User blog comment:Krufix/Tanks for all the Fish/@comment-24087642-20140602081153/@comment-4636093-20140602125201

All tanks can be damage sponges to varying degrees of efficiency, Swain included.

You will always end up getting Rod of Ages, Spirit Visage and Liandry's and you will end up getting over 4000 maximum health on Swain with a full build which is 1000+ more than most people.

He is far closer to a bruiser than a full mage, relying on heavy damage over time and multiple spell rotations to do the work for him. Pretty much every item he buys is for tanky APs, things like Zhonya's and Abyssal.