Talk:Skarner/@comment-24634861-20141224063618/@comment-15667791-20150112195359

First, neither Trinity Force nor Iceborn Gauntlet are AP nor AD. Their costs are far too high to do any more than simply supplement AD and AP by miniscule amounts, and they linger in the tank range because the bulk of their damage (Spellblade) has no offensive form of synergy (AD, AP, AS, Crit) other than Armor Pen, which isn't terribly good on Skarner in the first place since he has so much magic. Sunfire Cape also lingers there because MPen is the only synergizing stat. I also highly suggest maxing CDR, no matter the Skarner build, so that R is always up and you maximize your other utility in battle. The AD and hybrid builds need some love there.

Second, AS is not so good on him anymore. Back when he had decent ratios to abuse, he could that and stickiness to hit absurd amounts of Qs while also getting down the cooldowns on W and E, and even R. Now only his Qs get any love, and that's if he manages to stick well enough to utilize AS at all (any enemy mobility, and MS is far better). Beyond that, he can't even attack during his ultimate anyways, and he is absurdly melee when he does try to. Attack speed should be the last thing you're thinking about on a melee champion who simply does a tiny bit more DPS with it in the long run.

At the moment, he's just best as a CDR tank. Some ways you can fit in some damage alongside it would be

AD:

Ravenous Hydra

Bloodthirster

Chilling Juggernaut/Warrior (yeah, Skarner doesn't need that much jungle sustain on a lifesteal build especially, but really doesn't need it more than overpowering CC. Challenging Smite is an option if you're extremely confident in your E skillshots, but Chilling is probably the way to go. Also, Warrior AD doesn't hurt).

Frozen Heart

Spirit Visage/Banner of Command/Locket of Solari

Swiftness/Tabi (or maybe even Zerks for quick early clear)

And be sure to grab 5 CDR in offense, 5 CDR @ 18 in Glyphs/Quint

AP:

Lich Bane

Rabadon

Morellonomicon/Athene's

Chilling Magus/Juggernaut, or Banner of Command

Zhonya

Sorcs/Swiftness/Tabi (He's a caster, and a tanky one at that... If you get CC, you should thank them for wasting it on you instead of your carry).

And the only hybrid I suggest is a mana hybrid. Mana build isn't particularly great early game, but the charge is especially quick:

Muramana

Seraph's Embrace

Frozen Heart

Rod of Ages

Chilling Magus/Juggernaut, or Banner of Command

Swiftness/Tabi

Overall, his ratios aren't overly beefy, but if you utilize his utility and tankiness correctly, they can be put to good use as they are. He's still a very vanilla champion after his rework, but he will still pack a punch regardless.

Oh, and I wouldn't count on Trinity/Iceborn on Skarner. Yes, it gives him some power and speed/utility, but he doesn't use the items nearly as well as melee champions who have insta-dashes that are much more reliable with Flash running rampant, Armor Penetration, and still plenty of spammable skills, like Vi, Wukong, Jarvan, and Xin. Skarner needs a strong early game, and gets shut down quite easily if all he ever got was a Spellblade item (and jungle item, of course).