Alistar/Strategy

== Strategy ==

Skill Usage

 * Using can allow Alistar to establish better positioning for.
 * Using can allow him catch his target off guard to knock them back into his allies with  and.
 * Using immediately after a successful  will apply the stun from  while your opponent is still in mid-air. This can be useful in some chase situations (make sure you succeed or you will knock them further away), or finishing off a weakened opponent on the run.
 * Hitting an enemy into a close-by thick wall with will stun them for ~1s. Reason being that they will still try to travel the distance even if a wall is in the way. Thus they will be stuck against the wall for the duration of the flight.
 * However, if is used near a wall, it sometimes sends the enemy onto the other side which allows them to escape.
 * However, this can be used to your advantage. Sending the enemy tank or a high damage dealing carry (like Fiddlesticks after he ults) over a wall can allow your team to win a 5v4 match.
 * Most walls in Jungle and River are thin, but whether they will go over them or not depends on how close they were to it when you headbutted them. Know the distance Headbutt sends people. If they would go further than the wall (assuming the wall is not there), then they will go over the wall. If they won't go further than it, then they won't go over the wall.
 * Your heal should be maxed as soon as possible, since its main use is during laning phase. Later it becomes less important.
 * Farm with your autoattacks. To make this easier, take attack speed runes. Don't use your AoE stun to farm. You won´t be able to stay on lane, because it's very mana intensive and doesn't deal enough damage to be good at farming.
 * Healing enables you to stay in your lane for longer periods of time.

Build Usage

 * Getting will allow Alistar to position himself better around the battlefield for.
 * Cooldown Reduction allows Alistar to maximize his effectiveness. While most other Heroes need AD, AP or Def Items, Cooldown Reduction is what Alistar needs most. When you are at -40% CD reduction, Alistar is much stronger, since he is able to stun his enemies more often and save his allies.
 * One easy way of maxing out CDR on Alistar is and . These items, along with three CDR blue runes and the CDR mastery on utility, will give you 40% CDR and:
 * Increased healing: Roar will now heal about 200 hp on you
 * Mana, Alistar is very mana hungry
 * Armor and MR: for obvious reasons
 * Don´t try to deal serious damage with Alistar. He is a CC and towerdiving machine, but not a killing machine.
 * Try to buy a to increase your Damage and pushing capability. Getting items with auras like,  or  help your entire team to push faster.
 * Shurelia´s active helps Alistar and his team to initiate. Also it helps to flee or to get in range to stun fleeing opponents.

Runes & Masteries Usage

 * Movement Speed Runes might be very useful, since Alistar has to be at close range in order to stun.
 * Attack speed Runes are the best thing you can get for the Marks, because of your natural high Auto-Attack damage and your passive.
 * For Seals you will need Mana regen per level - Alistar needs a lot of mana.
 * For Glyphs take cooldown reduction, since it allows him to spam his abilities.
 * Defensive masteries are quite important, especially in early game, where you have low resistance.

Gameplay

 * Your job as Alistar is to hit the enemies as often as possible with your crowd control.
 * Use Headbutt to interrupt hostile ultimates like 's or 's.
 * Use Pulverize to AoE Stun the enemies. It can be used as an initiator, although it may be a good idea to save it to help out your squishies if they're taking melee damage.