Boards›Gameplay

I suck with Poppy.

Ralanr··6 votes·1,401 views

So I've been trying to relearn Poppy top (I'm actually rank 6 on her. Don't feel it at all) and I've been really struggling to play her in lane. Often I find myself dying in trades because I lack sustain or damage to really survive or outrade my opponents.

To put it in perspective, I often lose against Nasus in lane (I know he outscales me, but I can never seem to put enough pressure on him early to deny him farm).

So yesterday I decided to try a more assassin mastery set up (12/18/0 TLD) instead of my usual tank masteries for her (0/12/18 Grasp).

And I have to ask, why does this work? Granted I've only gotten to try it once (and because I was with friends who wanted to smurf, I didn't fight a max level player), but almost every guide I see for her recommends gameplay that functions like an assassin early and then building tank (actually a lot of builds focus on fighter builds. But I prefer building her as a tank).

I even went blade over corrupting potion, which did fix my health sustain problem.

I still rush tank items (mainly sunfire cape when fighting AD) but I'm wondering if I honestly should just build TF on Poppy as they recommend (I usually build BC if I decide to build a damage focused item).

Anyone got any tips for Poppy top?

44 Comments

Sahn Uzal3 votes

Not a poopy player, but I'd try 12 0 18 sometime. Poppy is, like Sion, a tank who does a pretty good job at AVOIDING damage instead of absorbing it (they can absorb damage, but why would you if there is no reason to?)

She can throw down her Q, walk away (with W MS?) and only AA when your Grasp of the Undying is up. (Assuming your Bami's cinder or Enemie minions are stacking the grasp)

You can slow a person with Q, walk infront of them and E them into your minionwave so they take a lot of damage from your minions.

And you can use your ult as a combo tool. R (for the knockup) > E into a wall > AA > Q > Walk away > Passive (if up)

Ralanr1 votes

I've never seen Sion as someone who really avoids damage, rather he absorbs it (with his W)...ok I can see how he avoids damage.

I actually didn't consider using my minion damage offensively. I normally try to set up wall stuns with my E (which happens rarely with her nerfed range).

Often I try to save the ult for disengagement purposes, though I guess I should get used to learning it offensively.

Note to self: learn a champion when they are weak. Learning them when they're strong bites you in the ass when they get nerfed hard and you have to relearn them.

Sahn Uzal1 votes

I often play Sion by kiting back, constantly slowing with E, and stunning with Q. Constantly proccing Grasp whenever it's up. The reason I consider Sion to be more of a meta tank than most tanks RN is because most tanks want to eat a lot of damage. Currently, everyone gets melted, tank or not. Sion prevents people from hitting him, so he is indirectly extremely tanky?

Ralanr1 votes

When you put it like that, Sion is a really weird tank.

Sahn Uzal3 votes

Mecha Zero Sion's got a really nice quote for that one:

"All are obsolete but me."

Ralanr3 votes

As does normal Sion.

"What am I?"

Sahn Uzal2 votes

"Recognizing one's innate superiority can hardly be called going rogue."

Sahn Uzal1 votes

Yo I send ya a friendrequest on NA. Accept mi c: NA IGN is GeorgeTriBush

Ralanr1 votes

I shall when I'm done with work.

EndlessSorcerer3 votes

I'm learning her myself (though I haven't played to much of her yet). Hopefully I can help though since I've found her to be a lot of fun so far.

Often I find myself dying in trades because I lack sustain or damage to really survive or outrade my opponents.

You might not be making the best use of your passive shield (or you are just in a poor lane match-up). You should be trying to trade when you have the shield available due to it mitigating damage and increasing the damage of your next autoattack.

So yesterday I decided to try a more assassin mastery set up (12/18/0 TLD) instead of my usual tank masteries for her (0/12/18 Grasp).

This is a decent idea for additional burst damage, but I find that Grasp of the Undying is generally more useful and scales better into late-game. If you make good use of your passive autoattack, you can safely sustain after charging it up on minions and it helps much more in sustained fights.

I even went blade over corrupting potion, which did fix my health sustain problem.

It might help your health sustain in the long run, but Corrupting Potion is better for mana sustain and for healing when you can't hit the minions. I'd probably recommend Corruption Potion over other starts, especially if you aren't building a mana item (i.e. Iceborn Gauntlet) early.

I still rush tank items (mainly sunfire cape when fighting AD) but I'm wondering if I honestly should just build TF on Poppy as they recommend (I usually build BC if I decide to build a damage focused item).

Trinity Force wouldn't be a horrible option, but it might leave you a little squishy. However, I will admit that the extra mobility is rather nice.

