Quad Kill

Highlight Video! Combos in here too.

Now this won't be a super detailed guide. This guide is simply about how to build new Xerath.

Personally I love this rework, his burst power is strong all game long. He has no need to buy any mana items with his great new passive. Controlling your mana with your passive and slowly poking down your lane. He is a safe pick in mid.

Also heroes like talon, zed, yasuo, aren't as effect against him because of his range and he has a tools to get away safely.

Again this guide is mostly about the build. Keep your distance from your foe and you should win your lanes.

Twin Shadow is a very good item on this new Xerath.

You're basic poke skill out range most(if not all) mid laners. The way you want to play New Xerath is KEEP THE RANGE. You want to find the sweet spot zone you want them in. You can safely farm and poke with out fear of return damage. So keeping distance is key.

You already have great tools from to keep the distance. Twin helps you do it better. You're movement speed will be pretty high and can position yourself much better.

Also the active can help make distance when you are in trouble if your Stun and Slow isn't enough.

This item has turn the tides for me in a few 2v1 where I take the kills rather then them.

If you don't like twins. There are 2 other builds that are just as good. This is just my personal favorite way to play. But even I don't build it every game, cause each game is different. If you are safe and aren't being rushed down, then there is not need to get this item at all. It really depends on the match up.

A lot of people are getting this item. It is in my 2nd build, but I just don't feel like it is necessary.

First off, if you control your passive well, you don't really run out of mana, which is the main idea for the item. It does give AP, and MR, but so does Twin Shadows and I feel twin feels better for this type of play style. Keeping distance is what you do and twin makes you do that in may ways.

Let's go over why you may grab Grail in the first place.

-You want early game Magic Resist
This is the most understandable, it is cheap. But you may just build twin, it gives you damage/speed/magic resist, and a distance making active and its cheap, but if you need more MR then I guess I understand.

-You want more mana
If you are burning through mana, you are doing it wrong. You need to balance harassment and your passive. I say 70% of my games, I start with 3 dorans so it's not really needed.

-You like Cooldowns.
Mid game I make sure to have Elixir of Brilliance and Blue buff. With Masteries it's 25%. Which I find perfectly fine for me. I just feel all the other items I get are more important then this one on Xerath.

Should so I get Grail or not?

This really depends on who is playing him. Personally I find no reason for me to grab this item. I am smart with my mana, I get MR, i'm find with 25% cooldowns.

But if you are burning mana, need cheap MR, and want 40% cooldowns. Then yes get this item. I just feel to play him to his best, with the most damage out put and safest, it doesn't have this item.

That is just how I feel.

First lets look at the new skills.

Arcanopulse - The damage is always the same no matter how long you charge it. So quick casts can be super effective. At level one you out range everything. It's safe poke damage. CC can stop your charging so keep this in mind. It's best not to hold it longer then when it reaches max range, you can still move but very slow, So I cast as soon as it reaches max.

Eye of Destruction - If you hit someone in the middle of this skill, it has a 90% Ap ratio. This damage is pretty epic. If you land a stun, you can almost always land this one dead middle. So make sure you are fast casting. The 10% slow isn't to effective, so if you are running, try to land it at the end of the stun so the slow is used to it's most effectiveness.

Shocking Orb - It's Notable that the cast range isn't as long as it displays(As far as I can tell) It isn't the fastest moving stun also. It's best paired with someone elses CC. If no one is with you, try to slow with Eye of Destruction for an easy stun. These skills combo very well together.

Rite of the Arcane - At rank 3, its range is amazing. This skill can be CCed, so always use it when you have room to cast. I tend not to use it as DPS unless I really need to. I like to use it for Baron steals, Killing runners, assisting allies 1v1. It can be blocked by Yasuo wall(which I think is silly). This skill can be pretty hard to land, but master it and people will be saying OP all game long.

Again Guide is about the build you should know the combos.

Poke Combo = Eye of Destruction > Arcanopulse

Burst Combo = Shocking Orb Eye of Destruction > Arcanopulse
If you land your stun (E) Then Eye(W) should hit dead middle the same time Arcanopulse hits. Remember that Arcanopulse does the same damage no matter how much it is change. So only do it again to get in range, but do it fast. You should learn to fast cast with new Xerath, is replies on faster casts then the old one.(this makes him a bit harder to play)

Kill combo = Shocking Orb Eye of Destruction > Arcanopulse > ArcanopulseLong Range as they ran > Rite of the Arcane
If you need damage fast, skip 2nd Arcanopulse. **Warning - Any CC will stop Rite of the Arcane So distance is needed before casting.

At level 1, it is easy to poke with Q. Your range at level 1 is out matched. Also if they are a melee hero or it is safe enough, try auto attacking when your passive Mana Surge is up.

Controlling your mana and passive early game is key.

You want to stay at half mana unless they are close to dying. I make it a rule of thumb to stay at half mana early game just in case of ganks. You can farm and stay pretty far back, but if you are out of mana, you may still run into problems.

If you have ballz, you can stay close to the minion wave for better harassment. If you don't charge Q as much, it is very hard to dodge. Another cool trick is use it at max range coming back into lane or if you are out of there site. Normally can get an easy shot off.

- Yasuo's Wind Wall Currently does not block Xerath's Arcanopulse. Maybe a bug, but use it while you can. (It does black your ult).

- It is best to save Rite of the Arcane till you know you can't catch up or hit them. This skill is important so don't waste it. Also don't do it if anyone on the other team is near cause it is easy to end. In Team fights you can stay FAR back and do all your skills. I don't normally use Rite of the Arcane to nuke people, only kill runners at half hp or less.

- Rite of the Arcane can be used to help allies 1v1 when you aren't close by, don't always need to use this to kill off weak heroes.

- Rite of the Arcane at first range has low range, best used for your lane, vs ganks.

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