Talk:Kog'Maw/@comment-27344016-20151204183612/@comment-24055932-20151207015113

I've been playing Kog'Maw a lately, as he's the only marksman that strikes me as long range attack carry any more. However, his laning phase is tricky and in teamfights Kog'Maw needs some support to really shine.



I've tried him as solo, but that's just not worth it. Even if you get stuck with a decent support, people easily lose faith in you, and even if you manage to reach the point where you start scaling, people almost always have already given up protecting/playing around you.

But have a reliable support with poke, shield and movement speed boost, maybe even an on-hit effect, and Kog'Maws weak early game can be overcome without miracles.



Some other tips for your laning:

- Level W only if you really need the range advantage, otherwise aiming for quick waveclear with E and R is the best option till you got your first item

- Early game is just as much about lane control as it is about poking. With Kog's w he can shove waves and force a dominant position, despite him being outduelled easily

- It's pretty obvious, but cull is Kog'Maws favourite start item





Well, there is a lot more to Kog'Maw as one might think. For example, Kog'Maw has 3 (with Muramana 4, with smite 5) on-hit items he could build, being BotRK, Wits End, Rageblade. Now, it is common thought that Wits End is in a pretty weak spot at the moment. However, this is a common missconception. Wits End is THE early game item. It's cheap, it grants AS and on-hit, and it amplifies Kog'Maws magical damage (which is about half his damage) as well as your supports damage (making it roughly 80% of the damage on botlane). And it's building path is specially designed to be redundant - start with a recursive bow and you have plenty of time to think whether you want BotRK or Wits End. But really, the main aspect is its cheapness. There is no single other champion that spikes harder on finishing an item than Kog, so getting Wits End this back or BotRK next back can really mean the world.



Next aspect: Teamfights. Old Kog'Maw was famous to undermine anything building defensive items, mainly due to his strong %max HP. However, the new on-hit build forgoes resistances, and his W needs tons of AD and AP to deal damage. The doubled on-hit-flat-damage is strong, but only if there are no resistances. So Kog'Maw should always aim on glass cannons if possible - tanks aren't your concern this time.



Next aspect: armor/magic penetration. It's a bit sad, but since Kog'Maw deals complete hybrid damage, neither Void Staff nor LW are made for you. One aspect that is heavily underestimated is the importance of Kog'Maws Q. Using it at the begin of your attack, and priorized on tanks has the same aspect as having 1 item more. Don't just take it for granted.

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<p style="font-weight:normal;">Last aspect: Itemization. I've said a bit about it, but I want to advise you not to go Hurricane on Kog'Maw. It's an item Kog might build because he messed up his build and now doesn't have enough on-hit items to fill his slots. However, if you can avoid it, do it. The "splash damage" just isn't worth it, as you got pens for only 1 target anyway, and the crit is completly wasted. New Kog wants to focus on one target at a time, melting it down in the fastest time possible. On the other hand, if you're looking for sustain/duell control, Hextech Gun might be what you're looing for. It's the only item on the playground granting you regeneration on absolutly ALL the damage you deal. Magic, physical, on-hit, heck, even on your passive. It's an expensive choice, but it improves your damage and greatly improves your survivability (strong regen-up + another slow).