| PATCH 14.4

Unleashing the Virtuoso: A Comprehensive ARAM Guide to Jhin's Builds, Items, and Runes

Axiom Arc: The Game Changer for Jhin

Jhin, the Virtuoso, is renowned for his meticulous playstyle and the devastating impact of his ultimate, Curtain Call. One item that elevates Jhin's potential to extraordinary heights is Axiom Arc. This item, with its lethal combination of attack damage and lethality, significantly reduces the cooldown of his ultimate whenever a champion dies within a few seconds of being damaged by him. This ability to repeatedly use his ultimate in quick succession allows Jhin to maintain a dominating presence from afar. With Curtain Call available more frequently, Jhin can slow down enemies, secure kills, and swing the momentum of team fights in his favor, all while remaining at a safe distance.

Fleet Footwork: A Synergy with Speed

Jhin's mobility and sustain in lane or during skirmishes can be significantly enhanced by selecting the Fleet Footwork rune. This choice capitalizes on Jhin's innate desire for both movement and survivability. Each attack and movement Jhin makes builds energy stacks, and upon reaching a full charge, his next attack not only heals him but also grants a noticeable boost in movement speed. This synergy allows Jhin to navigate through the battlefield with grace, evading enemy assaults while maintaining his health. This rune, combined with items that further augment movement speed or provide critical strike chance, turns Jhin into an unpredictable and agile marksman, capable of dancing around his enemies.

The Importance of Strategic Ability Use

Beyond items and runes, mastering Jhin's abilities plays a crucial role in maximizing his potential in any game. His unique kit demands strategic management, particularly of his passive, Whisper, which limits him to four shots before requiring a reload. The final shot is guaranteed to crit and deals bonus execute damage, urging players to plan their attacks carefully. Furthermore, Jhin's abilities like Deadly Flourish and Captive Audience can control the battlefield, setting traps and rooting enemies, allowing for strategic plays and facilitating team fights. Combining these with his devastating ultimate, Jhin can dictate the pace of the game from afar, making him a fearsome adversary.

Conclusion

Currently, Jhin stands as a formidable choice in the marksman role, with his distinct playstyle and versatile build paths offering something unique on the battlefield. The Axiom Arc, in particular, amplifies his strengths, enabling frequent and impactful uses of his ultimate. When coupled with the Fleet Footwork rune, Jhin's survivability and mobility soar, making him a challenging target to pin down. Mastering the tactical use of his abilities further cements Jhin as a strategic champion, capable of turning the tide of battle with well-planned executions and utility. For players looking to maximize their impact with Jhin, understanding the synergy between his items, runes, and abilities is paramount, making him not just a virtuoso of the gun but of the game itself.

| PATCH 14.3

Mastering Maokai in ARAM: A Comprehensive Guide to Builds, Items, and Runes

The Power of Fimbulwinter on Maokai in ARAM

In the ever-changing landscape of ARAM, certain items stand out for their synergy with specific champions. Fimbulwinter, in particular, has proven to be an exceptional choice for Maokai players. The item offers a commendable balance of mana, health, and ability haste, which are crucial stats for Maokai. The passive attributes of Awe and Manaflow not only provide Maokai with a larger mana pool to cast more spells but also transform this increased mana pool into additional health, further bolstering his tankiness. This transformation allows Maokai to sustain longer in fights, making him a formidable frontline presence. The sheer utility and survivability Fimbulwinter offers make it a must-rush item for Maokai in ARAM, significantly impacting his win rate positively.

Mastering Maokai's Rooting Capabilities

Maokai's ability to control the battlefield with his W, Twisted Advance, and his ultimate, Nature's Grasp, cannot be overstated. These abilities allow Maokai not just to engage but also to peel for his teammates effectively. A well-timed Twisted Advance can neutralize key threats during team fights, while Nature's Grasp offers a wide-reaching crowd control option that can turn the tide of battle. Maokai players should aim to use Twisted Advance tactically, targeting high-value enemy champions or using it to initiate crucial engages. Similarly, Nature's Grasp should be used either as an engage tool or to cover retreats, its rooting capability providing both offensive and defensive utility. Mastering the use of these abilities significantly enhances Maokai's impact in ARAM matches.

