Talk:Gangplank/@comment-26967163-20150908032927

After reading through the comments and such, it seems there's still some confusion about certain aspect of Gangplank. I've made several tests, put them in practice and I'll do a resume of what is now my main character post-rework.

Barrels, Armor Penetration and some Maths

League's Armor Penetration can be quite complicated regarding items, masteries and the famous barrels. I've made a little compilation about options on which combination Gangplank could do the most Damage?

Opponent's Armor: 100

1) Powder Keg (50%) +Last Whisper (35%) +  Devastating Strike (6%): 81% --» 19 Armor.

2)Powder Keg (50%) + Devastating Strike (6%) + Runes (19 Flat Armor Penetration) + Youmuu's Ghostblade (20 Flat Armor Penetration): 53% +39 Flat Armor Penetration --» 8 Armor.

3)Last Whisper (35%) + Devastating Strike (6%): 39% --» 61 Armor.

4)Devastating Strike (6%) +  Runes (19 Flat Armor Penetration) + Youmuu's Ghostblade (20 Flat Armor Penetration): 6% + 39 Flat Armor Penetration --» 55 Armor.

Opponent's Armor: 200

1) Powder Keg (50%) +Last Whisper (35%) +  Devastating Strike (6%): 81% --» 38 Armor.

2)Powder Keg (50%) + Devastating Strike (6%) + Runes (19 Flat Armor Penetration) + Youmuu's Ghostblade (20 Flat Armor Penetration): 53% +39 Flat Armor Penetration --» 55 Armor.

3)Last Whisper (35%) + Devastating Strike (6%): 39% --» 122 Armor.

4)Devastating Strike (6%) +  Runes (19 Flat Armor Penetration) + Youmuu's Ghostblade (20 Flat Armor Penetration): 6% + 39 Flat Armor Penetration --» 149 Armor.

Basically this affect the gameplay you want to do with our favorite pirate

-If you want to go with Last Whisper, your kegs will the most effective against heavy armored foes, as well doing more damage with your AA and parrrleys against them.

-If you want to go with Youmuu's Ghostblade and Flat Armor Penetration, not only you will be able to do True Damage and Higher against squishy targets (Mages, certain Supports and ADCs) but your barrels will also be more effective to a certain limit of armor (as seen with 200 armor). In addition, all the stats coming from Youmuu (CDR, Crit Chance, AD, Flat Armor Penetration and a powerful active) synergizes very well with Gangplank, as such, I personally prefer this item (with Armor Penetration runes) over Last Whisper.

Gangplank's Interaction

Several things to mention to make things more clear with items and other things:

Dead Man's Plate: Momentum bonus damage and slow apply with Parrley (but does not critically strike). Momentum doesn't interact with a Powder Keg since the keg is an "interactive environment", therefore, not a minion or champion.

Powder Keg: The bonus damage against champions is considered already a critical strike (reason why you see the crit value when it explodes) so when you Parrley crit, it won't do another 200 dmg or higher.

Parrley attack "crit" like the following: Bonus 100% AD x (critical strike damage (either 200% or higher) - 100%).

Statikk Shiv: When you strike a Powder Keg with a charged Statikk Shiv, the lightning attack does proc, however, it will not increase the barrel damage but the chain lightning will spread from the keg to up to 4 targets.

Ravenous Hydra/Titan Hydra: The Splash damage when you Parrley a Powder Keg spreads from the keg with the standard spash radius of the item, not the barrel radius. Also, lifesteal doesn't proc with the Powder Keg.

Iceborn Gauntlet: An unique interaction is when you Parrley on a Powder Keg, the Frost field is the same radius as the barrel and not the standard one from the item.

Lichbane/Runeglaive: Lichbane/Runeglaive doesn't work with Powder Keg, since the keg's damage is physical based, so it won't take into account the bonus magic damage from the Lichbane.

