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ChickenWrap's Guide-A-Week. Week 2: Ahri

ChickenWrap··12 votes·3,574 views

Too long; won't read (TL;WR): Ahri is awesome

If you have questions after this read that you don't feel would fit in this post, feel free to direct them here: http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/miscellaneous/aE2d7x74-i-am-a-crappy-player-that-knows-almost-everything-about-league-ama

Hello everybody. My name is ChickenWrap, and welcome to Guide-A-Week. A segment on the boards that I will be conducting involving the ins and outs of champions voted on by you, the viewer. Based on a vote conducted earlier today, we're going to start with the well-known-Waifu champion Ahri, and when, where, and why you should pick her, how you should play her, and soforth.

Without further adieu, Welcome to Guide-A-Week.

http://i.imgur.com/8C7z5JH.png

Skills and Abilities http://i.imgur.com/VSn0ZdO.png Ahri's Passive: Essence Theft. Ahri gains a charge of Essence Theft with each enemy unit hit by any of her spells, with a cap of 3 charges gained per spell cast. Upon reaching 9 charges, Ahri's next spell will heal her for 2 + (Ahri's level) (+ 9% AP) for each enemy hit.

This is useful to Ahri to help her stay in lane. It's not too difficult to acquire stacks for this, and the health return can be a great asset to her lane phase or her teamfight and if it's timed well enough, can even save her from an ignite. Take note that the more enemies you hit, the more you are healed for. In an ideal situation, one would set up their Orb of Deception (Q) to hit an entire minion wave going both forward and back for maximum health gains. The healing is increased with Spirit Visage ( item 3065 ).

http://i.imgur.com/VNtunmq.png Ahri's Q: Orb of Deception. Ahri sends out an orb in a line in front of her and then pulls it back, dealing magic damage on the way out and true damage on the way back. RANGE: 880 COST: 55 / 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 Mana COOLDOWN: 7 Seconds MAGIC DAMAGE / TRUE DAMAGE: 40 / 65 / 90 / 115 / 140 (+ 35% AP) MAX DAMAGE TO THE SAME TARGET: 80 / 130 / 180 / 230 / 280 (+ 70% AP)

This is a very basic line skill shot. Not much to say about this honestly except to remember that on the way back it deals true damage, which is not increased by magic penetration. You can, however, curve the ball by moving, just like Draven's Ultimate. If you toss it forward and use your Spirit Rush (R) to dash to the side, it will come back to you where you arrived. I would hold off on using this to harass too much in the early levels, as it will cause you to go OOM fairly fast.

http://i.imgur.com/tLtE4BD.png Ahri's W: Foxfire. Ahri releases three fox-fires to surround her for up to 5 seconds. After a short delay after cast, each flame will target the closest visible enemy unit to itself, prioritizing champions, and deal magic damage to the target. Additional fox-fires that hit the same target will only deal 30% damage. RANGE: 800 COST: 50 Mana COOLDOWN: 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 / 5 Seconds MAGIC DAMAGE PER FOX-FIRE: 40 / 65 / 90 / 115 / 140 (+ 40% AP) MAGIC DAMAGE TO THREE TARGETS: 120 / 195 / 270 / 345 / 420 (+ 120% AP) MAGIC DAMAGE TO THE SAME TARGET: 64 / 104 / 144 / 184 / 224 (+ 64% AP)

This spell is a great low-mana way to build up your passive stacks and an easy spell to burst someone with in conjunction with your ult (R + W and they'll all fly to your target champion) One thing you need to remember is that they deal less damage to the same target by about half as well as that they hae a slightly lower range than Ahri's Q or Charm (E). Keep in mind that each one of these little flames also procs Rylai's Crystal Scepter ( item 3116 ).

http://i.imgur.com/D9cDCpj.png Ahri's E: Charm. *Ahri blows a kiss that travels in a line in front of her. The first enemy it hits takes magic damage and is charmed, forcing them to walk harmlessly towards Ahri while being slowed by 50% for the duration. *

Enemies hit by Charm take 20% more magic damage from Ahri for 6 seconds. Orb of Deception's true damage is also increased by this effect. RANGE: 975 COST: 85 Mana COOLDOWN: 12 Seconds MAGIC DAMAGE: 60 / 90 / 120 / 150 / 180 (+ 35% AP) DURATION: 1 / 1.25 / 1.5 / 1.75 / 2 Seconds