The Versatility of Maokai's Build Path

A common debate among players is whether to prioritize AP or tank items on Maokai. However, the consensus leans towards building him as a tank with the potential addition of Liandry's Torment as a situational item. While the allure of AP Maokai can be tempting, especially when considering the burst potential of empowered Saplings, the utility and survivability offered by tank builds generally yield higher win rates in ARAM. Incorporating items that offer health, resistances, and utility, such as Sunfire Aegis and Spirit Visage, along with situational damage items like Liandry's, enables Maokai to fulfill his role as a durable frontline that can still dish out meaningful damage. This versatility in build paths allows Maokai players to adapt to the unique demands of each ARAM match, making him a consistently strong pick.

Conclusion

Maokai remains a strong contender in the ARAM mode of League of Legends, thanks to his robust utility, crowd control capabilities, and versatile build paths. Items like Fimbulwinter significantly enhance his performance, providing the necessary stats for him to thrive as a frontline tank. Mastery of his rooting abilities further allows Maokai players to control the flow of team fights, securing advantageous positions or protecting teammates from threats. While the debate on AP versus tank builds persists, a balanced approach with a focus on survivability tends to yield the best results. With the right strategy and itemization, Maokai can be an unyielding force in the snowy bridge of ARAM.

| PATCH 14.2

Mastering Vi in ARAM: A Comprehensive Guide to Builds, Items, and Tactics

The Power of Eclipse on Vi

Eclipse shines as one of the best item choices for Vi, especially when leaning towards a bruiser build. Its synergistic effects allow Vi to not just engage effectively but also survive the ensuing fray, making her a formidable adversary. The additional shield and burst damage provided by Eclipse bolster Vi's natural tankiness and damage output, enabling her to dive deep into enemy lines and come out unscathed. Moreover, Vi's ability to stick to targets and dish out consistent damage makes this item exceptionally useful in skirmishes and team fights, highlighting its importance in her arsenal.

Vi's Ultimate: A Game-changer

Vi's ultimate, Cease and Desist, is undeniably one of her most impactful abilities, offering both reliable crowd control and damage. It's a point-and-click ability that ensures Vi can target and neutralize key opponents, particularly squishy backline champions. This ability's significance is amplified in team-oriented game modes like ARAM, where locking down and quickly eliminating a high-value target can drastically swing the momentum in your team's favor. The relentless pursuit coupled with the unstoppable nature of her ultimate makes it a tool of terror for opponents and a beacon of hope for Vi's team.

The Bruiser Build Path Triumphs

Diving into Vi's optimal build strategies reveals a pronounced preference for the bruiser build path, especially evident in items such as Sundered Sky and Eclipse, which offer a blend of damage, survivability, and utility. The bruiser build capitalizes on Vi's innate tankiness and her potential for damage output, allowing her to excel in sustained fights while being capable of withstanding considerable retaliation from the enemy. This preference is rooted in the adaptive nature of ARAM, where survivability often trumps the raw damage of assassin builds, underscoring the adaptability required to excel in this fast-paced mode.

Conclusion

In the current state of ARAM, Vi emerges as a strong contender, primarily when outfitted with the bruiser build, highlighted by the inclusion of Eclipse. Her ability to engage, sustain, and eliminate high-priority targets with her ultimate makes her a valuable asset in any team composition. The consistency of her performance, bolstered by the right itemization and understanding of her mechanics, underlines her potency. Players looking to maximize Vi's potential should consider leveraging Eclipse within a bruiser-centric build, ensuring they can impact fights significantly while navigating the chaotic and unpredictable battleground of ARAM.

| PATCH 13.18

How Many ADCs is it Better to Have on a Team in ARAM?

One of the most important things for winning ARAM games is the team composition. An important part of it is the Marksman, who provides wave clear, has easier access to towers and scales very well into the late game. But is a Marksman necessary to win games or should we have several ones on it?

Here's how the win rate changes with the number of ADCs on a team:

0 ADCs: 48.2% win rate, 536,011 games.
1 ADCs: 51.4% win rate, 1,158,847 games.
2 ADCs: 50.2% win rate, 705,913 games.
3 ADCs: 46.3% win rate, 162,817 games.
4 ADCs: 39.1% win rate, 16,280 games.
5 ADCs: 29.7% win rate, 1,152 games.

