Welcome to my Azir guide, where we'll uncover the secrets of the Shuriman Emperor. Azir is a powerful mage and marksman who commands an army of sand soldiers. With his zoning and DPS potential, he can dominate team fights and control the battlefield. Let's dive in!

Pros of Playing Azir:

High Damage Output: Azir is known for his exceptional damage output, especially in the late game. His soldier's attacks scale with Ability Power, allowing him to melt through enemy champions and objectives.

Strong Zone Control: With his sand soldiers, Azir can create zones of control on the battlefield. He can dictate the flow of team fights, restrict enemy movement, and protect important areas.

Versatile Scaling: Azir has excellent scaling potential throughout the game. He can farm safely and efficiently in the early stages, transitioning into a powerful late-game hyper carry.

Great Siege Potential: Azir's soldiers can attack from long range, making him a formidable siege champion. He can safely poke enemies and quickly take down towers, applying immense pressure on the map.

Playmaking Potential: Azir has the ability to make game-changing plays with his ultimate, Emperor's Divide. Properly timed ultimates can separate enemies, disengage unfavorable fights, or secure key kills.


Cons of Playing Azir:

Mechanically Intensive: Azir is one of the most mechanically demanding champions in League of Legends. Mastering his soldier positioning, ability combos, and Shuriman Shuffle requires a significant amount of practice and precision.

Fragile and Vulnerable: Azir is relatively fragile and lacks mobility, making him susceptible to assassins and champions with high burst damage. Positioning and map awareness are crucial to avoid being caught out.

Mana Reliant: Azir heavily relies on mana to cast his abilities. Without proper mana management, he can quickly run out of resources and become ineffective in fights. Careful use of abilities and proper itemization for mana sustain is essential.

Early Game Vulnerability: Azir's early game can be challenging. He is relatively weak and vulnerable to aggressive laners and ganks. Farming safely and reaching his scaling potential is often the primary focus in the early stages.

Dependent on Proper Setup: Azir's effectiveness relies heavily on proper positioning of his sand soldiers. Without proper setup, his damage output and control can be significantly reduced.

While Azir is traditionally played in the mid lane, there are some advantages to playing him in the top lane. Here are a few reasons why Azir top lane can be considered beneficial:

1. Range Advantage: Azir's soldiers provide him with significant range, allowing him to safely poke and harass melee top laners from a distance. This range advantage can make it difficult for opponents to engage on him without taking considerable damage in return.

2. Strong Late Game Scaling: Azir is known for his exceptional scaling and late-game power. By playing him in the top lane, he can have more time and freedom to farm and reach his scaling potential. This is especially advantageous in top lane, as the extended laning phase allows him to accumulate gold and experience.

3. Split Pushing and Objective Control: Azir's ability to quickly take down towers and apply pressure on the map makes him an effective split pusher. By drawing enemy attention to the top lane, he can create opportunities for his team to secure objectives such as Dragon or Baron Nashor.

4. Zone Control and Team Fight Impact: Azir's sand soldiers provide excellent zone control and can heavily influence team fights. By positioning his soldiers strategically, Azir can create impassable barriers and disrupt enemy formations, making it easier for his team to engage or disengage fights.

5. Surprise Factor and Matchup Advantage: As Azir top lane is less common than in mid lane, opponents may be less familiar with the matchup and struggle to adapt. This element of surprise can work to Azir's advantage, allowing him to catch opponents off guard and gain an early advantage.

However, it's important to note that Azir top lane also comes with its challenges. Top lane champions often have high sustain, tankiness, or gap-closing abilities, which can make it difficult for Azir to deal with certain matchups. Additionally, being in the top lane may expose Azir to more ganks and roams from the enemy jungler.

Ultimately, whether Azir top lane is better depends on the player's personal playstyle, comfort with the champion, and the specific game and team composition. It's always recommended to experiment and adapt based on the situation to find the most effective role for Azir in a given match.

Primary Path: Precision

Keystone Rune: Lethal Tempo

Lethal Tempo provides Azir with increased attack speed, allowing him to maximize his soldier's DPS potential. It synergizes well with Azir's playstyle of sustained damage output and enhances his late-game scaling.

Presence of Mind

Presence of Mind offers valuable mana sustain for Azir. Upon takedown or assist, it restores a significant amount of mana, which helps alleviate his mana management concerns during trades, sieges, and extended fights.


