2/29/2012 - Creation of Guide
3/01/2012 - Finished it :D

I just want to start off by saying Ezreal is probably the most underestimated carry in the game. People constantly believe he sucka da noodle, but in reality, if played right, he can become the difference in a game.
Take into Consideration
This guide will not help you own the game, but will give a greater understanding of usage of Ezreal.
This guide won't teach you how to play the game, it will only help you to learn Ezreal
Ezreal is NOT an easy hero to play with. Don't expect to suddenly become the best without practice. Ezreal requires a lot of practice.
If you are new to Ezreal, please read the entire guide and I promise you will improve your game.

To most people, Ezreal is a fragile hero who has a bad early, mediocre mid, and decent late game. Forget that stereotype. Ezreal has probably one of the strongest early games. He might not have the most hp, but what he does have is damage. In most cases, if played right, Ezreal should be able to get first blood a large amount of the time. How is this possible you ask? Because I don't play Ezreal like a piece of glass. You have to play him with some amount of aggressiveness to be able to successfully use him. In my opinion, if you kill them fast enough, who needs hp?

Pros:

-Strong Early Game (Deals insane amount of damage early on with his skillshots)
-Fun to Play With
-Skillshot based (If your good with this type of thing)
-Global Ultimate
-Good mobility and escape
-Looks Awesome
-Dat Dance

Cons:

-Hard to Learn
-Takes a lot of practice to excel
-Super Squishy
-Vulnerable to CC
-No CC
-Somewhat team dependent
-Skills don't scale well
-Bad late game without a strong base formed early and mid

In higher level games, Runes make a huge difference in game. They can be the game changer early game and be that extra boost of damage to get the kill.

Recommended Runes:

Greater Mark of Desolation-Will give 15 armor penetration that will give the most damage early on.
Glyph of Warding-Gives good amount of armor if you feel that you can manage your mana well enough.
Seal of Resilience-Gives good magic resistance when going mid against enemy champions.
Quintessence of Strength-Boosts your damage early game

Other Viable Choices

Glyph of Focus-Gives you some major cooldown reduction if you really want it for faster damage.


Quintessence of Fortitude-When you just feel like you die too much, extra hp is always a good thing.


Seal of Clarity-A good rune for when you feel that you are using too much mana.

Mystic Shot

As an AD Ezreal this will be your main source of damage. The low mana cost and little cooldown allows you to use it quite often. Use Mystic Shot to check bushes, poke enemies heroes, and just rape faces with it. Unlike most guides, I recommend you don't waste mana farming creeps with it. However, if you just need a little gold or have low hp feel free to shoot a few off.


Essence Flux

Being an AD Ezreal, this skill will be totally useless. The buff is mediocre and only speeds up attack speed, all in all its useless. People argue that this should be gotten at level 4 for the buff/debuff or damage, but in reality the damage is only needed if you can't hit with your mystic shot and the buff/debuff will not be really necessary until late game for team fights. As an AD this skill is completely useless and a waste of mana.


Arcane Shift

Your very own built-in flash that helps you get kills as much as it does save your life. This spell will teleport you while sending off a homing missile at the enemy. There are also a few tricks to it that can help you out.

Arcane shift can also be used at the exact moment a stun, grab, etc gets you. This will help increase the distance between the enemy and you and give a chance to escape. It's hard to master, but when blitzcrank grabs you, or sion stuns you, you will be able to escape their clutches.

This spell is also extremely useful for tower diving. If the enemy has low hp don't be afraid to shift/flash in mystic shot pop ignite then shift/flash out. It may not be easy, but when learned it will always help to get the extra kill.


Trueshot Barrage

When you first get your ultimate at level 6 check every enemy champion on the map, if they have low hp and just snipe the **** outta them. This can also be used to steal buffs from the enemy. Dragon, Blue, Baron, Red, you name it. With extreme timing it is possible and can help out the team in crisis.

Aiming tips:
-If the enemy is getting pushed back to their tower it is most likely that they are hiding behind the tower.
-Predict where they are going. The distance and time it takes to fire vary greatly. This takes an extreme amount of knowledge and experience to do this, but when learned correctly it can help change the tide of a team fight, get the free kill, or get free assists.
-Think about how much damage they do every second on buffs, dragon, and baron, then calculate the distance it takes to reach them. You either have to be super asian to do this, or just have to have a lot of practice. Don't expect to steal it so easily, its still 80% luck and only 20% skill.