It's a line skillshot "taunt" (not showed very well in the movie A New Dawn (Darius and Draven are charmed and run at her pretty intent to kill)). At level 3 if your opponent is around half health, you can easily kill them by chaining your E with your Q and W. This spell increases damage dealt by a whopping 20%. This also **STACKS WITH DEATHFIRE GRASP! ( item 3128 ) **This means that if you land your E and then use DFG, it will increase the bonus 15% max health magic damage nuke to an 18% magic damage health nuke, which will THEN increase your total magical damage multiplicatively by 44%!

http://i.imgur.com/aIU9NnR.png Ahri's R: Spirit Rush Ahri dashes towards the cursor and fires essence bolts, dealing magic damage to up to 3 visible nearby enemies, prioritizing champions. In the next 10 seconds, Spirit Rush can be cast two additional times before going on cooldown. Each enemy can only be hit once per dash. RANGE: 450 COST: 100 Mana COOLDOWN: 110 / 95 / 80 Seconds MAGIC DAMAGE: 70 / 110 / 150 (+ 30% AP) MAX DAMAGE TO SAME TARGET: 210 / 330 / 450 (+ 90% AP)

Again, not a lot to say here. It allows you to reposition yourself when you're in danger, it allows you to catch people off-guard, and allows you to leap over walls to kill unsuspecting supports. wink

If you are in lane phase, use this spell to jump around or through a minion wave to engage upon your opponent, or to easily escape an attempt on your life. Alternatively, you could roam with this spell and not be afraid to dash in and out of towers, landing hefty damage on your opponent. Each of these essence bolts also proc Rylai's. If you enjoy building Lich Bane ( item 3100 ) on Ahri, you'll also be pleased to know that each time you cast this spell, you get a proc, and can proc all 3 LB casts throughout the duration of your ultimate.


Runes: For runes, I like taking my Classic AP runes. These consist of: Magic Penetration marks (red) Armor/level or Health/level Seals (yellow) Ability Power or MR/level Glyphs (blue) Ability Power Quints (the large brown ones)

Against another mage who can't instantly burst me down, I prefer health yellows and AP blues, but if they pose a threat, I transfer to MR/level blues. If I'm against a scary burst AD, I prefer to take armor/level yellows and AP blues.

Masteries For masteries, I suggest the classic 21/0/9. http://i.imgur.com/Sww4qP9.jpg I choose these masteries specifically because currently, Expose Weakness increases the damage of your own spells as well, and Double-Edged Sword isn't too much of a gamble for Ahri, since she tends to build Zhonya's Hourglass ( item 3157 ) as well as has the ability to burst almost anybody down in an instant. More damage, more fun! Plus, all the masteries end up increasing the bonus damage you deal off Charm and DFG, including its max health burst ( magic pen and bonus damage apply to its ability)

Suggested Item path Typical: item 1056 item 2003 x2 (If winning) item 3108 item 3020 (If losing) item 3028 item 3020

You will have significantly less damage than if you had rushed DFG, but you will at least be able to (probably) survive the onslaught of abilities coming at your face and tails

Winning: item 3128 Losing: item 3174 item 3128 From here, I would suggest getting what you would feel best benefits you. item 3001 item 3157 item 3089 item 3135 item 3116 all come to mind as good items to pick up.

If your AP opponent begins to deal serious damage to you, invest in an Abyssal Scepter. This will give you bonus MR as well as a flat +20 MR reduction Aura for your team an yourself when you're in range (700, slightly less than your Q). If you feel you deal enough damage but want more survivability, spring for the item 3065 talked about earlier.

VS AD: item 1029 item 2003 x5 From here, build: item 3191 item 3020 Next: item 3128 item 3157 Then: item 3001 item 3089 item 3135 item 3116 all come to mind as good items to pick up.

This isn't much of a change aside from rushing a Zhonya's to deal with the threat of your AD opponent being able to deal seirous damage to you.


Phases

Laning Remember that your passive can really help you out here. Every W and R proc adds to your passive counter and each time you Q a wave you'll get +3 to your neeed 9. W is a great way to gain passive stacks without spending too much mana, but be sure to use your Q (you should be maxing it first) to cash in on all of your health, as it hits the most targets.

