Ultimate Itemization Guide S16: Key Builds to Know - League of Legends

Season 16 Itemization Changes

Season 16 introduces a host of new items that significantly alter the builds for many champions in League of Legends. This guide focuses exclusively on these updates, highlighting efficient builds for top lane champions. Below, we delve into some updated strategies and ideal item selections for key champions in the current meta.

Top Lane Champion Builds

Kayle

With the return of Hextech Gunblade, Kayle sees a significant change in her itemization. Gunblade, costing 3,000 gold, offers 80 AP, 40 AD, 10% omnivamp, and an active ability that slows and deals damage. This mixed damage profile pairs effectively with Kayle’s skillset.

1. Gunblade Rush: Start with Gunblade, followed by Nashor's Tooth and Rabadon's Deathcap. This build gives Kayle potent burst damage mid-game.
2. Nashor’s Rush: Begin with Nashor's Tooth, then proceed to Dusk and Dawn and Rageblade. This setup offers better scaling and sustained damage, particularly effective against tankier opponents.

Akali

Akali thrives with a straightforward build in Season 16 centering around Hextech Gunblade. This item is recommended as a first purchase in every game due to its synergy with her abilities.

• Second Item: Shadow Flame.
• Third Item: Choose between Rabadon's Deathcap for offense or Zhonya's Hourglass for added defense.

Volibear

Volibear sees a rise in win rate with the adoption of Dusk and Dawn as a rush item. This choice provides higher damage output compared to the previously popular Cosmic Drive.

• Second Item Options: Nasher's Tooth or Riftmaker. Experiment for the best personal fit, as the optimal second item hasn’t been conclusively determined yet.

Gwen

Gwen benefits from Dusk and Dawn as a new rush item. This shifts her build slightly, prioritizing this item to enhance her dueling potential.

• Following Items: Continue with Nashor's Tooth and Riftmaker to capitalize on her gameplay style.

New Fighter and Utility Items

Gangplank

Essence Reaver, now a Sheen item, has revitalized Gangplank’s crit-oriented build.

• Core Build: Start with Essence Reaver, transition to The Collector, then choose between Infinity Edge and Lord Dominik’s Regards for third and fourth slots.

Vayne (Top Lane)

For top lane Vayne, a new build emphasizing burst damage has emerged.

• Core Items: Begin with Essence Reaver and Stormrazor. This provides significant upfront damage, effective against squishy opponents.

Table of New Items and Key Attributes

These new items and builds reflect the dynamic shifts in strategy brought by Season 16. Key changes not only enhance individual champion strengths but also reshape gameplay approaches, emphasizing the importance of adapting to new metas for competitive success.

Key Strategies and Builds for Champions

The dynamic changes in Season 16 have transformed the strategic landscape for many champions, particularly when it comes to side laning and skirmishing. This guide will focus on leveraging the new items and build strategies to maximize effectiveness in these roles.

Fiora's 1v1 Dominance

Fiora can capitalize on the Endless Hunger to become a formidable 1v1 champion. The synergy between Endless Hunger's omnivamp and the healing from Ravenous Hydra allows Fiora to sustain herself and remain dominant in side lanes.

• Strategic Approach:

1. Engage in even trades with opponents.
2. Heal fully from nearby minion waves.
3. Assert control over the side lane.
   • Utilize the 15% omnivamp proc when securing a kill to recover health and remain a threat to a second target.

Jax Build Variations

Jax's itemization has also seen a shift, with Dusk and Dawn emerging as a viable option. This item enhances his ability to apply on-hit effects, offering a unique advantage against opponents.

• Build Path Comparison:
• Dusk and Dawn: Rush this item for enhanced on-hit effects and synergize with Rift Maker second.
• Trinity Force: Opt for this with Sundered Sky to maximize DPS output.
• Decide based on enemy defensive focus—build AP damage if the enemy tends to stack armor.

Gwen and Kha'Zix Builds for Jungle

Gwen and Kha'Zix benefit from the itemization changes in distinct ways.

