Hi my name is Valhir (yes like Volibear) and this is going to be a full guide on how to properly play the New Volibear to his strengths and how to play around his weaknesses.

Also I make educational videos and guides on the New Volibear on my YouTube channel also called Valhir. It's a small channel so any support is welcome https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6OjXOnY7t-fz0DayVRU_-g?view_as=subscriber.

Now lets get on with the guide:

First things first, in order to master any champion you are going to need to know exactly what their abilities do.

Passive - RELENTLESS STORM

Volibear gains 1 stack of The Relentless Storm whenever he damages an enemy with basic attacks on-hit and abilities, up to a maximum of 5. The Relentless Storm lasts for 6 seconds, refreshing whenever Volibear gains a stack. At maximum stacks, he gains Lightning Claws.

Volibear gains 5% bonus attack speed per stack, up to 25% bonus attack speed.

Volibear's claws ignite with lightning, causing his basic attacks on-hit to deal 11−60 (+40% of ability power) bonus magic damage to the target and the closest visible enemy within 450 units of the target, chaining up to 4 subsequent targets (depending on level).

Q - THUNDERING SMASH

Volibear drops on all fours, becoming ghosted and gaining 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 / 35% bonus movement speed for 4 seconds, doubled when moving towards visible enemy champions.

While active, Volibear's next basic attack within the duration pounces on the target, deals 20 / 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 (+1.2 per bonus attack damage) bonus physical damage, and stuns the target for 1 second.

If Volibear becomes immobilized while Thundering Smash is active, the effect ends prematurely and the cooldown is reset.

Thundering Smash resets Volibear's basic attack timer, benefits from life steal and is affected by critical strike modifiers.

W - FRENZIED MAUL

Volibear strikes the target enemy, dealing 10 / 35 / 60 / 85 / 110 (+1.0 per attack damage) (+6% of his bonus health) physical damage, applying on-hit effects, and Wounding them for 8 seconds.

If Frenzied Maul targets a Wounded enemy, Volibear bites the target, dealing 50% increased damage and healing himself for 20 / 35 / 50 / 65 / 80 (+8 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 16% of his missing health). The heal is halved against minions.

Frenzied Maul also benefits from life steal.

Target Range: 325 (Standard range) / 350 (Enhanced Range)

E - SKY SPLITTER

Volibear summons a lightning bolt to strike at the target location after a 2-second delay. Enemies can see the cast location indicator after a 1-second delay. If Volibear is within the lightning strike, he shields himself for 15% of his maximum health (+80% of ability power) for 3 seconds.

The lightning bolt deals 80 / 110 / 140 / 170 / 200 (+80% of ability power) (+0.11 / 0.12 / 0.13 / 0.14 / 0.15% of target's maximum health) magic damage to all enemies struck, capped against non-champions, slowing them by 40% for 2 seconds, and grants sight of the area.

Effect Radius: 325 (Damage Radius) / 425 (Shield granting radius)

R - STORMBRINGER

Volibear gains Stormbringer for 12 seconds and leaps to the target location with immunity to crowd control as well as granting sight of the area in a 500 radius during it. If Thundering Smash is active when Stormbringer is cast, its duration is refreshed.

Volibear becomes ghosted and gains 200 / 400 / 600 bonus health, 50 bonus attack range, 25 increased range on Frenzied Maul, and 25% increased size.

Volibear impacts after a 1 second delay, slowing all enemies in an area by 50%, decaying over 1 second. Enemies in the epicenter are also dealt 300 / 500 / 700 (+2.5 per bonus attack damage) (+125% of ability power) physical damage.

Volibear also disables enemy turrets in an area for 3 / 4 / 5 seconds, dealing them the same physical damage.

Stormbringer will cast at max range if cast beyond that.

Effect Radius: 300 (Damage Radius) / 500 (Slow Radius) / 700 (Turret damage and disable radius)

Abilities are subject to change when champions get nerfs or buffs

So on Volibear you mostly want to full clear every game and get to your lvl 6 power spike asap. But some times when optimal you can rush lvl 3 and gank easy lanes.
For example if you have a laner that has easy to land cc like Pantheon.


In this video I go over every viable path and how to do it optimally: Play Video

Ganking with Volibear heavily relies on his Q Thundering Smash before he hits lvl 6, so try to look for enemies that are overextended or low on HP.
After hitting lvl 6 the fun starts. Now you are able to get to the enemy laners that are pushed under the tower and dive them. Volibears R Stormbringer is a powerful tool in the right hands because it allows you to tower dive enemies from all sorts of different angles without needing to worry about the turret.

Here are some angles you can ult from: Play Video

Invading with Volibear is viable option but make sure that:

1.The enemy jungler isnt a better duelits than you.

2.The enemy jungler is on the other side of the map.

3.The enemy jungler is overextending with low HP.

4.You have mid + bot/top priority.

If you see in champion select that the enemy jungler is easy to invade I suggest going with Press the Attack because it gives you lost of early game power and dueling potential.