Note that one issue with the data is that if two teams with 1 ADC face each other it counts both as a win and as a loss, so win rates tend to 50%.

However, there's a clear trend that shows that having at least one ADC is optimal, and having two appears to be generally better than having none. 3 or more ADCs seems like too much.

Does Janna Benefit From Having ADCs in her team?

The idea to look at this data came by a reddit comment where the author who was curious about a Janna stat. How does her optimal build change depending on how many ADCs there are on her team?

First, Janna's general win rate depending on number of ADCs on her team is:
0 ADCs: 50.2% win rate.
1 ADCs: 54.1% win rate.
2 ADCs: 54.7% win rate.
3 ADCs: 48.9% win rate.
4 ADCs: 43.0% win rate.

And an overall win rate of 53.2%. The only difference with general stats is that if there's a Janna in your team, having 2 ADCs is now usually better than having just one, although by a small margin. Having 3 or more of them is still too much, and even worse than not having any.

Janna Highest Win Rate Based on Items

As to her items, Liandry's and Luden's are always worse than support items, no matter the number of ADCs in her team.

If there are no ADCs on her team, her best first item to buy is Echoes of Helia with 56.4%. Other popular items are Imperial Mandate (52.6%) and Moonstone Renewer (52.9%).

If there's one ADC on her team, then both Moonstone (56.6%) and Mandate (57.4%) become better than EoH (54.3%). The difference becomes even bigger if there are two ADCs on her team, with Mandate going up to 60.6% win rate, Moonstone 57% and EoH 53.2%. Sample size is too small for 3 or more ADCs on her team to gather this detailed data.

Conclusion

One big takeaway from this is that it's good to remember that there are a lot of variables that affect performance of champions and optimal builds and just using the highest win rate build for a champion might not be the best choice for your particular game situation.

I'll keep building tools here at ARAM Zone to bring more advanced and detailed information to help in your games!

| PATCH 13.17

How to Play Tristana in ARAM: Guide, Tips and Tricks

Fierce, feisty and undeniably explosive, Tristana is a rewarding champion to play, who rewards good positioning, mechnics and item building. When played to her potential she can be an extremely strong champion.

Play Style and Positioning

One of the most important decisions to play Tristana effectively in ARAM is knowing when to jump in with her W (Rocket Jump). A common mistake is to jump first into a skirmish, getting focused and killed instantly. Instead, you should bide your time and only do so to clean up after enemies have already spent their CC abilities. By getting a kill, you get a reset in the ability, allowing to jump back to safety or chase another kill. A big display of mastery can also be shown by timing her W correctly so that she jumps even after getting CC'd by buffering the ability cast.

In the early game, it's usually better to play safely since her 550 range is in the low end and can easily put her in harm's way. By getting some levels under her belt she becomes one of the longest range ADCs in the game, so it's smart to wait it out without falling behind.

Tristana is also an amazing turret-taker, so players should always look to hit towers with her E (Explosive Charge) on it since it not only does a lot of damage to it but also explodes, dealing damage to any champions standing near their own tower.

Tristana Items and Runes in ARAM

Tristana has a natural Attack Speed steriod on her Q, so it's udually better for her to focus on items with high AD instead of double-dipping into AS. In the current patch (13.17) Statikk Shiv is a very strong first item on her, giving her good wave-clear that in turn helps her be able to afford more items.

Other critical damage items like Navori Quickblades which allows using her abilities more often, inclulding her Q for the AS or Infinity Edge for the crit damage give good results. Other sitational items that get good results on her are Last Whisper, Blade of The Ruined King and Bloodthirster.

In the runes side, there are too big options: Lethal Tempo or Hail of Blades. LT is usually better against pure tanks while HoB gives higher burst and has a generally higher win rate. Other options don't fare too well on her currently.

You can find all the most up to date stats on her champion page.

