Quick introduction - this is first LoL guide i have ever written. I'm not the best player, i am still in silver league, my english is bad, but i was pretty succesful when playing some characters including Pantheon (i have won some ranked games as him) - so i decided to share my builds and tips. Everything written here is based on my own experience not on what people say. Some of you may laugh at my guide, call me noob or whatever, but also maybe some of you will consider it helpful.

BTW. Thanks to JhoiJhoi! Her epic guide can be found here!

Pantheon is an AD caster and one of best solo-topers. He is pretty viable on mid too, but more tips on how to play him on mid lane are about to come - right now this guide is just about solo top. He isn't very hard to play, but that still doesn't mean you will not have to think when playing him.
My build is a bit offtanky build, but i included some tips how to adapt it to your playstyle.

Pantheon

Pros Good tower diver Good duelist Teleport Ult is good in teamfights Very strong early-game

Cons Usually has weak late-game Mana-hungry No ultimate that is usable in skirmishes Weak escape mechanism No sustain

5x Greater Mark of Attack Damage - this is prety obvious - AD runes for an AD champion, but i pick only five, because some armor penetration is useful too
4x greater mark of armor penetration - gives armor penetration, combines nicely with AD runes
9x Greater Seal of Armor - damage reduction is essential - flat bonus can help you in early and a little bit in late game
9x Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist - same here, but this time it's magic damage reduction. I prefer per-level bonus here because your enemies will not have a lot of magic penetration early game, and usually you will have an AD opponent on your lane, so flat magic resist is useless here. If someone is curious, per level MR runes beat flat ones when you reach lvl 9.
3x Greater Quintessence of Attack Damage - Pantheon just needs AD

I think i do not have to explain anything here. Everyone knows what does which mastery do and the rest is pretty self-explanatory.

Starting Items

x2 Boots + Pots First start out with Boots + 2x Health Potion + Mana Potion. It provides you mobility and sustain and also allows you to harass your enemy longer.

x2 Damage + Pots Choose it if you are going to play agressive. Also, if you decided to buy these items, i recommend you to rush The Brutalizer even before you will buy the Boots.

x2 x3
Sustain

In case you will have an opponent that can keep his lane pretty long like Garen, and you expect him to hug the turret, you may buy these items for mana regeneration, what will allow you to spam your skills. If you decide to do so - rush Tear of the Goddess just after The Brutalizer, and remember to buy Manamune later.


Core Items

The Brutalizer Very good early game item for AD caster such as Pantheon. AD, CDR and Armpen it provides will usually allow you to take advantage over your lane opponent. Tier 2 Boots Ionian Boots of Lucidity are best choice in my opinion, Pantheon needs a lot of CDR, but if you want to go defensive, buy Mercury's Treads or Ninja Tabi.

The Black Cleaver You must get this because of both flat and % armor reduction it provides. You will be unstoppable after getting this. Frozen Mallet This one is very popular item. It has second higher HP bonus in game - 700 ( Warmog's Armor gives 1000), a bit of AD (30), and the most importantly - a slow.

Mid-Late Game Items

Infinity Edge Infinity Edge provides additional critical damage, and will be good combination with your Heartseeker Strike. When someone will be below 15% hp, in most cases you should instantly kill him. Also the 70 damage bonus is pretty nice.

The Bloodthirster Bloodthirster can give the second highest damage bonus in game - 100, when fully stacked (only Sword of the Occult gives more - 110), and highest lifesteal bonus - 18%. That's why it is essentional for all offensive AD champions.

Final Item

Randuin's Omen This is best pick for final item because it gives health, armor and nice passive. It will provide you a lot of tankiness.

Warmog's Armor +1000 health - you will be a lot more tanky. Also this is good pick for final item if enemies deal true damage.

Last Whisper

If your enemies buy even more armor and Black Cleaver is not enough - get this item.


Situational Items

Maw of Malmortius Buy this as final item if enemy team has champions with finishing skills that deal magic damage like Karthus or Lux. zeke's herald Zeke's Herald It gives a bit of health, a bit of damage, a bit of lifesteal and a lot of cooldown reduction. It is good item for Pantheon, but in my opinion there are better items.

