Gangplank Build Guide by Accidentals

Introduction

Hey guys, Accidentals here. I've mained Gangplank for quite sometime, and I figured I would make this guide to show you how I play him. Gangplank is easily one of the most well-rounded champs I can find in the top lane and is really strong with his sustain, damage, and burst. I am in Bronze 2, freshly working my way up. The first time I played Gangplank I immediately loved his character and how he can be played to dominate the top lane. With this guide I'll show you how you can build against most anyone.

Abilities/Spells

Let's take an in-depth look at some of the abilities that are in GP's kit.

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Starting with his passive. Grog-Soaked Blade is a poison that deals damage over time, slows and STACKS. This makes dueling at an early level easy as CAKE. AA and spam a few Parrrley and your early damage is fantastic. Great for catching up to slide in first blood.

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This is Gangplank's main ability. This has soo many uses. It applies ON-HIT effects like any basic attack, therefore crits, Frozen Mallet, Ravenous Hydra, Sheen, EVEN Grog Soaked Blade etc. If you last hit with this, it gives you extra gold and refunds a bit of mana, so try to use this as a farming tool frequently. It is ranged, and therefore provides you with free poke against ranged champions that may wander to top lane as your opponents. If you buy Sheen right off the bat (which I recommend rushing), it increases its damage up the wazoo. Use it for last hits, major harassment, and a pushing/on-hit mechanism.

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This is Gangplank's troll tool. I get points into it a bit early, because you need the extra health it gives early game, and the early input that Parrrley gives you early game isn't worth it in comparison. If you are snared, stunned, slowed, charmed, suppressed, or affected by hard CC, you can eat these and walk right away. The only exception to this is knock-ups, where if you use this, you still can't move, but you can cast abilities. One of the best self sustain tools in the game.

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Passively gives AD and movespeed. Activates to disable the passive, but gain more of both attributes, and half to teammates around him. Good when mixed in with early trades and escapes.

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This ultimate is pretty fantastic. You mainly want to use it on people not in your lane, for your kit is good enough to not need your ult for much in the lane unless you are in serious danger. Watch for people's HP and see who is dropping or fighting, ult in a place either on top of the enemies that are engaging, or in their path of escape at the appropriate moment. This ult is FANTASTIC in teamfights, and can turn them around in a heartbeat. BE SURE to press spacebar right after using your ult, because while you're watching elsewhere, someone could easily get to you. It happens quite a lot, surprisingly.

Items

We've learned how to aim, but we gotta know what we're shootin' with. These items I feel are the best to boost Gangplank's all around stats and push the ones he needs to excel.

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This item here I believe should be run 99.99999999% of games with Gangplank. Rushing into Sheen early game once you've reached an easy 1200 gold already increases your Parrrley's damage by a lot. Buying Sheen makes it easier to harass, and last hit, and more last hit means more $$$. The Zeal that builds into this is great for the crit-chance that everyone loves and ATK speed for Grog Soaked Blade. Phage synergizes well with Grog Soaked Blade as well, you slow the enemy, Phage speeds you up. Win win. The extra mana, movespeed, and AD are all small components, but turn to be extremely useful.

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Statikk Shiv is pretty essential on Gangplank. It gives you good shoving potential, crit for Qs, and the lovely attack speed. Because a lot of the early items build into movement speed, I usually lay off to buying boots until midish/late game. The movespeed you get from Shiv and TF is enough with your Remove Scurvy that you can save the extra bit of gold. If you keep Avarice Blade for a bit, it goes great when you last hit with your Q for even more farm. Farm is life on GP.

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Infinity is really excellent on Gangplank. It gives you tons of AD, which means more boost from your Parrrley and Sheen proc. It gives crit chance and it's beautiful passive which INCREASES CRIT DAMAGE. This means all those gun shots? Yeah they boom now, like BOOM boom. Like one shot a stupid Ashe in the face boom.

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So once you have these core items, defensives are pretty situational for who you go up against in lane alongside the enemy's team comp. Spirit Visage is usually built first around 80% of the time, but build Randuin's Omen first if you really have trouble with an AD pokey like Darius.