Welcome to my guide to crit strikes Sion. Sion is an excellent champion who can excel in almost any role. With a built-in steroid skill for attack speed and lifesteal, and a toggle for AD, sion only NEEDS to build crits in order to be effective. We will of course build additional attack speed and some attack damage.

Pros

-Built in attack damage AND attack speed
-Unconditional stun
-Farming gives gold and max health
-Built in lifesteal
-Great late game
-Solid early game

Cons

-Weaker early game than AP sion
-Needs some decent farming

I recommend ghost and flash. Both help Sion close distance which is necessary. Each can also be used as an escape.

Other possibilities include teleport, which you can use to get around the map easily, and ignite, to improve an already potent early game.

I prefer a general set of physical DPS runes. Armor pen is the best way to increase damage. Dodge runes offer the best defense for the price. CDR runes are very important for a champion who relies on his steroid skill. For quints i usually take flat health as they really help early game. An alternative is armor pen quints.

Another option is to take crit chance runes or crit damage runes. Both are very helpful for Sion.

21 points in offense gives sion everything he needs, damage, armor penetration, crit damage, and crit chance. Because sion needs to be up in the battle i take 8 in the defense tree. And i put the last point in the ghost upgrade. Don't take this if you don't use ghost.

Core Items

Start with a brawler glove. This doesn't give much laning advantage, but with a shield and 2 second stun, Sion is one of the best early game champions, so it's unnecessary. We'll turn the brawler's glove into an avarice blade as soon as possible to reap the benefits of its gold return. I'll often base once i have enough for the avarice and first boots, as long as we're pushed towards their tower. Turn your boots into berserker's grieves for the attack speed. Next build a zeal. We get the early zeal as it gives everything we need, crits and move speed (very important to close distance on a stunned target).

Finish your Youmuu's Ghostblade. This item is perfect for crit Sion. As he depends on his ultimate for attack speed, the CDR synergizes well. Its active can also be used in conjunction with the ultimate to deliver a massive burst of attack speed. Next we'll build an Infinity Edge to beef up the crits and finally finish the phantom dancer we started long ago, as with these other items its very price effective.

Situational Items

The last 2 slots are situational items. You will have 75% crit chance at this point. If you're winning fights without taking much damage, a second phantom dancer is recommended to give 100% crits. If your team is physical heavy I would recommend a Stark's Fervor for the attack speed and lifesteal. If you're being focused, grab a guardian's angel. This will either prevent you from being focused, or if you are still focused you'll be able to pop back up once they're distracted and go back to work. Another nice item for some defense is an Aegis of the Legion. It gives both resistances so is a nice item for a single slot of defense, AND it helps your allies. With the team healing from Cannibalism and the defense from Aegis you are very beneficial to your teammates.

If you have full crit chance and still aren't in need of defense, get a bloodthirster. This is the highest attack damage item you can get and also synergizes with Enrage. Minion kills now give 3 max health and 1 attack damage. You will also have over 100% lifesteal with your ultimate up.

Start with Cryptic Gaze. This unconditional stun is incredible early game and can net you kills, especially if you lane with another big damage dealer. Next get Enrage. This skill is second only to Sion's ultimate. It will make last hitting very easy early game allowing you to get farmed. I recommended that you leave it on at all times, but try to only get last hits. At level 3 we'll take Death's Caress to prevent nasty harassments, as well as an extra burst for early kills. Next we max out Enrage and get Death's Caress whenever Enrage is not available. Of course take Cannibalism whenever able.

Early Game

Your job early game is to farm. Enrage will make it easy to last hit. Farming with sion gives not just gold, but also max health with the use of Enrage. If laning with another solid early game character, you can easily score a kill by stunning as soon as they overextend. laning with someone like singed is especially effective as he can toss enemies back into the tower, or back behind your creeps and you can stun them there.

Mid Game

You should be farming for your infinity edge at this point. Be sure to join any team fight, however DO NOT initiate. You are one of the least squishy fighters, but you will still get focused down hard. Let your tank initiate, then come in and stun the squishy dps. Activate both Youmuu's Ghostblade and Cannibalism. With luck they will drop fast thanks to crits. Put your shield up if you begin taking damage.

Sion can also gank at this point in the game. Be sure your allies know you are there and have them initiate. Once the target starts to run back, you can hop out of your bush and stun them.

Late Game

You should have 100% crit chance and tons of damage. Still allow your tank to initiate. Activate Youmuu's and Cannibalism every fight. They should always be up for team fights thanks to Youmuu's CDR. You should be able to 4 hit the squishies at this point. Use your stun to lock down dps, or to stop would be escapers. Always put your shield up if you begin taking damage.