English is not my native language, so this guide may contain some errors more or less serious, I ask you to be sloppy.


Hello, my nickname is Tricktimer, I am new to this community.
Coming often on this site by viewing guides, it made ​​me want to make myself one.
So I present to you my dear Irelia and my style of play with this character that will suit some of you and who will inspire others.
I will also share my experiences in ranked in many match up and tips and advices.

PROS Has 2 substain skills.( Hiten Style and Transcendent Blades) Has an insane passive. Easily farm/push/freeze the lane. High movement speed. A great escape mecanism. Very high damage output. Can surf on her blades.

CONS Weak on low level. Can't hit enemy champ without trading hp. Have to hit for regen hp.

Greater Mark of Desolation
Greatest marks for physical output champ like Irelia. ArP > Flat AD in late game.


Mandatory runes.


Those runes are used if the top you encounter are a physical output champ. That gives you 24 magic resists at lvl 18 instead 12 with flat magic resists.


Those runes are used if the top you encouter are a magical output champ. (e.g vladimir, kennen. I will tell you those later.)


This Irelia play are based on her high mouvement speed. That is able to chase/escape easier.

SPACE

Those masteries are there to make Irelia as tanky as possible in early game(With 600hp at start).

SPACE

Movement speed is the core of this guide. This mastery is the only one that helps Irelia to dps more. The only 8.1% cdr Irelia will have in the game. Irelia's damage is mostly come from Hiten Style, shorter cd it has, more dps she do. Ultimate defensive mastery :D, synergies very well with her passive and her boots.

Start Items

x3
Basically I start with those items. I think this became a standard in this meta-game.

x5
This start is used against champs that you won't be able to trade hp with them and being
non-stop harass.


This start is used when you are going to play very passive because you know that enemy champ aren't gonna harass you.

Early Game Items

Philosopher's stone
This guide makes Irelia really passive in early game, Heart of Gold and Philosopher's stone give Life regen, Mana regen, Life Point, 1 more gold each second. Those stats help you to farm easily and trade hp with you opponent because you have more hp and regen than your enemy.

Core Items(must to get)

This item is just aaaaaaaaamazing! Nothing more :D.


Complementary to Trinity Force, Guardian Angel gives a nice amont of armors and some magic resists and plus it allows Irelia to revive O.o. It will give you more confidence in teamfight.

Options

->
Those 2 items work together everthough Atma has been nerf, i think it is still worth.

or
Those items are brought when you opponent team has 2 insanes AP champs on top lane and on middle lane.

or
All 2 items are used to increase Irelia's damage output.
The Bloodthirsther helps Irelia regen more hp than Youmuu's Ghostblade.
Youmuu's Ghostblade does more damage then Bloodthirster when Hiten Style is activated.

or
When enemy AD is fed.


Helps against scary AP.

Hiten Style have to be max out first, most of Irelia's damage comes from here.

Max-ing Bladesurge isn't really safe, you have to be very confident to max it at second.
When max-ed, Bladesurge helps to reach an enemy champion dash through a range minion with full hp. It kills the minion with full hp and allows it to refresh its cd.
On this screen, I took Bladesurge level 1, I had to wait the minion went low hp before dashing. Let us consider that LeeSin is currently on his way for top. I do this move to get closer to my opponent and surprise him with this engage.

Max-ing Equilibrium Strike at second will help you avoid many ganks against you. And it helps you to be more effective when your jungler came by increasing stun duration up to 2seconds.

What I use.

The most taken summoner spell. Why?
This spell allows you to become a magician. Dodge a spell, pass through a wall.

Really nice spell, it gives just what it needs for Irelia to finish an opponent.

Other Summoner Spell that suits Irelia.

Increasing summoner movement speed. Yea, but I guess Irelia is fast enough with 415ms with only Mercury's Treads. What happened if you have Janna is your team :D.


