“Playtime’s over” - the return of Ahri

Riot·Jul 31, 2014·2 votes·25,516 views

Ahri has made a serious comeback in the LCS after being conspicuously MIA for quite some time. With her return, the foxy lady brings destruction. And lots of it. She’s been running rampant in the games she’s been picked, dropping squishy targets with relative ease. So what makes her successful? Let’s take a look.

The one-on-one

When a game starts, pro Ahri players are looking to do one thing: Survive long enough to get to level 6. Once there, they can blow up just about anyone they get their mits on. Until patch 4.12, she often struggled to survive the laning phase, as her high mana costs made it difficult to poke for an extended period of time. Now, however, with the lowered mana cost and increased AP scaling on her Orb of Deception, her laning phase is much stronger. Her ability to kill relies largely on landing Charm, her one and only form of crowd control. To be fair, however, it’s a hell of a crowd control ability. When the kiss of death lands, its target is forced to walk towards Ahri, unable to cast abilities or attack. So, that’s pretty cool. However, the true power of Charm lays in its ability to increase the damage of Ahri’s other skills. When it lands, it increases the incoming damage from her by 20%, making her abilities deal insane damage against a single target. And being an assassin, that crazy damage is exactly what she brings to a team. It’s her job to find one squishy, kill them, and give her team a man advantage in the upcoming teamfight.

Time to flank

Take a look at how SELFIE positions himself during this engagement with SK Gaming. He patiently sits on the sideline, briefly revealing himself to let SK know that he could jump in at any time. This alone holds off SK from attempting to take the tower. That is, until SELFIE decides to head to the bottom lane and help Mimer kill fredy122’s Aatrox. That positioning is key to Ahri’s teamfight capability. If the enemies see her coming, her Charm is relatively easy to dodge, rendering her not quite as potent. If she does manage to get close, sneak her Charm through any minions or champions in the way, and land it on a high-priority target, she’ll completely take them out of the fight. Of course, she can also wait for one of her teammates to nab someone, and just dive in with the trio of dashes on her Spirit Rush, quickly dealing damage to a crowd controlled target. It’s a bit riskier, as those dashes are also quite useful to get out of danger. But as a way to quickly take someone out, it’s near unparalleled.

An indirect siege

Her usefulness doesn’t stop once teamfights end, however. She also happens to fit rather well into a siege composition, thanks to the great wave clear on both her Orb of Deception and Fox-Fire. Watch here as Jesiz’s Ahri wipes out entire waves of minions on the way to Millenium’s inner top tower. Once there, he sits off to the side, just out of Millenium’s line of sight. While his positioning may not allow him to do damage to the tower, it does accomplish something very important: It scares the crap out of Millenium. Despite the fact that every single member of Millenium has the capability of engaging (Mao’Kai, Lee Sin, Kassadin, Tristana, and Leona are rather divey, after all), they’re afraid of the Charm coming out as soon as they make their move. Essentially, he’s able to provide some serious pressure without even showing his face. This demonstrates the power of Ahri.

Hunting the fox

Thanks to the three dashes on her ultimate Spirit Rush, Ahri is very hard to lock down. However, that doesn’t mean she’s unkillable. Given enough chase and lockdown potential, a team can hold a proper fox hunt to shut her down. This scenario is exactly unfolded in SK Gaming’s match against Gambit Gaming on the third day of Week 11. With a myriad of gap closers from NiQ’s Kassadin, Genja’s Corki, and Kubon’s Irelia, there was very little Jesiz could do to get away from the onslaught. To make matters worse, EDward’s Thresh and Diamond’s Evelynn could make sure she struggled to get away. Gambit showed that to defeat Ahri, you must first catch her. Luckily for her, this doesn’t seem to happen to much in the LCS these days, as teams picking her have a 5-1 record with her since patch 4.12. Will the reign of Ahri continue? We’ll have to see as the LCS moves into the playoffs.

44 Comments

LAGERFELDTAug 1, 201413 votes

Ahri + item 3116 = summoner 1 you know what i mean Jinx

7DoQfy8qyHAug 1, 20145 votes

why no korean replays only european?

warpedmindAug 1, 20147 votes

article is about ahris return to the LCS not OGN

Brownie LocoAug 1, 20144 votes

so another champ that pushes non mobility heavy champs out of the game gets fully buffed up to hyper OP status and riot is publishing stuff about this happening as a good thing.

superb..

Foxy SarahAug 1, 20147 votes

Hyper OP status? They buffed 2 things, her mana cost and a very VERY slight increase to her AP on her Q. the increase amounts to .25? IF both orbs hit. Come on now... that's not OP at all. Ahri used to be played constantly because of her high burst damage, they took a LOT of it away when they nerfed ALL of her damage and made charm into a free DFG. She is far from OP, just hyper mobile and has decent burst when she lands her charm.