Recommended Picks:


Helps chase enemies and run away from them too. Also good for re-positioning yourself during team fights. Use in coalition with arcane shift to help you chase that enemy or run away.



Ignite will only add to the destructive ability that is Ezreal. This will help cause some serious pain to the enemy when in mid or bot to get the first blood.


Viable Options:


With recent updates, Heal has become one of the acceptable skills to have as an AD carry. It can be used to heal trick some and just save your life plenty of times. In conjunction with team fights, heal will also be able to sometimes turn the tide when used well. In most cases however, let your support get it.



Help with killing some people. Slowing them down will usually help get the kill and even escape at times. Most likely take this instead of ignite since flash is more useful later on. However, Ignite + Exhaust in middle can be one of the most deadly things to have as Ezreal. This will usually result in first blood as soon as you hit level two. Just arcane in at about half hp on enemy, ignite, exhaust, mystic shot, auto attack, = dead



I really don't like cleanse all too much, but most people say its useful to sometimes escape considering how Ezreal is so vulnerable to CC. But in reality as an AD Carry, you shouldn't be getting caught in the first place.



Again this spell in my opinion is a waste for something better. It will help you have more lane sustain, but Ezreal is meant to be somewhat aggressive. Playing passively with Ezreal will usually result in a weak late game. In most cases, let your support get it.

Core Items

First grab a Doran's Blade


Then When you have 1400 gold recall and pick up a sheen, 2 hp pots, and a mana pot to get the red buff, if your jungler will let you.



Rushing a Sheen will proc with your mystic shot dealing some serious early game damage.

Berserker's Greaves

Now why Berserker's Greaves? This item will help dominate early game. They give much needed movement speed and attack speed that will help give the extra boost of damage on enemies.


Black Cleaver

A preferred item early/mid game especially when in solo queue. Getting Black Cleaver early on will be giving you near true damage against enemies in lane. Since Mystic Shot procs debuff on enemy champions quickly, this is an extremely good item if you got some good skillshots.


Trinity Force

Another great item that was made for Ezreal, due to the extreme utility it provides. It has nearly no downside for Ezreal's characteristics and is a great item to rush. This item also is very flexible. If you feel you die to much rushing a phange instead of a sheen is also a viable option. Rushing this item in lower level games is also recommended since there is less emphasis on team fights, dragons, etc, which creates a longer laning phase.


Bloodthirster

Once again another great item to rush. The lifesteal proc and damage will help Ez sustain more in lane, while doing more damage to enemy champs. Overall a great item, especially with a non sustain support. Downside of the item is the easily lost stacks on death, but, in my opinion, just don't die lol.


Infinity Edge

A must have for any AD Carry. The critical percent and the damage will help Ezreal late game, which is a must have. With this and the slow from trinity, Ezreal will become more of an auto attacker.


Quicksilver Sash

A defensive item that will work great on Ezreal. Since Ezreal's vulnerability to cc is very annoying at times, this will help you stay out of focus from enemy heroes and, in times, escape.

Ionian Boots of Lucidity

Only really need this item if you have enough mana from blue buffs, soraka, etc. The CDR will help you deal more damage to the enemy, but the cooldown on mystic shot is already very short. Not very great in general. Berserker's Greaves on Ezreal will have a greater effect on him as an AD carry throughout the game, but still a viable option if u feel the need for it.


Guardian Angel

When you have enough gold late game sell your quicksilver sash for a guardian angel. Especially useful if your teammates can't help you out. Will help save your life plenty of times.


Banshee's Veil

If the enemy team has an extreme amount of CC and magic damage a good purchase instead of quicksilver sash. This will give you more Magic Resist and make you more resistant to cc and spells.


Manumane

Overall the item isn't a bad choice for Ezreal. It will give a great amount of mana if needed, but in reality it doesn't utilize Ezreal's early game effeciently. If this is gotten rush tear.


Last Whisper

When the enemy has a few champs over 125+ Armor its time to trade in your Cleaver for a Last Whisper. The damage done with whisper will outdamage cleaver late game. Remember to take especially if against a tanky team.


Phantom Dancer

Consider this item instead of an early trinity. Getting this early game can help you out a bit, but should be sold later on for a trinity of better item to better use Ezreal.