Generally, I try to build something along the following lines when applicable (though I will obviously adapt to the situation): item 3047 or item 3111, item 3068 item 3025 item 3512 item 3742 item 3071

It provides enough damage that I can assassinate squishy targets and duel fighters/tanks rather well while still providing good mobility, utility and durability.

Ralanr1 votes

It might be some bad match ups. Whenever I play Poppy I get stuck with Teemo, Nasus, Lulu etc. but I also lose lanes against champions like Yas and GP (my last Poppy vs GP lane only went well because I kept getting ganks from my jg. My passive missle speed was too slow to hit the last tic of his barrels before his gun hit).

RookPusher1 votes

I don't have any. But if you're not feeling it, why do something you don't like?

Ralanr1 votes

Because I do enjoy her and I want to have a good line up of tanks.

I don't want to be a one trick wonder with Sion.

Angry Monster1 votes

Poppy got hit a tad to hard by the nerf bat. Unless you want to main her, not worth the effort anymore.

Ralanr1 votes

I still like playing her (before the AA reset removal she was my go to jungler. Now she's...a lot slower and it makes it frustrating). And I can't just call myself a tank main with just Sion. I need to play more tanks (or rather, I want to play more tanks).

Out of the tanks I've played, she's up with Shen in "this shouldn't work but it does and it does very well" ways of building them.

Sahn Uzal1 votes

You really should try toplane Nautilus. He's a really fun champion :P

Ralanr1 votes

Every time I take him top I over estimated his damage and survivability. So I end up losing lane easy.

I need to learn him better.

Sahn Uzal1 votes

You have to realise you're litterally nothing without your W. Also, kite back with your E (let the W DoT tick) and re-aply W DoT.

Ralanr1 votes

So max W? Cause I think I maxed E.

Or I just fucked up and overextended on a Riven. It was a while ago.

Sahn Uzal1 votes

Aye, max W. Unless the enemie won't burst your shield anyway :P

thekingofnido1 votes

She is getting some love in the next patch so it will become a little easier. the best way to win trades is by poking with your passive and by setting up wall stuns. if you can set up good wall stuns you will win every trade. i know that's easier said then done but its really your best option. try to position your self in between the minions and the enemy deny them farm and make them take routes to the minions that make them walk near walls and punish them for doing it. if you do this properly you can win lane more often. also make sure you grab your shield when your planning on trading it will be vital in winning the trade.

Ralanr1 votes

I'll try that positioning idea with the minions. I suck at setting up wall stuns since the nerf, so relearning how to do so is crucial.

thekingofnido1 votes

yea that was the biggest nerf to her. but it is still possible to do. also, when your doing this you will be somewhat over extended so try to make sure and ward in case of ganks or ask your jungler to help ward. and finally don't be afraid to dive towers with jungler help as early as lvl 4-5 she is super easy to get wall stuns under tower and with her shield she can make it out of some really sticky situations.

thekingofnido1 votes

as for what abilities to max first you always max q first. then depending on if your winning / losing lane you can choose to max w or e. max e if ahead or w if behind. maxing e has increased damage and increase on stun duration but the stun increase is so small that its only worth getting in you are ahead. otherwise the cdr you get on maxing w is better right now in the current meta imo. always max q first more damage + more wave clear + increased slow.

Ralanr1 votes

I usually max E second (always max Q first).

Though I never really remember the increase I get with maxing her W.

thekingofnido1 votes

So the big increase you get from maxing w second is it lowers the cd on the ability and it gives more move speed. this can help keep enemy assassins from jumping on your adc in team fights. by maxing this second your giving yourself the opportunity to use it 2-3 times in a fight, given you have 20-30% cdr. Where as maxing e gives more damage a slightly lower cd and a .5 second longer stun if against a wall. so if you are ahead and are snowballing max e second for the increase damage and for diving the back line. if your behind and you need to peel for your adc then max w second.

Ralanr1 votes

Thanks for the advice.

Also, you can just hit the reply button when you want to respond.

thekingofnido1 votes

{quoted}

Thanks for the advice.

Also, you can just hit the reply button when you want to respond.

I do what i want :)

Ralanr1 votes

Fair enough.

Johnny562101 votes

A couple tips I acquired maining her would be

Don't build damage, poppy is arguably one of the best scaling tanks in the game currently focus on your strengths which is her tank. You also have %max hp damage which means your damage will remain relevant even if you don't build any. The only exception is iceborn but it is tank still. Finally being tanky allows you to land more % max hp damage per trade.

Don't trade. Poppy is really weak early, just wait and only last hit. The secret is to force your laner to push to your turret. The easiest way to deny your opponent is to make his csing dangerous to ganks while being safe under your own tower. This is especially effective against Nasus in that being shoved in is where he wants to be so he can farm, whereas being a pushed up gank magnet he doesn't want to do. Basically only trade when you have a wall stun which should be easy to land, q hit thenot walk away.

