Talk:Olaf/@comment-24073465-20131020143700/@comment-14718262-20131023060042

1) "Recommended defensive items"

before I start, I will say this: I believe there are no such thing as a core. in fact, every once in awhile, there are situations where it will be much more effective if you stayed away from the core. everything depends on your preference, your experience, and your decision. THIS IS WHAT MAKES LEAGUE OF LEGENDS FUN. you may make mistakes every once in awhile, but maybe you might find a better option that what you were used to. THESE ARE MY PREFERENCE AND NOT THE ONLY OPTION.

--Sunfire Cape.

It's an excellent item on Olaf, since it is more affordable than most other finished tank item with a nice passive. Since Olaf is a melee sustained DPS, he should be trying to stick to his main target and get them out of position. Since Olaf has to spend all his time in teamfights within enemy line, not safely behind tanks, the Sunfire Cape's damage can stack up pretty nice. If you stay in for about 10~20 seconds, which is the average time for teamfights, you basically dealt from 400 minimum~4000 maximum damage with just the Sunfire Cape! (ofc, since Sunfire Cape is magic damage, it will be mitigated by MR accordingly).

--Frozen Heart

I always get this. It's got everything Olaf needs. with the new remake, I find myself maxing out Q first before maxing E second (WHAT? YOU STILL MAX E BEFORE Q? YOU'RE MISSING OUT! with the remake of Olaf's W, the need of maxing W second has vanished, too). and Olaf can be VERY mana hungry (I don't play a lot of champs with mana other than Xin Zhao. my main are top/jungle Rengar, top Riven, top/mid/jungle Xin Zhao, and top Garen... I HAVE been playing a lot of olaf lately though). Frozen Heart gives the mana that Olaf needs, the CDR he REALLY LOVES, and Armor and a nice passive that will let Olaf stay longer in where he is the strongest: low-hp zone. Rush Glacial Shroud for the mana and CDR before Warden's Mail. If you are not planning on buying a Tri-force (I will be talking about Tri-force in offensive item section), you can get Gauntlet instead.

--Randuin's Omen

If I plan on buying this, I rush Warden's Mail. and I'd be buying it because I'm against someone like Jax or Rengar. In late game, when you finish it up, Randuin's Omen can prevent you from getting kited or you can kite yourself thanks to its passive. I'm a big fan of it (it's a staple in my Garen), but I usually go for Frozen Heart so that I have the extra mana and CDR for Olaf.

--Spirit Visage

Too good of an item for Olaf to pass off. the healing amplifying passive synergizes with his W, massive MR, CDR, above-average health boost, AND it's extremely cost effective even when compared to other top-tier tank items (yes it DID get nerfed a bit about 1~2 months ago, but still strong)... what's not to like? Only problem is that the current meta has been accepting a lot of AD mids lately (i mean, even I play it myself), so there are situations where MR is not needed as much. if the enemy team is straight AD (not even Hybrid, but AD) and the support isn't some pseudo-support like [Nidalee, Zyra, Elise, or Lux], I don't think you would be able to utilize Spirit Visage to its max potential.

--Shurelya's Reverie

If you bought Kindlegem because of how nice it is, but you don't think you should build a Spirit Visage? Shurelya's Reverie is a cheap item to build. be sure to keep the Philosopher's Stone for some time to make it cost effective, though. I usually get Shurelya on Volibear, but Olaf can work it out nicely too.

--Locket of the Iron Solari

Underrated active. in late game, You would be giving out a shield worth a total of 1150 maximum. it's an item that I usually go if the enemy team has a powerful AOE spell and I'm behind on farm and I need a cheap defensive item. in a dueling situation, activate it when you are at low-hp to "fight longer when you are stronger" (oh how I love it when it rhymes). it's also useful in situations where you may be able to bait someone to ignite you and then just activate the shield. I get this 90% of the times as a jungler in mid-game (since junglers are all about cost efficiency).

