How well does Spirit Visage and Liandry's work on Swain?

Strawberrycocoa·May 13, 2015·2 votes·2,098 views

I've been taking Swain in a few games lately and remembering how much fun (and murder-y) the old bastard is. Been prioritizing a build of for starts, and also for spamming damage while I run around and chase people (although I dunno about it any earlier than 4th) with and for obvious reasons.

I was reading up Swain builds and two things I see a lot of builds include that I do not use yet are and . I'm unsure about them even though they look good on paper. Liandries would only get bonus damage if I can sic Beatrice on them, all other targets would take the standard damage. SR has no AP and I don't know how I feel about taking an item with no damage on a Mage.

Would like to hear some thoughts.

6 Comments

LifeCyclesTWAMay 13, 20151 votes

Liandrys is popular on Swain His slow + his damage over time spells make amazing use of it. Liandry's passive burn effect resets every time your spells do damage, so your DoTs apply and reapply the effects multiple times throughout the duration. You also have your own slow to enhance the effects yourself.

About Spirit Visage, you cannot do damage if you are dead. Spirit Visage meshes very well with Swain's kit due to the 20% increase in all healing, the defenses it provides, and the CDR.

StrawberrycocoaMay 13, 20153 votes

I remember that saying from WoW: "A dead mage has 0 DPS." XD

ModAcademy KaynMay 13, 20151 votes

Spirit Visage is great. It takes your 75% healed from your ult damage, ramping it up close to 90% of the damage dealt return. So you do 100 damage per crow

100 x 75% healed = 75 75 x 20% healed = +15 Total amount heal = 90

Liandries is kinda situational IMO, if they got some Tanks or health stacking Fighters, grab it. Otherwise you'd be fine without the Pen.

Btw thing about Swain, you're better building more defense items since his Ap ratios are great

IcyPepperMay 13, 20151 votes

SR has no AP and I don't know how I feel about taking an item with no damage on a Mage.

Remember, you don't have to go solely glass cannon damage on a champion (hell, a lot of adc's take GA). I've played Swain, and considering the range of his abilities and his ult, buiding him a little bruiser wouldn't be terrible. Rod of ages, Zhonyas, and Spirit Visage will make him a sustain monster semi-bruiser.

Ice Weasel XMay 13, 20151 votes

Liandry's Torment also gets augmented damage from Swain's Torment (E), not just the movement-impaired bonus from Decrepify (Q) and Nevermove (W). I still haven't used it on him yet, because other items have just always fit my needs more. For normals or early risk matchups in ARAM, I start with item 3027 item 3157 item 3020 item 3001 , then add a item 3065 if I need more MR or a item 3135 if the enemy's going crazy with MR. For low risk early games in ARAM, I get item 3070 before all that and finish with item 3040 .

All of that focuses on increasing ult effectiveness. Liandry's Torment definitely isn't a bad item for him, but I've just never felt the need to grab it.