Hi, I'm currently a plat IV player on the NA server struggling to climb up. This guide is for all of you out there who is fed up with all the conventional tops. Although some might argue that they have seen top Vaynes in quite a few games, she is still by no mean a conventional pick for top lane. Her kit works well with the current meta as a counter pick. Her health shred from silver bolts, gap closer as well as an escape from tumble [/url]http://www.mobafire.com/images/ability/vayne-tumble.png, possible stun and displacement from condemn(E), and invisibility with AD steroid when Final Hours(R) activates qualifies her for a viable top laner.

I'm going to state this loud and clear right now.

TOP VAYNE DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK.

Ok, now I've said it, let me explain the situation. In this build, I try to build vayne as a top lane bruiser. With the full builds I suggested, she will deal tons of damage, she will be some what tanky, and she will have the ability to self-peel. However, she is definitely a tank in any form. To optimize the utility Vayne carries with her kit, she needs a designated tanky front line. Therefore, if the team jungle and support are both squishy, Vayne will not be a good pick to top with.

Another scenario to take into consideration to pick Vayne to top is the match-up. I strongly discourage blind picking Vayne as the top lane simply for the fact that she can be very easily countered. I suggest picking her as a counter pick only when the opponent has already picked a top.

Pick Vayne into any melee champion that would build tanky and doesn't have more than one gap closer (ascan negate one). Vayne will then truly shine :)

note : Vayne will NOT reach late game if she gets countered hard at top early game.

Here is where it starts to get interesting.

My personal preference goes tobecause it allows you to cover more distance when activated, syncs extremely well with both her passive and ult, but of course, is very viable too

Now, the second spell. There are a LOT of options here, and I generally decide which spell to take according to who I'm facing.
or would be my standard picks
for champs that rely heavily on their auto attacks to deal damage.
when the enemy team has insane CC.

In this chapter, I am discussing itemization in the scenario that you picked Vayne as a counter pick to the enemy choice of top laner.

Always start off with. It gives you the sustain you need, the slow that might be vital to escape a gank or securing a kill and it builds into the perfect item for vayne, .

If the early game goes smoothly and you managed to pick up a kill or two, pick up . It not provides you with some AD and some tankiness but what this item really stick out is its passive, which insanely boosts your ability to kite with the speed boost it gives after an auto-attack.

However, if the early game didn't go well for any reason, go back and pick up a . Since Vayne is a very item depending champion, the gold income this item provides will allow her to catch up fairly quickly(under the condition that you play safe and taking unnecessary risk).

is a rather controversial item to pick up on Vayne, but I have my reasons. Even though Vayne doesn't scale with AP, every other stat this item brings benefits her greatly. The health, attack speed, movement speed, AD and crit chances all increases her ability to survive and deal damage. Usefulness of the passive rage was discussed above. The passive spellblade actually multiplies your output immensely for Vayne is a skill spamming champ. After every , the next auto attack originally deals 50% bonus damage, but with spellblade, the next auto attack will deal 200% basic AD before applying the 50% bonus damage.

and are two very core, but self-explanatory items for Vayne. While both provides AD, Botrk gives AS and Yomuu's brings ArmPen and CDR(More and ) . Both of their actives are useful for Vayne in 1 on 1 dueling and in teamfights.

is where, I believe, distinguishes a glass cannon Vayne from a bruiser. This item gives her health, AD and a passive that allows her to duel a bruiser 1 v 1 easily. The additional health allows her to survive longer while the slow from the passive gives her more chances to kite around. The slow from its passive syncs surprisingly well with the speed boost in tri-force to escape from or chase down an enemy.

for the additional tenacity. is viable too when the opposing team is heavily AD oriented.

As for the last item, I would pick up a tanky item. or depending on who is fed on their team.

Play passive. CS well. Ward.

Simple but essential. Play passive, don't over extend as Vayne is extremely vulnerable early game. CS well to buy the core items because Vayne can't deal damage without items. Ward river, tri, baron or wherever you think their jugnler might be coming from.

HOWEVER
If you are faced off with champions that have weaker early game than you do(e.g., , etc). You should focus on denying farm and harrassing WHILE NOT OVER EXTENDING. Freeze the lane, deny them farm, harrass with when they try to take CS. Proc on them within reasonable safety zone. Force them out of lane, push up to their tower, back and buy, rinse and repeat.

If your team is either winning or going even with the enemy in other lanes, stay top and push. If their top laner went to roam, ping the MIA but push as fast and as hard as you can. Take the inner turret if situation allows. This will open up opportunities for you to roam.
When you push, however, keep a map awareness as to where the enemies are and retreat when you feel like you might be a victim of a gank in the near future.
Don't try to push the inhibitor turret alone at this time. You can optimize your output by staying with your team to secure objectives.
If you've managed to pick off both towers in top, roam mid to either gank or push with your mid-laner. By doing so, you can free up your jungler to camp bot to feed your ADC, and/or secure dragon if situation allows.

You goal in a team fight right now would be to pick up kills ONLY IF YOU WON'T DIE. Don't be upset if you don't end up in any kills, or you got "KS"ed. This is a team game, if your team wins you win. Without the items, you can't really self-peel at the moment. The smartest choice would be to stay behind a tank and pew pew pew.away when someone jumps on to you, do NOT to initiate because it might save your or your carry's life later in the fight. If you think there is more than 50% chance your team will come up on top in this fight, activate for more damage. If you think this is an unfavorable fight/position, save to use as an escape route with the invisibility.

This is where you start to pick up kills left and right. With the items, you should be able to not only self-peel but also peel for your ADC in the team fight. The slows from http://www.mobafire.com/images/item/frozen-mallet.gifand possibly and the knock-back/stun with your will allow you to chase down or run from almost anyone, which makes you a extremely fast and potent split pusher as you can duel anyone 1 v 1 if they try to stop you then high-tail away with into safety.


In team fights, you will actually possess enough CCs to peel both yourself and your carry away from their bruisers/assassins.

If the enemy team has more than one diving assassins(Zed, Fizz, Talon, Kass, Shaco, Ahri, etc), your job will be very easy. Stay by your carries, as the opponents WILL come to you. Condemn to stun, auto to slow, and peel them from your carries while killing them. Make sure that they don't walk out alive even if they manage to kill your carry.


If the opposing team consists of one or less assassins and mainly brawlers(Mundo, Nasus, Ryze, Malphite, Renekton, etc), either your team or you will need to poke. On the contrary to what a lot of people believe, Vayne has some serious late game pokes onto tanks. The percentage health shred will wear them down slowly but surely.


When the fight finally breaks out, stay in the back and focus whoever is in your range regardless of their role. Tanks shred as fast as carry under Vayne's power. If you manage to kill their tank line before your own tank line dies, you will most likely win the fight.