Skarner/Strategy

Skill usage

 * excels at chasing down difficult targets with his unique, utility-based kit, while providing sustainability in both damage and health. These skills are best used as a jungler for effective ganks.
 * is a powerful passive effect that allows to reduce the cooldown of all his abilities simply by auto-attacking enemies.
 * This passive synergizes strongly with attack speed items such as . The faster can attack, the faster his abilities will become available again.
 * Don't be afraid to clear jungle camps at a slower pace by foregoing the use of for  in order to make use of  to reduce the cooldown of, his ultimate ability.
 * is his most useful ability. It provides a constant source of hybrid damage and strong slow, all in a powerful area of effect delivery around him.
 * In order for to apply its bonus magic damage and slow effect, it must first be 'charged' by striking an enemy unit, then used again within five seconds.
 * When ganking, charge off an enemy minion while on your way to enemy targets to have the slow available immediately.
 * is bread and butter when jungling. Simply cast it whenever available to quickly clear minion camps between objectives and ganks.
 * The purchase of a is a powerful item thanks to the ability to repeatedly proc its active effect with.
 * provides with a shield, allowing him to soak up more damage in all situations, and giving him increased mobility and melee DPS while it holds.
 * Activate when ganking to quickly close the gap towards your targets.
 * Be cautious not to cast it too early - if the effect runs out before you reach your target, they may be easily able to escape.
 * Using during fights in melee range will give  a noticeable advantage over his enemy should they be fighting back.
 * has great synergy with . By auto-attacking faster, can reduce his cooldowns even quicker than without.
 * Keep in mind that movement and attack speed bonuses will only persist for as long as the shield remains. If the shield is broken before the duration ends, the bonuses will still be lost.
 * For these reasons, use the additional mobility the shield provides to avoid skill shots or spells that may break the shield.
 * is only true ranged ability, striking with an area of effect, and applying a debuff against targets hit that will heal  after receiving more damage from him.
 * The healing debuff can be activated through any damage means that come from . This includes passive item effects, active item effects abilities , and simple auto-attacks.
 * Casting into a quick strike of  is a popular and effective means to give  a quick burst of health and sustain during a fight.
 * will heal if the spell itself kills the target. It will not, however, heal you if a target marked by a debuff is killed before it is activated.
 * is his trademark ability, suppressing an enemy target while allowing to freely move them around.
 * has unmatched utility when ganking, engaging, disengaging, or saving targets.
 * Using during a gank will allow you to pull your victim further away from their turret, giving your friendly laner more time to engage them, and yourself more space to slow and damage them over.
 * Casting or using  into an  is a powerful way to grab key enemy targets and pull them into your team for a quick kill during team fights.
 * When falling back, grabbing strong enemy initiators such as or  early and pulling them further away from your team will put them out of position and make their strong ultimates ineffective, saving them from a hard engagement.
 * can easily pull away dangerous targets from a friendly carry using, then slowing them with.
 * During, you will be unable to cast or . , , and other Summoner Spells will still remain available.
 * Remember to cast before and after using  to apply a slow effect immediately upon it ending, ensuring your victim cannot quickly or easily escape afterwards.
 * Using will allow you to pull your victim further back than otherwise.
 * is uniquely powerful compared to other suppression spells such as and, in that it cannot be canceled by outside sources such as stuns and silences, as it has no channel time.
 * It can still, however, be broken by the purchase and use of a by the victim.
 * Be wary not to spam all of your spells as soon as available, or you will risk putting yourself out of mana quickly and before you need it most.
 * Save the casts of for when the slow effect ends against a target to reapply it efficiently. When clearing minions, cast it once every five seconds to maintain its bonus magic damage.
 * Avoid using when not receiving damage. Activating it when an enemy turns to fight you will give you an immediate advantage in damage and tankiness.

Build usage

 * Getting a or an item that grants attack speed will help his  passive reduce cooldowns faster.
 * short cooldowns and great scaling with attack speed, attack damage, and ability power make him a perfect candidate for taking advantage of the cost effectiveness of.
 * Any of the on-hit effect items,, , or are good choices for attack speed items for.


 * A is an exceptionally strong item for,  gives his ablities more damage and gives him more mana,  increases his already strong chasing power by giving movement speed and the attack speed works well with his passive,  gives more chasing power, damage and provides some extra health.
 * The effect can be procced almost every single time due to his  passive reducing the cooldowns of his skills and the ability to spam.
 * has the highest attack damage at level 18 and a short cooldown on his and cooldown reduction with his  passive, making him probably the best champion to make use of 's passive.
 * has pretty high ability power ratios compared to attack damage ratios so items that ability power might be more useful.
 * may be a better item than in builds with high amounts of ability power.
 * may be a better item than in builds with high amounts of ability power.


 * The is a good item as it gives a lot of survivablility that  needs in spell vamp and life steal and more attack damage and ability power for his abilities.
 * Building on  gives him many useful stats. Its combination of large cooldown reduction and attack speed bonuses to proc his  passive gives him incredible ability to spam his skills. The mana regeneration helps his naturally low mana regeneration, and the ability power is useful due to his decent AP ratios.
 * Consider buying an early if you find 's mana regeneration to be problematic. Because of its unique combination of stats,  is a not a bad but situational and late game item choice for him.  has decent ability power ratios, can benefit from magic resistance, and cooldown reduction with his  passive can help keep his abilities constantly available.
 * Getting a will help with mana problems, but does not grant much late game utility.
 * Getting a early will help to sustain mana and health.
 * It can be built into which helps with initiating fights, catching enemies, or escaping.
 * Building provides good mana regeneration and allows you to purchase  without having to abandon Tenacity.
 * As needs to be very close to his target to do damage, any build should look upon survivability items with either health, armor or magic resistance.  and  are good cheap choices.
 * If looking for magic resistance and ability power for, is a good pick.
 * A can be bought to inflict extra damage with, as well as trigger the heal from.
 * is a strong item if the enemy is kiting you, as it slows their movement speed if they attack you.
 * and also have great slowing effects that are actives.

Jungling

 * Starting items:, 5x OR ,
 * Skill progression: >  >  >  >  >
 * Jungling order: Wolves → Blue Golem (Smite) → Wraiths → Golems → Red Lizard (Smite) → Wraiths (lv 4) → Gank

Countering

 * spell cooldowns are very short because of his . Take care when engaging him when you think his spells are on cooldown.
 * This also makes immobilizing effects much more devastating as it ruins his CD reduction.
 * movement speed boost will persist only if the shield is unbroken, destroying his shield will make the movement speed boost disappear.
 * Buy a to end the suppression from . Champions such as, , and  also counter his ultimate.
 * Be careful when turret diving a low health . He can use his and drag you around the turret.
 * Some champions with a knockback ability (e.g. or ) can help an ally that is dragged by . Use this to make sure  doesn't drag them too far.

Champion spotlight
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