In my opinion its a weak item. In paper it looks good, but when you get to use it, its quite lackluster. Atleast thats what I think. I think it should either: Heal more, grant healing from damaging more sources or be able to heal yourself too, one of these but not two nor all of them.
Once again its MY OPINION. Anyone who thinks a bit similarly?
Gosh Darn21 votesThe problem is that the only champions who could possibly want it are already oozing CDR out the asshole. How the hell are we supposed to justify buying 20% CDR when these items exist and are superior to Athene's? 
MrWasjig4 votesI think you've hit the nail squarely on the head. Athene's is simply outclassed, and therein lies it's problem. On top of trying to occupy a far too similar space as superior items with no allure to justify it's purchase.
GuardAbuse7 votesCompletely agree. I main Janna and why build that when I can get a dank active from mikael's and a nice attack speed passive on ardent. I don't even build it on Nami who can actually get enough dmg to make the heal substantial.
MrWasjig1 votesIndeed, I was going to say that even Ardent is a better choice. Which assumes Ardent is "meh" at best, but actually it's pretty good having looked over it's stats. In short, Athene's needs to be changed....again xP
Owyn2 votesI prefer Athene over Morello cuz of mana income and some m.res [slayer-jinx-catface]
Mr Fidori3 votesI like Athenes on Sona a lot for the regen. Plus it's so easy to get the extra healing from it because she naturally does damage easily.
LankPants1 votesPersonally I like Lichbane on Sona. It's probably not the best item, but it's the funnest for sure.
Mr Fidori3 votesDude I build it.
1000angrybees1 votes(Windspeakers Blessing) 
and then whatever item fits my needs.
:^)
Mr Fidori1 votesHell yeah.
1000angrybees1 votesGlass Cannon healer for 500+ HP late game is pretty damn good. And I can't get focused because I'm too speedy. AP Healer sona is literally the best build.
Tobias Brackner1 votesNone of those items heal.
Gosh Darn1 votesHuh? Mikael's and censer have 15% increased healing and Mikael's and Locket have an active heal. The heal on Athene's is pretty low and requires tons of poking. Sona is one of the only champions who can really get the most of it but she goes over 40% CDR even without Athene's.
Sohleks8 votesIt has a low cost though. Attempt to keep it accessible for supports. But it ends up underwhelming for most champions especially with the damage requirement.
Maybe if locket was gone it'd be more useful though.
Hinagiku331 votesWell there was a Red post just the other day that Riot is looking to remove or rework Locket in pre-season...
Handy Sandy 5 votesIt's a good item for sustain on mana hungry champions going against another AP midlaner (
) since it offers some defense and sustain for them if your jungler doesn't give you blue buff or anything
edit: when you get downvoted for something that isnt toxic XDDD
SleepyWolfie14 votesIt's a good item for sustain on mana hungry champions going against another AP midlaner (
Thing is, i tried to use it in different opportunities with Orianna, I tried to use it on situations in which i felt useless and got destroyed in lane. Aaaand the results weren´t good. So its limited to supports, imo.
DraygenBiscuit6 votesThing is, i tried to use it in different opportunities with Orianna, I tried to use it on situations in which i felt useless and got destroyed in lane. Aaaand the results weren´t good. So its limited to supports, imo.
Tbh even on sup most times its a waste of money. Its only good as like a first item, but I wouldn't even consider it unless the price was lowered. Id rather have
crippler381 votesdoes that stack with ?
Poske2 votesyes
XeroKimo1 votesI thought the already nerfed it and turned it into a unique passive
NineTailedMystic1 votesThey made it so it doesn't stack with the same item meaning you can't buy 6 ardent censors for 60%, but you can buy both mikaels and ardent for 20%
Tobias Brackner1 votesDo you have math to back that up?
You could have just gotten your teeth kicked in by a better player.
chipndip19 votesIf I get one more shitty mid laner building this shit I'm going to scream.
The Boring Nerd1 votesIt's a good item for sustain on mana hungry champions going against another AP midlaner (
I don't really think Ori needs that anymore, she's not as mana hungry as before.
Poske2 voteswhat because her ultimate costs 25 less mana XDDD?
Hibeki3 votesGood riddance. Athenes used to be universally broken before rework.
If you bought Athenes, you had 20% cdr, a huge chunk of AP, were basically manaless, got mana on takedown, AND built resistance against the laner.
I'd rather not see it come back.
Bisaknosp6 votesit had 60 ap?? thats not a 'huge chunk'
MagosAmphrose1 votesMaybe a bit of an overexaggeration, but 60 AP's pretty good when you're also getting basically unlimited mana, MR, and 20% CDR for about 2400 g (forgot how much it was pre-rework, 2400g seems close though). That's more cost efficient than Rylai's is right now
Abyssphere1 votesIt was 2700g.
Herbal Kent3 votes[deleted]
Gosh Darn1 votesThis is the only solution. It's 20% CDR was fantastic when mid laners chose Morello's or Athene's and CDR was difficult to get on mid laners. Now that supports are just bleeding CDR and it's easy to get 40% CDR even as a mid laner, there's no reason for it to give 20% CDR.
