kEEP cALM AND tHROW aXES

This guide assumes you already know how to play Draven, we're just gonna take a different approach to the standard build and runes. Yes, the strategy changes as well. It'll be fun.

=INTRO

Hi i'm Parsifal. The proverbial "too old for this sh*t", but here we are.

I only play Draven.. don't really like those other champs. I've been since s6 playing on GNU/Linux, so probably not anymore, because the 2021 core changes to the game will make it impossible. Fingers crossed.
So this is guide is also a way of saying goodbye.


=sO wHATS THE pOINT
We will use the combination of Glacial Augment or/and Stand Aside plus Cheap Shot to deal the most damage in the shortest amount of time. This means that by the the time the opponent realizes the huge bite you are taking, they will not be able to run away easily, as opposed of the conventional runes, which require to hit them continuously before the big bite, which can be avoided.

So you CAN be the damage or a damage support.
As long as the game is won, it doesn't matter, right? And this is an Off-Meta guide after all ;)

=tHE bUILD

This is a modification of one used back on S8.

I kept it because of my conservative playstyle and poor reflexes, which prevents me to play Draven as aggresively as it's supposed to. Also, being a pragmatic OTP, i prefer it to keep adjusting rune pages.

This one has proven to give the best overall results, go for objectives and win games without actually having to *carry*. That is, if the team do their part, instead of waiting for the Draven to make 2 Pentakills at minute 10.. and maybe that's the way to go, but not this time.

Moving on.


=kEEP iN mIND
I almost always played solo, meaning no duo.. which is one of the reasons i never even left Silver tier.

So if you do have a duo to back you up or have better reflexes than me (you sure do) or you are in a higher tier, you'll have lots of fun and easy wins in the process, no matter the lane.

We will go for Essence Reaver first, period. You could build Statikk Shiv, but its preferable to have damage plus crit plus mana instead of just AS and crit. Lately i switched to Infinity Edge and left the statikk last if at all. More damage in mid game and not so much speed of course, but both are suitable.

You can also end up with Bloodthirster first. That's fine.



=pROS

• You deal damage from the first auto, no need to hit 3 times or keep chasing.
• In general, even solo, if you land an E+Q its half a sure kill
• Remember those champs that get speed ups after some ability? well, this will keep them in place, and more exactly, discouraged.
• You can be useful even if you are having a bad game. If its a good one, you'll stomp.
• You can play any lane, except jungle. (You can try.. but its a *very* bad idea)

=cONS

• Attacks feel terribly slow at the beginning
• If you do leave base with Long Sword, you won't have much lifesteal until first back, so you need to play really safe or have a healer support
• Hyper-carrys can still melt you in late because of the AS + Lifesteal.
• They will camp you hard

	This is were it all begins. That slow down sends the chills up your opponent spine, right before you land the spinning axe. The'll know. And they will panic.
	You'll need good movement and the extra speed of these are very useful
	This will allow you to get your items faster, period.
	Remember the opponent is slowed down? well now you can catch them faster. What's more frightening than a crazy executioner wielding a spining axe running towards you? the fact that you cannot escape.

	So they are stunned ( Stand Aside) and slowed down ( Glacial Augment). this is what will make their backs hurt and their legs bend.
	If you did not have lifesteal until first back, this will keep you alive meantime, and help you along the way in the match. Its actually why you can delay Bloodthirster

=tHE bASICS

We are basing the damage on the stuns you provide yourself, which is why you can play others lanes (not to mention the range), so we will give priority to the E Stand Aside and not the W Blood Rush

• Play safe. Remember, I use it like this because most of the time i cannot be too aggresive, so concentrate on farming and only go all in if you know for sure that the E + Q combo will deal enough damage to finish the trade with a kill, needing 2 Qs more, tops. Ideally only one more, accounting for any CC or Ignite from your support or your Executioner's Calling.
  
  
• Don't die. If you're a bad farmer like me, you can always compensate with the adorations' extra gold after a take-down and the Future's Market when you back. So, don't rush it.
  
  
  =eARLY
  You need 3 kills in early for it to be a gg, period. If your jungler or support does if only one ks, youll be limping in for most of the match or become actual support. This is one of the reasons I started to play Draven top (or mid sometimes).
  
  So be ready for that if the support is a Pyke or a mage Morgana, Brand, Veigar, etc
  
  =mID GAME
  Move onto objectives, roam or send Whirling Death to top or bot lane to help your team in a TF, while you keep pushing your lane further. They may start asking where the eff are you. You're aiming for objectives, specially if you ended up as the support or went top in the first place. If you went mid is way easier if you managed to get the herald.
  
  
  =LaTE GAME
  So you're either the damage or the damage support. If everything went ok, TFs and objectives should be a breeze. If not, well, it will all crumble very quickly. But at least we had fun, right?
  
  
  =oBJECTIVES
  I'm not sure why most of the players, specially in lower tiers don't realize this, but this game is won by objectives, not kills. It goes like this: if there was an item that allow you to magically appear beside the nexus and keep you alive while you take it down, there would be no need of any lane fase, turret destroying or any kills at all, correct? You'd win immediatly.
  
