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Why is Statikk Shiv on Varus a thing?

TheDycer·6/29/2016, 6:31:01 PM·1 votes·1,819 views

Lately I have seen more Varus being played in bot lane in both my games and in streams/videos, and I didn't understand why people were building shiv early. I then decided to check a couple of websites and I see the same Essence Reaver into Statikk Shiv build. I just want to know why this is so popular?

The couple times I decided to pick Varus as ADC was into MF to shut her down early with the massive Ghostblade power spike he has. When I told someone that I find the most success with him was Ghostblade into Reaver I was told that build was trash because it has no passive attack speed. I still don't understand this because Ghostblade active gives you enough attack speed to win early engages if your Q doesn't just do it for you.

Finally, why build the Zeal item that just doesn't seem ideal? Runaan's Hurricane applies your blight stacks in AoE while giving you more stats for the same price and Phantom Dancer just gives more stats at the same price point. I really wouldn't use Phantom Dancer, but it is still better than Shiv in my opinion.

I personally love playing Varus, and if I can justify using him in a game (mid or bot), I pick him because I feel he is in a good spot if you know how to use him. I am just dumbfounded with the way most people are choosing to build him right now and somehow maintain a 50%+ win rate platinum.

I know I am Silver, but my core build for ADC Varus is Ghostblade, Greaves, Reaver, and Infinity Edge and I find that most effective. Optional items are Hurricane, Bloodthirster, Rage Blade, and the last whisper items. If I get Hurricane, I tend to build it before IE.

TL;DR: Why build Shiv on Varus when there are better choices to fill that slot?

9 Comments

xBushx6/29/2016, 6:45:45 PM2 votes

I would say it is due to the Upfront additional burst and the MS boost is nice too.

However, if you just go armor PEN AND dmg items, AS Runes. 1 Q will half health a squishy.

IMO Varus is extremely team comp oriented. He is best used in an artillery/siege comp. Since his Q is devastating. And his Ult is Amazing for Peel.

Doctor Jarvis6/29/2016, 7:08:25 PM2 votes

Because of the awesome wave clear (literally just one Q and an auto takes out most waves) and increased damage. Runaan's is COOL on Varus, but your ultimate is applying Blight stacks in an AoE anyway, and you should never be close enough for Phantom Dancer's passive to matter.

Succubús GF6/29/2016, 6:40:10 PM1 votes

I mean, imo, the people that told you it was trash, well, it isn't, but both items equally do their jobs and it's a matter of preference honestly

Alutrosity6/29/2016, 6:41:37 PM1 votes

Raw damage is what Varus excels at doing and statik shiv helps to increase his burst. Essence reaver allows him to spam his spells more often which means more blight stack procs. If you build runaans you lose the burst and with ghostblade's increased price cost, which you're probably going to sell anyway if the enemy gets too tanky, it becomes sort of a risky purchase.

khorney6/29/2016, 7:07:07 PM1 votes

it depends on what build ur doing . ghost blade isn't a adc build on him that's more of a caster varus build. adc varus is usually essence reaver static/or rapid fire cannon, runaans if and lord dom and sure u can ff boots for another item

Heatblazer4137/23/2016, 5:24:46 PM1 votes

I think it honestly depends what type of varus do you want to build you can build poke heavy or more of an attack speed traditional add build