Ezreal's Early game is where you should be able to totally destroy the enemy hero. Farming is everything in early game. Last hitting is a must if you play any champion in general. However, besides farming you also have to multitask and find every oppurtunity to harass your opponent. Since the enemy champ is most likely an AP hero who hasn't met an AD Ezreal mid, you will be able to dominate them easily. Find every chance to auto attack, mystic shot, and just r4pe the enemy. Playing Passively does NOT work with Ezreal. If you can't utilize his strong early game with an aggressive strategy, just get out now. If you play passively, you will fall behind especially since other ad carries scale better than you.

Tips:
-If you grabbed ignite you will be able to kill them quite easily when you hit level 2. Once the enemy champ is down to about half hp or so, Arcane in, pop your ignite, mystic shot, and then auto-attack. This will usually result in a first blood giving you that very needed gold for your sheen.
-Don't be stupid with your aggressiveness. Aggressiveness does not equal ******edness. Aggression should be well though out in attack. Don't be getting baited too hard, etc. Remember the potential danger zone etc.
-As soon as you hit level 6 always be on the lookout for sniping oppurtunities for low health enemy champs.
-If you are doing extremely well in lane with around 2/3 kills early on, feel free to help out other lanes with a gank. Since you dominated lane early on, you will already be way ahead of enemy champ giving you freedom to move around, while constricting enemy to lane.
-If there are enemies mia don't continue to farm freely. There might be a gank coming. Make sure you have some wards of the jungle up. That way you will be able to avoid a few ganks coming your way. Otherwise without wards don't overextend yourself.

Playing in bot lane will restrict your aggressiveness to some extent, but don't let that stop you. Continue and try to find oppurtunities to land your skill shots and continue to harass and last hit enemy creeps. While playing in bot lane make sure you have a decent support with you. You will also have to alter your strategies in bot lane with different support Heroes.

Support Strategies:
Sona

While playing with a Sona a good strategy is to continue to farm while she harasses and outzones the enemy. After they are down to a certain hp commit yourself to going in and killing someone. This will usually help you get a kill here and there, but with Sona most of the game is Farming.


Soraka


Abuse Soraka's heal and mana. Don't be afraid to trade a few blows of skill shots with enemy heroes. With her heal you will be able to get back to full hp almost instantly. With her mana heal, just spam your mystic shot like crazy and annoy the **** outta enemy heroes. When going in for the kill, let Soraka silence one of them followed by your burst.


Taric/Leona


Let Taric/Leona zone the **** outta the enemy. With Taric and Leona's stuns you should be able to capitalize and get a kill easily. Whenever the enemy overextends into their zone's be sure to do as much damage as possible and get the kills.


Janna


With Janna the strategy is quite different here. Just exhange blows with her shielding you and whenever she tornadoes try to land some damage. Overall you won't be getting too many kills with her, but when they are low and a tornado hits, its pretty much a guaranteed kill if you burst correctly.

Mid Game is all dependent on the base you created for yourself early game. If you have a good early game, your mid game will help you dominate the enemy.

Tips:
-Continue to farm lanes and jungle
-Group up with team for pushing lanes, dragons, etc.
-Think about what item would be most effective against them.
-If you are ahead don't be afraid to tell your teammates to initiate a team fight.
-After a successful team fight go for a dragon/baron

This is where Ezreal starts to fall off. His abilities just don't scale well enough to keep up and eventually your auto-attack will do more damage then your skills. Unless you are extremely fed from cs or kills, you will have to be very dependent on your teammates. As usual poke around the enemy etc.

Tips:
-After a good team fight baron/dragon
-Late game revolves around turrets, baron, inhibitors, and nexus. Make sure to poke the weaker targets when safe and tanks when not.

In Team Fights, you will be focused upon if you are caught in the middle. Your squishyness will result in an instant death. For this reason here are some tips to survive when teamfighting.

Tips:
-Stay on the outskirts of the fight until all the cc has gone out of the fight. Poke around, get a few auto hits in, and use your ult for some strong aoe damage. When the enemy team uses up most of their cs go in and burst the best target of choice.
-If you get caught by an enemy tank etc, arcane over a wall and return when safe.
-If your dead you do no damage.
-Know when to run. If your team has absolute no chance of winning the fight after a certain point its time to high tail it out of there. If you can't win its best for them not to get another kill.

I hope you liked my guide and that it will help you to improve your gameplay with Ezreal. Please feel free to leave some constructive criticism in the comments below. I'll think about adding some troll builds and jungle ezreal later on lol. And because this is an Ezreal guide it wouldn't be complete without this video.
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