Item Build

After countless games, I want to share my experience for the best "standard" item set (based on my opinion, tests and preferences).

Core Items: Trinity Force, Infinity Edge, Youmuu's Ghostblade, (Last Whisper).

Defensive Items: Dead Man's Plate, Spirit Visage, Frozen Heart, Banshee's Veil.

Boots: Mercury's Treads, Ninja Tabi, Boots of Lucidity, None*

Lifesteal Items: Bloodthirster, Essence Reaver, Ravenous Hydra.

Trinity Force: As several other champions, this item is "designed" for Gangplank and every bonuses from it synergize with everything in his kit. A must buy item as well a premium first item rush.

Infinity Edge: The powerspike item for Gangplank for his Parrley and Kegs. The question is when to build it, second, first? I'll talk about it later.

Youmuu's Ghostblade: As explained with the Armor penetration, this little item is another jewel for Gangplank and all its bonuses synergize very well with his kit. As Infinity Edge, I'll talk about it later when to build it.

Dead Man's Plate: Excellent item, synergize well with Gangplank (great passive, more Health, stronger Orange !), after all, it is his arm plate ! Applies a strong slow, gives you more time to place Kegs along not losing the momentum when you hit a keg, giving you an advantage in skirmishes.

Spirit Visage: The perfect item for Gangplank if you want more resistance vs magic along boosting your Oranges into super healer's oranges with extra health, boost healing power and your CDR.

Frozen Heart: A good item against heavy AD AA based team along giving more mane and CDR. Personally, I tend to go with DMP than FH since the health is more beneficial now with his updated Orange. However, both items are perfect together against AD team.

Banshee's Veil: Build this if you are against an heavy AP team, along with SV. If you want to trade some tankiness for damage, go for Malmortius or Bloodthirster.

Boots: Unless you run CDR runes, go for boots of lucidity; CDR is always welcome for GP. Otherwise, Mercury's Treads or Ninja Tabi for preferences. I personally sell my boots late game and buy a Bloodthirster. I consider the movement speed gained from TF, Gangplank's passive, Dragon's movement buff, Youmuu's active and Dead Man's Plate enough to skirmish and reach out opponents (I usually run around 428-430 MS full build and with the buffs mentioned above)

Phantom Dancer/Statikk Shiv, where are they?!: If you want to go Yoloplank glass cannon, buy those items. However, Gangplank is not an Auto Attack dependent champion but an AD fighter skirmisher who rigs the field with precise Powder kegs and empowered Parrley attack. Statikk Shiv still works on Gangplank, but not as much as before;

The proc attack doesn't increase the Keg's damage and the chain lightning starting point is where you attack the barrel (if you use the Barrel A to explode Barrel B, Statikk Shiv will be useless if the barrel A is out of range). Phantom Dancer is good for giving large amount of Crit Chance and some

movement speed; you could sell your boots for this item if you want to and not losing too much MS.

Youmuu's Ghostblade or Infinity Edge as second item?

I've seen someone (can't find it anymore) who did some maths with various comparison between those two items and which one does more dmg. However I do remember the basics of each comparison:

-If you critically strike either with AA, Parrley or attacking a Keg with Infinity Edge, you will do more damage than with Youmuu's Ghostblade.

-If you don't critically strike on a Powder Keg, you will do more damage with Youmuu's Ghostblade than Infinity Edge.

-If you attack normally, you will slightly do more damage with Infinity Edge than Youmuu's Ghostblade with one attack. However, activating Youmuu's ability will make you do more damage overall than Infinity Edge due to the number of attacks done.

Other consideration

Avarice Blade, item part of Youmuu's Ghostblade build, will give you a further gold advantage and some crit chance.

Youmuu's Ghostblade is 1050g cheaper than Infinity Edge.

All bonuses from Youmuu's Ghostblade synergize with Gangplank's kit.

If you prefer to ram up damage and let the probabilities do the work, consider Infinity Edge. If you want "constant" damage along boosting other parts of Gangplank's kit, go for Avarice Blade.