Early game should be focused on getting your team ahead and taking as much objectives as possible such as:

Towers
Dragons
Rift Herald

At lvl 4 Volibear can easy solo Dragons and Heralds just make sure that you are not doing it on a ward because it will lead to the enemy team collapsing on you and you dying and loosing the objective.

Here is an example of a good early game: Play Video

Mid game is the part of the game were Volibear really starts to shine.
In this part of the game you are looking to pick fight and put the enemy team further behind.
Taking Dragons at this part of the game and working up to the Dragon Soul is your number one priority.
Also taking Baron is extremely important because it helps you close out the game.

If ahead you should group with your team and try to take objectives and if possible tower dive with your R Stormbringer.

If behind you should try to make picks on overextended enemies and farm up. Don't force risky plays and be willing to give up 1-2 Dragons.
One thing to get when playing from behind is the Rift Herald because most players overlook it and don't even bother with it. Getting the Rift Herald and using it on tower plates can get you lots of gold that will be good step in getting you back in to the game.

By this point you should already be trying to close out the game.
Doing so means you are gonna have to take objective such as:

Baron Nashor
Final Dragon for the Soul
Elder Dragon

This objective will help you close out the game fast and deny the risk of the enemy ADC scaling and being able to kill you without you even being able to reach them.

If you are playing from behind you should usually try your best to peel for your damage dealer such as an ADC or a Mage. Soak up as much damage and CC as possible for them and let them do the rest.

Here is an example of a game going late (past the 30min mark): Play Video

Spirit Visage is a great item on Volibear because it synergies very god with his Frenzied Maul and Revitalize

Trinity Force is an overall good item on Volibear because it gives him all the stats he needs like Mana, Health and CDR. Also gives him the Sheen effect which he can prock easily.

Dead Man's Plate helps you get your targets faster and it synergies well with your Thundering Smash

Mercury's Treads are a good option when the enemy team has a lot of CC that is easy to execute. This item also has a great synergy with your Thundering Smash giving you less time to wait before being able to cast it again.

Ninja Tabi should be taken when the enemy has a lot of champions that like to auto attack such as Graves Master Yi Ashe even some you might not expect to be auto attackers like Elise

Boots of Swiftness are really good if enemy has a lot of slows and mobility. They give you slow resist and grant the most base flat movement speed across all boots. Good vs champions like Ashe Ezreal with Iceborn Gauntlet Tahm Kench Dr. Mundo and summoner spell Exhaust.

Randuin's Omen is a really good item when it comes to fighting champions that are crit based such as Yasuo Jhin Gangplank

Black Cleaver is a good item if the enemy team is stacking armor or if you want to get 40% CRD asap.

Frozen Heart is an option if you want to slow down the enemy teams attacks speed, for example if the enemy team has Master Yi Vayne Varus

Adaptive Helm is a very good item vs champions that like to spam their abilities or have a damage over time such as Cassiopeia Brand Rumble Karthus

Bramble Vest is a good item to rush if the enemy team has a lot of champions that can heal. Champions such as Soraka Senna Yuumi Olaf Aphelios or champions that build life steal in general.

Zeke's Convergence is a really good item to get if you are playing from behind. It gives you the potential to stick to enemy champions and give your catty more damage. You usually want to place it on champions like Twitch Ashe Aphelios or champions with high attacks speed and they should be ranged if possible.

Turbo Chemtank is a really good item when you just need to stick to slippery enemies that have a lot of mobility like Fizz Akali Tristana.

Wit's End is a good item when you need to tank a lot of AP damage and also do some damage your self.

Here are some item synergies you maybe didn't know: Play Video Play Video

Press the Attack is my go to keystone for Volibear jungle because it provides me with extra damage that helps me in the early game and makes my ganks stronger. Also you can stack it up extremely fast be using Q - Thundering Smash > Auto Attack > W - Frenzied Maul. Overall a very good rune that gives you lots of 1vs1 potential and dueling power.

Conqueror is a good alternative when you are vs a team with a lot of melee champions, but its getting nerfed in patch 10.13 .

Triumph a good overall rune, helps you stay alive for longer which allows you to get multiple procks of Frenzied Maul.

Legend: Tenacity is an excellent rune on Volibear because it allows you to soak up CC while in your Q - Thundering Smash and having it's full cooldonw refreshed.
This rune also pears good with Mercury's Treads giving you even more tenacity.

Last Stand pared with your W - Frenzied Maul this runes lets you win fights that are close and deal more damage in fights where you are being focused.

Nimbus Cloak a very powerful rune when it comes to ganking. Pared with Stalker's Blade and Thundering Smash your ganks will be very hard to avoid.

Waterwalking makes your jungle presents stronger because you can get to any lane faster.

Revitalize has a very good synergy with your W - Frenzied Maul and E - Sky Splitter.

Conditioning makes you harder to kill in the later stages of the game.

Unflinching pares well with Legend: Tenacity and Mercury's Treads and helps you be unstoppable when running at the enemy in your Q - Thundering Smash.

Here is a video of some of the combos you can use on the new Volibear:
Play Video
The video was made on the PBE server so the updated version will come soon.

Update:
Play Video