Legend: Alacrity grants bonus attack speed for each takedown, stacking up to a maximum amount. This synergizes well with Azir's auto-attack-focused playstyle, allowing him to deal more sustained damage and quickly stack his passive, Arise!.
Coup de Grace

Coup de Grace increases Azir's damage against low-health targets, providing additional finishing power in trades, skirmishes, and team fights.

Secondary Path: Resolve

Conditioning

Conditioning provides Azir with bonus resistances (armor and magic resistance) after 12 minutes of game time. This rune is especially useful for top lane Azir, as it helps him become more resilient and tanky in the mid to late game, allowing him to withstand enemy damage and engage in team fights with increased durability.
Overgrowth

Overgrowth grants bonus maximum health for each large minion or monster that dies near Azir. This rune allows Azir to steadily increase his maximum health pool throughout the game, making him more resilient against burst damage and providing additional survivability.
With this corrected rune setup, Azir benefits from increased attack speed, mana sustain, and late-game scaling from the Precision tree. The Resolve secondary path with Conditioning and Overgrowth enhances his durability and tankiness, allowing him to withstand enemy damage and become more resilient in the top lane.

WE DO NOT need sorcery tree as your scalling is more than enough as a champion, and we dont have mana issues if we play our champ correctly.

RUSH Lost chapter before anything.

Manage Your Sand Soldier Usage: Azir's W ability, Arise!, summons a sand soldier that deals damage when attacking. To sustain mana while poking enemies, it's important to use your sand soldiers strategically. Avoid mindlessly summoning soldiers and instead focus on placing them in positions where they can efficiently poke multiple enemies or secure CS. This ensures that you're not wasting mana on unnecessary soldier attacks.

Utilize Basic Attacks: While Azir's sand soldiers are his primary source of damage, don't underestimate the power of basic attacks. Basic attacks consume no mana and can be used to last-hit minions, poke enemies when the opportunity arises, and conserve mana for when you need to engage or disengage.



Mana Management in Lane: Pay attention to your mana pool in the laning phase. It's important to strike a balance between using your abilities to poke and maintaining enough mana to respond to potential ganks or all-ins. Be mindful of your mana usage and avoid spamming abilities unnecessarily.

Recall and Teleport: If your mana is running low and you anticipate a prolonged laning phase, consider recalling and using your teleport to return to lane with a refreshed mana pool. This allows you to sustain your mana and maintain pressure on the enemy laner

Core Items:

Doran's Ring (Starting Item): Doran's Ring provides Azir with bonus ability power, mana regeneration, and health. It helps with early game mana sustain and provides additional damage for poking and trading in the laning phase.

Lost Chapter Rush: Lost Chapter is a component item that builds into several mana-focused items. It provides Azir with a significant amount of mana and mana regeneration, allowing him to sustain his poke and spellcasting in the mid game.

Liandry's Anguish: Liandry's Anguish is a core mythic item for Azir. It grants ability power, ability haste, and bonus magic penetration. The item's passive, Torment, deals bonus damage over time based on the enemy's health, synergizing well with Azir's poke and sustained damage playstyle.

Boots: Boots are essential for Azir to enhance his mobility and positioning. The choice of boots will depend on the game situation. Mercury's Treads provide magic resist and tenacity against crowd control, while Sorcerer's Shoes offer bonus magic penetration for increased damage output.

Nashor's Tooth: Nashor's Tooth is a crucial item for Azir, providing ability power, attack speed, and cooldown reduction. It synergizes well with his passive, Arise!, and empowers his basic attacks. The item also enhances his sustained damage output and helps shred through enemy resistances.

Situational Items:

Rabadon's Deathcap: Rabadon's Deathcap is a powerful late-game item that significantly boosts Azir's ability power. With its passive, Azir's W soldiers benefit from the increased ability power, making his poke and sustained damage even more potent.

Zhonya's Hourglass: Zhonya's Hourglass provides Azir with armor, ability power, and a powerful active ability that puts him in stasis, making him invulnerable for a short duration. This item is valuable for Azir when facing champions with burst damage or when engaging in team fights where you need to survive key enemy abilities.

Void Staff: Void Staff offers significant magic penetration, allowing Azir to deal with enemies who have started to stack magic resist. It enhances his damage output against tankier opponents and helps him remain effective throughout the game.