When you hit level 3, remember that you can all-in most champions to kill them or force them out of lane the second you land a charm. Try to accomplish this as much as you can to get yourself ahead of your opponent. When you hit level 6, your R is about the range of a flash, except it does damage. A non-mobile opponent should be running to the hills when they see you hit 6. Their flash will not save them from your wrath. Also, roaming will be a great benefit to your team. Push your lane up with your Q and then seek to acquire kills in the side lanes. Usually with your ult and your Charm you'll be able to easily land a kill and even take a tower.

If you do not land a Charm, do not go in if you don't deal hefty damage. It will not be worth it.

Post-laning You are an assassin above all else. Seek to Charm opponents into bad positions and to dive the enemy back line looking for kills. If you miss Charm, do not go in. You will explode unless your team landed some of their CC and engaged a teamfight. If this happens, lock on to somebody and blow them up with E DFG Q W, then get out. Take objectives with your team and stick with them. If your ult is down and you get caught out, you're toast.

Who I would avoid playing against as Ahri Kassadin Kassadin out-damages you and can easily dodge your Charms. You may be able to out-run him or catch up to him if he is fleeing, but he can shrug off your damage, and his burst is generally higher. Keep a distance and harass him. if he does go in on you, land a Charm and go to town. Akali See Kassadin Fizz See Akali Zed See Fizz Talon He hurts and can silence you and bursts harder than you do post-6, but if you can hit him from afar, he's mince-meat. Galio OP. Presses W and doesn't die, presses Q and halves my health. RIto what was u thinkin? Leblanc This is actually a pretty even match-up now that she lacks a silence. Keep your distance and smack her if she goes in on you with her Distortion. She won't be able to jump back when you Charm her until Charm ends, and by then, you can deal serious damage to her and she won't be able to hit you back. Syndra Syndra can out-damage you, can stop your dashes, and can put out more damage with her Qs faster than you can. Play very passively. GO in when you land a Charm, but NEVER overstay your welcome.

Who works well with Ahri? Everyone who has CC or who is a melee champion who doesn't have a gapcloser. Ahri's charm brings them to you, and you can just blow them up.

Also, other mobile champions compliment her quite well. Also, Orianna. Because it's fun to ult into a team and then have Ori ult you, and then jump back out and hit somebody with a Charm.

In closing Ahri is very storng and most of the champions that do well against her all have a common theme, so all have a common playstyle to use to beat them. They're also mostly Melee with gapclosers and lots of burst. Harassing them really helps you out here.

My name is ChickenWrap, and thanks for reading my segment on Ahri, whom I rarely ever play ever. I hope you've learned something today, and good luck on the Fields!

Previous Entries Galio the Sentinel's Sorrow

http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/champions-skins/fI5a4fls-chickenwraps-guide-a-week-week-1-galio

20 Comments

Kao Atlantis2 votes

Ahri

As someone who plays a lot of Ahri, this is a great overview. I don't think a lot of people know the benefits of Lich Bane (I love Lich Bane when playing her, It's fun seeing yourself chunk towers later in the game). This will for sure help people learn to play her with more skill. Thanks for doing these guides, I always learn something.

Also... I think Foxfire Ahri is the best skin in the game. Just sayin'.

MissFortune

ChickenWrap3 votes

It is a pretty great skin.

THEMANIACE1 votes

Kao, I agree with you....it's a pretty sexy skin.

Jean Never Wins1 votes

arhi is proof that riot are wees, checkmate non anime watchers

Linna Excel1 votes

Eh, not a huge fan of Ahri as the assassin. It works and a lot of people love using her like that, I'm just not a fan of playing her that way because she's not bursty enough to be played like an assassin. I'm also not convinced that DFG is better than Dcap on her to rush.

She's something between a delete a target burst champ and an AoE mage. She really needs to be played like that.

ChickenWrap1 votes

Delete-a-target Burst champ is pretty much an Assassin.

AoE mage would build Rylai's and Abyssal for sure. Possibly even Spirit Visage, and Lich Bane as well. DFG is the best rush. If you land charm and follow it up with DFG, you'll do a ton more damage than if you rushed DCap.

Linna Excel1 votes

Delete-a-target Burst champ is pretty much an Assassin.

And that's not what she's good at. As I was saying, she's somewhere in between and needs to be played accordingly.

Dcap has a 4%-5% higher win rate across all champs in ranked over DFG, including Ahri. I would say that that much is a significant difference.

AdaptiveCoffee1 votes

Where are you getting your numbers from? Not questioning the logic, I personally think dcap and dfg should both be built because a good ahri can use her ult and low CD to properly position and be a versatile asset (assassin when needed and AoE mage when needed). Just curious though.

