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Which hydra on Olaf?

doubleguac·3/26/2016, 7:13:59 PM·2 votes·2,269 views

Hey all,

I play a lot of Olaf. I've been trying to figure out how to itemize him after the recent titanic nerf. I was curious to hear other opinions.

I used to get Titanic pretty much every game as a third or fourth item (usually BC -> deadman's plate -> an MR item or Titanic). It gave an insane amount of burst with the active. I could usually kill squishies with 1-2 undertows, an E, and then an auto/active. The nerfs seem pretty substantial, and I'm not sure if it's the best option anymore.

Ravenous looks really good on paper, especially paired with the new warlords bloodlust. But honestly, in team fights, I feel like I don't actually spend a lot of time standing still autoing someone. If I'm trying to dive a squishy in a 5v5 team fight, most of my damage is going to come from undertow. I've tried RH a couple games now. It feels like the only time the lifesteal really comes into play in a big way is when I'm dueling another tank/bruiser, which isn't really my job in team fights. I am also noticeably squishier with Ravenous Hydra. And I already feel squishier this season, since everyone is dealing so much more damage.

I could also get neither of them, obviously.

Death's dance is kind of a funny option. The CDR would be nice nice, and the passive would let me heal off of axes, which sounds great. But then I lose wave clear, which hurts my split pushing.

I feel like the best option is honestly just getting neither and pretty much building tank after BC. Or getting titanic as a last item, when I already have a ton of health. But maybe that relegates me more to just zoning carries in team fights, instead of actually murdering them, which doesn't sound like as much fun. And honestly, at my level of play, teams tend to be not so great at focusing, so I feel like I can get away with being a little squishier than I could in a high level game.

Anyways, I'd be grateful to hear any insights from other olaf players.

3 Comments

redniwediS3/26/2016, 7:44:02 PM3 votes

It depends on what role you want to fill.

Do you want to be the guy who, once a teamfight starts, rushes past the enemy front line at max speed and murders the enemy team's most important damage dealer? If so go Titanic and build some tankyness.

Do you want to be the split push/jungle roamer who is next to impossible to kill in most 1v2 situations, and some 1v3s? If so go with Ravenous and get a Bloodthirster or Deaths Dance (or if you're feeling lucky both) to boot.

They both fit really well into different playstyles. They do allow you to do some of what the other offers, but not to the same extent. A full build around Ravenous won't survive as long when diving head first into the full enemy team, for instance, and Titanic offers less sustain for those 1v2 and 1v3 situations.

Jbels3/26/2016, 7:20:27 PM1 votes

Ravenous, for the sheer lifesteal it gives. In a 1v1, Olaf is a monstrous sustainer

SaltyKracka3/26/2016, 8:10:17 PM1 votes

Neither, honestly.