FWpzwQZsKwAug 1, 20141 votes

They removed one of her weaknesses being the waveclear that cost too much early on...now she is pretty good because she don't have that big issues.

LA JensenAug 1, 20142 votes

Learn Malzahar , pick against Ahri = Free win right there.

Fox Queen AhriAug 1, 20141 votes

No they can't fight each other, they belong together, Ahri x Malzahar , they are one of my heterosexual ships, otherwise Ahri and Sona forever

Richard BlowAug 1, 20141 votes

I think I love you. (But yeah, Malzahar is crazy strong against Ahri. Dashing towards him is just tempting fate.)

FNC NickAug 1, 20142 votes

Actually, they nrefed DFG which is hre main item and it's an indirect nerf to Ahri

LithenaiAug 2, 20141 votes

I don't really think that affected her at all. I still managed to play her with decent success. You just have to switch from thinking hey I'm going to spirit rush and instantly kill a person to I'm a mage I do magic damage over a period of casts until I land charm.

Nisam NormalanAug 1, 20141 votes

non mobile heavy champs usually outrange if not by aa range then with ability range...so i guess it kinda balances out..

LegolasNewAug 1, 20143 votes

hhhaha Aatrox

A Retarded ClownAug 1, 20143 votes

Hey so if hyper mobile assassins coming back is the goal well... Shaco

RomaRomaAug 1, 20143 votes

Shaco would probably get nerfed the patch after he becomes a tier 1 pick. In solo queue ATM because the lack of organization, communication and wards he is already a really strong solo queue pick but in competitive play since there is far more or those 3 things and is far easier to counter (nice invis).

If Shaco got a buff, he would be a soloq monster and comp just viable.

Domestic DingoAug 3, 20141 votes

I main shaco and my winrate is almost 70% e-z climb

The Lewd OneAug 22, 20141 votes

I hope not. For every good Shaco player that can carry a game there are at least four or five terrible ones that pick him into any team comp and have no impact at all. I mean I get it, he's really fun to play but don't take it into ranked if you can't get early kills with him.

KOHHAug 3, 20143 votes

Ahri just came back because of Ricegnat. If you know what I mean summoner 11 Revive

Raise The GnarAug 4, 20141 votes

I do know what you mean Kappa XP

PatrocIusAug 1, 20142 votes

Ahri

oWTzn8bdRhAug 1, 20141 votes

that is, let me get this just because it is using AHRI buffed? if not increase as written in a comment damage Globe 0:25% WOOOW you could not shoving the lane ahahahaahh, and decrease the mana of q 20 at all levels, but in the end you need less then 20 mana if you buy the grail and take the blue buff? I speak from main AHRI my first champ since I bought the game I'm game had to pick the 5% rate in other words you do not even know who he was and it was perfect AHRI before the buff did not need it and we shottavi the same time and increased by 8% pick rate for a q buffata? xD So if buffavano the ulti which became the most widely used mid more? and then do I see the fail with AHRI in lcs absurd even in high diamon also

BomberjackAug 1, 20149 votes

That's why you're Silver 4, oh almighty Ahri God,please teach us.

WangZiAug 17, 20143 votes

Not trying to back him up or anything, apart from the guy's cs on ahri, he's actually a pretty good ahri player.

warpedmindAug 1, 20145 votes

i get a headache if i read your comment, jeez

Fox Queen AhriAug 1, 201427 votes

I'm sorry but I spent about 5 minutes trying to figure out wth you were saying and I couldn't do it, I would suggest you know making it so you don't have to be an English Major to figure out your rant.

FWpzwQZsKwAug 1, 20143 votes

Those Ahri players are highly professional and a million times better than some random S4

Nisam NormalanAug 1, 20143 votes

whos your eng teacher...show him/her that and iam sure u wont pass eng next semester

Nova BladiusAug 20, 20145 votes

-Who's -English -teacher, -I am -you -won't
-English -semester.

D- See me after class.

LamirpAug 2, 20142 votes

You bought the game and your first champion was Ahri? How long did you leave it on the shelf?

KujouJAug 2, 20142 votes

I'm guessing your thought process is quite low. Ahri is an assassin but also cost mana. Before the patch of Ahri's Q I used to run 9 yellow flat mana regen so I could harass rather than shove. You aren't assured an easy charm in lane since her E is most of the time the only way to secure kills. Q - Orb of Deception COST 70/75/80/85/90 mana ⇒ 55/60/65/70/75 mana ABILITY POWER RATIO 0.325 (total: 0.65) ⇒ 0.35 (total: 0.7) Doesn't really matter how the AP spike but to me free buffs are nice.