"NOT Recommended"

--Spirit of the Ancient Golem

It's a legitimate item for almost any tanky DPS or offtanks to buy, no matter if they are jungle or not. But I don't like it on top-lane Olaf. there are many other items that are just so good for him. Mostly because of Tenacity. I think building an item for tenacity is a waste on Olaf. his ultimate lasts for quite a long time and there are not many cases where Olaf won't have his ultimate available in teamfights. also, even when his ultimate runs out, the enemy team would have spent all of their CCs and on cooldown by then (even if there still were CCs available, they shouldn't be using it on Olaf).

I buy this 90% of times as jungle Olaf, however (VERY COST EFFECTIVE ITEM). other 10% of the times, I buy the Spirit of the Elder Lizard, which I will discuss in offensive item section.

--Banshee's Veil

It may be pretty nice against poke champs like Kennen or Nidalee during laning phase. But you should have been building other items than this if you had the money, and if you are so much ahead that you can for some reason, then you should be getting an offensive item, not this. just my opinion.

--Warmog's Armor

Yeah, are you surprised because I think like this? I just think it's not worth it on Olaf anymore. the old Olaf would have had a Warmog (or even TWO) as a staple in his build, but not the new one. what you should be doing is take the slot in which Warmog would go in, and put a nice little offensive item in place. Remember, this is not the old STACK HEALTH AND YOUR DAMAGE GOES UP Olaf. This new Olaf has spells with weaker base damage, but much better scaling, and his W passive doesn't give a shit if you stack health or not.

--Atma's Impaler

Warmog is out, so... If you really like the item, then you have to take one of the offensive item out in its place (it won't be worth it).

"My core defensive item" (I almost never take them out unless my team wants me to and build something else for some reason)

As a Top: Frozen Heart, Sunfire Cape

As a Jungler: Locket of the Iron Solari (you can try for Frozen Heart if you think you are ahead), Sunfire Cape, Spirit of the Ancient Golem

"Recommended Boots"

--Boots of Swiftness

Remember (ALWAYS) that you are a MELEE SUSTAINED DPS. it means you are not Rengar, neither Yi, nor Renekton, basically any bursty champions you can think of. You also do not have any other form of CC than a skill shot slow. Which means you are closer to a Mundo than a Volibear/Singed. Mobility within teamfights will be very crucial for you to be successful.

--Boots of Mobility

Although I favor Swiftness over Mobility on Olaf, If you're a top Olaf and your opponent is a bad pusher, you might as well push your lane every once in awhile and roam to gank mid or counter jungle the enemy. I would rather get Swiftness on junglers as well since Olaf needs to be CONSTANTLY over his enemies' heads, not just the beginning.

--Ninja Tabi

either Cloth Armor + pot 5 or Dorans shield + pot as starting item and then finish up Ninja tabi when you get back (if you bought Cloth 5, buy the Doran's shield as well). Ninja Tabi + Doran's shield passive + your Unyielding & Block Mastery in Defensive tree = OP against champions that depend on a lot of AAs (Xin Zhao, Jax, Tryndamere, AD Nidalee, etc.) I don't get this as a Jungler, although I may sell my boot at late game and switch to this for team fights against AA heavy teams.

I'm not gonna recommend Merc Treads for the same reason as why I don't recommend Spirit of the Ancient Golem on top-Olaf. if you are a jungler, you would have the Spirit for Tenacity so you won't need it anyways.

"Recommended offensive items"

--Spirit of the Elder Lizard

Yes it has been nerfed from its former glory. But it's a very cost effective jungling damage item and the true damage DOT, although small, stacks up to be huge in the end. also, Olaf's Q and E procs the true damage DOT and everyone hit, so it looks so cool when you throw an axe into a huge minion wave :P

--Phage (Tri-force later on)

I love the new passive. more movement speed in battle is always welcome on Olaf. also, in laning phase, if you are trying to run, throw a single axe at a weakened minion and get the massive 60 MS boost to run away. it's like a permanent Jayce's passive during laning phase! With the old passive, Olaf could still stick to his targets and kill them off, but it was hard for him to jump back into the fray and switch to another target. with the 60 bonus MS, Olaf can basically dash straight onto his next intended target even if he misses an axe or two. as a bonus, Phage gives you some health! hey wouldja look at dat eh?

