Volibear Build Guide by Kreicus

Introduction

New guides on new champions can never be thorough enough to be considered complete. Having only a short amount of time to get to know Volibear the findings in this guide may be attributed to pure luck at this point. So keep this in mind as you read through.

I'm sure many people who are playing him at this point are looking for quick information on what items, runes, masteries work well. And a general way to play him. I will try to cater to these type of people and keep this guide short and concise, at least until a future date when much more is learned.

Updates

Most recent change listed first
-Edited item area to explain when to choose what item.
-Changed a starting item to Prospector's Blade.

Runes

Below are the runes I choose and the reasoning behind them...

Greater Mark of Attack Speed

• Frenzy stacks faster, therefore faster Bite.
• Thunder Claws has a time duration, more attack within that time, more DPS.
  Alternatives: Greater Mark of Desolation

Greater Seal of Armor

• Cost efficient seals, more armor will keep you alive.
  Alternatives: None specific.

Greater Glyph of Cooldown Reduction

• Majestic Roar and Frenzy don't lower cooldown when leveled, this will give you more use from them.
  Alternatives: Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist / Greater Glyph of Magic Resist

Greater Quintessence of Movement Speed

• Speed in Dominion is always an advantage.
• Synergizes well with Rolling Thunder.
  Alternatives: Greater Quintessence of Desolation

Masteries

Below are the Masteries I choose and the reasoning behind them...

Combat [9]

Summoner's Wrath

• Increases the effect of Ghost and Surge, two recommended Summoner Spells.

Brute Force & Alacrity

• More attack damage for auto attacks (our sustained damage output).
• Thunder Claws has a time duration, more attack within that time, more DPS.

Weapon Expertise

• Majority of our damage is physical (Auto attacks, Rolling Thunder, Bite).

Defense [21]

Resistance , Hardiness , Evasion , Honor Guard

• Survivability, useful when Chosen of the Storm kicks in.

Durability , Veteran's Scars , Juggernaut

• Survivability, useful when Chosen of the Storm kicks in.
• Increases damage for Frenzy's Bite.

Initiator

• Speed in dominion is always an advantage.
• Synergizes well with Rolling Thunder.

Enlightenment

• Majestic Roar and Frenzy don't lower cooldown when leveled, this will give you more use from them.

Items

Below are the items I choose and the reasoning behind them...

Starter Items:
Boots of Speed: I always try to start with boots, it gets you to the Wind Mill faster, and lets you maneuver better during the fight up there, highly recommended.

• Always a good item to start with, and you know you'll always need boots.
• Get to Windmill faster.

Prospector's Blade: The blade makes a good starting item because it gives us three useful stats that will be a big help early game and continue to assist us throughout the match.

• A bit of extra damage to start.
• A bit of extra health to start.
• A bit of lifesteal to start.
• The health bonus also gives Frenzy Bite an additional 40 Damage.
• All around good starter item

Other Choices
Kindlegem: The Kindlegem is a nice item to have for the extra health and cooldown. The upgrade I use mostly is the Spirit Visage which helps a lot (see below) a good choice if you're up against a heavy magic damage enemy team.

• The health bonus also gives Frenzy Bite an additional 40 Damage.
• A quick source of cooldown reduction.
• Upgrades well.

Boot Choices:
Mercury's Treads: I almost always get these boots. Crowd Control can really shut down Volibear. He has short range skills, and must continue to attack to make use of his Frenzy Bite and Thunder Claws

• Needed against heavy AP and/or CC teams.
• Great survivability.

-OR-
Berserker's Greaves: If there is little to no crowd control on the enemy team these boots will help with your damage output since much of our damage and abilities come from auto attacks.

• More attack speed for auto attacks (our sustained damage output).
• Thunder Claws has a time duration, more attack within that time, more DPS.

-OR-
Ionian Boots of Lucidity: Another good choice if you wish to be able to use your abilities more often. I you are not planning to reach 40% cap CDR then I would suggest one of the previous listed boots.

• Large boost for all cooldowns.
• Majestic Roar and Frenzy don't lower cooldown when leveled, this will give you more use from them.

Here's where you have to look at the enemy team and decide on what to build according to them (boot choice should also take this into account)

Midgame Options:
Spirit Visage: Upgraded from the Kindlegem this is a good early item to defend against magical damage. The extra health and passives are also quite nice.

• Magic Defense.
• Healing Passive synergizes well with Chosen of the Storm.

Phage: When up against a physical or mixed damage team the Phage makes a good all around item. Has a few choices for upgrade.

• Increased Health for survivability and Frenzy Bite.
• Slow passive for additional CC.

Chain Vest: A simple chain vest can help a lot against a team of physical damage dealers. This will most likely be upgraded into Atma's Impaler or Thornmail.

• Armor against heavy AD teams.

Lategame Options:
Frozen Mallet: This is often my first full item. The large boost to health increases your Frenzy Bite damage a lot. The survivability and passive from this item also help a lot.

• Increased Health for survivability and Frenzy Bite.
• Slow passive for additional CC.

