Combo for some long-range picks.

Tanking Camps After Level 13

Heimerdinger's H-28G Evolution Turret's health has an ability power scaling that increases with player level.

From testing, level 13 is where H-28G Evolution Turret has a high enough AP scaling to tank the camp. 2 Turrets, combined with a CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade and a cast of Hextech Micro-Rockets will kill any camp.

Prior to level 13, Heimerdinger will have to tank the camp to a certain extent.

Placing Turrets Under Towers

The Turret will prioritise both H-28Q Apex Turret and H-28G Evolution Turrets prior to targeting any minions. It will not switch aggro to attack turrets until either it's current target has died, or leaves it's range.

A melee minion will tank 3 Turret shots prior to dying. A Caster minion will tank 2 Turret shots. A Cannon minion however will tank 6-7 Turret shots.

This means if you place H-28G Evolution Turrets after the Turret targets a siege minion , they will survive a lot longer and deal significant damage.

Using Blast Cones

H-28G Evolution Turret can interact with blast cones that spawn across the rit.

This allows Heimerdinger to launch his H-28G Evolution Turret from a safer position.

A common example is using this to place multiple turrets in the Baron pit and Dragon pit.

H-28Q Apex Turret is immune to movement effects and does not work with blast cones.

Deactivated Turrets grant vision

Active H-28G Evolution Turrets grant vision which decreases when they deactivate.

This means that you can create some small wards in emergencies across choke-points like tri-bush.

Deactivated turrets will despawn first when the 3 H-28G Evolution Turret cap is exceeded.

This trick is mostly used to spot enemy level 1 invades.
Turrets Proc Spell Effects

H-28G Evolution Turret auto attacks will apply the following effects for the cost of 20 mana:

Arcane Comet
Taste of Blood
Scorch
Manaflow Band
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
Demonic Embrace
Liandry's Torment
Morellonomicon

Introduction
Hey folks - Toliam here, although most call me Tom. I'm a former national league player (UKLC, Benelux) mostly known for Heimerdinger, Illaoi, Singed and Gangplank. I finished Season 10 at 111lp in Master Tier on EUW, playing Heimerdinger toplane.

(Links outdated but will fix soon). If you are interested in some individual Heimerdinger coaching or reviews, I'm easiest to contact through my discord server, or my Stream.

Enough pleasantries, on with the Guide!
Intro - Why Heimer?
Heimerdinger as a champion can hard carry games even in masters+, and has a low skill floor to high skill ceiling. This means that he is simple to pick up, but there are plenty of efficiencies that will improve your gameplay.

If you're looking at Heimerdinger as an option purely to climb, you will not succeed at mastering this champion. You need to enjoy his playstyle, and enjoy winning and losing games with Heimerdinger. If you're not having fun, you will not be driven to improve. You will get frustrated, and that's an easy recipe for tilt and toxicity.
Basics - Abilities

Heimerdinger's passive, Hextech Affinity is very simple. You gain movement speed around your turrets. This does not include destroyed allied turrets, or enemy turrets. Combined with either Celerity, or Cosmic Drive, and you will be extremely hard to lock down in a fight.

You can also use turrets to decrease the time taken to return to lane (by pathing next to turrets), or increasing chase/flee potential by placing a turret while running.




Heimerdinger's Q, H-28G Evolution Turret is the core mechanic of Heimerdinger's kit. You can place and store up to 3 H-28G Evolution Turret with a base recharge rate of 20 seconds each. I tend to max this ability last, but will occasionally place up to three points depending on matchup - please see matchups.

Some additional points:
  • The basic attacks are classed as single target spell damage for effects such as Ravenous Hunter and Manaflow Band. The beams are classed as area spell damage.
  • The basic attacks will not proc spell shields such as Banshee's Veil or Edge of Night - but will break malzahar shields.
  • The base stats are determined on cast, and will not update when Heimerdinger's stats change (such as when Yuumi hops on & off, or Absolute Focus de-activates, or when the ability is ranked up.
  • The AP ratio for turret health scales with player level, not ability level.
  • Beams are generated by other abilities, 20% for each individual Hextech Micro-Rockets, 100% for CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade. These values are the same for their respective UPGRADE!!! versions.
  • H-28G Evolution Turret will target enemies hit by your abilities or auto attacks. The priority for this is champions > Minions > Structures. In most skins this is denoted by a large cog on the focussed target.
  • If you place an additional turret, an inactive turret, or the oldest turret placed will be destroyed. Tracking which turret will be replaced during trading will allow you to retain control of the lane - this is discussed later.