Child VaccinesAug 2, 20142 votes

tl;dr i got summoner 3 with the first word

jingerbunsAug 3, 20142 votes

I bet your Ahri skills are just as bad as your English.

jingerbunsAug 3, 20142 votes

Also, how can you "buy" the game when the game is free to play?

Devoid of LightAug 9, 20141 votes

I looked at his stats they arent even that bad tbh, but he is still silver V and talking about fails in high diamond..

HugeRenektionAug 19, 20142 votes

Your english is bad and you should feel bad.

Heavystorm13Aug 1, 20141 votes

8=====D

KinGastonAug 1, 20141 votes

op! :D

Domestic DingoAug 3, 20141 votes

rito: assassins are too strong > nerfs all the mid assassins rito: ahri isn't strong enough > buffs

that's a real healthy balance philosophy

DrNovaMay 10, 20151 votes

Ahri is far from an assasin. You can 100-0 anybody, except maybe late game. You whittle down with the orb and maybe a charm or two till you get them low then finish them off.

If asassin, then slowest asassin ever.

midoriiAug 4, 20141 votes

I came here expecting sweet videos of awesome ahri play. They missed nearly all their charms..

HERECOMESTHEBUSAug 7, 20141 votes

God dammit now i wanna get ahri. TOO MANY CHAMPS TO CHOOSE!!!!!!

erzogdragonier25Aug 9, 20141 votes

i Love my Ahri w

RylothAug 30, 20141 votes

I thought there would be information we hadn't already all considered. We already know how her abilities work and that she has a good escape tool. Maybe that's my bad, I dunno. Pointless read. Sorry.

KatIoIIIaSep 12, 20161 votes

Hello everyone, first of all, i am sorry for my low English :/ Bad english teacher -- You know ! :D

Anyway, i want to speak about Ahri. This text is for people, who didnt buy Ahri yet and they are thinking about it.

I am new play of LoL, i am playing it maybe 6 weeks, but still, i got some experinces with Ahri. I started playing with Ashe, who didnt fit me. I tryed some champions, but NOONE was fitting me, i was noob with everything. Then i tryed Lux and i have fallen in love. She is not hard to play and shes good. But, after 1 week , i wasnt able take her again, so, i have to buy her.. I needed other champion so i have chosed Morgana. Shes cheap and i can say, that shes fucking epic. I recommend her so much :D Anyway, i got moneys on Lux but then i saw Ahri and i have fallen in love with her... She is just beatifull champion. But, i wasnt sure, if i will be good with her... Anyway, i risked it. After 2 minutes playing with her and spent 4800 i was sure, that it was good move.

Playstyle is easy with her and combos are also good. Shes very mobile and dont feel as " heavy " champion.Shes lithe and insidious. Every her spell is very good. Let me expalin.

• Orb of Deception is good spell. I rly love it. Its good for farming minions and do high DMG. Also, it goes to enemy and then it comes back. makes 2 types of dmg - normal one and magic one. Also, this magic is penetrating everything in the range, so, you can farm minions and while it attacking enemy champions. Also, when your passive is ready, you are healing yourself, its also great

• Fox-Fire is good for combos. Against minions, its not good. But when you are in fight, you trow Orb of Deception and after it push Fox-Fire, wich is automically shotting enemy champion. Good thing is, that you make everything fast. In 1 seconds, you push all the spells and enemy is in shock. Then, you can run away or fight till the end.

• Charm is next lovely spell. It slow enemy and makes him go to you. Its rly %%%%y. Its very good for combo. Charm - orb of deception - fox fire... After it, enemy champion is allmost dead. Its not the most OP spell in this categori. For example Blitzkrank has even more spell as it, but... still its very usefull :P

• Spirit Rush is fucking GOLD spell. You can use it as attack or as defend.... It makes you do 3 sprint, and while it its shotting automically magic DMG to near champion. IT allways helped me, when its loeaded. When you fight with enemy, and hes missing maybe 200 HP, and running away, (we all know it ) you ON spirit rush and you are in second next him, + it makes dmg to him + you can use charm and do your combo again. When its 3 v 1 and you need run, but they are faster, you can use this spell for run away and save yourself.

I love her, i cant play other champion cuz i allways say " Ahri is way better ". But its just my opinion. Please, i am not challenger or some PRO.

If you want to know, how to build ahri, get some tips about runs masteries or whatever, i RLY reccomend this page :

http://www.mobafire.com/league-of-legends/build/tell-me-a-secret-super-in-depth-ahri-guide-409690

Have a nice day, KatIoIIIa