Atma's Impaler: I upgrade the chainmail to this item either after I buy my Giant's Belt or complete the Frozen Mallet.

• Grants ~60 damage at 18 with Frozen Mallet and Spirit Visage.
• Additional armor for survivability.

B. F. Sword, Pickaxe: Now that we have lots of defense, time for some damage. Pick one depending on your upgrade choice. Building both of them is possible, and a good idea, however, most of the time you will only be able to build one of them.

• Pickaxe for Kitae's Bloodrazor.
• B. F. Sword for Sanguine Blade.

Sanguine Blade: I prefer this weapon over the Bloodrazor. Gives a lot of damage and lifesteal.

• Increased lifesteal.
• Large damage boost, will stack fast with your high attack speed.
• Synergizes well with Frenzy.

Kitae's Bloodrazor: If the enemy team has a lot of tanky champions this will better suit you to take them down rather then the previously mentioned Sanguine.

• Increased attack speed.
• Counters high health targets.

Other possible items:
Entropy: This item would replace the Frozen Mallet, the trade off being more auto attack damage, less Frenzy Bite damage and less survivability.

• Increased damage for less survivability.
• Active synergizes well with Thunder Claws and Surge for 4 stacks of damage.

Trinity Force: Replaces the Frozen Mallet. I've yet to really use this in a build but it seems like it would work out. Very few wasted stats in this item for Volibear.

• All stats are useful and won't go to waste.
• Passive proc will greatly increase damage.

Aegis of the Legion: I've had success with this item against mixed enemy teams. Once again no wasted stats, and a good price. This item can be purchased at any time when needed.

• All around good defensive item.
• Both the damage and health will boost DPS.
• Helps out teammates as well.

Situational Items
Thornmail: This item is a good choice for any champion against overpowered fed enemy autoattackers.

• 100 Armor at an affordable price.
• The passive will increase your damage output against your attacker.
• Can often force these auto attackers to ignore attacking you.

Quicksilver Sash: Another item that is beneficial to (almost) all champions.

• Magic resistance,
• The active effect works great against those with a lot of crowd control, and especially Suppression ultimates.

Skill Sequence

Skills are listed in order of preference to raise...

Thunder Claws (Ultimate)

• Damage boost with all basic attacks.
• Synergizes well with...
  • Increased Attack Speed.
  • Entropy.
  • Surge.

Frenzy

• Bread and Butter Skill.
• +24% attack speed fully stacked.
• Bite works much like Garen's Demacian Justice and Riven's Blade of the Exile
• Better damage the weaker the enemy is.
• Synergizes well with increased Health.

Rolling Thunder

• Allows Volibear to be a great Chaser.
• Mediocre damage, mostly used for the displacement.
• Will interrupt channeled ultimates.
• Raised third for lower cooldown.

Majestic Roar

• Good CC as it is AOE.
• Mediocre damage, but can get a kill in on a runner.
• Works well when used immediately after a Rolling Thunder fling.

Chosen of the Storm (Passive)

• Effectively grants 30% more health if not burst down when it activates.
• Can turn the tides on solo and team fights when you're expected to die.
• Synergizes well with Spirit Visage and Lifesteal.
• Lengthy cooldown, but seems to be up when needed regardless.

Summoner Spells

Ghost

• For Dominion ghost is a very beneficial summoner spell to have.
• Synergizes well with Rolling Thunder
  Note: I do not recommend using this spell at the start of the game to get to the Windmill. The speed boost sigil will get you there just fine. I've only been a few steps behind teammates that use ghost. It's better to hold it if you need to chase/get away. Or if you die, to get back to Windmill and help out teammates still there, or to cap a defenseless Mill.

Surge

• Greatly powers your Thundering Claws.
  • Both have 12 second duration.
  • AP boost gives up to 26 extra damage.
  • Increased attack speed will get more hits in during the 12 seconds.

Alternative Choices:

Summoner spells are highly dependent on the player and somewhat on the enemy team, so I'll leave these other choices up to you, these are just the 2 I recommend. However, Ignite is always good to have against a heal heavy team, especially an AD Sion. Exhaust is also a good choice against fast high damage auto attackers.

Summary

In dominion Volibear works rather well. He can be a tough opponent to take down if built tanky. He can defend a tower point well with being able to fling enemies behind him into the tower (much like singed, though not as effective). His passive can keep him healthy enough to defend after a tough fight.

He also makes a great chaser with Rolling Thunder. This skill gives you an amazing boost on speed to catch nearly everyone. However, the attack range to be able to fling is rather short, if you cant quite catch them use Majestic Roar to slow them and then fling them. Rolling Thunder can also get you to the tower faster if enemies are nearby, dont be afraid to use it simply as a speed boost when needed.

I hope this guide will help people get started with Volibear. It was not meant to be a detailed guide with play tips and mathcrafting. I may get there later, but I think at this point anything I add in those regards may be contributed to luck during the game. As I learn more I will add to this any information I can.

Thanks,
Kreicus