Heimerdinger's W, Hextech Micro-Rockets is the primary harass tool. The spell can be 'fanned' by aiming in front of your opponent. The further infront, the wider the spread. I always max this ability first.

Additional Points
  • Rockets that kill an enemy will travel through the enemy. If rockets land at the same time, both will travel through the enemy. If they do not kill the enemy, the rocket(s) is blocked. Use this in lane to fire to CS and trade at the same time.
  • The first rocket to land on an enemy champion will deal 60% of the damage. Subsequent rockets will only deal an additional 10% damage. Spread out the rockets versus multiple targets to get higher overall damage (2 targets = 120% damage, 3 = 180% etc...). The only time you use all rockets on 1 target is to guarantee a 2nd [H-28g evolution turret] laser beam.
Heimerdinger's E ability, CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade throw's a grenade at a location (skill-shot), stunning enemies directly underneath and slowing those in a small circle around the impact.

Point of note:
  • The travel time of the grenade varies with distance. Placing a grenade directly on top of yourself is almost instant.
Heimerdinger's ultimate ability, UPGRADE!!! upgrades any of his basic abilities for a single, empowered cast. This allows Heimerdinger to adapt to a large amount of situations. A general rule of thumb is ult grenade as an aggressive / engage / one shot option, and ult turret as a defensive option. Given that you max W first in almost all builds, you almost never use ult-W (more damage from rank 5 w and ult grenade). Ult usage is discussed in greater detail later on.

Some additional points:
  • Damage from ultimate spells are based off ultimate rank, not ability rank.
  • Recasting the ultimate will put it on a 3 second cooldown, and not refund any mana.
  • Ult turret has an increased placement range in comparison to normal turrets
  • Ult Grenade can break spell shields on one bounce and apply stun / damage on further bounces.
  • Ult Rockets maintain the casting angle during movement / flash.

References: League of Legends Wiki
Basics - Rune Setup
Ignore all here for now - working on it.
Arcane Comet is the baseline keystone rune to take on Heimerdinger. I run this nearly every game.
Consistent damage that scales well into the late game, and synergizes well with Heimerdinger, as H-28G Evolution Turret auto-attacks both apply Arcane Comet and reduce it's cooldown.

Manaflow Band is the best choice in all matchups compared to Nimbus Cloak or Nullifying Orb. It helps you with mana issues, especially after Lost Chapter.
It procs on everything including H-28G Evolution Turret auto-attacks. Trade when it is off cooldown.

Absolute Focus is generally better than Transcendence and Celerity, due to the introduction of Cosmic Drive, which grants significant movespeed and ability haste. Heimerdinger scales very well off raw ability power, and his H-28G Evolution Turret will retain the additional AP after being placed, even if you drop below 70% hp.

Scorch versus Gathering Storm is mostly a playstyle preference, the majority of the time I take Scorch for early game advantages. It procs on every spell including H-28G Evolution Turret auto-attacks.

I further recommend Scorch if you are learning, as it is important you reach mid-game without falling behind.

Taste of Blood is a great way to sustain in toplane and it is very easy to proc on Heimerdinger. I tend to find Cheap Shot overkill, and getting poked out or dropping low enough to be all inned by the opposing laner is how Heimerdinger loses lane, Taste of Blood helps prevent this.

Ravenous Hunter is an extremely valuable rune on Heimerdinger. This rune will grant an absurd amount of healing across the game, especially as H-28G Evolution Turret auto attacks count as single target, allowing you to heal as much as 500hp in a single fight once stacked.
Basics - Item builds
Ignore all here for now - working on it. Look top of page only.
Early Items

Doran's Ring is the best starting item on Heimerdinger in all situations. The mana regen passive introduced in preseason 11 rewards last-hitting well, the additional 15 ability power and 70 health work amazing on Heimerdinger
Buy two Health Potions with your Doran's Ring as starting items, and don't hesitate to use them in lane. It is extremely important that you stay high on HP during lane phase so that you can survive ganks.
Dark Seal is an extremely efficient item in the game. Regarding base stats alone - 15 AP + 40 health for 350g makes it a decent buy. Add on +5 AP for every stack and Dark Seal snowballs very well. It then even scales into Mejai's Soulstealer, which is BIS for Heimerdinger.
Refillable Potion is an efficient version of Health Potion. Buy as soon as you can ingame, and you will get multiple uses out of it. Sell once you've completed your first mythic item.
You will need Control Wards throughout the entire game. It helps lock down an area of vision to allow you freedom of movement, and denies the enemy team safety to enter objective areas. In Lane - permanent vision for ganks.
Component Items