• Gwen's Jungle Build:
• Dusk and Dawn rush into Nashor's Tooth provides a high DPS build.
• Rift Maker rounds out the core, enhancing Gwen's skirmishing and dueling potential.

• Kha'Zix's Jungle Dominance:
• Start with Umbreal Glaive for its new passive, enhancing stealth surprise attacks.
• Pair with Ghostblade for further lethality, adding Bastion Breaker if you're ahead for strong turret-pushing power.

New Item Highlights for Various Champions

• Bastion Breaker on Jace: Effective for split-pushing; enhances turret damage after taking down an enemy.
• Endless Hunger on Aatrox: Pairs well with his innate sustain and cooldown reduction, boosting dueling capacity.
• Ekko's AP Bruiser Build: Rush Dusk and Dawn; combine with Nashor's Tooth and Rabadon's Deathcap for immense burst.

Table: Recommended Build Paths

These focused builds and strategies will provide a competitive edge when played to their strengths, helping players stay ahead in the evolving gameplay of Season 16.

Season 16: Diverse Build Strategies

Talon and Kindred

Both Talon and Kindred have emerged as champions who benefit significantly from new item combinations this season. For Talon, Umbreal Glaive and Bastion Breaker are proving powerful. Bastion Breaker offers great synergy, especially when utilizing Talon's ability to capitalize on vision denial with Umbreal Glaive.

Kindred, on the other hand, sees increased potential with crit builds. The crit damage has been boosted from 175% to 200%, making a crit-focused setup more viable. A recommended build path includes rushing Stormrazer, followed by the Collector and Infinity Edge.

Jungle Innovation: Zed, Hecarim, and Others

• Zed: Zed shines when using Umbreal Glaive and Bastion Breaker together. This combo allows Zed to clear vision quickly and convert fog-of-war kills into turret destructions.
• Hecarim: For Hecarim, embracing Endless Hunger as a second item enhances his ability to sustain in extended fights. Combining Endless Hunger with Death's Dance maximizes his healing potential.
• Shaco: Shaco utilizes an Umbreal Glaive rush followed by Bastion Breaker, and Voltaic Cyclo Sword, focusing on early assassination threats.

Mid Lane Focus: Kiana, Talon, and More

• Kiana: Umbreal Glaive rush into Profane Hydra has become Kiana's optimal path, with the inclusion of Bastion Breaker if accelerated in the game.
• Talon: Similar to the jungle, mid-lane Talon favors an Umbreal Glaive rush, followed by Youmuu's Ghostblade. Depending on the game's pace, Bastion Breaker is a strong contender for the third slot.
• Nefiri and Ekko: Both champions have been adapting to new build paths that integrate Voltaic Cyclo Sword and Bastion Breaker effectively. Nefiri may prioritize Bastion Breaker in accelerated games, while Ekko thrives on Dusk and Dawn for early game power.

Build Options Table

Adjusting Builds for Matchups

Being adaptive with your build is critical in League of Legends. For instance, with Hecarim, if facing heavy magic damage, it’s better to opt for Maw of Malmortius over Death’s Dance. Similarly, for champions like Rengar and Nefiri, the decision to slot in Bastion Breaker or focus on team fighting strength with alternate items depends heavily on the specific game dynamics and your team's needs.

These varied strategic changes and item combinations are aimed at helping navigate Season 16, offering more specialized adaptations and ensuring you maintain a competitive edge.

Champion-Specific Builds

When strategizing your builds in Season 16, it's essential to assess your options based on the enemy team's composition and your champion's unique traits. For example:

• If the enemy boasts more bruisers or tanks, sustain items like Gunblade become invaluable.
• Conversely, if facing a squishy enemy composition, opting for Lichbane can help secure easy one-shots.