Can be used by Irelia but not that useful. Prevent Bottom lane to be 2v3 situation.


A good summoner spell, but I think Ignite is better in many situations.

Tips

#1:
To use this Irelia, must be able to control % of her hp and that of her opponent. Equilibrium Strike is your only way to CC and makes a gank succes. This skill slows its enemy when Irelia's %hp is higher, and stun its enemy when her %hp is lower.
Make sure to lose some hp without being noticed by your opponent that you give him free hits.

#2:
Irelia has no problem to farm under her tower.

• Melee minions on early game, can tank tower for 3 hits if full hp. Make sure, it takes 2 hits before you hit it and finish it with Bladesurge if needed.
• Range minions on early game, can tank tower for 2 hits if full hp. Make sure, it takes a hit before you hit it and finish it with Bladesurge if needed.
• Cannon minions, you just can't miss it :D.

As you can see, Bladesurge is part of Irelia's farm. She is really a mana-eater. I used to back when I have around 900 gold for a philosopher's stone and a Sight ward.

#3:As you see, there are many ways to get closer your opponents without dash straight on them.

Saving Bladesurge for later is the best advice I can give you.

Let us consider, Irelia vs Darius for a 3seconds fight.
Both have 100% hp, level 3 and have 1 attack per sec. Darius will only auto-attack his feo.

• Irelia uses Bladesurge with Hiten Style and immediately uses Equilibrium Strike, scared that her enemy champ run away. Equilibrium Strike won't stun Darius because Irelia's %hp is higher than Darius due Bladesurge damage to get close to her opponent.
• Darius hits once.
• Irelia hits with Hiten Style.
• Darius hits.
• Irelia hits with Hiten Style.
• Darius hits.

Damage done by Irelia:
Bladesurgex1, Equilibrium Strikex1, hits x2 and Hiten Stylex3.
Damage done by Darius:
Hits x3.

Considering now, Irelia use Equilibrium Strike first.

• Irelia uses Equilibrium Strike and hits with Hiten Style.
• Darius is stunned.
• Irelia hits with Hiten Style.
• Darius hits once.
• Irelia hits with Hiten Style and uses Bladesurge with Hiten Style.
• Darius hits.

Damage done by Irelia:
Bladesurgex1, Equilibrium Strikex1, hits x3 and Hiten Stylex4.
Damage done by Darius:
Hits x2.

You will tell me, why in this first fight, there is no "hit with Hiten Style" for second 1?

I consider that opponent wants to escape, so Equilibrium Strike has to be used as soon as possible. I consider too that Bladesurge and Equilibrium Strike block the first hit of Irelia. (Those are my thought, but the fact that Equilibrium Strike first is way better.)

Those are solo top that I encounter:

Early game: Hard
Middle, Late game: Medium-Hard
Start items: x4
Vladimir is a range mage champion,you shall take Greater Glyph of Magic Resistx9 runes to be able to stay longer on the lane. Don't let you get kill by him or by a gank before you reach level 7.
DO NOT TAKE FREE HITS FROM Vladimir EVER YOU LOST MINIONS. You have be able to fight against him when your jungler came.


Early game: Hard
Middle, Late game: Medium
x4
I only played against Kennen AP on top right now. You shall take Greater Glyph of Magic Resistx9 runes. Watch out when he uses Lightning Rush, they may gank you. Kennen won't be able to kill you 1v1.


Early game: Medium
Middle, Late game: Medium
x3
Fiora is a bursty physical champion, they have nearly the same output damage(fiora is higher) but when Irelia reaches level 6, Irelia can handle Fiora by spamming ulti.
Do not towerdive her, if you weren't sure to kill her.


Early game: Easy-Medium
Middle, Late game: Easy-Medium
x3
Irelia has way more damage than Cho'Gath. Enjoy your advantage to destroy Cho'Gath. Don't be stunned by him.


Early game: Medium-Hard
Middle, Late game: Medium-Hard
x5