Lost Chapter is one of my favourite items for Heimerdinger - it is an efficient amount of ability power and mana, whilst building into most mythics. Combined with Manaflow Band mana issues will be removed. The Ability Haste is just a bonus!
Sorcerer's Shoes are the boot choice 100% of the time. If you are ahead, or behind, do not finish Tier 2 boots, focus on other items. You buy Tier 2 boots in general when the lane is even.
Blasting Wand is a large chunk of AP for a decent price, and builds into both Everfrost and Luden's Tempest. It is a strong powerspike early, but should not be built prior to Lost Chapter.
Fiendish Codex is arguably one of the best standalone component items. It is a cheap way of getting 10 Ability Haste and 35 Ability power. In certain situations, you can sit on this item rather than upgrade into Cosmic Drive and focus other items.
Kindlegem is not a good component item for Heimerdinger, however it builds into Cosmic Drive. Avoid buying this item as a component if possible, and aim to get the completed Cosmic Drive instead. Prioritise Sorcerer's Shoes if backing on 800g.
Seeker's Armguard is a must buy into AD assassins and fighters. This item needs to be finished alongside Lost Chapter in order to get the maximum amount of value. It is extremely efficient once stacked, and then builds into Zhonya's Hourglass.

Mythic Items

Everfrost is one of my favourite mythics to run on Heimerdinger, purely for the +15 ability power on completed Legendary items. Heimerdinger scales extremely well on base AP, making this a good purchase. The active is a bonus that locks down opponents in your turrets.
Luden's Tempest is the classic, tried and tested version of the Season 10 build. +5 Magic penetration on completed Legendary items is nice, and will allow you to negate singular magic resist items without the need for Void Staff. Strong burst, but it does not offer much utility, however.
Liandry's Torment is the season 11 version of Liandry's Torment, and is the go to for tanky opponents. The +5 ability haste on completed Legendary items is mostly wasted on Heimerdinger, who mostly prefers Flat Ability Power or Magic Penetration.
I am not a fan of Riftmaker - It does not build out of Lost Chapter, and Omnivamp is not a stat that Heimerdinger ideally builds into. The passive sounds good on paper, but Liandry's Torment does similar (as far as damage is concerned) with a better build path.
Completed Items

Mejai's Soulstealer is arguably the best item for Heimerdinger. I cannot recommend this item enough. Please see its dedicated section
I have been having a lot of fun with Cosmic Drive in preseason. It is a good amount of Ability Power, and massive chunk of Ability Haste allowing you more build freedom, and a unique passive that makes you extremely hard to lock down in a fight.
Demonic Embrace is the younger sibling of Liandry's Torment - when both are combined, the enemy team is in for a lot of burn damamge. Without Liandry's Torment, it is a good pseudo-defensive option with the nice amount of health and passive resists, combined with a good burn effect.
Rabadon's Deathcap had a slight nerf in preseason - the cost was increased. However, it is still the only item that really sends Heimerdingers scaling into overdrive. If defensive/utility options are not required, Rabadon's Deathcap should be built 3rd, especially with Everfrost.
Zhonya's Hourglass Solid defensive item that builds out of Seeker's Armguard. I do not like this item as a core option, as there are better options with better damage that allow Heimerdinger to carry better. I tend to only get this item 2nd into Assassin comps. This may change with Demonic Embrace being a good defensive.
Void Staff Buy with Everfrost or Liandry's Torment to destroy enemy magic resistance. It is not required often with the Luden's Tempest build. Buy into 2 or more magic resistance items on the enemy team.
I tend to buy Rylai's Crystal Scepter as a tech option into Darius, Tryndamere and Garen. It allows me to beat Ghost cheese and prevents them from engaging fights. With Cosmic Drive you are untouchable by melee fighters.
Banshee's Veil is a great defensive option into predominately magic damage teams, where singular abilities such as Morgana's Dark Binding can result in you getting killed.
Morellonomicon is the better of the two AP anti-healing options. Buy into champs such as Vladimir, Jax, Nasus and Soraka.
Basics - Lane Phase.
This has changed but context can still work.

Heimerdinger is predominantly a lane bully in toplane, there are very few matchups where the opposing laner can match him early. Heimerdinger will want to push the wave towards the enemy laner, harass them under tower whilst they CS. This then extends onto securing plating or diving the enemy laner.

As you arrive in lane - place turrets as per the placements described in the Turret Placement section, and secure levels 2-3, taking grenade then w respectively. Weave auto attacks on enemy champions and place singular turrets to trade with Arcane Comet, Taste of Blood, Scorch whilst gaining a Manaflow Band proc.