Rylai's Crystal Scepter: Rylai's Crystal Scepter grants Azir ability power and a slowing effect on his damaging abilities. This item is useful when you need additional crowd control or when you want to slow down enemies, making it easier to land your spells and control team fights.

The situational item order will depend on the game flow, team compositions, and specific needs. It's important to adapt your build order to counter the enemy team and make informed decisions based on the match's circumstances.

1. Shuffle Combo (E-Q-R):

This combo is Azir's signature play, allowing him to quickly reposition himself and his soldiers while also displacing enemies. Here's how it works:
Start by casting "Shifting Sands" (E) to dash to your desired location. Note that this no longer knocks up enemies.
While dashing with E, immediately cast "Conquering Sands" (Q) towards the direction you want to shuffle your soldiers.
After casting Q, quickly follow up with "Emperor's Divide" (R) to summon your ultimate ability and push enemies in the direction of your soldiers.
As the enemies are pushed back by your ultimate, your soldiers will deal damage to them, potentially setting up a follow-up attack.

2. Standard Trading Combo:

This combo is used for standard trading and poking in lane:
Start by summoning a soldier with "Arise!" (W) near the enemy champion.
Command your soldier to attack the enemy champion by right-clicking on them or pressing the attack-move command.
While the soldier is attacking, use "Conquering Sands" (Q) to send a wave of sand toward the enemy champion, damaging them and any other enemies hit by the ability.
Follow up with basic attacks to maximize your damage output, utilizing your passive, "Arise!", for additional empowered attacks.

3. All-In Combo:

This combo is used when you want to engage on an enemy and unleash a burst of damage:
Summon a soldier with "Arise!" (W) and position it near the enemy champion.
Use "Shifting Sands" (E) to dash towards the enemy champion, closing the gap and gaining a shield.
Command your soldier to attack the enemy champion by right-clicking on them or pressing the attack-move command.

Activate "Conquering Sands" (Q) to send a wave of sand towards the enemy champion, damaging them and any other enemies hit by the ability.
Follow up with basic attacks and utilize your passive, "Arise!", for additional empowered attacks.

If necessary, use "Emperor's Divide" (R) to push back enemies or create distance between you and the enemy team.

Remember, Azir's combos require proper positioning, timing, and utilization of his soldiers. Practice these combos to maximize your damage output and outplay your opponents.

Teamfighting with Azir requires a combination of positioning, timing, and effective use of your abilities. Here's a guide on how to teamfight with Azir:

Positioning: As Azir, positioning is crucial during teamfights. You want to maintain a safe distance from the frontline while also having a clear line of sight to the enemy carries. Position yourself behind your team's tanks or frontline champions to protect yourself from direct threats.

Soldier Placement: Azir's soldiers are the core of his damage output. Place your soldiers strategically to control key areas of the teamfight. Position them in a way that maximizes their attack range and covers important zones. This allows you to deal damage while keeping a safe distance.

Engage or Counter-Engage: Azir has the ability to engage or counter-engage teamfights with his ultimate, "Emperor's Divide" (R). Use your ultimate to create a zone of control, separating enemy threats or disrupting their engage attempts. Be mindful of the positioning of your teammates and use your ultimate to protect them when necessary.

Target Priority: Assess the enemy team's threats and prioritize your targets accordingly. As Azir, you excel at shredding through tanks and dealing sustained damage. However, if an opportunity arises to burst down a squishy carry, don't hesitate to focus your attention on them. Communicate with your team to ensure coordinated focus and maximize your impact.

Utilize Your Abilities: During teamfights, use your abilities effectively to deal damage and provide utility to your team:

"Arise!" (W): Continuously summon and reposition soldiers to attack enemies. Position your soldiers to hit multiple targets or focus down priority targets.
"Conquering Sands" (Q): Use this ability to poke, zone enemies, or reposition your soldiers. Aim to hit multiple enemies to maximize your damage output.
"Shifting Sands" (E): Use your E sparingly in teamfights primarily for repositioning or dodging crucial enemy abilities. It's important to prioritize your safety and positioning during chaotic teamfight situations.
"Emperor's Divide" (R): Your ultimate is a powerful tool for controlling teamfights. Use it to create separation, disengage, or isolate priority targets. Timing is key, so wait for the right moment to unleash your ultimate's full potential.
Maintain Soldier Management: Managing your soldier positions is crucial during extended teamfights. Continuously reposition your soldiers with "Arise!" (W) to optimize their attack range and ensure consistent damage output.

