Talk:Swain/@comment-24086627-20131208230535/@comment-15244341-20131215121138

Swain is an okay duelist with Zhonya's Hourglass, but I'm not betting on him (full build) beating a Ryze (full build too) simply because he needs three enemy champions to get his healing going.

Also he falls off late game. Not by LeBlanc standards (read: no more capable of burst and GTFO because people group up, too squishy to run in and kill and priority targets could probably be too tanky to die from 100-0). He falls off Udyr-like. His low mobility make so that peeling royally fucks his shit up and has him unable to deal his DPS (low range). Plus he is horrid and typical sieges since his low range means he has zero poke. This means he is a pick you have to make knowing what the enemy team brings. If they are all high mobility champions or strong pushers know that your late game will probably be mediocre.

IMO his strongest is when he gets Zhonya's. Almost no one can actually win a lane trade against him.

Also, knowing mana management is a basic of playing Swain. Period. If you are the kind of guys that does not know when to turn off Ravenous flock then you might need to think of learning or playing other champion. Grail is also a great buy. And he needs blue too, that I can't argue against. He needs mana for teamfights, but not really for farming.