Naenia2 votesI used to always buy Athene's before they changed it; back when it would refresh a certain amount of mana on kills/assists. Now, I use Morellenomicon (or whatever it's called lol. Don't feel like looking it up). I don't really like Athenes now either.
DraygenBiscuit5 votesI used to always buy Athene's before they changed it; back when it would refresh a certain amount of mana on kills/assists. Now, I use Morellenomicon (or whatever it's called lol. Don't feel like looking it up). I don't really like Athenes now either.
Pstt if you don't know how to spell it, just us pictures
Naenia2 votesTrue that.
Dengeden2 votesIt's the cheapest 20% CDR item out there, that's something. I also think any item with health regen deserves to be in a weak spot because of how little counterplay the stat has.
Pika Fox2 votesChange it from gaining charge via damage dealt to distance walked similar to shiv/ludens?
chipndip11 votesHere's the thing: The thing is pretty crap on most champs, save like...
specifically.
Problem 1: It's too weak to buy for mid lane now. Some stupid ORIANNA buying it, or some Lux, or whatever, using it for the healing thing is a waste. You're there for damage dealing, not shields and heals. It's a waste of dough because you aren't buying for what you're meant to do.
Problem 2: You need to do damage to make it work. Issue here is that all the damn damage items of merit are mid laner oriented picks that cost like 3.2k or whatever. Supports have nothing outside of Athene's, FQC, Ardent, Banner, and EotW tailored to them, so getting the damage to stack the item well enough for the heal to do much is rather difficult. Sure, it's pre-mitigated damage, but you're still getting like...80 a Karma Q or so. Sona bypasses this issue because, when she uses her Q, she has multiple sources of damage coming out in one shot, so the Q, the AA, the FQC line damage passive, and the powerchord all stack the grail, so with an Ardent + Grail + EotW, you can get a decent bit of healing off the next W. For literally anyone else this item is either shit or lackluster depending.
TO BAD NO ONE CARES THOUGH!
[slayer-jinx-catface] [slayer-jinx-wink]
Handy Sandy 1 votesHere's the thing: The thing is pretty crap on most champs, save like...
Problem 1: It's too weak to buy for mid lane now. Some stupid ORIANNA buying it, or some Lux, or whatever, using it for the healing thing is a waste. You're there for damage dealing, not shields and heals. It's a waste of dough because you aren't buying for what you're meant to do.
Actually idk about lux, but in fights orianna is supposed to shield her allies to keep them alive longer while her burst is on cooldown
Qiy4na1 votesathenes doesn't work on orianna or lux as an optimal item for midlane
Aeszarck2 votesathenes doesn't work on orianna or lux as an optimal item for midlane
It's not optimal if the champion is trying to carry, but it could be a decent fallback option since it's cheap and provides magic resist, especially if there is another heavy AP damage dealer on the team.
Qiy4na1 votesIt would be much better to just get an abyssal scepter in that case
Aeszarck1 votesIt would be much better to just get an abyssal scepter in that case
Well, Lux and Orianna do not really get close enough to make use of Abyssal Scepter's aura. Lulu, another middle laner with a shield, outranges the aura as well with Glitterlance. Karma on the other hand does stay within Abyssal Scepter's range frequently so that she can cast her Focused Resolve, so Abyssal Scepter might make more sense on her. Abyssal Scepter costs 500 more than Athene's Unholy Grail and provides no mana regeneration. If a Lux, Lulu, or Orianna is doing really poorly in lane, she might not need the magic damage and instead opt in for the magic regeneration, addtional lane safety with the magic resist, and mediocre damage. She can then transition to a more supportive role with the Blood Charges passive. This works well if there is an AP top such as Rumble, Maokai, or Ryze and/or an AP jungler such as Diana, Cho'Gath, or Evelynn, since the other team member(s) can still deal decent AP damage despite the middle laner doing little. In other words, Athene's Unholy Grail gives a few specific middle laners defensive stats, regeneration, mediocre ability power, and a passive to allow them to remain useful as a supportive character at an extremely low cost.
chipndip11 votesCan you please stop trying to justify buying support items as an apCARRY? Just grab the more defense-oriented mid lane items. Grabbing Athene's as a mid laner doesn't give enough mr or ap to be worth the price tag for what you should be doing.
Aeszarck1 votesCan you please stop trying to justify buying support items as an apCARRY? Just grab the more defense-oriented mid lane items. Grabbing Athene's as a mid laner doesn't give enough mr or ap to be worth the price tag for what you should be doing.
While one might have picked Lulu, Lux, or Orianna to be the AP carry for the team, if there is another AP champion such as a Diana top, Lissandra top, Elise jungle, or Fiddlesticks jungle, one could forgo the ability power and transition to a supportive role. If the champion gets put behind so far that her damage matters little, then it might be more helpful just to act as a support. Athene's Unholy Grail is ridiculously cheap and while its stats aren't impressive, they are what a champion needs to play from behind.
Jofeyy1 votesI agree.
beats it in every way imo. No point in building it and its too niche to work all the time.
And its not a NERF situation, its just that sucks.
Aeszarck2 votesI agree.
Morellonomicon costs more though, and Athene's Unholy Grail was worked to be better on most AP supports, so it's usefulness to carry mages will be much more limited.