Communication and Coordination: Effective teamfighting requires coordination with your team. Communicate your intentions, ultimate availability, and target focus. Coordinate with your team's engage or frontline champions to create opportunities for decisive teamfight victories.

Stay Aware of Flanks and Threats: Keep an eye on the minimap and be aware of potential flanking champions or threats that can reach you in the backline. Position yourself in a way that minimizes the risk of being caught out by assassins or divers.

Remember, practice is key to mastering teamfighting with Azir. Understanding the flow of teamfights, anticipating enemy abilities, and positioning yourself effectively will come with experience. By following these guidelines, you can maximize your impact in teamfights and lead your team to victory as the Emperor of the Sands.

Apologies for the incorrect information provided earlier. You are correct that Azir's soldiers cannot be directly killed by damaging them. They expire after 10 seconds or when Azir moves too far away from them. However, here are revised strategies to effectively counter Azir:

Engage and Burst: Azir is a squishy mage with limited mobility. Champions with strong engage and burst damage can quickly close the gap and eliminate him before he has a chance to unleash his sustained damage. Look for opportunities to engage onto Azir and burst him down, denying him the chance to poke from a distance.

Exploit His Early Game: Azir's early game is relatively weak compared to some other champions. He relies on scaling and itemization to reach his full potential. Aggressive early game champions can take advantage of his vulnerability and try to gain a lead before he becomes stronger.

Deny His Mobility: Azir's "Shifting Sands" (E) provides him with a dash and a shield, allowing him to reposition and escape dangerous situations. Champions with crowd control abilities that can interrupt or prevent his dash can limit his mobility and make him an easier target to take down.

Coordinate Ganks: Azir's lack of mobility makes him susceptible to ganks, especially in the early game. Coordinate with your jungler to apply pressure, deny him farm, and secure kills. Set up vision control to track his movements and catch him off guard.

Itemize Against Him: Consider building items that counter Azir's damage output. Magic resist items such as Banshee's Veil or Adaptive Helm can reduce his poke and burst potential. Additionally, Grievous Wounds items like Morellonomicon or Executioner's Calling can reduce his self-healing if he builds items like Riftmaker.

Play Around His Ultimate: Azir's ultimate ability, "Emperor's Divide" (R), can be a game-changer in team fights and disengage situations. Be mindful of his ultimate cooldown and position yourself accordingly. Look for opportunities to engage or disengage when his ultimate is on cooldown to exploit his vulnerability.

Remember that individual champion matchups and team compositions can influence the effectiveness of these strategies. It's essential to adapt your approach based on the specific game circumstances. By understanding Azir's weaknesses and implementing these counter strategies, you can increase your chances of overcoming the Emperor of the Sands.

In conclusion, this Azir guide provides an overview of various aspects to enhance your performance as the Emperor of the Sands. We've discussed key elements such as rune choices, itemization, laning strategies, and effective combos. By carefully selecting Lethal Tempo as your keystone rune and leveraging the power of Presence of Mind for mana sustain, you can dominate the top lane with sustained damage and poke. The core item path of Lost Chapter, Liandry's Anguish, Boots, and Nashor's Tooth ensures a strong foundation for Azir's scaling potential and consistent damage output.

Additionally, we've explored situational items like Rabadon's Deathcap, Zhonya's Hourglass, Void Staff, and Rylai's Crystal Scepter, allowing you to adapt your build to counter specific threats or capitalize on certain advantages. It's crucial to remain adaptable and make informed decisions based on the ever-changing game flow.

Mastering Azir's combos, including the Shuffle Combo for repositioning and the Standard Trading Combo for poking, will elevate your gameplay to new heights. Remember, positioning, timing, and utilizing your soldiers effectively are the keys to success.

As you venture into the top lane with Azir, take advantage of his range, scaling, and ability to control team fights. Use your soldiers strategically, farm diligently, and coordinate with your team to secure objectives and victories.

With practice and dedication, you can become a formidable Azir player, commanding the desert sands and dominating the top lane. So embrace your destiny as the Emperor of the Sands and let your might reshape the Summoner's Rift. Good luck and may the sands be ever in your favor!