How to make Diana a Fighter? - Part 2

Hi All,

So as discussed in my last post I've been discussing a lot ways to fix the overall problem with AP fighters (ALL of them not just Diana) lacking itemization. If you haven't already seen it I gave a few ideas on how to improve Diana to allow her to make use of a more tanky build so please look at this as well as much of the below won't make sense without it! (https://www.reddit.com/r/DianaMains/comments/ac6eju/how_to_make_diana_a_fighter_part_1/)

So looking at items for AP fighters the main thing that is missing is scaling through tanky stats. Ify ou look at fighters that scale off both AP and AD you will find they always build AD because of this thanks to items like Steraks, Titanic Hydra, Trinity Force and Black Cleaver. Each of these items allow them to build into tanky stats without missing out on damage scaling. Here's a quick breakdown of these:

Steraks: Bonus AD based on Base AD (which grows each level) and a shield that grows based on Bonus HP.

Titanic Hydra: Bonus on hit AOE damage based on HP

Trinity Force: On hit that scales of Base AD (which grows each level)

Black Cleaver: Armour Shred that works on a % basis making it stronger as the game goes on.

AD also benefit from some fundamental building blocks for these items that AP do not have access to. Due to this I have created two fundamentals to allow for this. These are:

> Component#1 (1500) > > Ruby Crystal (400) + Amp Tome (435) + 465 > 25AP > > 200HP > > +50% Base HP Regen > > Passive – Killing a unit grants 1 AP and 5 maximum HP stacking up to 20 times (20AP and 100HP)

This is basically an AP Jaurim's Fist. It gives a little extra in the way of scaling but costs a little more to allow for this.

> Component#2 (1250) > > Amp Tome (435) + Ruby Crystal (400) + 415 > > 30AP > > 200HP > > 10% CDR > > Unique Passive – Blur: Basic Attacks Increase Movement speed by 10% for 1 second

This is an AP version of Phage. It gives CDR as this is more important to AP than AD (No AA reset) but pays for this with a shorter duration and less power in the movement speed buff passive.

So with those out of the way, here are the items themselves. The names are not important, so please don't bother mentioning them (my discord had great fun with them xD), only the benefits that each could give AP fighters are important. NOTE: This is NOT means as a “lets build all of these” anymore than you see AD fighters build ALL of the above AD items. I've simply attempted to give a good balance of AP fighter items to suite the variety of champions that could make use of them.

> Moonflair Mantle (3300) (Melee Only) > > Component#1 (1500) + Seekers Armguard (1100) + 600 > > 70AP > > 400HP > > 45 Armour > > +75% Base HP Regen > > Unique Passive: Lifeline - Upon taking at least 400 to 1000 damage (based on level) within 5 seconds, gain a shield for 50% of your bonus Health. After 0.75 seconds the shield decays over 3 seconds healing you for 20% of the remaining shield every second. (60 second CD).

Here we have a Steraks/Maw style item for AP. It grants some tanky stats, a bit of extra damage in the form of AP (No where near as much AD as is gained by steraks btw xD), and also offers some sustain. The lower shielding is to allow for the healing it gives (actually works out about the same when you do the maths), and the increased cost with a lower HP and AP allow for the armour and HP regen.

> Furies Edge (3200) > > Recurve Bow (1000) + Component#2 (1250) + 950 > > 60AP > > 350 HP > > 35% Attack Speed > > 10%/20% CDR > > Unqiue Passive: Dissolve - Magic damage reduces the targets Magic Resistance by 5% (Stacking 6 times for a Maximum of 30%) and grant + 10% bonus movement speed for 1 second

This is a sort of Black Cleaver, Witts End style item. It allows for reducing MR while also increasing your movement speed making it harder for targets to escape. There isn't anything “bursty” about this item but on the likes of an attack speed focused Diana, a Jax, or a Shyvana this could be very viable. Not sure whether to go 20% CDR or just 10% so let me know what you think.

> Abyssal Blade (3400) > > Sheen (1050) + Catalyst of Eons (1100) + Blasting Wand (850) + 400 > > 50 AP > > 350 HP > > 600 Mana > > 20% CDR > > UNIQUE Passive – Eternity: 15% of damage taken from champions is gained as Mana. Spending Mana restores 20% of the cost as Health, up to 40 per spell cast. > > UNIQUE Passive – Spellblade: After using an ability, the next basic attack deals 50% Base Attack Damage (+50% of Ability Power) bonus magic damage on hit and heals for 2.5% of your bonus HP (1.5 second cooldown).

This is something I've loved the idea of for a while. It's not Trinity Force. It's not Lichbane. Its a true AP Fighter Sheen item. With a high cost it's likely to be more of a rush item, and the Spellblade passive will likely only do 200-300 damage full build (similar to Trinity Force) unlike it's AP counterpart, but in a world without spellvamp this item gives a fair amount of sustain without having to go Gunblade or DD. 5% of your bonus HP at full build, say 2k bonus HP, is only 100 HP so it's not a disgustingly high amount, but a sustained build could make use out of this and the combination of eternity and this version of Spellblade could offer some great sustain (especially with Runes and Spirit Visage!)

> Spear of Corruption (3100) > > Haunting Guise (1500) + Recurve Bow (1100) + 600 > 60AP > > 35% Attack Speed > > 400 HP > > Unique Passive: Madness - Deal 2% more damage for each second in combat with champions (10% maximum). > > Unique Passive: Cleave - Basic attacks deal 5% of your bonus hp (+10% AP) as on hit damage to targets in front of you.

Ok so you guys were probably waiting for this one. This is the “titanic” of AP. It's “range” is the same as Diana's cleave, so sorry for anyone who expected more. BUT, it gives her damage scaling from her bonus HP.

So now lets talk about the elephant in the room.

“Loki, why would we want this? I like Assassin Diana!”

I've heard a few people mention how much they love Diana as an Assassin, and I'm happy for you guys, I really am. I know Diana might have been designed as a fighter but she's not ended up that way for a while and a lot of people are fine with that, and some even prefer it.

But go play AP Irelia for a minute. She 1 shots too with a lichbane and some AP. She has a stun, she has mobility, and she also dies slower when the enemy team collapses on her. She can make full use of Gunblade, DD, and all manner of other items that Diana can't. She has a higher skill level but it's still worth!

I'm not trying to say Diana can't, or shouldn't be ABLE to be played as an assassin, I'm saying that there should also be fighter equivalent builds and items available, which currently there isn't.

Remember: It's not just Diana. Morde builds as a mage, Irelia, Shyvana and Jax HAVE to be AD or give up being fighters, and few people even realize that Elise was also meant to be an AP fighter.

Anywho, enough rant. This is my take on AP fighter items, and I hope you all like them :)

-- Loki --