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Leona Main ... what build works best on her?

CarameI Frappe··1 votes·633 views

I'm a Leona main, and I feel a lot of the current builds on her aren't working out.

Perhaps it's me and how I play her, but before several patches ago, I would be a beast with her as Support. Being tanky, getting my ADC fed, doing good work in helping my team. Now seems like because everyone & their mom does a lot more damage thanks to Riot buffing damage, I feel squishy despite building tank items like: item 3143 item 3742 item 3065 item 3075 item 3083 depending on the match up, with of course having item 2045 item 3190 on me as core items (cause, Support!)

Decided to go with HP runes and Grasp of the Undying Mastery ... I have far more sustain and don't die easily, but I still can't seem to make Leona effective as I used to. So, here's my question: What runes, masteries, and items work very well on her? I looked up MobaFire & LolKing's stuff, but their suggestions just aren't cutting out for me.

I want to win Ranked games with her, but .... can't go in unless I have the perfect build. I need actual feedback from the community itself whom have an understanding of Leona. Please and thank you! Also people will suggest I play Braum or Thresh instead, but I don't want to abandon my main lmao.

23 Comments

Mysticman892 votes

Perfect build is situational. Relic shield->fotm, mobi boots, locket, sightstone are pretty common. Frozen heart can be good. Zekes, randuins, righteous glory, or even mikeals can all be situationally useful. I'm a fan of picking up a zzrot for side lane annoyance and/or stalling games.

Thornmail is rarely a good idea unless they're all AD.

CarameI Frappe1 votes

Someone told me that I should build item 3123 if 3+ people on the enemy team have life steal or hp reg abilities. Should I do this on Leona despite it doesn't seem to fit my role?

Chamuel851 votes

no, you shouldn't. The damage dealers should build that item.

EndlessSorcerer1 votes

I've built Executioner's Calling on Jungle Rammus when the enemy team had sustain-heavy champions since nobody else on my team (with 3 AD laners) was willing to purchase it.

Sometimes, you just have to do what is best for your team when they aren't smart enough to do so.

oSEXYPLATYPUSo1 votes

no. if you have that situation take summoner 14 over summoner 3 you as Leona have enough cc that if you take summoner 14 you arent hurting your peel. and using an early summoner 14 on a target like Soraka or her adc before she heals will reduce the healing effect. also what i find effective at times is running 12-0-18 set up with taking sorcery to increase your damage on Q E and R with EXPOSED WEAKNESS so when you engage on a target and your adc/team follows up not only do they proc your passive for more damage they proc that mastery increasing the damage they do by 3% , natural talent for free ad/ap and the extra ap you get will scale on your abilities and then taking OPPRESSOR ( targets that are slowed, stuned, rooted, movement imparied takes 2.5% more damage) it helps with your burst as well to be come a threat in early game to provide kills in lane.

Mysticman891 votes

The only time I'd build executioners as a support in that scenario is if the adc isn't building it for some reason (in which case it might be a lost cause anyway) and the APC of the team isn't building morellos either. Even then, you're melee, and your abilities do ap damage, and executioners only triggers on physical damage, hence you'd need to be AAing targets to apply wounds which wouldn't be super practical.

Your job is basically to lock down the enemy team, which involves diving into them, hence building as much armour/mr as possible so that you can survive long enough for your carries to proc your passive/murder the cc locked target(s).

oSEXYPLATYPUSo2 votes

item 3025 item 3068 item 2045 item 3069 item 3190 item 3111

Junsui Aoi2 votes

Its impossible to have a set build for any game if you're a support. Just the way it is. However, situationally certain things seem better.

Leona is incredibly strong, there is no reason to abandon her. I would suggest getting eye of the equinox rather than ruby/mountain. It gives you space for more items. This is personal preference and not necessarily a need. If your carry needs a shield and you're good at putting it on them, then by all means build them separately. Gj on the awareness of locket. I hate building it since its a squishy tank item, but it really helps your team. I wouldn't make it core if the enemy is mostly ad though. (maybe just the support and the jungle do ap damage)

What boots do you normally run? If you've dominated early, I like mobi's. If the enemy has a double (triple???) ADC comp, ninja tabi is GREAT. Swifties if they've got slows for days. The usual.

I run strength of the ages on her. This gives me more health without having to build it. I know its not the most popular choice, but its nice to have that little beef.

Bashee's vs Spirit: If you're initiating and they have good cc, I like banshee's more. If you're playing the peel game, I prefer spirit visage. Get both if their only ad is the adc. (unless the adc is the only one fed, but even then)

I love deadman. Mmm, that speed up and the proc on leo? Beautiful. Randuin's? Are you paying attention to the enemy when you buy this? There are a lot of things with armor, this is best if they have Yas, Tryn, maybe Cait/Jinx for the crits. You only really want it if the enemy is getting lots of crits. Frozen heart is good vs jinx, cait, ashe, jhin even. You lower the attack speed (which lowers jhins damage). Thornmail is only really my go to if the adc is stupid fed or if the enemy team is high auto attack ad. Warmogs is RARE. That's basically me saying, I'ma be spoiled this game and buy me this baby. A health item with armor or mr would be a better substitute.

Lets talk Zz'Rot. Its great. Gives you resistances to both sides. Annnnd it gives you the one thing you never get as a support: wave control. It also helps you seige turrets.

Sunfire cape is another good armor item and good if you're diving constantly, just don't stack sunfire with mobis. (I've done it by accident so many times)

Iceborn guantlets are fun too, but that's also a I'ma be spoiled item. Great if your team needs a little extra cc atop all the cc you already give.

