Viktor/Strategy

Skill usage

 * early laning phase is perhaps the largest stumbling block to new players.
 * can be used to last-hit minions, as it has a short cooldown and a low mana cost.
 * Take any opportunity to hit your opponent with, although bear in mind its mediocre range may put you in a dangerous position.
 * Keep in mind that offensive use of in a lane is very limited, as it costs a lot of mana and has a too short range to be used safely in this manner. Try to use it for zone denial and as a defensive measure versus ganks, rather than relying on it to set up combos.
 * can be used to quickly clear waves when returning to base, or preparing to roam and gank another lane.
 * is also a useful long-range poke/harassment tool, although its mana cost is fairly high and should thus be used sparingly.
 * lane presence increases significantly when he gets his ultimate ; combined with his other nukes and an he can easily burst down most other mages.
 * players should also put thought into which of their basic nukes ( and ) should be maxed out first, as both are viable but more suited to different situations.
 * Ranks into will increase damage and make its cooldown trivial, and the mana cost increase is negligible. The shield strength boost is small but welcome. However, its short casting range will force  to take risks during skirmishes. Max out  when  opponents have little to no long-range option, or if you are confident you can skirt battles without dying. Less practiced  players who have trouble landing  regularly should also take  to keep their damage output up.
 * Points into will also increase  DPS with higher damage and reduced cooldowns. However the main differences are the casting range and AoE; from max range  can allow  to damage multiple enemies without any chance of retaliation. A well-aimed cast (with some ability power boosts) will also clear creep waves with ease. However, the mana cost increase and skillshot requirement are notable downsides to maxing.
 * In higher level play, you will want to max for the majority of your games as it is  wave-clearing ability, allowing you to quickly farm a wave of minions then move out to take map objectives or gank.
 * Your choice of upgrade for is a major factor as well, since ranks in the Augmented ability will increase the item's effectiveness drastically.
 * Smart-casting is very different from most other abilities, and will take practice to perfect. One method is to place your mouse at the starting point, then "flick" your cursor in the direction you wish the laser to travel.
 * Try to wait for people to fully commit to a fight or get trapped in your before using, as it deals deceptively strong damage-over-time if enemies stay near it.
 * Don't forget has a silence on cast, which can be just as useful as the damage.
 * can easily interrupt deadly channeled abilities such as with.
 * provides sight along its path. Use it to safely check the brush or other areas.
 * By using first, you can often ensure hitting an enemy with.
 * Keep in mind when the enemy notices the, they will most likely run away (or to you depending on the closest exit). Place your appropriately.
 * holds an advantage over most casters due to not being blockable by minions or a point-and-click cast spell. Use it to punish a brazen opponent using creep to try and shield themselves as they advance onto you.
 * can be very powerful for escaping melee attackers. By placing in your path, enemies will be either forced to go around or through it, slowing them down either way.
 * When escaping remember that the shield from is based on the damage it does before reductions, so it would make no difference in shield value if you aim at a minion rather than a pursing champion.

Build usage

 * Like most mages, benefits greatly from ability power purchases. A  as your first item is almost never a bad choice.
 * Due to relatively short spell casting range, items that grant him some survivability through health, armor and magic resistance will aid him greatly.
 * need to fight up close can make an well worth it, with its aura making up for your lower AP. It may also be necessary to get  when facing mage-killer champions like  and.
 * A is a great pick-up, especially if  does well early and can rush.
 * grants a substantial amount of health alongside AP. More importantly, its slow effects make your even more potent as enemies will take more damage trying to escape. If you are close-up to the foe,  increased movement speed and chasing ability can force them to take all of its damage.
 * If is taken along with,  damage over time will also slow opponents for the duration.
 * As is primarily a burst mage and deals most of his damage up-front, a  makes a good complement to avoid retaliation.  and  will also remain active while he is in Stasis.
 * is a well-rounded option for ; it solves his mana issues (noticeable when is maxed), grants a decent chunk of AP and MR, and perhaps most importantly grants valuable cooldown reduction to increase the uptime of his devastating.
 * A grants  a lot of sustain, especially due to the low cooldown and mana cost of .  damage over time will also help to keep you alive in teamfights.
 * Try to coordinate with your build:
 * upgrade for additional health can help survive in team fights or the lane. It also gives a bonus movement speed when  is activated, which is great for kiting and chasing purposes. With 40% CD, it will have a 3 seconds cooldown, letting you continuously getting the movement speed bonus if you are in range.
 * The upgrade allows Viktor to use his spells more frequently thanks to the bonus mana and cooldown reduction. It also increases the cast range of, making it a better defensive tool and a more viable initiation aid.
 * An upgrade grants you flat Ability Power, and even more damage on . This is generally considered to be the best choice due to  burst-damage role in team fights.
 * Remember that will still grant him +3 Ability Power per level, regardless of the Augment he is using.
 * It is generally ideal to upgrade as soon as possible, as the ability enhancement is substantial even if the statistics are not.
 * is, as of its most recent buffs, perhaps Viktor's core offensive item; its passive synergizes extremely well with the DoT nature of his Augmented and  and with the AoE slow/stun on, as well as making him deadly to bruisy targets in addition to squishies, while the magic penetration complements his high base damages. With cheap components and some health included for durability, Liandry's is therefore an ideal rush item after one's Augment.

Countering

 * Invest in a magic resistance item to help mitigate damage.
 * gains a Hex Core at the start of the game from his . It is wise to know the Hex Core's Augments to counter him.
 * Also, remember that Hex Core can only be upgraded once.
 * Remember that augmented will give him movement speed to help him escape from or catch up to you.
 * has a very long range, especially once Augmented, as it deals 30% more damage.
 * is a vulnerable champion early-game in general; he is fairly squishy, has low escapability, and low base movement speed. Harass him if you are particularly good at doing it, and try to starve him of farm by freezing the lane. Most importantly, due to his vulnerability, take any opportunity you can to make ganks happen.
 * travels in a straight line (start to end), so by side stepping immediately you can dodge the ability.
 * Quickly move away from the AoE of to deny  the chance to stun you.
 * Champions who can remove disables (such as or ) are safe from  only defense mechanism, and should exploit this.
 * will damage you continuously if you stay too close to the storm. By moving away from the storm, you can negate the storm's damage.
 * only has his to escape pursuers, and is relatively fragile once focused. Exploit his low mobility if he ever uses  in a sub-optimal manner.

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