  But if you have not many kills, they can and will flame you if the match goes south. This is because expectations of a Draven.
  
  Pay no attention and focus. Just with a good jungler and you playing top, neutralizing the opponent, going for objectives is enough to win.
  
  /mute all is your friend :)
  
  
  =vISION
  It's a very important thing for this technique, because you can keep safe and get kills you're not supposed to. I call it "to scavenge kills". This happens when there's a fight in other lane and for some reason the opponent doesn't die, but is left with very little life. So you have to predict where they will back and send away your Whirling Death to claim the kill. It's very cool if you can do that. Cash in your addorations and frustrate the enemy, killing a backing adc in his tower, all the way from the top lane.
  
  You can also steals drakes or jungle monsters this way, again, if you have good vision. Or blindly, if your preddiction is good enough.

=pLAYING tOP
I know in higher tiers is not rare to find Dravens playing top, because it has the advantage of the range. So it's not really trolling, no matter what they tell you.

It is tough though if you go against a fighter, for obvious reasons, but the range and the slowing combo should neutralize it or even stomp him if he's not so good or relying on his strenght only. Worse if their jungler won't help.

If its another ADC, without their support they should be in hell. Even a Quinn if you manage to null her Blinding Assault, catching her walking towards you and welcoming her with a Spinning Axe.

Sometimes they dare to go with a mage to top. They just melt.

• Keep vision at all times and anticipate ganks.
• Roam mid and scavenge kills if you're ahead.
• Get the herald.
• Expect jungler harrassment.

=pLAYING mID
It should be the easiest lane if going against a mage, keeping proportions. Simply because the damage is too much for them to sustain.

Assasins are the hardest but still manageable.

• Keep vision at all times on both sides.
• Deny farm as much as possible.
• Roam bot and help drakes.
• Expect constant jungler harrassment, specially if you're ahead.

=pLAYING aDC
The strategy may confuse the other players, use this for your advantage and get your 3 kills early. This is because youre backing up to the tower and they think they have you, until you E+Q them and bite 30% of their life, unable to retreat quickly enough, as opposed to the usual harrassing Draven.
Everything should go smoothly unless there's a better jungler on the other team..

• Vision, vision, vision.
• Don't rush at the beginning. You can go all in as soon as you hit level 3 if you have Doran's Blade or a healing support. Otherwise, wait for your first back and Vampiric Scepter.
• Scavenge kills on mid or top.
• Focus on objectives.
• Don't die too soon.

=pLAYING sUPPORT
This strategy makes easy to play support. Just go ahead and poke, Stand Aside and Spinning Axe until the opponent is just a basic hit away from kill and feed your adc :)

Though it's dangerous, because youre both fragile, but in my experience, it goes just fine and the lane is won.

• Ban Blitzcrank, we don't want any surprises
• Remember to walk away and leave the kill for your ADC :)
• Roam and help. you're the sup.

=tOP

	His magic damage and hidden mushrooms will mess everybody up even if he's having a bad game. You will most certainly lose lane quick.
	Her tentacles will make farming difficult, and if she catches you with the Test of Spirit it's really annoying, since you spend a lot of time just avoiding the tentacles and not farming..

=mID

	He will delete you as soon as he hits level 6. Most assasins are to be careful with, but this one is the worst because of the Living Shadow and the Death Mark
	Ban her if you can't deal with her speed and hide. THe Stand Aside will neutralize her but she's just too fast for me most of the time :C

=aDC

	As a rule of thumb, i always ban a champ capable of dissapearing. It can get nasty, specially if he has a good support.
	Dangerous range and artifacts.

=sUPPORT

	It's Blitz. Just ban him if you're not gonna use it, period.
	Her healing is grotesc and she will mess up your strategy.

Don't let your support get in your head. Talk and explain the strategy if you can or just mute him and do your thing. Starting arguements with your own team is the fastest way to lose.

Be patient and wait for the sure kill. The point of this is not to rush, so do not. Enjoy the sound of the axes hitting the minions or better yet, the enemy.

This is a one-for-all approach. This runes, items and gameplay is supposed to work for every lane. You could pick AS in your shard, but is better to leave base with 81 AD and not 75, plus the stun and the Cheap Shot True Damage bonus. It's also fun to watch their life bar go down so early in the match :)

They will panic. As in every game, psychology plays an important role, whether you're aware of it or not. Frustrating and damaging their champs so hard early, will put the opponent off their game, most likely causing them to underperform. Flames, afk'ing and such may follow.

Just play. Its all fun if you all do your best. Winning is a by-product.

• Why not Blade of the Ruined King? I'm too slow to use that Active on trade. You can use it if you're confortable with it.
• Why not Biscuit Delivery? As i said, im a pragmatist, meaning i will always prefer the simplest most efficient way to achieve something. So i prefer abilities, items and runes that will help all of the match. The buiscuits are fine, i even used them for a while, but after thye're gone, they're gone. Whereas the boots and the velocity aproach remain.
• Isn't it better to rush Infinity Edge? No. You're gonna spam the E and for that you need mana. ER gives mana and damage plus CDR and crit. It's the best choice for this to start with.
• Shouldn't you play Draven mmm like Draven? No.