Add more turrets followed by ability combos should the opposing laner attempt to prolong the trade. Kite to brush in order to drop minion aggro when necessary.

Early on you want to limit trading until Manaflow Band is off cooldown, and then fully stacked. Do not use full double beam combo's except in defensive circumstances, as it costs a significant amount of mana. You will be forced to recall when you are out of mana, as you will be unable to fight off jungle ganks.

Maintain higher health than the opponent, and recall often after shoving in a cannon wave. Teleport as well can be used to return to lane with an item advantage. Regularly spending gold can help you stay ahead of the enemy jungler in items, and allow you to threaten a 2v1. A Control Ward in river brush will help you identify when you are being ganked early and hence allow you to plan your fight.

As Heimerdinger pushes into pretty much any laner, he has Hard Priority for most of lane phase. This means should fights break out in topside jungle, or around topside river, you have the ability (and should definitely) be the first person to help out. This control then allows your jungler to take rift herald uncontested (if contested, you kill them), and then translate that into turret platings.

The main powerspike for Heimerdinger in toplane is Lost Chapter and Dark Seal. These will allow you to remain in lane extremely long coupled with the sustain from Taste of Blood and Ravenous Hunter, harass extremely often due to the increased mana pool and regen, and threaten a scary snowball through gaining Dark Seal stacks.
Intermediate - Resets & Freezes
Cheater Reset

Heimerdinger is the King of lane priority in every lane. Being able to abuse this and turn it into a gold and exp lead is the difference between good Heimer players, and great Heimer players. It is a straight up macro play.

The short version is this. On wave 5, 8, 11, etc... the wave just before a cannon wave. Instantly push it with spells, crash your wave into tower, and immediately recall. The theory is that you can recall and return to lane, before your opponent can hard shove the following cannon wave, giving you an item advantage, without costing you teleport.

If they recall and teleport, you have gained a teleport advantage on them. Use this to help botlane.

If they recall without teleport, you merely freeze the wave, and will deny them an entire minion wave. This gives you an exp and gold lead. Rinse and repeat step one to gradually create a lead against any opponent.

If they stay, you have an item advantage. Freeze the wave, and if they contest, you just force a fight and win by default. If they don't contest, but stick around. Maintain the freeze.

Freezing works due to the cannon wave killing your turrets whilst you are basing, and then you don't place any turrets down during the freeze, only whilst fighting.

If you are unaware of how to freeze, the short version is below, I recommend checking out solorenektononlys even and uneven minion rules for a better explanation (google search it).

Freeze quick guide: -> If there are even amounts of enemy and allied minions on their side of the map, it will push towards you. Once it is on your side of the map, you will need 4 extra enemy minions to prevent it pushing back to them. Once your wave has died, do not place turrets, but juggle the minion aggro with the brush closest to tower. Do not let minions hit tower either, and this prevents you taking a lot of minion damage. Once the follow up wave has arrived, the enemy minions will kill yours, and will leave 4 left over. Repeat.

Wave 5 recalls with perfect CS will give you 850 Gold (1000 with Futures market). Amp tome + tear if you have pots remaining. Amp tome + boots + refillable if not. If you've started amp tome (Tank lanes) then you can complete lost chapter. You can also go futures market, start sapphire crystal + refillable and then recall for a completed lost chapter at 4 minutes. Futures market will give you the lee way to miss up to 3 cs, or the cannon.

It might sound like min maxing but once you start facing opponents who do not attempt to fight you in lane, and focus on farming, it's important to force lose-lose macro decisions for your opponents.

Wave 8 recalls with perfect CS will give you 1375 Gold (1550 with Futures market). If you feel like you can kill your opponent in the near future, dark seals are an excellent option. If you started dorans ring, now is the ideal time to complete lost chapter.

You do not need to cheater recall on every available wave. Doing it for say, boots by itself is not worth. Midlane you can cheater on the cannon wave itself if you want to rush tear.

As a rule of thumb, check your gold during the wave prior to a cannon wave. If you can get a decent amount of items -> shove and reset. You can also ult - W the cannon wave if that reset is better.

Never ever ever recall on the wave following a cannon wave (i.e. wave 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 etc...) You will miss gold and experience, as well as allow your opponent to make macro plays (dragging the wave / setting a slow pull) that can further punish you.
Intermediate - Teamfighting
Ignore all here for now - working on it.

Teamfighting on Heimerdinger is versatile -> he has both aggressive and defensive options to play out teamfights. It is extremely crucial you do not attempt to fight without H-28G Evolution Turrets. Plan around objectives and don't waste charges.