Ryze is an interesting case where the Actualizer emerges as a core item this season. Actualizer is particularly useful for mana-stacking champions due to its active that doubles spell costs, demanding a setup with Rod of Ages into Archangel’s Staff. Notably, Ryze players like Strampus have been successful with a double-tier strategy, focusing on a four-item core: Rod of Ages, Archangel’s Staff, Actualizer, and Winter’s Approach. This culminates in a potent late-game bruiser thanks to bonus shields enhancing his durability.

Build Choices for Specific Champions

1. Sylas:
   • Optimal Build: Gunblade rush into Rift Maker, then Zhonya’s Hourglass
   • Advantages: High sustain from omnivamp and improved pick potential with Gunblade’s active
2. Aphelios:
   • Optimal Build: Stormrazer rush, followed by Infinity Edge and Lord Dominik’s Regards
   • Benefits: Enhanced mobility for repositioning and kiting due to Stormrazer's movement speed boost
3. Ashe:
   • Optimal Build: Kraken Slayer rush into Fiend Hunter Bolt, finished with Infinity Edge
   • Perks: Increased R cooldown reduction and empowered auto-attacks for better pick potential

ADC Trends in Season 16

Several ADCs are tapping into new strategies due to item changes. For Caitlyn, two builds have emerged:

• AD-heavy Setup:

1. Collector rush
2. Infinity Edge
3. Hex Optics C-44
   • Attack Speed Setup:
4. Stormrazer
5. Infinity Edge
6. Rapid Firecannon

   Additionally, champions like Corki and Draven are revisiting Essence Reaver as a key component. Corki's optimal build involves Essence Reaver for increased early-game burst, followed by Collector and Infinity Edge. Draven benefits from the same, but may adapt with Bloodthirster for added survivability.

Comprehensive Table of Key Builds

By staying informed on these evolving builds and item synergies, you'll be better equipped to dominate the competitive landscape of Season 16 in League of Legends.

Champion Builds: ADCs and Supports for Season 16

Understanding the most effective builds for Season 16 can be crucial for gaining a competitive edge in League of Legends. Let's delve into the best itemizations for certain ADCs and supportive roles.

ADC Builds

1. Twitch: The combination of Hex Optics and Fiend Hunter is highly effective due to the range and cooldown reduction, creating a formidable midgame power spike. For ultimate scaling, consider Yunal with Infinity Edge and Fiend Hunter.
2. Vayne: A build focused on maximizing critical strikes proves to be the strongest for Vayne right now. Use Essence Reaver and Stormrazer to leverage both sheen and energized procs for phenomenal damage spikes on your Q. Against squishier compositions, this build is optimal, but for tankier opponents, the traditional on-hit Vayne remains viable.
3. Yunara: Fiend Hunter Bolts complement Yunara's aggressive playstyle around her R cooldown. Replace the Phantom Dancer with Fiend Hunter for a potent second item, and follow with Kraken Rush and Infinity Edge.
4. Zeri: Stormrazer is exceptionally beneficial due to Zeri’s rapid attack frequency, enabling quick stacking of energized attacks. For Zeri, consider a core build of Stormrazer rush, Fiend Hunter second, and Infinity Edge third to maximize her slipperiness in fights.

Support Builds

The addition of the Bandal Pipes item has shaken up the support meta with its strong passive.

• Bandal Pipes: This item is particularly effective for a wide array of melee supports. Offering similar stats to Locket but at a lower cost, its passive enhances movement and attack speed when slowing or immobilizing targets.

Here's a standard core build setup:

Enchanter Supports

• Sona and Seraphine: Both champions benefit from using the new Whispering Circlet. Ensure to rush Echoes of Helia, then complete Whispering Circlet second for mana management and effective Q spamming.

• Senna: An enchanter build involving an Echoes of Helia rush and Whispering Circlet helps Senna maintain consistent Q casts. This approach is particularly effective against melee supports and when your team doesn't lack damage.

Finally, the evolving support and ADC builds offer exciting avenues for mastering the game in Season 16. Exploring the synergies of these items will help refine your strategy and adapt to the shifting landscape of League of Legends.