So basically....you can build anything :D but you need to be aware of what the enemy team is, what they are building, and who's getting fed. What's going to be an issue late game, who's coming up on a power spike, what does my team need to help protect them better. Support is a mother, and it doesn't matter what tank you pick, its the same story every time.

Btw: all support tanks are squishy unless you get fed in lane. You have the least gold so its hard to keep up in items to stay ahead of the carries.

CarameI Frappe1 votes

Since you seem very wise, and I like all the details you wrote ... I'll tell you my main build for most games:

Quintessence: +2.7 health regen / 5 sec. (x3) Glyph Runes: +0.7 armor (x9) Seal Runes: +0.11 health regen / 5 sec. per level (x6) and +0.56 health regen / 5 sec. (x3) Mark Runes: +0.91 armor (x9)

**Common Build: **item 2303 item 3117 item 3190 item 3065 item 3742 item 3083 Situational: item 3075 item 3143 item 3102 item 3068 item 3026

What I rarely use for some reason: item 3009 item 3401 item 3047 item 3512 item 3050 item 3069 item 3800 item 3025

I read everything you said, but I feel like if I gave you what I actually use ... you could really pick at what I can improve on / change. Thank you for your kind assistance.

[slayer-pantheon-thumbs]

Junsui Aoi2 votes

I wouldn't use health regen on runes as they will only help you between fights rather than during. If she's your main and you can, try to have 2-3 rune pages just for tanking. One focuses on balance, one armor, and one MR.

A basic one would be: Quints: Armor Glyphs: Scaling MR - each rune type is better at certain things than others, so armor on here is a bit of a waste since you get that much more MR. Seals: Scaling health Marks: Flat AD

Flat armor is good because you need it early vs the adc, where as everything else can be scaling because once you pass level 6 you're getting more bang for your buck.

And the marks. I'm sure that looks weird but its my favorite because it gives great early pressure. You're doing way more damage in the first 10-15 minutes of the game because of it. And like I said, runes have primaries and secondaries. Playing on the primaries gives you more stats. You can also do hybrid penetration, which will let your spells and aa's both do a little extra.

Remember, a lot of this is playing to the strength of what Leo is:_ she's the boss of the early game and one of the biggest bullies in the bot lane_. You need early armor to back her up early, and the extra AD just makes her a bigger bully during the time when she has the biggest impact. Yes, she will be strong past laning, but if you can snowball your adc in the first 10-20 minutes, you've made this a very different game.

So here is where you see the changes: Your runes: +0 Health, +14.49 armor, +0 MR, +9.78 hp5, +11.88 hp5 @ 18 Basic runes: +216 Health @ 18, +12.78 armor , +12.06 MR @ 18, +0 hp5

You gain a lot of health, lost 2 points in armor, gain 12 in MR, and gave up the regen, which comes with spirit visage regardless (and hopefully ocean drake).

Your basic build seems pretty spot on already, I might just say don't consider aegis to be core. You can delay it for a more tanky item if needed. (this is solo queue, not the pro-scene) I would still rather trade out warmogs for something like zz'rot, banshee's, or randuins. And heck, you could even delay sightstone if you'd rather be a little more beefy.** Zz'Rot is just so good at wave control, and banshee's/randuins would give you health AND resistances, so that your health lasts longer.

**Please buy a vision ward instead and don't swap to red trinket 'til after sightstone. This is also ill-advised if you notice your adc doesn't know what a trinket is.

CarameI Frappe1 votes

Thanks SO much for your feedback! I will try as you advised and report how it goes! Thank you again!! But seriously, great feedback. Also other people- despite differences here and there, have similar tips like you suggested so it's definitely going on me 'to do' list for builds.

[slayer-pantheon-thumbs] [slayer-pantheon-thumbs]

CarameI Frappe1 votes

Seems like it's working out pretty well, 3 wins and 1 loss which was close.

http://i.imgur.com/HfrwOsk.png

Your recommendation is surely amazing, and the other tips people gave me really sufficed with my Leona plays. Thank you guys, seems like i'm really getting into the groove with this new path I took with Leona!!

[zombie-nunu-hearts]

Junsui Aoi2 votes

Aw, I'm really glad to hear that! Keep it up buddy :)

CarameI Frappe1 votes

http://i.imgur.com/hzvOQWv.png

... Maybe your advise was too good hahahaha.

Junsui Aoi1 votes

Eyyyy :D and to plat you go right? ;D

CarameI Frappe1 votes

At Gold II with 20 LP, plus 2 more wins in Normals using Leona.

So perhaps, yea. I just might with her! Thank you yet again sir :)

Junsui Aoi1 votes

my pleasure :D I'm still over here floundering at gold 5 lol

OPHz1 votes

item 3087 item 3071 item 3053 item 3157 item 3074 item 3020

this will work wonders

Reikken1 votes

Trade the cleaver for triforce and the sorcs for mercs/tabi and that's actually a workable build.

jaymc11301 votes

Where do you play her?

You know what, doesn't matter.

Build this: item 3068 item 3057 .

Then whatever else you want. It really won't matter after that.

https://i.gyazo.com/cb3841ea66ebac328f204d1e93ecba8c.png

WEEEEEEEE!

zlumpy1 votes

Some games I enjoy a nice IBG sunfire combo.

zlumpy1 votes

Also I know this sounds crazy but if you can manage in early game without the usual summoners smite is kinda fun. You get the option to add more hp and have sunfire plus you get even more on demand cc for peel/engage or red smite to help against someone doing lots of damage. Best part is you are already located very close to drag so now you can double smite for fast clears, steal dragons semi reliably with engage stun on enemy jungle and smite steal, and it allows your jungler to smite other camps for buffs more without feeling like they are screwing their team out of dragons/voids

RogueWill1 votes

item 3068 is pretty solid on leona as first item

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