Aggressive: Heimerdinger can engage a teamfight by securing a pick onto enemy carries with CH-3X Lightning Grenade, which is especially effective when fighting in chokepoints around objectives. This can then be followed up with H-28G Evolution Turret beams, and Hextech Micro-Rockets. After the engage, aim to snipe low hp targets, or enemy carries with spell rotations.

Defensive: If you are behind, or have been caught out, often it is better to drop H-28Q Apex Turret and then prioritize disengaging, whilst throwing out CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade and Hextech Micro-Rockets to punish over extensions by enemy champions. Should they over commit, depending on the amount of turrets left in inventory you can turn and chase, or take the small victory and focus on climbing back into the game.
Intermediate - Ult Selection
The versatility of UPGRADE!!! allows Heimerdinger to adapt to a variety of situations, and grants him both offensive, defensive and burst options.

The Defensive Option - H-28Q Apex Turret is arguably used the majority of time time. During Teamfights, it is very easy to drop and then kite around, generating beams with Hextech Micro-Rockets and CH-2 Electron Storm Grenade. This will generate more damage over the course of the teamfight, whilst making you harder to kill. It will also allow you to control an area of the map - funnelling enemies into unfavourable positions.

It is also the best option to 2v1 ganks in Toplane.

The Burst Option - Hextech Rocket Swarm is used mostly pre-level 9, where you normally will have maxed out Hextech Micro-Rockets. Given that the damage is based on UPGRADE!!! ability level, not Hextech Micro-Rockets, it is better to use Ult+E after 5 points in W.

After Level 9 - solely used when burst damage needs to be instant, rather than relying on follow up H-28G Evolution Turret beam damage.

The Aggressive Option - CH-3X Lightning Grenade is the ultimate variant I use most often. It has the longest range, and the largest amount of hard CC that will allow Heimerdinger to engage and turn a teamfight. Very good for long range picks, and the follow up damage from H-28G Evolution Turret beams and Hextech Micro-Rockets will secure kills onto most carries without allowing the opportunity to react.
Intermediate - Lane Phase Turret Placements
We leash everygame now. So this is kinda irrelevant.

Lane Setup

The above setup is the ideal setup for H-28G Evolution Turrets prior to minions arriving in lane. The sooner this is done, allows you to recharge up to 3 turrets, allowing you to replenish any that are killed by the opposing laner.

The back turret needs to be placed first, as per the gif. This means should you require to place another turret with the 2nd wave, it will be the first one to get destroyed, rather than a more useful, closer turret.

Be careful not to dispense multiple H-28G Evolution Turrets when a siege minion wave is inbound. The siege minions will easily overpower your turrets, essentially wasting the placement. Especially if the placement causes existing turrets to despawn, you can suddenly find yourself extremely vulnerable.

If you are planning on adding multiple points to H-28G Evolution Turret, avoid placing turrets just prior to a level up. Placed H-28G Evolution Turret do not level up when you add points to the skill, so level up first, and then place. This can take some practice to become habit.
Advanced - Mejai's Abuse
Mejai's Soulstealer is in my opinion one of the best items for Heimerdinger. The % Movespeed passive gained after 10 stacks combines especially well with Hextech Affinity and Cosmic Drive, making you extremely hard to lock down in a fight.

Furthermore, new to season 11 is that Mejai's Soulstealer now has the legendary passive added on, and has had it's price increased by 200g to compensate. With Everfrost you gain 326.25g's worth of statistics, and becomes gold efficient after 6 stacks, making it a very good buy.

With the other AP mythics - I still recommend building Mejai's in the majority of games. I highly endorse the playtsyle, and it will encourage you to think about staying alive and maintaining stacks, whilst also giving you an absurd amount of AP of which Heimerdinger scales extremely well.

Even if you're losing - if you buy mejai's and die, you will lose. But regardless of the Mejai's you will lose if you misplay. However - if you start a comeback, Mejai's will help you comeback harder.

Tl;dr: Start Buying Mejai's Soulstealer
Advanced - Baron Solos
*The exact numbers to solo baron have changed in preseason - I will report back once i've found the exact limits. In general, everfrost + Cosmic drive + 10 stacks allows you to solo at 20 minutes if you've preset 3 turrets with 2-3 in inventory.
Baron Solos

Heimerdinger can solo Baron pretty effectively if he gains a large lead.

You will need to Sweeping Lens the area to clear wards, then place your H-28Q Apex Turret ontop of baron first, and then place H-28G Evolution Turrets around the pit, using others pells off cooldown. You may need to juggle aggro to keep turrets alive.

With H-28Q Apex Turret tanking Baron , you will not be afflicted by the 50% damage debuff tanking Baron gives you.
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