Is Diana better as a bruiser or an assassin?

aperson1·Dec 13, 2014·1 votes·1,748 views

I was wondering how the majority of Diana players like to play her. It seems you can play her one of two ways: either build tanky AP items such as , , and , and be a tanky disruptor in the midst of a fight with W and E, or buy stuff like and and burst down whatever unfortunate squishy you landed your QWRR combo on.

I don't know which one is better or more fun so I made this poll. Which is better?

8 Comments

cshakesDec 13, 20142 votes

Jungle Diana builds a Devourer. The Jungler's budget isn't large enough to support an assassin, so an AS-AP bruiser is what Diana Jungle should be (think Kayle, except melee).

Blue Collar BearDec 13, 20142 votes

I agree with the previous poster who says it depends on composition. Both ways work very well, because you'd build Zhonya's eiter way. You initiate and do your combo and survive with Zhonya.

AlljoyDec 13, 20141 votes

I think it really depends on your team composition and what you're up against.

GigahappytownDec 13, 20141 votes

assassin get fed or die trying

ult into enemy team kill carry die

CrimsonRakanDec 13, 20141 votes

Both

CrimsonRakanDec 13, 20141 votes

I main her, pulled off a game yesterday with 24/4/5

Here is my build item 3027 item 3006 item 3089 item 3115 item 3110 item 3091

Arkara73Dec 13, 20141 votes

Always better as a Bruiser. She is so good at getting to the backline and, although nerfed, her E is perfect for disruption. Even if you do build Bruiser she actually still has a lot of damage. You can assassinate carries and still be a pretty good bruiser. A bruiser build that I like for Diana is: item 3020 item 3001 item 3157 item 3116 item 3027

Good last items: item 3102 item 3026 item 3100 item 3115 item 3023 (very underrated item)

You don't have to necessarily get the core items in that order those are just the items I like to build on her.

iainB85Dec 13, 20141 votes

I think it's a little mix of the two. I just can't see any reason not to start item 3157 item 3001 every game on Diana. This gives her high enough AP and MPEN to wreck the enemy ADC, enough resistances (which give her way more effective HP with her double shielding mechanic than building HP does) to be pretty hard to focus down, and of course the Zhonyas active.

AFTER these two items the debate really starts in my mind. Two common item recommendations I tell people to avoid are item 3116 and item 3027 . Reason being, as explained above, Diana scales very well with resistances due to her shielding mechanic, and these items you are paying a huge fee for HP instead. The Rylai's slow on Diana's Q is OK but considering if you land your Q you have double jump to them already I don't see it being worth the cost.

Good follow up items to me are item 3135 item 3089 item 3128 item 3023 item 3100 item 3026 depending on enemy resistances and how hard you are being focused.

The last item of debate on Diana is always item 3115 . I personally would only get this on Diana if I am playing her in jungle, and all my lanes are doing well so all I need to do is farm quickly. For team fights I feel Diana with higher AP and resistances with Zhonyas active is just so much more useful as she is excellent at taking a lot of damage while still executing enemy APC / ADC's. If you go the Nashor's route you are relying on them not focusing you down to do your damage, which isn't going to happen in any skilled games IMO.