Thornmail If you will get focused in teamfights you can buy this so you will either damage entire enemy team or they will stop focusing you. Manamune -> Muramana Buy it only if you got Tear of the Goddess. It will solve your mana problems. Also Muramana's active will increase your damage a bit, since it works with Spear Shot and Aegis of Zeonia.

- OR -- OR -This is your choice. You can either max one of the offensive skills, or upgrade them simultaneously. I would recommend maxing Heartseeker Strike if you want to trade, and Spear Shot if you need an easy harassment.




This gives Pantheon advantage in 1vs1 fights, especially when he has a lot of CDR. Also allows you to go past the enemy turret.



This will be your main harassment tool. It can deal nice damage to single target, and enemies cannot escape from it like from Heartseeker Strike, so i decided to max it first. but if you are facing an opponent like Akali - you cannot hit her with single target spells when she is invisible, max Heartseeker Strike first.



This skill is Pantheon's only crowd control besides his ultimate and his only hard crowd control. But because it does small damage that doesn't scale with AD and stun duration doesn't go up with skill level, i decided to max it last.



Another damage dealer, this time AoE, and also provides nice passive. Because it is harder to use than Spear Shot and has longer cooldown, i decided to max it second.



Very useful skill that allows you to gank quickly and assassinate the target. If you will aim properly, you can deal even 1000 damage at 16 lvl and slow your opponent by 35% for a short while, what gives you clear advantage and makes your enemy defenceless 1vs1. You can also turn teamfights upside down with it by aiming at enemy carry. Of course it is ultimate skill so upgrade it when possibile (6, 11 and 16 levels).

1vs1 Combo


This combo should be used if you decide to fight 1vs1 with your lane opponent. You simply use your Heartseeker Strike to apply Black Cleaver effect and deal some damage, then use Spear Shot for even more dmg. You should have Aegis Protection up, so wait for your opponent's attack, and then use Aegis of Zeonia to stun and refresh your passive. After this, just repeat the combo, and you should win the trade this way.

Assassination Combo


This is what you will do when you see alone target on your minimap, or when you want to enter teamfights. Grand Skyfall lets you to initiate by dealing tons of damage and slowing the target down. Then you should use Aegis of Zeonia to ensure the target will not escape by stunning it and dealing a bit of damage, than use Heartseeker Strike - enemy is stunned so he/she will not escape it, and then follow with Spear Shot. Depending on your target's current health, armor, magic resist and escape mechanism, it can either be dead or just sent back to base or past it's team turret. If the target isn't dead yet, you can chase it with autoattacks ( Frozen Mallet will provide the slow effect), and repeat the combo but without Grand Skyfall.

Viable Summoner Spells

These summoner spells are the best for Pantheon.



One of the most used summoner spells. Deals true damage over time and decreases healing. It is useful when your enemy has low hp - you can ensure he will die. Can be used against Tryndamere's Undying Rage to kill him after his ultimate ends, or against Dr. Mundo's Maximum Dosage. You can take it instead of Teleport - you will lose possibility to return to your lane but in some cases you can get advantage with it.



This spell is the best summoner spell. Allows you to chase, escape and go over terrain - it is always useful, and because Pantheon has weak escape mechanism, this spell is essential.



When you go solo top, sometimes you can get zoned. And then you want to get some items - this allows you to leave your lane and quickly come back. Also it allows you to do quick ganks with Grand Skyfall to the target and after killing it, Teleport back to your lane. Other usage of it is backdooring - Pantheon can Teleport to pushed lane or ward and quickly destroy the turret with help of minions or even dive it - with Aegis Protection it will be easier. There are a lot of usages of Teleport for Pantheon, you just must be creative.

Decent Summoner Spells

These summoner spells are not the best, but sometimes can work for Pantheon



You can take this spell instead of Flash to pervent deaths on your lane, but if you will get ganked, you still may be unable to survive because of no escape spells. And if taken instead of Teleport, may make you unable to quickly return in case of ganks or recalls.



If you decide to go more offensive, and you think you will be enemy team's main focus - you can get this spell to survive longer, but still you have to time it well and it is not as useful as Teleport or Ignite (you are an assassin after all).



Ghost can be better than Flash when running away from a heavy gank on your lane, but if you are running away by jungle, you will lose ability to go through terrain. That's why i prefer Flash in most cases.

(Still under construction, I will update it after I will play as him against various champions)

When to pick Pantheon?

When NOT to pick Pantheon?