Conclusion

Tristana has a particular play style, but in the right hands he can dominate games in ARAM. She has some ARAM-specific buffs that can help players survive those early levels until she becomes a menace with thr right items and play style.

| PATCH 13.17

Result of Balance Updates on ARAM - Patch 13.17

Patch 13.17 has been live for a week now and it affected the power level of several champions. These are the most affected ones:

Buffs

Kennen

A small change did a big difference for Kennen, who got his damage dealt in ARAM increased from 100% to 105%. Even though it looks small, his win rate increased from 48.3% to 50.6%, which made it the biggest positive change this patch!

Tryndamere

Tryndamere was already strong in ARAM, especially when he builds Heartsteel followed by crit items. The tankiness combined with high damage makes him very hard to deal with. Trynda got his attack buffed from 125 to 175, which is huge! He got a small compensation nerf to his ARAM-specific changes, which went from 115% damage dealt to 110%. It wasn't enough though, he is now officially the highest win rate champion in ARAM with a whooping 54.6% win rate. He still has significant ARAM buffs with 110% damage dealt, -15% damage received and 40% increased healing. Maybe it's time to tone these down a bit?

Anivia

The Cryophoenix got a slight buff to her damage taken. It went down from 100% to 95%. This improved her win rate by 1.6% although it's still lower than average at 48.6%. Pro-tip: if playing Anivia, build ROA. It has over 52% win rate, compared to Liandry's sub 48%.

Orianna

The robot lady got some buffs to her health growth and W damage, which helped her break into the top 10 champions by win rate with 52.9%. She's really strong as a mage but can also be played support if needed.

Nerfs

Hecarim

Hecarim received many changes, including a nerf to his self-healing on his W and adjustments to his mana costs that should be slightly net-positive. In the patch notes Riot noted that they expect him to build Spear of Shojin which got buffed this patch but it's still not enough for the horse. His win rate went down dramatically from 46.1% to 42.4% making him one of the bottom 3 champions by win rate. If he builds Shojin his win rate does go slightly up but only to around 47%. He still has ARAM-specific changes like +5% damage dealt, -10% damage taken and +20% healing done but it's still not enough to make him strong. He is doing fine on Summoner's Rift, so maybe his playstyle is just not well suited for ARAM.

Nasus

Nasus has been strong for a while, so his ARAM nerf (105% Damage Taken ⇒ 110% Damage Taken) is somewaht justified. Still, his win rate suffered greatly, going down 2.2 percentage points to 50.1%.

Brand

Similar to Nasus, the fire mage has been topping the ARAM charts for a while, so he got a nerf to his ability haste in ARAM (-10). He still has 52.2% win rate, so can clearly still win games.

Kayn

Kayn got a nerf to the AD scaling on his W, which brought his win rate down by about 1 percentage point. He's still quite strong, even with his ARAM-specific nerfs (-5% damage dealt, +5% damage taken).

| PATCH 13.8

Top 10 Champions by Win Rate in League of Legends ARAM 🚀

Welcome to the latest update on the top 10 champions dominating the ARAM game mode on patch 13.8. If you're looking for the best champions to climb the ranks, you've come to the right place!

Veigar continues to be the king of the ARAM game mode with a staggering 56.67% win rate. This tiny master of evil is an unstoppable force with his powerful abilities.

Coming in second is the lumbering colossus, Sion, boasting a 56.35% win rate. Sion's tankiness and crowd control capabilities make him a formidable presence on the Howling Abyss.

In third place, we have the versatile ninja Shen, holding a solid 56.02% win rate.

The cosmic dragon Aurelion Sol flies into fourth place with a 55.45% win rate. His unique kit make him a top-tier pick, and his massive ult that blocks the entire lane brings game-changing impact to ARAM.

Fifth place goes to the swift and deadly Lillia, who achieved a 54.97% win rate. Her speed and crowd control abilities keep enemies on their toes.

In sixth place, we find the voracious Cho'Gath at 54.94% win rate. His tankiness and true damage make him a real threat on the battlefield.

The recently buffed Ornn smashes his way to seventh place with a massive 3.06% increase since last patch, reaching a 54.9% win rate. His newfound strength makes him a force to be reckoned with.

Eighth place is secured by the guardian of magic, Galio, with a 54.84% win rate. His crowd control and magic resistance still make him a valuable pick.