Finally in team fights peel for your adc like the God tank poppy was ment to do. No one should be able to touch them with a full tank poppy in front of them. You will win nearly every team fight doing this even with a sub par adc.

These are the tips that helped me a ton.

Ralanr1 votes

The biggest weakness I have to freezing a lane is the first wave. I'm very afraid of my opponent hitting level 2 before me.

This is a question that I need to know the answer to: do you get more exp for killing a minion than just for being around a minion as it dies?

Johnny562101 votes

Nope just being around is the same as lasthitting. And yeah you are going to have to be careful when they get 2 before you, however you should also be close to your turret for it and thus a lot safer. And if they do manage to get a good trade in just sit back and heal with corrupting potion. Finally really practice your last hits because that will help you maximize this strategy. And don't get too greedy for cs, remember you have a ranged attack for dangerous cs but meleeing 2 back line casters is not worth an early death.

Ralanr1 votes

Ok. I think this just might help my laning phase in general.

Johnny562101 votes

Yea i learned a lot of that stuff plying Nasus, and it has transfered really well to most of my top lanes.

SSJTribe1 votes

nah it's the same.

The Yetii Rider1 votes

I wouldn't recommend Trinity Force as a first buy. A lot of Poppy's mid game power comes from the increased percent resistances she gets. An armor or MR item first makes damage fly off her when she gets low.

MunchCrunchLunch1 votes

well her winrate is pretty bad and shes in a bad spot right now.

Mojihito6661 votes

They should bring old Poppy back.

Its the only was to save lol.

Ralanr2 votes

No. It wouldn't help at all.

Mojihito6661 votes

It would, i would lift my curse.

Its not an accident lol started going downhill after riot deleted my Poppy.

Dealth1 votes

You wait for next patch where she gets buffed so she is actually useful again. That's what you do.

MunchCrunchLunch1 votes

{quoted}

You wait for next patch where she gets buffed so she is actually useful again. That's what you do.

its a really small buff. its not gonna do much for her

ƒoes1 votes

https://www.reddit.com/r/PoppyMains

Just gonna leave this here.

Sire Hippington1 votes

If you face someonw with whom you might go for extendet trades, try fervor, it ads alot more damage than any other masterie if you can get some AAs of. Else, TL is curretnly just better than grasp. Generally poke with Q whenever you can, and play around your passive. As soon as you get the passive shield, go in with E(you can also use a minon as taxi if the opponent isn't in range) and trade, as your passive shield will prevent them from effectively tradeing back. Also, unless you really have a bad time in lane, get atleast sheen early as it really increases your tradeing power alot. If you snowball, rushing a trinity is a good idea to keep rolling. If you just win the lane but don't really snowball, getting iceborn+BC can offer alor utillity and damage with decent tankyness. If you fall behind, just go tanky so you can initiate or peel in teamfights, relying on the rest of your team to bring the damage. I prefer starting flask because of the mana it gives, though blade can work aswell. Also, don't try to do fancy stuff with your charged ult, most of the time it's better to just snapcast it, especially in an all in at top.

It's also alot about knowing the matchup, meaning knwing whether you should go for all in trades or just poke with Q and walk of. And obviously you should care abbout minons. Early in the game, minions can deal alot damage if you get agro. Try to clear out the ranged minions as they do alot damge, and leave the melees so the wave stays in place. This applys to all toplaners, not only poppy.

More from Gameplay

3 Refunds per season, upvote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay764 comments
7,167
votes
3 Refunds per season, upvote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay156 comments
3,510
votes
UPVOTE FOR URF
Gameplay606 comments
2,440
votes
Yes plz.
Gameplay456 comments
1,721
votes
3 Refunds per season, up vote if you want 3 refunds per season.
Gameplay114 comments
1,716
votes
When is ANYONE at riot going to address the awful new player experience?
Gameplay634 comments
1,383
votes

More by Ralanr

A stupid idea: Nami's ult.
Gameplay219 comments
201
votes
I feel new Swain and Vlad have too similar designs.
Story, Art, & Sound155 comments
176
votes
Ever have a moment where you question your ability to play?
Gameplay190 comments
153
votes
Lunar Reveal crafting: I don't want to spend RP on components that grant random skins.
Story, Art, & Sound80 comments
150
votes
"We want Talon to use the terrain to his advantage"
Gameplay88 comments
139
votes
If you're going to complain that a champion is no longer unique because they are part of a new race.
Story, Art, & Sound181 comments
133
votes