Linna Excel1 votes

I get my numbers form here.

Dcap

DFG

I've talked about this somewhere else, but Ahri's not technically a single target champ if you look at her skills. Her charm is single target, but that's it. Her Q, W, and R all have strong AoE aspects. DFG is really meant for single target champs where Dcap is better for AoE.

While it does multiply its effects with charm Ahri's skills aren't always going to be hitting just that champ. IMO the only "good" thing about DFG is it helps lowers a target's HP more so she can burst them down easier. It covers a weakness of her and enables her to be an assassin but it doesn't have strong synergy with her. I mean it works well on her as it does boost her win rate if she can get it, but I think this is a good item she can use and not a good for Ahri item.

I also have a problem with it in that if their ADC was shut down, she doesn't really need to be able to delete that champ, he's more bait if he doesn't do something to come back. This is why you really have to vary your build based on the game.

Ahri has a little versatility in what she can do and how she can play and I think it's a bit of a disservice telling people there's only one way to play her. Yes she can do that job, but sometimes that isn't the optimal answer.

AdaptiveCoffee2 votes

Cool. Yeah I mean I think building DFG when you're ahead in lane is pretty much the staple for ahri because you're going to be 1v1 which makes DFG a LOT stronger and during the mid game you want to roam as much as possible if you're ahead because of the high mobility associated with her ult and her ability to catch targets with her charm.

That being said I agree that labeling her as an assassin is kind of a misnomer because she should be played as a versatile champion, she has great deletion with her charm and DFG and can be used to catch champions of out of position but she also has good sustain and solid AoE damage that is great for team fights.

I think the problem you're running into is that you're focusing on the idea that he tells players they should build DFG but you don't pay attention to when he says that. I think he pretty clearly stated that when ahead rush a DFG, otherwise build a chalice into an Athenes etc...

You can play her however you'd like but if you're looking purely from an item build I think he did a great job of outlining her versatility.

ChickenWrap2 votes

I still believe that the DFG is a must-buy just due to its sheer power. +120 AP is nothing to scoff at. I feel it's the best item to get going, especially since you don't have much AP in the beginning when you do buy DCap, which makes me feel like it's a bit of an odd rush item. It gives you more damage on your individual skills, but less damage to one person, but the damage given to one person is much higher than that of the individual skills. DCap is still something you need, but so is DFG. I believe the reason DCap is higher up with win percentages is because most Ahris get DFG first, but lost before they can acquire DCap, which is why DFG is built in many more games than DCap is, even though both are staples.

With DFG Ahri has the ability to assassinate someone, but in the late-game her damage is also strong enough to be an effective AoE mage, which is part of what makes her so powerful.

ShadowCleave2121 votes

I have a friend who sucks at using actives and sucks a playing assassins, but loves to play Ahri. My recommendation to him was to play straight up mage Ahri with this core set of items:item 3151 item 3174 item 3116He became a legendary Q spammer, especially after he swapped to item 3158 due to OCD...I ended up picking up his bad habit.

TenderTouches1 votes

[deleted]

ChickenWrap1 votes

Lol, glad I could help!

MaknBacnPancakes1 votes

Another great guide.. Thanks CW! Looking forward to the next.

MarhsallLee671 votes

Good guide, but I personally have little to no trouble playing against Fizz as Ahri. So long as you poke consistently and stay out of range of his q (and time your charm right so you use it after he's burned his escapes), there isn't a whole lot he'll be able to do to you without risking death, or at least losing a good chunk of his hp.

ChickenWrap1 votes

I've beat many FIzz players as well, but in that same breath, I've never lost to an Ahri when I've played Fizz. THe lane can go both ways and if Fizz lands his R on you, you're as good as dead.

WillNC01 votes

make a guide for rumble next please. ty chickenwrap

ChickenWrap1 votes

We'll see which post gets the most upvotes in the next choosing period =)

THEMANIACE1 votes

One thing I'd like to point out, if you're running away from someone or chasing without your ultimate frequently, I suggest getting the Furor Enchantment since all of Ahri's abilities (except for Orb of Deception) trigger it. So as your movement speed increases and Fox-Fires' keep hitting things, you'll be able to Charm enemy champions a bit easier....especially if they just run in a straight line. Ehh, not sure if much will agree with me but...AHRI OP! Ahri

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