--Trinity Force

If you got Phage early game, then you know what to do with it late game: upgrade it into Tri-force. Now that it was buffed up, the Tri-force is coming back into scenes on par with Lich Bane and Frozen Gauntlet once again. Olaf uses ALL EXCEPT ONE of the stats it provides:

-attack speed? check. -critical strike every once in awhile? check. -bonus MS? YES PLEASE. -mana? check. -ability power? awwww oh well. -health? duh.

-attack damage? every bit helps. -Sheen proc? Olaf's Q is going to be at a 5 second cooldown late-game and he refreshes 4.5 second when he picks it up... so I'm pretty sure you're gonna see glowing red lights on Olaf's hands quite often. -Phage proc? I covered it.

--Blade of the Ruined King

This item is currently so good on almost any AD Champions right now, even if they can't utilize the attack speed as much. I seriously LOVE its active. Olaf is already one of the best chaser in the game and the active makes him even better (it's also good for keeping Olaf stay longer in his low-hp zone). However, don't rush it. You are not Warwick, nor Talon, nor Zed, etc etc etc.. If you plan on building this item, just buy Bilgewater Cutlass early for lane sustain and keep it that way until late-game.

--Hydra

Yes. YES! How I love this weapon. Although I usually don't rush it and just buy the Tiamat at around mid game and finish it at mid-late game. If you are planning on building a Hydra, then do not get Blade of the Ruined King (so instead of getting Bilgewater Cutlass early, just get Vampiric Staff to finish it into Hydra later on). Choose between BotRK and Hydra. Do not get both. Hydra is more for teamfights (Spirit Visage + Hydra's AOE Life Steal + Olaf's W + Olaf passive + Olaf ult = just wow...) while BotRK is more for duels. I almost always get Hydra over BotRK

--Frozen Mallet

Self-explanatory... it has been staple in Olaf's builds for ages because of one reason I've been stressing for quite some time now: OLAF NEEDS TO STICK TO HIS TARGETS

--Youmu's Ghost Blade

If you think your team is already tanky enough and they need some damage, and they need someone to split push as they stall time in fights, get this item and activate it to backdoor. You can also just save the active for someone to underestimate you and come in for 1v1 while you were backdooring. I prefer this item over Black Cleaver if I got an early Brutalizer instead of either Phage or Vampiric Staff.

--Black Cleaver

OP. But I almost never go Brutalizer and even if I do, I get Youmu's Ghost Blade to backdoor.

"NOT Recommended"

--Zephyr

Yes I KNOW it gives MS and I KNOW that I've been acting like a complete Justin Bieber fangirl over MS. but it's kinda mediocre in my view. I like it on Irelia, though.

--Infinity Edge

Not much utility for its cost. If you want to buy this as a top-laner (or, sometimes, a jungler), then you should be played as Pantheon.

"My core offensive items"

As a Top: Hydra, Phage (Tri-force later on)

As a Jungler: Tiamat (may not have enough money for Hydra), Phage (may not have enough money for Tri-force)

2) Contrary to the person who spoke before me, I personally think Olaf's jungle is now stronger.  His clear speed is slightly off because Olaf's Q has been added a minimum range, which means he has to move around to pick up the axe. But his ganking potential has come back to where it was when he wasn't nerfed to the ground. The slow from Olaf's Q doesn't decay anymore like the old times, so Olaf can now properly stick to enemy targets like glue as long as they dont have a solid escape ability. Think of him as a jungle Mundo, only weaker in jungle clear and farming, but stronger in ganking (Mundo's Q can be blocked, but Olaf's Q goes through everything.. this makes all the difference). I mentioned it earlier, but please, PLEASE do not max E first. Q is way too good to pass off (omg the perma slow... the sweet perma slow...). Not just because it has stronger ganking potential than E, it's also because it lets you clear jungle way faster.

If there is any problem with Jungle Olaf, is that he is a mana-hungry bastard (or maybe I'm just too used to champions without mana... haha) and he doesn't have a hard CC. Although I may be asking too much, why can't we add in a brief stun (maybe .5 seconds) on Olaf's Reckless Swing? I mean, Olaf swings his axe SO RECKLESSLY that he hurts himself, it may as well stun the opponent while he's at it, you know?