Ninth place belongs to the mad chemist Singed, who maintains a 54.21% win rate. His notorious poison trail and flinging ability make him a relentless adversary in ARAM. Beware of his chemical chaos!

Finally, the fresh and exciting support champion Milio is already making a splash, securing the tenth spot with a 54.12% win rate. Packed with crowd control and powerful abilities, Milio's agility and versatility turn him into a true nightmare for enemies in ARAM. Don't underestimate this new contender!

With patch 13.8's top champions revealed, the Howling Abyss is more thrilling than ever! 😃 Veigar's reign of terror continues 😈, while mighty tanks dominate the top spots, shaking the battleground 💪. Keep an eye on ARAM Zone for more updates and insights on this ever-evolving game mode! 🍿

| PATCH 13.7

Milio: The Gentle Flame Ignites ARAM

Introducing Milio, The Gentle Flame, a new champion who has set the League of Legends ARAM community ablaze with his supportive playstyle. With a general win rate of 52.4%, Milio excels when built as a support. Let's explore his stats, runes, and item choices that contribute to his fiery success.

Runes: Summon Aery vs. Arcane Comet

Milio's playstyle benefits from rune choices that emphasize his supportive strengths. Summon Aery is the top choice, boasting a 55.2% win rate. This rune synergizes well with his abilities, providing extra shielding and damage to teammates. In contrast, Arcane Comet, focusing more on poke damage, has a significantly lower win rate of 42.8%.

Items: Supportive Builds Outshine Damage Builds

Milio's versatility shines through his item choices. When built as a support, he achieves higher win rates:

Moonstone Renewer: 55.3% win rate Shurelya's Battlesong: 52.9% win rate Locket of the Iron Solari: 48.7% win rate These items amplify Milio's supportive capabilities, offering healing, movement speed, and shielding during team fights.

However, pure damage builds featuring Luden's Tempest (41.7% win rate) and Liandry's Anguish (40.9% win rate) have not been as successful. While they increase Milio's damage output, they detract from his primary strength as a supportive champion.

Embrace the Support Role

As "The Gentle Flame," Milio makes a significant impact on the ARAM game mode with his versatile playstyle. Not only does he boast one of the highest win rates among supports (just behind Renata), but he also brings an exciting and engaging gameplay experience to the table. With Milio, you can enjoy the thrill of empowering your teammates, controlling the battlefield with crowd control, and strategically positioning your fuemigo to turn the tide of battle.

| PATCH 13.1

The Struggle of Assassins in the Tank Meta

Assassins in League of Legends have always been known for their ability to swiftly eliminate squishy targets and snowball games. However, they seem to be struggling in the current tank meta. Building traditional assassin items on these champions is resulting in significantly lower win rates.

AD Assassins

First, let's take a look at the win rates of AD assassins when building the following items:

• Duskblade of Draktharr
• Eclipse
• Prowler's Claw

Here are the win rates for some popular AD assassins:

• Zed: 44%
• Talon: 47%
• Kha'Zix: 46%
• Rengar: 45%
• Qiyana: 48.5%

As we can see, these champions are struggling to achieve even a 50% win rate when building traditional assassin items.

AP Assassins

Next, let's examine the win rates of AP assassins when building the following items:

• Hextech Rocketbelt
• Nashor's Tooth
• Night Harvester
• Luden's Echo

Here are the win rates for some popular AP assassins:

• Katarina: 42%
• Evelynn: 49%
• Fizz: 50%
• Ekko: 50%
• LeBlanc: 47%

Similar to AD assassins, AP assassins also struggle to maintain a positive win rate when building these items.

The Tank Meta Impact

The current tank meta has really thrown a wrench in the plans of assassins. With tanky champions dominating the game, these stealthy killers are left scratching their heads, wondering where all the squishies went. This new landscape presents a significant challenge for assassins, who now struggle to secure kills and execute their game plan effectively.

Final Thoughts

Assassins are certainly feeling the heat in the tank meta. Traditional assassin items aren't cutting it anymore, and players may need to get creative with their build paths. Keep an eye on the meta shifts and don't be afraid to mix things up to find success with your favorite champions. After all, adapting and having fun is what keeps the game interesting, right?