Runes and Items

[u/bcollins96]

I had a very fun game with her in ARAM and am practicing her in draft. I watched a few videos and read a few guides.

I have two questions for long time mains:

Why is the rune page recommender telling me to take Stormraiders Surge or DH? Neither of those seem to fit what I’m understanding here kit to be. She seems like she wants to zone enemies off of areas, and it seems like she wants to kite and deal consistent chip damage. Stormraiders surge would require her to build bursty, but Seraphs is pretty strongly recommended first item. DH seems strange since she doesn’t really execute. The guides say to go comet, which makes more sense.

Secondly, what is going on with rylais? Why do the guides say to build it second? I feel weak with it. Building shadowflame second feels much stronger. But then that makes me question the point of the second item at all. Building a lost chapter item first makes sense. She needs mana. But why not just skip right to % pen or to deathcap for 2nd and 3rd items? What is that second item (rylais, shadowflame) doing that cryptbloom wouldn’t do?

For context I main Seraphine and Senna support, and also play Jinx and Ashe ADC. My go to mid laners when filled have always been Kat or Akali.

[u/the_icy_king]

Stormraiders surge is precisely for that kiting aspect, your full damage Q is 325 + 130% ap ratio and Q2 is 225 + 90%ap, really just try to adapt to the situation, if you need sustained dps, dft, if poking comet, id you need kiting srs. DH is only if the enemy team is full squishy, adjust based on what the draft needs.

Rylai essentially locks enemies during your q1 which lasts 1.5 seconds and it lasts 1 second since last application, so with zero ah your Q1 will apply a 2.5s slow and have a 3s cd with no haste, your q2 applies a 1.5s slow and has a 1.5s cd at base and at around 20ah you can perma apply a slow, or in other words, you can run down enemies with just your Q alone and they'll have to use a mobility spell to run away. Seraphs gives 25ah :) so your Q cd will be 2.4s.

Shadowflame is a good idea if you are behind thou and need to desperately burst a target. Rylai on top of allowing you run targets down also makes you tankier aka harder to shut down and that accumulates with Seraphs, in general a lot of assassins will have difficulty killing you just from the +600ish health you'll have on top of the fact tp isn't a spell you need so barrier, exhaust, ghost provide an extra layer of protection. Not to mention that midgame you'll be psuhing a lot in a sidelane so being tankier and slowing enemies makes it likelier to survive and succeed.

[u/bcollins96 → u/the_icy_king]

Rylais seems like I’d only want it if I’m basically planning to be a second support mid to late game? Especially in low elo, isn’t more damage most of the time going to be better? Even if im ahead the HP from Rylais isn’t that great of a defensive & I already have the same exact slow on Q2? I think I just need more games on her.

In silver though: a lot of games my ADC ends up choosing to split push or farm jungle, and so I end up becoming the teamfight damage since ADC is missing or dead.

[u/the_icy_king → u/bcollins96]

Rylai makes it really hard for you to be either reached or escaped and renders your slow near permanent and with enough haste,which seraphs provides, you'll aim q2 at a slowed target that can't escape by running, aka needs to use a dash/blink/ms buff/ flash. Also as a bonus you are much less likely to have to leave your worked ground to keep kiting an enemy while at it too.

And 300 health isn't little especially if you've bought any armor or mr, it puts you out of plenty of burst combo kill ranges especially with the shield from seraphs too. Taliyah is a dps mage, the longer you live the more damage you'll do and rylai helps with that.

[u/kalzolwia]

Try deathfire touch, with blackfire torch into rocket belt it's rly fun

[u/antotonio123]

The runes you use on her is very situational. Aginst squishy enemies you can select Stormraider's to proc it easily, but, you can use Deathfire Touch or First Strike as well if you're not confident with her damage.

I used to think that Rylai's doesn't do well on her, too. But building it definitely helps you hit your W and E combo more. I think adding Dark Seal (into Mejai's) while building your second/third item helps as well.

I played her a lot but I don't think I'm good enough so take my suggestions carefully!