Runes and Others

Gangplank benefits from Attack Damage, Cooldown Reduction, Armor Penetration and Health.

With the reworked Remove Scurvy, Gangplank benefits more from Scaling Health Runes than Flat Armor Runes.

Attack Dammage for obvious reasons; better farming, better dueling, improve your passive. Combination of Attack Damage and Armor Penetration are quite beneficial.

Armor Penetration, as explained before, is excellent combined with Powder Kegs.

Cooldown Reduction or Magic Resist? Really, its by preferences. CDR runes with Spirit Visage and Youmuu's Ghostblade will bring Gangplank Max CDR; Generate kegs quicker, ult more often, eat oranges every 9 seconds and Parrley every 3 seconds.

Crit Chance runes? Again, its preferences, I'm less of a fan of probabilities but critical strikes more often can be beneficial. One thing is sure, you need to have some AD runes along either Crit Chance or Armor Penetration runes to make Gangplank Shines.

My personal setting is as following: 12 Flat Armor Penetration, 15% Scaling Cooldown Reduction, 7.2 Attack Damage, 192 Scaling Health.

Masteries: Gangplank aims for tons of damage, go for 21/9/0.

Butcher/Feast: Make farming easier for Gangplank along giving extra substain.

Sorcery: You want as much CDR as possible, and as explained before, Gangplank doesn't benefit from Attack Speed as much as CDR.

Brute Force, Martial Mastery, Warlord, Devastating Strike, Havoc: More Attack Damage overall.

Executioner: Easier to kill something.

Double-Edge Sword or Dangerous Game? Depend on your preferences, I choose Dangerous Game since Gangplank can easily get assists in teamfight or even during laning phase, dropping Cannon barrage somewhere, gaining an assist or kill, will give you some substains.

Block/Unyielding: For some resistances against champions.

Recovery/Veteran's scar/Juggernaut: More health, harder to kill, improve Remove Scurvy.

Tips and tricks

-Your goal during laning phase is to get as much money as possible. Gangplank is quite dependent on expensive items to be effective. Farming is crucial for this champion. farming kills is good too but remember to farm efficiency; you will not only get among the best items in the game but also

upgrading your ultimate. Gangplank has the tool to be the best moneymaker in the game, put this to your advantage.

-Gangplank is excellent at split pushing; one trick is to drop a keg close to the tower, hit the tower to proc your passive for extra true damage against the structure. Then, destroy your keg, causing to refresh you passive, hit again the tower. The building will melt in few seconds with 2-3 barrels.

-When you start to be in a more dangerous zone during laning phase (close to the enemy's tower). Put a barrel in the brush, if you get ganked, Parrley the barrel and the movement speed gained from your passive will fail the enemy's gank. (Always ward)

-If you want to zone your opponent, always put a keg where the enemy can't reach it (usually close to you) but close enough in your minions to be able to drop another barrel and explode the first one with Parrley.

-If your opponent tries to use brushes for advantage, make him regret his move by using Powder kegs; the explosion radius is as big as the brush size.

-With practice, when you succeed to hit someone with a powder kegs, don't take a pause ! Drop another one under him and a second one where he tries to run; the slow from the keg will give you enough time to explode the other barrels (harder to do early, quick and easier late game).

-If you are about to be engaged, drop right away a Powder keg under you; the time you begin to fight your opponent, your barrel will be ready to explode with your attack, doing extra damage that your opponent couldn't avoid and refresh your passive.

-Always upgrade your ultimate with Death's Daughter first; the bonus true damage is quite surprising and excellent for getting a kill of a far away opponent.

-Early game, the Powder Keg is slow to set. When you drop it, right away, auto-attack it, in another second, your barrel will be at 1 health.

That's it for the little guide. If you read to the end, thank you for your time and spread the word of the Saltwater Scourge !